Twelve Colonies: TC.2.5 "Ballots."

TC. Twelve Colonies

TC.1 OVERVIEW

Tired of slithering underfoot and being left behind, the snakes and turtles of the Woodland have come together to forge a new system of government, one with liberty and justice for all - the Twelve Colonies! Hear! Hear! But for this new democratic way of life to take hold, they will need to build Capitols and reinforce them from the commons. They had asked their reptilian brethren, the lizards, to help them but... well, lizards and all. If it’s not about the Dragon God, they just aren’t interested, am I right? Every Birdsong, the Colonies will bring motions before the other factions, potential Laws submitted by the common creatures of the forest. Supporting the right Laws will help you with your builds and using your political prowess properly will give you a leg up on the competition. It’s a revolutionary new idea and their goals are lofty, true. But their will is strong and their blood... it’s cold.

TC.2 FACTION RULES AND ABILITIES

TC.2.1

Crafting.

The Twelve Colonies craft during Daylight by activating Capitols and Commons.

TC.2.2

Turtles.

Twelve Colonies has two different types of warriors–snakes and TURTLES–but both are treated interchangeably as warriors. Colonies has 5 TURTLE warriors, and those TURTLES have special abilities as follows.

Hard Shelled.

TURTLES deal no hits in battle but, in clearings that contain any number of turtles, Colonies ignore one rolled hit.

Slow but Steady.

TURTLES ignore rule when moving, but can only move from clearing to path and vice-versa (they cannot move from clearing to clearing in a single move). They can move with snake warriors when they (the snake warriors) move, but TURTLES can only travel half of the distance.

(eg – Turtles can start a move from a clearing with snake warriors and go as far as the path that the snakes are using – the snakes would go through to the clearing. TURTLES can also be ‘picked up’ by snake warriors, if they are moving along a path that has a TURTLE on it, and they will all end the movement in the destination clearing.)

III

Tolls.

To move along a path with a TURTLE on it, players must give Colonies a card that matches one of the clearings on either side of that path. (Paths can still be used at no cost for adjacency, TOLLS are just for movement.)

TC.2.3

Deck of Laws.

Twelve Colonies has a DECK OF LAWS, 16 cards that can severely alter the course of the game. There are 4 each of Fox, Rabbit and Mouse suit, and 4 of ‘ALL’ suits (fox, rabbit and mouse combined.) Which LAW Colonies decides to put forth, if passed, will determine where they can COLONIZE in Daylight (see TC.5.2.) placing new CAPITOLS or COMMONS. There are two types of LAWS, DIRECTIVES and ELECTIONS (see TC.2.4). The LAWS are as follows: (TC.5.2 - Colonize.) (TC.2.4 - Types of Laws.)

Pax Vulpes.

DIRECTIVE (fox) Players cannot initiate battles in fox clearings. Where you would battle, you may instead move from that clearing.

Feris Ratio.

ELECTION (fox) Elect a player. The elected player does an extra hit when attacking in battle.

III

Militaris Subsidium.

ELECTION (fox) Elect a player. At the start of their Birdsong, the elected player may place up to 3 warriors in any clearing where they have pieces.

Omnius Exitus.

ELECTION (fox) Elect a clearing on the map. All players must immediately move and/or remove their pieces from the elected clearing. If they must, they may ignore rule to make this move. While this Law is in effect, this clearing cannot be used in any way.

Pax Lepus.

DIRECTIVE (rabbit) Players cannot initiate battles in rabbit clearings. Where you would battle, you may instead move from that clearing.

Amplius Actum.

DIRECTIVE (rabbit) All players must make a choice: During their Daylight, they may take an additional move or initiate a battle. Otherwise, they may immediately place 2 warriors in a clearing they currently rule.

VII

Communia Divitiae.

DIRECTIVE (rabbit) Remove a random card from each player’s hand and place it facedown on the table. Shuffle those cards and then deal them out.

VIII

Publico Auxilio.

DIRECTIVE (rabbit) All players immediately draw 2 cards and discard 1 of them.

Pax Mus.

DIRECTIVE (mouse) Players cannot initiate battles in mouse clearings. Where you would battle, you may instead move from that clearing.

Artifex Contentio.

DIRECTIVE (mouse) Players cannot craft items or improvements. They can, however, use the improvements which they have already crafted.

Defensio Optimum.

DIRECTIVE (mouse) All players who are defending in battle take the higher roll (and attacker takes the lower roll).

XII

Insidae Tutela.

DIRECTIVE (mouse) Ambush cards cannot be played against other players.

XIII

Arcitectus Corvidae.

DIRECTIVE (all) All players can ignore rule while moving. All players can ignore the presence of warriors where adjacency
applies.

XIV

Non Variablis.

DIRECTIVE (all) Bird cards cannot be played as wild. If they were put into play previously, you may still treat them as if wild.

Status Aequalis.

DIRECTIVE (all) The player with the fewest VP gains 2 victory points. The player with the most VP loses 2 victory points.

XVI

Valorem Historiae.

ELECTION (all) Elect a slot on the map that has a building or ruin with an item. Remove all pieces from that slot and place the HISTORICAL SITE MARKER (see TC.2.4iii) This marker cannot be removed from the map, even after this law is replaced. (If an item was removed from a ruin, place it next to the shared supply. The item is now craftable.) (TC.2.4.III - Historical Site Marker.)

TC.2.4

Types of Laws.

LAWS are voted for and against during THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. (TC.2.6 - The Democratic Process.)

Directives.

Players vote for or against a DIRECTIVE by use of BALLOTS determining a Yea or Nay vote. (TC.2.5 - Ballots.)

Elections.

Before players vote in an ELECTION, NOMINATIONS must be held during THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS (see TC.2.6i). Then, players will vote on a seconded NOMINATION by use of BALLOTS (TC.2.5) to determine the result of the ELECTION – A, B or C. (TC.2.5 - Ballots.)

III

Historical Site Marker.

This is a unique building used when the ELECTION called VALOREM HISTORIAE (TC.2.3xvi) is put into play. Once placed on the map, this building cannot be removed by any player, by any means, until the game has concluded. (TC.2.3.XVI - Valorem Historiae.)

TC.2.5

Ballots.

These markers are the currency used by players to place votes during THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. They are kept in a player’s personal play area and/or on THE PUBLIC TRUST.

The Public Trust.

This card is placed near the map during setup, where all players can access it. Players may buy BALLOTS from THE PUBLIC TRUST by removing their warriors from the map (or by exhausting items as per 9.2.5), one ballot per. They may do this at any time during their turn or, if done during THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, when it is their turn to nominate or vote. (The same goes for buying from each other using Political Favours TC.2.5ii.) When Twelve Colonies uses the Public Trust, they must remove two warriors for each ballot, not just one. (9.2.5 - Items.) (TC.2.5.II - Political Favours.)

Political Favours.

During THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, players may use THE PUBLIC TRUST or buy BALLOTS from each other for any agreed price. (But all deals made therein are binding) (Contrary to 1.3.1 in the Law of Root – see G. Golden Reminders.) (1.3.1 - Agreements.)

TC.2.6

The Democratic Process.

Begins by Twelve Colonies revealing which one LAW they chose to keep from the end of their last turn (see TC.6.3) – or from setup. If it is not an ELECTION, skip NOMINATE (TC.2.6i). Whenever there would be a tie, Twelve Colonies decides what happens. (TC.2.6.I - Nominate.) (TC.6.3 - Draft.)

Nominate.

In point order from lowest to highest (use the VP track on the map) players either place a nomination marker (by placing it X-side up beside a player or on the map) or they second an un-seconded nomination by flipping it to its A, B or C-side. Remove all nominations that were not seconded.

Voting.

Takes place in two rounds. In point order from highest to lowest (the opposite of nominations – use the VP track), players may give Colonies any number of BALLOTS to place as Yea, Nay, A, B or C as they so choose. If players choose to abstain (to not vote) during the first round, they cannot vote during the second round. (Tip: I remember Voting as highest to lowest as reminding myself that V is for Voting and VP. That or think of it as that the player in last place always has most control - aka nominating first, voting last.)

III

Adjourn.

After the votes have been counted, half (rounded up) will be placed in the Colonies own supply and the rest will go in THE PUBLIC TRUST. If failed, remove that Law from game. If passed, the old LAW is removed from the game, the new LAW is put into effect and all excess markers (from Nominations, if applicable) will be removed. Any remaining A, B or C marker (denoting target of Law in effect) cannot be removed by players (until a new Election).

TC.2.7

Colonies.

Twelve has two types of COLONIES – Capitols and Commons. Each clearing may contain1 Capitol or 1 Common, but they cannot contain both. To build them, Twelve must spend cards matching the current LAW, as well as the clearing they are being placed in.

Starting Over.

Outside of Setup, when the leftmost Common is placed on the map (and the +2 warrior icon is revealed), Twelve Colonies immediately places any 2 warriors on the map with that Common.

TC.3 FACTION SETUP

TC.3.1

Step 1: Found the First Colonies.

Pick any 2 adjacent clearing with the fewest pieces and place 2
snake warriors and 1 TURTLE warrior in each. Place a Capitol in one of the clearings and a common in the other.

TC.3.2

Step 2: Gather Proposals of Law.

Shuffle the DECK OF LAWs and draw 3 of them. Before your first turn, you must return 1 of those 3 cards to the DECK OF LAWS and shuffle it.

TC.3.3

Step 3: Institute the Public Trust.

Place THE PUBLIC TRUST near the map. Give 3 BALLOTS to yourself and 1 BALLOT to each other player. Place all other BALLOTS on THE PUBLIC TRUST.

TC.3.4

Step 4: Educate the Masses.

Place your remaining Capitols and Commons on their respective tracks in all except for the leftmost space. Then, distribute your player aids to the other players.

TC.4 BIRDSONG

Your Birdsong has two steps (one of which includes THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, in its entirety). Perform these two steps in the following order.

TC.4.1

Recruit.

For each ballot you place in THE PUBLIC TRUST, place 1 warrior (of either type) at a Capitol or 2 warriors (of either type) at a Common.

TC.4.2

Convene.

All players partake in THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS (TC.2.6) Whenever there would be a tie, you decide what happens. (TC.2.6 - The Democratic Process.)

TC.5 DAYLIGHT

First, you may activate Capitols and Commons to craft cards from your hand. Then, you may take up to three actions in any order and number.

TC.5.1

Campaign.

Take two moves or initiate two battles.

TC.5.2

Colonize.

Place a Capitol or Common in a clearing as follows.

Choose Clearing.

To place a Capitol in a clearing, you must rule that clearing. If you wish to place a Common, the chosen clearing only needs
to contain any number of your pieces.

Spend Cards.

Spend cards matching both the clearing and the current LAW. The number of cards that must be spent is listed below the Capitol or Common.

III

Resolve Effect.

Place the Capitol or Common in the chosen clearing. Score the victory points listed on the space uncovered on your faction
board, if applicable.

TC.5.3

Claim.

Once per turn, score one victory point per uncovered flag bonus (on the Capitols track).

TC.6 EVENING

Your Evening has three steps in the following order.

TC.6.1

Distribute.

Give yourself one ballot from the Public Trust. Then, in point order from lowest to highest (use the VP track), give one ballot from the Public Trust to each player, if possible.

TC.6.2

Draw and Discard.

Draw one card, plus one per uncovered draw bonus. Then, if you have more than five cards in your hand, discard cards of your choice until you have five.

TC.6.3

Draft.

Draw three LAWS. Return all but 1 of them to the DECK OF LAWS before your next turn and shuffle it (use the time before next turn to plan your decision).