Condottiere Game Guide

Welcome to the world of Condottiere! If you’re new to the game, I’ll walk you through the rules and provide some helpful tips along the way. So, grab your cards and get ready for an epic battle!

Objective

The goal of Condottiere is to conquer regions on the map and become the most powerful player. You’ll do this by strategically playing your cards and outsmarting your opponents.

Setup

To begin, shuffle the deck of cards and deal seven to each player. Place the remaining cards in a face-down draw pile. The game board represents different regions, each with a corresponding number. The number indicates the strength of the region, which is key to winning battles.

Gameplay

Condottiere is played in rounds, with each round consisting of two phases: the Planning Phase and the Battle Phase.

In the Planning Phase, players take turns playing one card face-down in front of them. These cards will determine your strength in battle later on. Once all players have played their cards, the Battle Phase begins.

In the Battle Phase, players take turns resolving battles. The player with the highest total strength wins the battle and takes control of the region. If there’s a tie, the player who played their card last wins.

After the battle, players replenish their hands by drawing cards from the draw pile. The first player to run out of cards triggers the final round. When the final round ends, the game is over, and players tally up their controlled regions to determine the winner.

Card Abilities

Cards in Condottiere come with special abilities that can give you the upper hand. These abilities range from increasing your strength to disrupting your opponents’ strategies. Make sure to use them wisely to gain an advantage!

Strategy Tips

When playing Condottiere, keep these tips in mind:

• Timing is key: Save your strongest cards for crucial battles.
• Control regions strategically: Focus on regions that provide significant advantages.
• Watch your opponents: Try to anticipate their moves and counter their strategies.
• Use card abilities strategically: Take advantage of the unique effects of each card.

With these guidelines in mind, you’re ready to embark on your journey as a Condottiere. So, gather your allies and may the best player emerge victorious!

Do you know what happened during the Renaissance in Italy? It was a time when Italy was divided into different city-states, each with its own unique character. Some of these city-states, like Genoa, Florence, Milan, and Venice, were more well-known than others.

But here’s something really interesting: during this era, there were these incredible leaders called Condottieri. They were like warlords who led groups of mercenaries and offered their services to the most powerful cities. These Condottieri were not just ordinary fighters, though. They were incredibly smart strategists and skilled soldiers. They didn’t just fight for the highest bidder; they actually shaped the political landscape of Italy through their schemes, alliances, battles, and sieges. Some of them even managed to establish new dynasties! For example, there was Francesco Sforza, who took control of the Duchy of Milan, and Giovanni de Medici, who turned Florence into his kingdom.

Welcome to Condottiere! Step back in time and experience the thrilling era when a few determined men had the power to achieve greatness. In this game, you’ll take on the role of a Condottiere, vying to conquer the renowned cities of Italy. But beware, you’re not the only one with grand ambitions. To succeed, you’ll need to navigate the complex world of diplomacy to secure victory.

The Mission

Your objective in Condottiere is to conquer city-states, bring them under your rule, and establish the mightiest kingdom in Italy.

To claim victory, you must be the first to control a specific number of regions. If you manage to control regions that are adjacent to each other, you can achieve victory faster. Adjacent regions are those that share a common border.

In a game of 4, 5, or 6 players, the goal is to be the first one to control either 5 total regions or 3 adjacent regions. The player who achieves this wins the game. On the other hand, in a game with only 2 or 3 players, the goal is to control either 6 total regions or 4 adjacent regions in order to win.

Elements

Imagine this: You and I are about to embark on a thrilling adventure through Renaissance Italy. To start our quest, we’ll need a game board that represents this awe-inspiring map. This board is divided into 17 regions, with each region marked by its dominant city.

Next, we have 110 cards that will be used to resolve intense battles between the Condottieri. These brave warriors will fight for victory, and it’s up to us to determine their fate.

But wait, there’s more! We also have a special Condottiere token. The player who holds this token gets to choose the region where the next battle will take place. It’s a powerful tool that gives us an edge in our conquest.

Now, let’s talk about the Favor of the Pope token. When a region has this token, it is considered to be under the Pope’s protection. This means it cannot be attacked by anyone. It’s like having a shield to defend against our enemies.

To keep track of our progress, we have 36 control markers in six different colors. These markers will be used to show which regions we have successfully conquered. With each victory, our influence and power will grow.

Lastly, we have this trusty rulebook. It will guide us through all the intricacies of the game, making sure we understand every rule and strategy.

Now that we have all the pieces in place, let the thrilling game begin! Are you ready to conquer Renaissance Italy? Let’s go!

In each game of Condottiere, I play multiple rounds. Each round involves one or more battles where we fight for control. Once everyone but one player has used up all their cards, we start a new round by drawing new cards.

At the start of each battle, I hold the Condottiere token. It’s up to me to choose where the battle will take place, selecting a region for us to clash in.

Hey there! Just a heads up – the Condottiere token can’t be placed in a region that’s favored by the Pope or a region that another player has already conquered.

Let’s Talk Battles

When it’s time for battle, we each take turns playing cards faceup on the table to create our battle lines. Your battle line shows the forces you’re bringing into the fight. After we’ve all placed our cards, the battle ends, and the player with the highest total strength conquers the contested region. Then we choose a new region and start all over again!

Getting Started

1. Put the game board in the center of the table.
2. Choose a color and place your control markers in front of you. These little guys will show which regions you conquer throughout the game.

I’m the youngest player, so I grab the Condottiere token and put it in front of me. Now, let’s get started. I shuffle the deck and deal 10 cards to each player, including myself. Oh, and I get to pick where the first battle will take place. Exciting!

Okay, now that everything is set up, we can begin the first round of the game with the first battle. Here we go!

When it’s my turn to play, I always go first since I have the Condottiere token. After my turn, the other players take their turns in clockwise order.

On my turn, I have two options: I can either play a card or pass. It’s up to me to decide what strategy to use. Let’s see how this battle unfolds!

When you play a card, just put it faceup in front of you, next to the other cards you’ve played in this battle. Together, these cards make up your battle line. Your strength in the battle is determined by adding up the strength values of all the cards in your battle line, while considering any changes from special cards. You can start your battle line with any type of card, including a special one.

Once you play a card, let everyone know the total strength of your battle line.

Remember, you’re never forced to play a card in a battle. It’s completely up to you whether you want to pass on a turn. Even the player who placed the Condottiere token can choose to pass at the start of a battle.

By the way, if you have any other questions or need further clarification, feel free to ask.

If you decide not to play a card, just say “I pass.” You won’t be able to play any more cards until the next round. (If your turn comes up again during the round, you’ll be skipped). But, even if you pass, you could still win the round if you have the strongest line of cards at the end.

Keep in mind that the other players can keep playing cards after some players have passed. Even when everyone except one player has passed, that player can still keep playing cards, one at a time, until they decide to pass.

Wrapping Up a Battle

We keep on taking turns, deciding whether to play a card or skip, until every player has decided to skip or someone plays a “Surrender” card. At that point, the battle comes to an end. Let me walk you through the next steps:

1. Comparing Strength

Each one of us shares the total strength of our battle lines. The player whose battle line is the toughest conquers the area. They put one of their markers on the conquered region and place the Condottiere token right in front of them. But there’s one small exception: if someone has the most Courtesan cards in their battle line, they get the Condottiere token instead of the player who technically won the battle.

If there is a tie for the highest total strength among two or more players, no control marker is placed on the board, and the Condottiere token is passed to the player on the left of the previous controller.

2. Pick a New Battle

The player who holds the Condottiere token must now select the region where the next battle will take place. They can choose any region on the game board, as long as it does not have a control marker or the Favor of the Pope token. They can even choose a region where a previous battle ended in a tie.

3. Discard Battle Cards

All the cards in each player’s battle line must be discarded. This is a mandatory action.

4. Discard Hand Cards

If I don’t have any Mercenary cards in my hand, I can decide whether or not to get rid of all the cards I’m holding. It’s not something I have to do, but just a possibility for players like me who don’t have any Mercenary cards. On the other hand, if I do have one or more Mercenary cards in my hand, I can’t discard my hand.

The End of a Round

A round comes to a close once only one player (or no players) has any cards left in their hand, following the “Discard Cards from Hand” step in resolving a battle. If a player has cards remaining, they are allowed to keep up to two, while discarding the rest. Then, the player who has the Condottiere token shuffles all the remaining cards, including the discards.

The player with the Condottiere token proceeds to deal each player, including themselves, enough cards so that each player has a total of 10 cards in their hand. Afterwards, the player with the Condottiere token deals each player an extra card for every region they control.

For example: If a player controls Parma, Venezia, and Siena, and has no cards left in their hand, they would receive a total of 13 cards.

What Happens If a Player Has No Cards

When you’re in the middle of a battle and you find yourself without any cards in your hand, there’s only one thing you can do: pass. It may seem like a setback, but don’t worry, it’s not the end of the world. You just have to wait until the next round to get back in the game.

While you’re taking a break, the other players will continue battling it out without you. It might feel frustrating, not being able to participate, but sometimes you just have to bide your time and regroup.

Now, here’s something interesting. Let’s say you manage to win a battle even though you played your last card. Well, guess what? You’ll still be rewarded with the Condottiere token and you’ll get to choose the location of the next battle. Pretty cool, huh? It might be a little bittersweet, since you won’t be able to take part in that battle, but hey, at least you get to call the shots.

What the Cards Mean

Hey there! Let’s talk about the meaning of the cards in the game. Each card represents a unique power or ability that can greatly impact the game. Some cards might give you an advantage while others might put you at a disadvantage. It’s all part of the fun and challenge of playing!

So, when you receive a card, take a moment to read and understand what it does. Each card has its own special effect, and knowing what it does can help you make better decisions during the game.

Keep in mind that some cards can be used at any time, while others can only be played in specific situations. This is where strategy comes into play. You have to carefully choose when to use your cards to maximize their impact and increase your chances of winning.

And here’s a tip: pay close attention to the cards your opponents play. By observing their moves and the cards they use, you can try to anticipate their strategy and make better decisions to counter their moves.

Trading with Others

Now, let’s talk about trading. During the game, you have the option to make deals and negotiate with other players. This can be a great way to strategize and strengthen your position in the game.

When you want to make a deal, you can show your cards to the other players to prove that you are serious. However, keep in mind that you cannot actually exchange cards with them. You can only discuss strategies and make agreements.

It’s important to note that any deals made during the game are not binding. This means that you or the other players are not obligated to stick to the agreements you make. It’s all part of the unpredictability and excitement of the game!

So, keep your negotiation skills sharp and make the most out of the opportunities to trade with other players. Just remember that anything can happen, and the game is full of surprises!

The Game’s End

When playing with 4, 5, or 6 players, the game ends in the “Compare Strength” step of a battle’s resolution. At this point, if a player controls 5 total regions or 3 adjacent regions, the game is over. In games with 2 or 3 players, the victory condition changes to 6 total regions or 4 adjacent regions.

But what if a battle is concluded, and none of these victory conditions have been met? Well, in that case, the game continues. However, the player who controls the most regions at that point is considered the winner. This can happen when all regions on the board, except for one, have been conquered, and that last region is under the Pope’s favor.

Settling Ties

If there is a tie for the most regions controlled by two or more players, an exciting final battle takes place. Only the players who are tied participate in this battle. First, all players have to get rid of their cards. The player who holds the Condottiere token collects and shuffles all 110 cards and gives each tied player 10 cards, plus an additional card for each region they control.

During this final battle, the player with the Condottiere token gets to go first. If the player with the Condottiere token is not one of the tied players, then the player closest to the left of the one with the token gets to go first.

The player who emerges victorious from this intense final battle is declared the winner of the game. In the rare event of another tie in this final battle, the tied players will share the victory and celebrate together.