Annotated Games: Version 1.2, 2 players

This game was played during the game testing of Christina Regina. For test purposes, the players follow pre-defined strategies. Blue/Red aims for early influence and a short game end whereas Black/Purple aims for late influence and a long game.

The diagram used shows the influence tiles with a color and a bold number and the player movements with plain text code (B=blue/red, O=Onyx or Black/Purple) and an order number (1=first Queen move etc.) The influence stacks are listed to the right of the board with the numbers in parentheses to indicate assassination attempts.

Round 0

	3		3	3			3
			2			2		3
	2	1		1	1
3						1	2	3
		1				1
	2	1					2
3				1	1	1		3
	2	2		2			2
							3

Looking at the board, Blue/Red will aim for the upper right corner, where she can get blue tiles of all levels as well as red tiles of level 1 and 2. Black on the other hand plans to move the Queen counter-clockwise, starting with the upper left corner and finishing somewhere on the right side. It looks like the Queen will be indecisive in this game...

Round 1-2

	3		3	3			3		1
			2			2		3
	2	1	B3	O4	1
3			O2	B1		1	2	3
		1				1
	2	1					2
3				1	1	1		3
	2	2		2			2
							3

Blue heads for the upper right corner while Black tries to steer the Queen towards the left. Only Black's unwillingness to step on Black tiles too early returns the Queen to the right.

Round 3-4

	3		3	3		O8	3		1	2
			2		O6	B7		3	1
	2	1	B3	O4	B5
3			O2	B1		1	2	3
		1				1
	2	1					2
3				1	1	1		3
	2	2		2			2
							3

Blue grabs both the blue 1-tile and the blue 2-tile, giving Black no choice but to accept a clockwise path. It seems obvious that blue is one of her opponent's colors but is it her primary or secondary?

Round 5-6

	3		3	3		O8	B9		1	2	P
			2		O6	B7	B11	3	1
	2	1	B3	O4	B5		O12
3			O2	B1		1	2	3
		1				1
	2	1					2
3				1	1	1		3
	2	2		2			2
							3

Blue is forced to pick the black 3-tile to reach the blue 3-tile. Black is unwilling to help her opponent to this tile and plays her first Persuasion to open a path to the left. Blue declines this and move the Queen downwards, after which Black continues downwards, past the blue 3-tile.

Round 7-8

	3		3	3		O8	B9		1	2	P
			2		O6	B7	B11	3	1	2
	2	1	B3	O4	B5		O12
3			O2	B1		1	B13	3
		1				1	O14	B15
	2	1					2	O16
3				1	1	1		3
	2	2		2			2
							3

Blue doesn't mind moving the Queen further downwards and pick her first red tile. The Queen is surrounded by tiles of Black's colors but does Black dare moving the Queen to any of them? Fearing that this will give her opponent an opportunity to turn the upwards again and end the game, Black decides to continue downwards. Fortunately, Blue thinks that Black aims for the green tile and turn the Queen to the right, after which Black can continue downwards and head for the purple 3-tile.

Round 9-10

	3		3	3		O8	B9		1	2	3	P	M
			2		O6	B7	B11	3	1	2
	2	1	B3	O4	B5		O12	2		2
3			O2	B1		1	B13	3
		1				1	O14	B15
	2	1						O16
3				1	1	1		O18
	2	2		2			O20	B19
							3

Blue would like to get to the only remaining blue 3-tile within reach but since the Queen is an even number of squares away from it, there's a risk that her opponent simply passes it. To lose a tempo, she decides to play a Manipulation card and remove the green tile to the isolated "island" in the upper right corner. Black takes the risk of picking the purple 3-tile, after which Blue continues downwards, forcing Black to turn right and pick a black 2-tile.

Round 11-12

	3		3	3		O8	B9		1	2	3	P	M
			2		O6	B7	B11	3	1	2	3
	2	1	B3	O4	B5		O12	2		2
3			O2	B1		1	B13	3
		1				1	O14	B15
	2	1						O16
3				1	1	1		O18
	2	2		2			O20	B19
				O24	B23	O22	B21

Blue gets her blue 3-tile, after which the players move the Queen along the bottom row - Blue because she wants to reach the blue 2-tile and Black because she wants to avoid the red tiles.

Round 13-14

	3		3	3		O8	B9		1	2	3	P	M
			2		O6	B7	B11	3	1	2	3
	2	1	B3	O4	B5		O12	2	1	2
3			O2	B1		1	B13	3
		1				1	O14	B15
	2	1						O16
3			B27	O28	1	1		O18
	2	2	O26	2			O20	B19
			B25	O24	B23	O22	B21

Blue decides not to enter the red 2-tile in the 25th turn since she already has a red 2-tile and wants to save this in case the Queen returns to this part. Instead it's Black who returns upwards to prevent the Queen from getting too close to the blue 2-tile. Blue is still not sure whether green is an opponent color or not continues past the green tile and upwards. Black senses what's going on and move the Queen to the right, picking a green 1-tile and strengthening any suspicions her opponent may have.

Round 15-16

	3		3	3		O8	B9		1	2	3	P	M
			2		O6	B7	B11	3	1	2	3	A	A
	2	1	B3	O4	B5		O12	2	1	2
3			O2	B1		1	B13	3	1
		1				1	O14	B15
	2	1						O16
3			B27	O28	O30	1		O18
	2	2	O26		B31		O20	B19
			B25	O24	B23	O22	B21

Blue thinks the time is ripe to end the game and start isolating the Queen by playing an Agitation card to remove the tile above her. Black senses the danger and picks the black 1-tile to the right. Blue now moves the Queen downwards, limiting her available paths further, and Black finds no better option than playing an Agitation card to remove the red 2-tile.

Round 17-18

	3		3	3		O8	B9		1	2	3	P	M
			2		O6	B7	B11	3	1	2	3	A	A
	2	1	B3	O4	B5		O12	2	1	2	3	M	P
1			O2	B1		1	B13	3	1
		1				1	O14	B15
	2	1						O16
3			B27	O28	O30 2	O36		O18
	2	2	O26		B31	B33	O20	B19
			B25	O24	B23	O22	B21

Blue moves the Queen to the only available tile to the right, hoping to get at least one more red tile. However, Black is now quite pleased with her position and plays a Manipulation card to replace the red tile with a green. Blue is now in trouble but finds the option to play a Persuasion card, bringing back a red 2-tile to the isolated part. Black calmly picks the green 3-tile.

Round 19-20

	3		3	3		O8	B9		1	2	3	P	M
			2		O6	B7	B11	3	1	2	3	A	A
	2	1	B3	O4	B5		O12	2	1	2	3	M	P
1			O2	B1	O40	1	B13	3	1
		1			B39	1	O14	B15	1
	2	1			O38			O16
3			B27	O28	O30 B37	O36		O18
	2	2	O26		B31	B33	O20	B19
			B25	O24	B23	O22	B21

Blue gets her red 2-tile, after which the players move the Queen upwards. Blue's 39th turn gives Black an opportunity to move to the left and prolong the game but Black declines and continues upwards. This will likely give her two more tiles, one black and one purple, and seal the victory.

Round 21-22

	3		3	3		O8	B9		1	2	3	P	M
			2		O6	B7	B11	3	1	2	3	A	A
	2	1	B3	O4	B5		O12	2	1	2	3	M	P
1			O2	B1	O40	B43	B13	3	1
		1			B39	O44	O14	B15	1
	2	1			O38			O16	1
3			B27	O28	O30 B37	O36		O18	1
	2	2	O26		B31	B33	O20	B19
			B25	O24	B23	O22	B21			(2)	(3)

Blue tries to drop a tempo by attempting an assassination. She lets her secondary faction Red attempts to assassinate Black's secondary faction Purple but erratically chooses Black and fails. However, she can drop her Red 3-card with no loss since no red 3-tiles have been picked. Black returns the tempo by attempting to assassinate Blue's secondary faction. However, she also fails, thinking that Blue is the secondary and drops her Purple 2-cards with no loss. Note that no action cards are discarded, since they've all been played already.

Blue takes no more risk but picks the black 1-tile, after which Black can pick the purple 1-tile.

Round 23-24

B11

(3)

O12

(2)

O40

B43

B13

B39

O44

O14

B15

O38

O16

B27

O28

O30
B37

O36

O18

O26

B31

B33

O20

B19

B25

O24

B23

O22

B21

(2)

(3)

Blue's only consolation is that she's now sure that her opponent plays Black and Purple and since Black is not her secondary color, it must be her primary color. The assassination is successful and Black loses her 2-tile. Black on the other hand is equally sure that her opponent's primary color is Blue, costing Blue her 3-tile.

The players agree to end the game as the Queen's remaining path contains no more colored tiles. The player score as follow:

1st influence stack: Red 1, Blue 2x2, Black 3x2, Purple 4
2nd influence stack: Blue 2x2, Red 2
3rd influence stack: Purple 1

Both players end up with 11 points but Black wins thanks to having the most points (the only point!) in the 3rd influence stack!

It was another tight game. Blue/Red's aggressive gameplay made her vulnerable to assassinations but even then it's hard to succeed with both assassinations, making this a viable strategy. Black/Purple's more careful gameplay, combined with the "Green herring", made assassinations more difficult but Blue was lucky to succeed with one anyway, making the game tight to the very end.

It may be noted that the original 2-player rules allowed 2 of each action card but the test showed was that 1 was enough to prevent too many counter card plays in the end game. The rest of the rules played just as expected!

P&P Boardgame (PDF, A4)	P&P Boardgame (PDF, US Letter)

P&P Cardgame (PDF, A4)	P&P Cardgame (PDF, US Letter)