A Study in Emerald
Objective of the Game: "A Study in Emerald" is a strategic board game based on Neil Gaiman's short story. Players compete against each other to either free humanity from the alien elder rulers or to support these rulers. It is played in two teams: Loyalists who support the rulers and Revolutionaries who fight against them. The objective is to win with your team by gaining influence, eliminating opponents, and fulfilling secret objectives.
Components
- A game board with various cities
- A deck of cards
- Player tokens and influence cubes
- Secret identity cards (Revolutionary or Loyalist)
Setup
- Deal Secret Identities: Each player secretly receives an identity card, indicating whether they are a Revolutionary or Loyalist. Keep this card secret!
- Initial Setup: Place the game board at the center of the table. Shuffle the city cards and place them according to the instructions.
- Prepare the Card Deck: Shuffle the other cards and deal each player a starting hand.
- Distribute Influence Cubes and Tokens: Follow the instructions to distribute the cubes and tokens.
Gameplay
The game is played in rounds, in a clockwise order. Each round consists of the following phases:
- Draw Phase: Draw cards to refill your hand.
- Perform Actions: Each player can perform a set number of actions:
- Place Influence: Place influence cubes on the board to control cities.
- Play Character Cards: Use character cards to gain advantages or execute strategies.
- Create Disturbances: Disrupt an opponent's influence in a city.
- Plan Assassinations: Execute an assassination to eliminate an opponent’s character.
- Check Objectives: At the end of each round, check if any player has achieved their secret objective and score points accordingly.
Endgame Conditions
The game ends when a player or a team achieves all their secret objectives or triggers a defined event. Players reveal their identities and the team with the most victory points wins.
Strategic Considerations
- Secrecy: Keep your role hidden to mislead the opposing team.
- Teamwork: Collaborate with teammates to strategically place influence and block opponents.
- Risk Management: Consider when to use infiltration or espionage actions wisely.
The combination of team strategies and secret identities adds a captivating twist of strategy and bluffing to the game, requiring players to outsmart their opponents.
