Contents
The Imperial Game Rules
Welcome to the world of the Imperial Game! I’m here to guide you through the rules and help you become a master player. So let’s dive right in and get started!
First, let’s talk about the objective of the game. Your goal is to conquer the world by expanding your empire. You’ll be competing against other players, each controlling their own empire. The player who can control the most territories at the end of the game will be declared the ultimate victor!
Now, let’s discuss the gameplay. The game is divided into turns, and each turn consists of three main phases: the Empire Building phase, the Diplomacy phase, and the Combat phase. In the Empire Building phase, you’ll have the opportunity to expand your empire by acquiring new territories. In the Diplomacy phase, you can negotiate and form alliances with other players. And in the Combat phase, you’ll have the chance to battle your opponents and claim their territories as your own.
To conquer territories, you’ll need to build and maintain armies. Armies are represented by army tokens, and you can move them from one territory to another, attacking your opponents and defending your own territory. The outcome of battles is determined by a roll of the dice, so there’s an element of chance involved. However, strategic decisions and clever tactics can greatly increase your chances of success.
As you conquer new territories, you’ll earn Victory Points. Victory Points are a measure of your progress in the game, and the player with the most Victory Points at the end will be declared the winner. You can earn Victory Points by conquering territories, building cities, and achieving certain objectives.
Now, let’s talk about the game board. The game board is divided into different territories, each with its own unique characteristics and resources. Some territories are more valuable than others, so you’ll need to carefully plan your strategy to maximize your gains. Additionally, the game board features different regions, and controlling entire regions can earn you additional bonuses.
Finally, let’s discuss the duration of the game. The Imperial Game can be played over multiple sessions, with each session representing a different period in history. Each session is divided into a fixed number of turns, and the game ends when all the turns have been played. The player with the most Victory Points at the end of the final session is declared the ultimate winner.
That’s it for the rules of the Imperial Game! I hope this guide has helped you understand the game better. Remember, conquering the world requires skill, strategy, and a little bit of luck. So gather your armies, form alliances, and may the best empire prevail!

Welcome to Europe in the age of imperialism! It’s a fascinating time when international investors are vying for power and influence across the continent. Take a journey with me as we explore this world.
Imagine being an investor, holding bonds that give you control over the politics of six powerful nations: Austria-Hungary, Italy, France, Great Britain, the German Empire, and Russia. It’s a thrilling prospect, isn’t it?
In this game of power, the nations are in constant motion. Factories are being erected, fleets are being built, and armies are being deployed. It’s an ever-changing landscape, shaped by the actions of the investors.
As an investor, you watch as your nations expand, wage wars, and collect the proceeds. It’s a delicate balance, as the shifting influence of different investors can create new alliances and conflicts at any moment.
Your goal is to increase your capital and gain influence in the most powerful European nations. It’s a fierce competition, and only the most savvy and strategic investor will come out on top.
Welcome to the intriguing world of Imperial, a strategy game that offers a unique twist: no reliance on luck through dice or cards. In this game, it’s all about strategic thinking and calculated decisions. Whether you’re a seasoned player or new to the game, you’re in for an exciting experience.
Imperial is designed for two to six players, creating a dynamic and engaging atmosphere. This game is suitable for players aged twelve and up, ensuring a challenging experience for players of all ages.
The game’s duration is approximately two to three hours, providing ample time for players to immerse themselves in the strategic world of Imperial. So get ready to embark on an epic journey and showcase your skills as an imperial investor.
The Game Components

I want to tell you about this exciting game called “Printed Tiles.” It’s a game that comes with everything you need to play and have a great time! Let me walk you through all the components included in the box.
First off, you’ll find a gameboard. This is where all the action takes place. It’s like a mini world where you’ll be strategizing and making important decisions.
Next, you’ll see 54 bond cards. These cards represent the six nations in the game. Each card has its own unique traits and abilities. You’ll have to use them wisely to gain an advantage over your opponents.
Speaking of nations, there are 90 flags in six different colors. These flags represent the different nations in the game. You’ll need to collect and use these flags strategically to achieve your goals.
To help you keep track of your progress, there are also six nation flag cards. These cards display the flags of each nation and serve as a visual reminder of your achievements.
As you play the game, you’ll need to manage your finances. That’s where the investor card and the 130 banknotes come in. These will help you keep track of your money and make smart financial decisions.
To ensure that everyone understands the rules of the game, there is an instruction booklet included. This booklet will guide you through the gameplay, step by step. And if you prefer a quick introduction, don’t worry! There’s a quick intro included as well.
But that’s not all! There’s also a booklet called “Historical Data on the Six Powers.” This contains interesting information about the nations in the game. It adds an extra layer of depth and immersion to your gaming experience.
Now, let’s move on to the wooden components. These are really cool! You’ll find 48 armies and 48 fleets, all in the colors of the six nations. These represent your military forces in the game. Use them wisely to conquer territories and defend your borders.
In addition to the armies and fleets, there are also 30 factories. These factories come in two colors, brown and light blue. They represent armament facilities and shipyards, respectively. They play a crucial role in your nation’s development and expansion.
To help you keep track of your progress on the gameboard, there are octagonal high markers and octagonal low markers. These come in the six nation colors and will serve as visual reminders of your achievements.
And finally, there’s a turn marker. This is a wooden pawn that will help you keep track of whose turn it is. It’s a small but important component to keep the gameplay running smoothly.
Now that you know all about the game components, let’s talk about the gameboard itself. It’s really something! You’ll see a map with six great Powers. Each Power has its own territories and unique characteristics. It’s up to you to navigate this world, make alliances, and achieve victory!
So there you have it – all the exciting components of “Printed Tiles.” Grab your friends and get ready for an epic gaming experience! Have fun and good luck!
In this game, there are six powerful countries: Austria-Hungary, Italy, France, Great Britain, the German Empire, and Russia. We’ll refer to them as “nations”. Each nation has five provinces within its borders, which we call “home provinces”. Any land areas beyond these nations are known as “land regions”.
Setting Up the Game
Alright, let’s get everything in order to start playing. Here’s what you need to do:
1. General Set-up (see illustration below)
Nation Markers: First things first, place the high nation marker for each nation right in the middle of the rondel. As for the low nation markers, put them on the “0” space of the scoring track and the lowest space of the tax chart, which is marked as “2-5”.
Factories: Now let’s deal with the factories. Each nation begins the game with two factories. Put the brown armaments facility on the brown squares of the gameboard, and the light blue shipyard on the light blue squares. Don’t worry, there are still 18 factories left, so keep them next to the gameboard.
Bonds: Time to organize the bonds. Sort the 54 bonds according to their nations and make six piles in ascending order, with the lowest value bond on top. Make sure to place each pile next to the corresponding nation’s treasury.
Bank: Lastly, sort the money and place it next to the gameboard as the bank. We’re all set now!
2. Distributing The Bonds
When it comes to distributing the bonds, the amount of starting money and government assistance you’ll receive depends on how many players are participating.
4 to 6 Players:
If there are 4 to 6 players, each of you will receive a total of 13 million dollars. This includes 5 million dollars and 2 million dollars multiplied by four. The bank will provide this amount. Additionally, there are six nation flag cards which will be shuffled and dealt face down to each player, one by one. Each player will receive one nation flag card.
3 Players:
If there are three players, each of you will receive a total of 24 million dollars. The bank will provide this amount, which includes 5 million dollars multiplied by two and 2 million dollars multiplied by seven. There will be a separate combination of nation flag cards for this game. Specifically, the nation flag cards of Austria-Hungary, Italy, and France will be shuffled and dealt face down to each player, one by one. Each player will initially receive one nation flag card. After that, each player will be given an additional nation flag card based on the following sequence: Great Britain to Austria-Hungary, Russia to Italy, and Germany to France.
2 Players:
When we start playing the game, we all receive some money from the bank. Each of us gets a total of 35 million dollars. The money comes in different denominations: three 5 million dollar bills and ten 2 million dollar bills.
Next, we shuffle the nation flag cards for Austria-Hungary and Italy. The cards are placed face down and then dealt to each player, one by one. This means that everyone gets one nation flag card.
But that’s not all! After getting the first card, each player receives two more nation flag cards. For Austria-Hungary, the additional cards are France and Germany. And for Italy, it’s Russia and Great Britain.
On the back of each nation flag card, we can see the initial distribution of bonds. Bonds represent investments in different countries. Each player takes the bonds shown on the back of their card (or cards) from the bond pile. But here’s the catch – we have to pay the corresponding price for those bonds into the treasury of the nation we received them from.
Once all the initial bonds are distributed among the players, we’ll each have 2 million dollars left. The rest of the money will be in the treasuries of the respective nations.
When you play the game, you get to keep the nation flag cards that you’ve been dealt. These cards show that you’ve made the biggest contribution to the country, so you get to form the government.
If there are four or five players, not all of the nation flag cards are handed out at the start. The remaining card is given to the player who owns the “2 million” bond for that country. This means they have the highest credit score. If none of the bonds for a particular country have been given out, then that country’s flag card stays in the bank for now.
A Variation for Experienced Players
For players with more experience, there is a variant where the bonds are distributed differently. This adds more strategy to the game and is recommended for advanced players.
At the beginning of the game, each player receives a certain amount of money from the bank:
- If there are six players, each player gets 15 million.
- If there are five players, each player gets 18 million.
- If there are four players, each player gets 22 million.
When it comes to the game, you have some options. The first one is to play with three players and a total of 28 million dollars. If you choose this option, here’s what happens: one player gets to be the first to give a bond to Austria-Hungary. They pick a bond from the pile and pay its amount to the country’s treasury. Then, the other players take turns doing the same thing.
If you decide to play with two players, the total amount is 40 million dollars. Like before, one player gets to be the first to give a bond to Austria-Hungary. They choose an Austrian bond and pay the required amount. Then, the other player does the same.
After Austria-Hungary, it’s Italy’s turn. The player sitting on the left side of the starting player gets to choose the first Italian bond. Then, the other players take turns choosing their Italian bonds.
So, you have different options when it comes to the game setup. Just remember to follow the rules and have fun!
Let’s talk about how bonds work in this game. It starts with me giving bonds to France, Great Britain, Germany, and Russia, all in a similar way. But of course, I have to pay the price of the bond to each country’s treasury. Now, if no one becomes the government of any country, they get a Swiss Bank instead. It’s a fair deal for everyone.
Once I’ve given everyone a chance to get bonds, the game can finally begin. It’s an exciting moment, full of anticipation. I wonder what will happen next!
How the Game Works
Hey there! Let me tell you how this super cool game works. So, there are these six big nations called the Great Powers, and they’re the ones we’re going to be dealing with on the gameboard. Now, you and the other players are investors, and your job is to lend money to these nations by giving them bonds.
Here’s where it gets interesting. The player who loans the most money to a nation actually gets to control the government of that nation. Pretty powerful, huh? We’ll just call them “the government” for short. The government player gets to make all the decisions for that nation on the gameboard. How cool is that?
Now, no matter how many players there are, all six Great Powers are going to be in every game. So you’ll always have some nations to deal with.
Now, let’s talk about how a nation moves. Each nation gets a turn to make a move, and that move involves choosing a space on this thing called a rondel. It’s like a circular board with different spaces on it. On a nation’s first turn, they can place their game piece on any space on the rondel. From there, the game really takes off!
When I play this game, I have to make my decisions based on the rondel. I can’t stay in the same spot; I have to move my game piece clockwise. Moving to the three spaces in front of me doesn’t cost anything, but if I want to move further, I have to pay 2 million to the bank. The most I can move on the rondel is six spaces. It’s an interesting way to strategize and make my moves in the game.

Example:
Imagine you’re playing a game where each player represents a different country. Right now, Italy has landed on the “Investor” space on the game board. To make their next move and choose the “Taxation” option, Italy needs to move forward four spaces. The catch is that the Italian government, which is the player with the flag, must pay 2 million to the bank as they progress. If they want to go from “Investor” to “Factory,” they’ll need to cough up 4 million to the bank. It’s a balancing act of strategy and finances!
Goal of the Game
Here’s the scoop: as the game unfolds, each country’s power (measured by factories) and military might (controlled sea and land regions) earn them power points. These points are counted on the scoring track. The game comes to an exciting end when a nation reaches 25 power points.
So, how do you win? It’s simple. Your final score is based on the interest you earn from your bonds multiplied by your nation’s Power Factors, as shown on the scoring track. Plus, don’t forget to add your cash on hand. Time to show off your economic and military prowess!
So here’s the deal: In this game, you gotta do some math. First, you add up all your bond values and your cash. Each million you have is worth one victory point. The player with the most victory points wins the game. Simple, right?
But what if there’s a tie? Well, it’s not over yet. In that case, we go to the next tiebreaker: credit sums. The player with the higher credit sum in the nation with the most power points takes the win. If there’s still a tie, we keep going down the list, comparing credit sums in the nation with the second most power points, and so on.
Treasuries / Start of the Game
Separate Capital
Now let’s talk about treasuries. Each player has a treasury. But here’s the catch: you can’t mix your personal cash with the treasury. It’s like a trust fund, you know? You can’t spend or give away money from the treasury. It’s strictly off-limits. However, you can support your treasury by depositing your personal cash into it whenever you want. That’s totally allowed.
Hey there! Did you know that in this game, each player can always check what’s in everyone else’s treasuries, but they can keep their own personal cash a secret? Pretty neat, right?
Now, here’s the thing. Players are not allowed to lend or give money to each other. They can’t trade bonds or give them away in any way. So, you gotta hang on tight to your own cash!
Let the Games Begin!
The game starts with Austria-Hungary. After that, the nations take turns moving clockwise, following the order of their national deposits on the gameboard. First is Austria-Hungary, then Italy, France, Great Britain, the German Empire, and finally Russia. We keep track of whose turn it is with a turn marker.
If a nation hasn’t been granted a bond yet, it means they don’t have a government. In that case, we just skip their turn. Simple as that!
When the game begins, I want you to know that the investor card is given to the player sitting on the left side of the person who controls Austria-Hungary. And if there isn’t anyone controlling Austria-Hungary, then the investor card goes to the player on the left side of the person who controls Italy.
What the Spaces on the Rondel Mean
Let me explain to you what each space on the rondel represents.
Factory
You’re allowed to construct one brand new factory. Remember, armament facilities can only be built in brown cities, while shipyards are limited to light blue cities. If there are no enemy armies in your home province (those standing upright), then you can build a factory in any of your own cities.
Keep in mind that you can only build one factory in each city. You’ll need to pay 5 million into the bank, and the selected factory will be placed in the appropriate city on the gameboard.
Example: Germany has factories in Berlin and Hamburg. There is a French army in Cologne. Therefore, a factory can be built only in Munich or Danzig.
So, here’s how it works: on the rondel “Factory” space, Germany can choose to build either a shipyard in Danzig (light blue) or an armaments facility in Munich (brown). To do that, they need to pay 5 million from the treasury to the bank. Easy, right?
Production
Now, let’s talk about production. Each armaments facility and shipyard of a nation can produce one army or one fleet respectively for free. But there’s a catch! Factories in a home province where there are enemy armies present cannot produce. Even the occupying force itself can’t produce in an occupied foreign factory. Bummer!
The new armies and fleets are placed on the gameboard in the home province of their factory. It doesn’t matter how many military units are already there, what matters is where the factory is located. Remember that!
Example: Germany has factories in Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich. In Berlin, there is a hostile Russian army standing upright, while in Munich, there is a friendly French army lying down. When I’m on the rondel and in the “Production” space, I have the option to place a fleet in Hamburg and an army in Munich.
Import
As a nation, I have the ability to purchase military units for 1 million each from the bank. However, I am only allowed to have a total of three military units. These units can be placed in any of my home provinces that do not have hostile armies standing upright. My fleets, on the other hand, can only be placed in light blue seaports. I am also allowed to deploy multiple military units in the same home province simultaneously.
Sample: In this example, Austria-Hungary brings in two fleets and one army, by paying 3 million from its treasury. All three military units are positioned in Triest. Alternatively, they could have deployed the army in any of the other four Austro-Hungarian home provinces.
The Plan
Let’s break down this turn into three simple steps. First, we move the fleets, then the armies, and finally, we put flags in the newly occupied areas.
Step 1: Fleets
We can move all of our fleets to an adjacent sea region, crossing a blue sea border. After they are produced or imported, the fleets stay in the harbor. So, their first move is always to the sea region next to the harbor (which is marked with an anchor). Once the fleets are at sea, they cannot go back to land.
Example: There are three options for the fleet in the English Channel: it can go to the North Atlantic, the Bay of Biscay, or the North Sea. However, if the fleet is in London, it’s restricted to the English Channel. And if the fleet is in Dublin, it can only go to the North Atlantic. Of course, there’s always the choice to stay put.
If a fleet enters a sea where other fleets are, a battle takes place if either side wants it. The fleets are evenly matched and taken off the board. The invading fleet’s government gets to decide which fleet to match, if necessary.
If you have ships in the same sea area and you want to fight, you have to declare it right after the other ships have moved. But if nobody wants a fight, we all peacefully coexist in the same area. And even if one nation’s ships don’t move, they can still battle ships from other nations in that area.
Let’s imagine a fleet battle: Imagine the purple fleet sailing towards the left Sea. Now, I have the power to decide whether my fleet should engage in battle. But if I do decide to fight, I get to choose which fleet I want to fight against – either the green or the yellow fleet.
However, if I don’t feel like fighting, my purple fleet will simply move to the left Sea and then I will ask the other governments if they want to fight. Here’s the interesting part: I get to decide the order in which I ask the other governments. And if no one wants to fight, then all three fleets peacefully coexist side by side in the Ionian Sea.

2. Armies
All the armies of a country can move to a neighboring land region, except for Switzerland. Alternatively, they can be transported overseas by their own fleets, known as convoys. To do this, they can cross one or more adjacent sea regions if the country already has a fleet in that region. However, each fleet can only transport one army per turn.
To transport an army by sea, it must first be in a land region that is adjacent to a sea region, or it must reach the sea region by railroad (which I’ll explain in the next paragraph). After the convoy, the army will be back in a land region.
Let me show you an example of sea transportation:
Imagine a game where two yellow armies are in Triest. One of the armies can be transported to Algeria using a ship. However, once the ship is used by the first army, the second army cannot be transported over the western Mediterranean Sea anymore.
But there’s another option! The second army can land in Tunis because there’s a ship in the Ionian Sea that hasn’t transported any army yet. Plus, Tunis is adjacent to the Ionian Sea.
Now let’s talk about railroad transport:
In this game, each nation has its own railroad network that connects the provinces. The railroad network starts at the nation’s home provinces and ends at their own national borders. However, if there are hostile armies in a home province, the railroad network in that province is suspended.
Here’s the cool thing: armies can be transported within a country using the railroad before or after they move. It’s a convenient way to get your armies where you need them!
An Example of Railroad Transportation: The Dutch army (see the picture on the right) is unable to reach Denmark, Sweden, or Norway. Unfortunately, direct transportation by sea is not an option since there is no German fleet in the nearby sea areas.
However, the army can travel to Hamburg, which would allow them to access any other German region. There is a catch, though – once the army reaches Hamburg, their “Maneuver” turn is over. This means they can neither exit Germany through a land border nor travel to another land area using the fleet in the Baltic Sea.
On the other hand, the German army stationed in Cologne can use the railroad to reach Hamburg. Once there, they can continue their “Maneuver” turn and head directly to Denmark. Alternatively, they can utilize the fleet in the Baltic Sea to travel to Denmark, Sweden, or Norway.
Battles: When it comes to battles, armies and fleets face off to determine the winner. Just like fleets in the ocean, armies on land can engage in battle with a 1:1 ratio. If a land region is invaded, foreign armies have the power to initiate a battle. However, when it comes to a clash between fleets and armies, the fleet must be docked in the harbor to fight. This means that either the invading army can attack the fleet or the fleet can challenge the army to a battle.
When I enter the provinces of other Great Powers: I have to make a decision about whether my intentions are hostile or friendly. If I place my army standing upright in the province, it will block production, imports, factory construction, and taxation. This means the province is blocked off. But if I lay my army on its side, it will have no effect on these things. And here’s the interesting part: I can change the status of my army during my next maneuver turn, even without moving it to another province. Other nations that have armies in the same province can also request a match if this status changes.
If there’s a nation with only one factory that the enemy hasn’t taken over, that factory’s province is off-limits to the enemy. If armies from other nations enter that province, they are rendered inactive.
Getting Rid of a Factory: A foreign factory can be destroyed if three armies attack it and the defender doesn’t have any armies or fleets left in their home province.
The foreign factory and the three armies are removed from the gameboard. However, if a nation has only one remaining factory that hasn’t been taken over by enemies, it cannot be destroyed.
Imagine a scenario where a factory is being destroyed. Let me give you an example:
There’s a shipyard in Venice, and a fleet is docked in the harbor. Picture this: a yellow army from Vienna moves to Venice to engage in battle with the fleet. Meanwhile, armies from Budapest board the railroad to Vienna and then join forces with the army from Vienna in Venice.
Now, there are three yellow armies in Venice, ready to annihilate the factory. If this happens, both the armies and the light blue shipyard are taken out of the gameboard.
3. Flags
Whenever a nation takes control of a land or sea region where there are no enemy military units present, they plant their flag there. But remember, you can’t put flags in the home provinces of foreign nations.
Hey there! I want to tell you something interesting about flags and regions. So, you know that a flag is like a symbol that represents a nation, right? Well, when it comes to regions, a flag will stay in a region until another nation takes over. It’s like a battle, and sometimes an inactive nation ends up being the only one occupying the region. In that case, the old flag gets replaced by the new one. It’s kinda cool how flags can change depending on who’s in charge!
Investor
Now, let’s talk about this thing called “Investor.” It has three steps, and I’ll explain them to you. Steps two and three happen when you pass through the “Investor” space on the rondel, but don’t land on it. First, though, let’s do the action determined by the space you landed on.
1. Paying Out Interest
When a player grants bonds to a nation, they receive interest payments from the treasury. If the treasury doesn’t have enough money to pay all the interest, the player in charge of the government must sacrifice their own interest, fully or partially, and if necessary, use their personal funds to pay the interest owed to others.
2. Getting the Investor Involved
The player who holds the Investor card gets 2 million dollars from the bank and can then invest in any nation. They can only choose from the bonds available in the nation’s bond repository, and can decide whether to acquire a new bond or increase their investment in an existing bond from the same nation.
When you want to invest in a nation, you can buy bonds. These bonds act as a way for you to show your support for the nation, and they also come with some financial benefits. For each bond you purchase, you have to pay an additional fee to the treasury. In exchange, you receive a bond card that represents your ownership in the nation.
Let’s say I already own an Italian 4-million bond, and I want to increase my investment by getting a 12-million bond instead. To do this, I would return my old bond card to the pile and pay the difference between the two bonds (8 million) to the Italian treasury. This way, I can own multiple bonds of the same nation and continue to support their growth.
3. Investing with a Swiss Bank
Hey there! If you have a Swiss Bank and you don’t already have an investor card, you can still invest. It’s pretty simple! Investing with a Swiss Bank works just like having an investor card, but there’s one small catch – you don’t get two million from the bank.
Now, if there are multiple players with Swiss Banks, don’t worry! We’ll make sure everyone gets a turn. We’ll go in the order of play, starting with the player who currently holds the Investor card and moving clockwise.
Oh, and here’s something cool! At the end of your turn as an investor, we’ll check to see if any governments will change. How, you ask? Well, it’s all about those bonds you have in a particular nation. The total sum of your bonds will determine the fate of that nation’s government. Exciting, isn’t it?
When it comes to the allocation of bonds, a unique opportunity arises. If a new player manages to accumulate the highest credit sum, they are rewarded with the honor of governing the nation. However, it is important to note that a mere tie will not suffice. In this game of high stakes, the individual must outshine the competition. Should multiple players achieve the same highest credit sum, a tie-breaker is necessary. In such a scenario, the player seated closest to the investor cardholder will assume the role of the nation’s leader.

If you don’t control a government in the game, you’ll get a Swiss Bank instead. You’ll keep the Swiss Bank until you take over a government again, at which point you have to give it back.
If you own a Swiss Bank, you have the power to prevent other players from passing over the Investor space on the rondel. However, you can only do this if the treasury of that nation has enough money to pay out all the interest.
Lastly, the Investor card moves clockwise to the next player.
Now let’s talk about taxation. This process has three steps.
Step 1: Tax Revenue and Success Bonus. The national taxes consist of two parts:
– 2 million for each unoccupied factory
– 1 million for each flag.
Did you know that a factory is considered unoccupied when there are no hostile armies in its home province? I found this fascinating! When a factory is unoccupied, it means that no one is using it for production.
Now, let’s talk about taxes. The maximum amount of tax revenue a factory can generate is 25 million. This includes 10 million from having 5 factories and an additional 15 million from having 15 flags.
When it comes to collecting taxes, the process is quite simple. The taxes are calculated and then recorded on a tax chart using a game piece. If the taxes collected amount to 5 million or less, the game piece is placed on the lowest space of the tax chart labeled “2-5”. On the other hand, if the taxes collected are 15 million or more, the game piece is placed on the highest space of the tax chart labeled “15+”.
I find it fascinating to learn about the intricate mechanics behind taxation and how it can impact a factory’s revenue. Understanding these concepts can really give you an advantage when managing your factories. You never know what insights you might uncover!

The government receives a bonus from the bank whenever the tax chart increases compared to the previous level. The bonus is 1 million for each additional space. However, if the taxes stay the same or decrease, no bonus is paid out. On the other hand, the owner of the flag is exempt from paying anything.
When it comes to increasing power points, the nation earns them based on its tax revenue. The amount of power points gained can be seen on the right side of the taxation chart. These new power points are added to the existing ones on the scoring track at the bottom of the gameboard.
Once a nation has accumulated a total of 25 power points, the game comes to an end. However, if the Investor space has been passed through during the move to the “Taxation” space, parts 2 and 3 of the Investor move are skipped.

3. Collecting Money
Hey there! When I land on the “Taxation” space on the rondel, I gotta pay 1 million soldiers’ pay to each of my armies and fleets. Yep, that’s right! One million bucks for each army and fleet that I got, and that money comes straight outta my tax revenue. But here’s the catch – only the leftover amount, after paying my troops, gets paid into my treasury on the gameboard.
Now, if the amount I gotta pay is negative, well, that means I don’t have to make any payment at all. Phew, dodged a bullet there!
- Right, so my tax revenue is sitting at a cool 7 million bucks. How did I get that number, you ask? Well, I’ve got 2 factories and 3 flags. So, the tax marker moves on up from 6 million to 7 million. And guess what? Since the tax marker moved up one space, yours truly (that’s me with the German nation flag card) gets a sweet 1 million bonus paid from the bank. Cha-ching!
- Now let’s take a look at the tax chart. Oh, would you look at that, it shows a nice little “+2” points. So that means I get to add 2 points on the scoring track. And while we’re at it, my German marker moves from “1” all the way up to “3”. Look at me go!
- A lot of individuals wonder how the German Empire is able to support a massive military force while still managing to have a prosperous economy.
- Well, here’s how it works: the German Empire has not one, but two armies, along with one fleet.
- As a result, a significant portion of the nation’s finances is dedicated to funding these military forces.
- Let’s break it down: the German treasury receives a payment of 4 million from the bank.
- This money comes from the tax revenue collected, which amounts to 7 million.
- But before the remaining 3 million is used to pay the soldiers in the army, it is first sent to the bank.
- Once the soldiers’ pay is deducted from the tax revenue, the remaining funds are transferred to the German treasury.
- It’s a fascinating system that ensures the German Empire can maintain its powerful military while also managing its financial obligations.
- By following this process, the nation is able to strike a balance between its military and economic needs.