The game can be played with anywhere from 5-10 players. Rules/logistics are in the “Spoiler” below (click the triangle to the side). And apparently, only 10 people can be “notified” with the @ feature.
Spoiler
Summary
Note that some details below are modified from the original starting rules.
This is to recognize some needed changes for future runs of this game.
The Basics
The setting is a galaxy far far away a long time ago. There are two teams, the Sith Lords (S) and the Rebellion (R). One of the Sith will be the Secret Darth Vader (V), which will be explained below. The teams will be enumerated as follows:
5 players: 3R, 1S+V
6 players: 4R, 1S+V
7 players: 4R, 2S+V
8 players: 5R, 2S+V
9 players: 5R, 3S+V
10 players, 6R, 3S+V
The Sith win if 6 Imperial (I) policies are passed, or if Vader is elected General after 3 Imperial policies are passed. The Rebels win if 5 Republic (R) policies are passed, or if Vader is assassinated.
Before the Game
You will be assigned one of three roles: Rebel, Sith, or Vader. If you are a Rebel, that will be all that you know. If you are Sith, you will be told who your Sith teammates are as well as who Vader is. If you are Vader, unless there are only 5-6 players, you will NOT know who your Sith teammates are.
You will be assigned a seat number as well. Seat 1 will be the first Master, and the Master position will be passed down the list one at a time. It will go back to seat 1 if it gets to the bottom of the list and the game isn’t over yet.
The Policy Deck
The policy deck will have 6 Republic policies and 11 Imperial policies at the start of the game. Once there are fewer than 3 cards remaining in the deck, they are immediately placed with the other discarded policies and a new deck is formed and shuffled. (Suggested randomization of at least 6 times to “shuffle” the electronic deck.)
Phases of the Game
There are three phases of the game: The Election, The Legislative Session, and the Executive Power session.
1. The Election
Summary
Whoever is Master may choose whom to nominate as their General. The floor is open for discussion among all players about whom to nominate. Once the Master decides who they want to nominate, they should post in the thread, in bold, I nominate ______.
Once that is posted, all players should vote ‘Pass’ or ‘Fail’ via PM to me. I will publicly post the each players’ vote after all votes are received. If a majority of votes are ‘Pass’, then the election passes and we will move on to the Legislative Session. If it fails (it does fail on a tie vote, then the position of Master passes on to the next player and another nomination and election happens. If there are 3 consecutive elections with no successful government formed, then the top policy card of the policy card will be enacted without any further input from the players.
Any player that was in the prior government is not eligible to be the next General. If there are 5 or fewer players remaining, then only the last chancellor is ineligible.
2. The Legislative Session
Summary
Once all the votes are in, I will open the legislative session by posting in the thread. Once the legislative session is open, the Master and General MAY NOT post in the thread until I have closed the legislative session by announcing the result . Other players may continue to have discussions.
Once the legislative session is open, I will PM the Master the top three cards of the policy deck. The Master will choose 1 to discard by reply to me only in PM. I will then PM the two remaining cards to the General, who will choose which one to enact and which one to discard. The General will PM me their choice, and I will close the legislative session in the thread by announcing if a Republic or Imperial policy was passed. If an Imperial policy was passed, we will then have the executive power phase, if necessary.
3. The Executive Power
Summary
When Imperial policies are passed, the government becomes more powerful. The CURRENT Master (that is, the one that just passed the fascist policy) may get to use an executive power, as listed below.
9-10 players:
1st Imperial policy: Choice of Policy Peek or Investigate one player.
2nd Imperial policy: Whichever power was not used after the 1st Imperial policy was passed.
3rd Imperial policy: Master will call a Special Election, the Sith may now win by Vader being elected General
4th Imperial policy: Assassinate one player.
5th Imperial policy: Assassinate one player. Veto power unlocked.
Explanations of Powers:
Policy Peek: The Master will be told via PM what the next three policies in the deck are, including their order.
Investigation: The Master should publicly post in the thread, in bold, I investigate _______. I will reply via PM if the player is Rebel or Sith. If the investigated player is Vader, you will only be told that they are Sith.
Special Election: The Master selects the next Master by posting in the thread, in bold, I choose ________ to be the next Master. The current Master is not eligible to be the Special Election Master. After that single election, the position of Master goes back to where it would have been otherwise and the game continues on normally.
Assassination: The Master should publicly post in the thread, in bold, I assassinate ________. The assassinated player should have no further part in the discussion. Assassinated players do not have their loyalty revealed unless they are Vader in which case the Rebels have won.
People may discuss openly in the thread about the best use of these powers, but ultimately, once the Master posts the bold statement, it can not be taken back.
Veto Power: Here, the Master and General have the opportunity to veto the agenda. If the Master and General choose to veto, then all 3 cards are discarded and the position of Master passes. The failed election counter does go up by 1 as well, bring it closer to a forced policy enactment.
After the Executive Power phase, if the game is not won, we go to the next election phase with the new President in power.
ALL GAME COMMUNICATION, UNLESS STATED IN THE RULES ABOVE, SHOULD BE IN THIS THREAD. THERE SHOULD BE NO GAME RELATED PM BETWEEN PLAYERS.
Players signed up
- @Kenny
- @IPD
- @YankeeTripper
- @S.Morgenstern
- @NerdAlert
- @John.S.Mill
- @J0EBL0W
- @MayanActuary
- @ArthurItas
- @Snake
Hecklers
- Lucy
- Bruteforce
- JFG
- Tbd
- Dr. Who
