Hostile Intent Game Rules

Objective:

The objective of the game is to protect your base while covertly completing missions and eliminating enemy players.

Setup:

First, divide into two teams. Each team will have a base, which they must defend at all costs. The bases should be set up on opposite sides of the playing area. Assign a leader for each team.

Gameplay:

Once the game starts, the teams will have a certain amount of time to complete their missions and eliminate the enemy players. These missions could include capturing a flag, eliminating a specific target, or retrieving an item.

Players must be able to differentiate between friend and foe, as each team will have players dressed alike. This adds a level of strategy and confusion to the game.

Players must be aware of their surroundings and constantly communicate with their team. This is crucial in determining enemy positions and defending the base.

When a player is hit by an opposing team member, they are considered “out” and must return to their base before rejoining the game. However, if a player is hit while completing a mission, they can still complete it before returning to base.

The game ends when one team successfully completes all of their missions or eliminates all of the opposing team’s players.

Strategy:

To succeed in this game, teamwork and communication are key. Stick together with your team and coordinate your movements to complete missions efficiently and to defend your base effectively.

When completing missions, be cautious and observant. Take note of enemy positions and use cover to your advantage.

It’s essential to be mindful of your own safety. Don’t take unnecessary risks and always prioritize preserving your own life and the lives of your teammates.

Remember, the enemy team is also trying to complete missions and eliminate your players. Stay vigilant and adapt your strategy as the game progresses.

Work with your team leader to devise a plan and assign roles. Each player should have a specific task that contributes to the overall success of the team.

Lastly, have fun! Hostile Intent is an exciting and fast-paced game that requires quick thinking and strategizing. Enjoy the thrill of the game and engage with your teammates for the best possible experience.

• There are 6 Hunter Mission cards.
• There are 4 Hunter Loyalty cards.
• You will find an Investigator Token.
• There are 10 Hunter Character cards.
• And also an Inquisitor Token.
• There are 6 Reverser Mission cards.
• You will find 2 Reverser Character cards.
• And 2 Inquisitor Loyalty cards.
• Lastly, there are instructions.

I. Introducing the Hunter Module

In the Hunter Module, both the resistance and spies have a specific individual they need to identify in order to win. The spy hunter needs to reveal themselves after the third failed mission and accurately accuse the resistance chief to secure the victory.

On the other hand, the resistance hunter reveals themselves after the third successful mission and must accuse the spy chief to secure the win.

Setting Up the Game

First, let’s get everything ready for an exciting game of Investigation: Undercover! Here’s what you need to do:

• Select the appropriate tableau for the number of players and place it in the center of the play area. Make sure to include the Score Markers, Team Tokens, Mission Cards, and Investigator token.
• Put the Round Marker on the 1st Mission space of the tableau.
• Give each player a set of Vote Tokens.
• Now, it’s time to determine the Leader. Randomly select one player to be the Leader, who will receive the Leader token.

If you’re playing with 5 or 6 players, there are a few additional steps:

• Place two Hunter Module Loyalty cards (Chief and Not a Chief) next to the scoring tableau.

For larger games with 7 or more players, follow these instructions:

• Place three Hunter Module Loyalty cards (spy Chief, resistance Chief, and Not a Chief) and the Hunter Mission Cards (Chief Fail) next to the scoring tableau.

Once everything is set up, it’s time to start uncovering the truth in Investigation: Undercover!

Let’s get started by setting up the game! We’ll need four Character cards to begin: resistance Chief, resistance Hunter, spy Chief, and spy Hunter. Don’t forget to include the remaining resistance/spy Character cards based on how many players are participating.

If there are 8 or more players, make sure to include a second resistance Chief card, giving us two resistance Chiefs in play. For games with 10 players, add a second spy Chief card so we have two spy Chiefs.

Now, let’s shuffle the Character cards and deal one to each player. Make sure to keep your role a secret!

• For 5 players: resistance Chief, resistance Hunter, spy Chief, spy Hunter, and one “standard” resistance card.
• For 6 players: resistance Chief, resistance Hunter, spy Chief, spy Hunter, and two “standard” resistance cards.

7 Players: In a game of Resistance with 7 players, the roles are divided as follows: One player takes on the role of the Resistance Chief, another becomes the Resistance Hunter, one player becomes the Spy Chief, another player is assigned the role of the Spy Hunter, and the remaining two players are the “standard” Resistance and the “standard” Spy. 8 Players: When there are 8 players, the roles change slightly. There are now two Resistance Chiefs, one Resistance Hunter, one Spy Chief, one Spy Hunter, and the same two “standard” Resistance and “standard” Spy roles. 9 Players: With 9 players, the roles are the same as in an 8-player game, except there is an additional “standard” Resistance role. This means that there are two Resistance Chiefs, one Resistance Hunter, one Spy Chief, one Spy Hunter, and now three “standard” Resistance and one “standard” Spy. 10 Players: In a game with 10 players, there are two Resistance Chiefs, one Resistance Hunter, two Spy Chiefs, one Spy Hunter, and now three “standard” Resistance and one “standard” Spy roles.

Spies Unveiled

Here’s a secret code for the mission, so that the spies can identify each other and their leader:

• “Now, everyone, let’s play a game. Close your eyes and make a fist in front of you.”
• “If you are a Spy Chief, extend your thumb.”
• “Spies, open your eyes and look around to find your fellow Spies and your Chief.”
• “Everyone, close your eyes and put your thumbs down.”
• “All players should have their eyes closed and hands in a fist in front of them.”
• “Now, everyone, open your eyes.”

If you have 8 or more players, include this step in the beginning to help the resistance Chiefs recognize each other:

• “Resistance Chiefs, it’s your turn. Open your eyes and find each other.”
• “Resistance Chiefs, close your eyes.”

Building a Strong Team

When it’s time for the Team Assignment but before the Team Vote, I, as the Leader, have to choose someone (other than myself) who will become the Investigator. This person will receive the Investigator token. If the Mission Team gets approved, that chosen player will become the Investigator if the Mission fails.

Just remember: On the 5th mission, we skip this step, so there is never an Investigation on the 5th mission.

Now, let’s get down to business and conduct the Mission.

If we have 7 or more players: I, as the Leader, will pass a set of three Mission cards, namely Success, Fail, and Chief Fail, to each member of the Mission Team. However, the Chief has a restriction: they can only play a Success or Chief Fail card. They are not allowed to play the Fail card.

It’s important to note that only the spy Chief has the authority to play the Chief Fail card. If even one Fail and/or Chief Fail card is played, the mission fails, except for the 4th mission, which requires the playing of two or more Fail and/or Chief Fail cards.

Important Note: This rule does not apply to games with 5 or 6 players. The Chief Fail cards are not used in those games. Instead, the Chief uses the regular Fail card.

Trigger for Early End Game: When the spy Hunter catches the resistance Chief failing a mission, they can choose to bring the game to an early close. Please note that any Early End Game Accusation must be made before the Investigation Phase begins.

For 5 or 6 players: If the spy Chief plays a Fail card during a mission, the spy Hunter has the option to reveal themselves and make an Accusation (see below). The spy Hunter will know for certain that the spy Chief played the Fail.

When playing with 7 or more players: If a mission has at least one Chief Fail card played, you, as the spy Hunter, have the option to reveal yourself and make an Accusation (see below). Keep in mind that the 4th mission specifically requires a failure and a Chief Fail card to trigger the Early End Game Accusation.

Early End Game Accusation: If the person you accuse is the resistance Chief, then the spies have won. However, if the person you accuse is not the resistance Chief, the mission results are flipped – the failure becomes a success (flip over the Score marker to show the change) and the game continues as usual, except now everyone knows who the spy Hunter is.

Remember: Making an Early End Game Accusation can have consequences. If the accusation is incorrect, it could lead to the third successful mission for the resistance. However, if the accusation is correct, the resistance Hunter must accuse the spy Chief to win. But be careful, a false accusation will turn the mission back into a failure.

Keep in mind: You can only make one Early End Game Accusation per game.

Note: If an Early End Game Accusation is made, the Investigation phase will be postponed.

Looking for Clues

When I’m on a mission and it goes well, I get to play the role of Investigator. That means I’ll be gathering evidence and trying to figure out who might be the culprit. But if things go wrong and the mission fails, I won’t let that setback stop me from getting to the bottom of things. I’ll still be looking for clues, determined to uncover the truth.

Remember: the Investigation phase can be delayed if it’s the third successful or failed mission. In this case, we’ll jump straight to the Accusation phase. If the Accusation is incorrect, we’ll return to the Investigation phase.

When it’s my turn to be investigated, the Investigator will give me the Hunter Loyalty cards. Then, I’ll select the card that matches my Character card and give it to the Investigator.

• If I’m the resistance Chief in a game with 5 or 6 players, I’ll show the Chief Loyalty card. If there are 7 or more players, I’ll show the resistance Chief Loyalty card.
• If I’m the spy Chief, I’ll show either the Chief or the spy Chief card.
• Everyone else will show the Not a Chief card. The Investigator can talk about the information they learned, but they can’t show the cards to other players. After that, all the Loyalty cards are returned and shuffled together before continuing the game.

Accusation

Right after our third successful mission, I, as the resistance Hunter, will finally come forward. It’s time to shake things up! My mission is simple: I must Accuse someone of being the spy Chief. The person I Accuse must answer honestly, but if they are not the spy Chief, they don’t have to reveal their Character card. It’s a game of secrets and strategy.

If, by chance, the person I Accuse is indeed the spy Chief, we’ve won! Victory is ours. But if they are not the spy Chief, things take an interesting turn. The mission results are reversed – our success turns into failure. Just like that, the tides can change.

Don’t worry, though. I won’t leave you hanging. After the Accusation, we’ll complete the Investigation phase to tie up any loose ends. Once that’s done, we can continue playing as usual. The only difference is that now, everyone knows who I am – the resistance Hunter.

On the other hand, after our third failed mission, it’s the spy Hunter’s time to shine. They step out of the shadows to uncover the resistance Chief. Like me, the spy Hunter must Accuse somebody. And just like before, the Accused person must answer honestly, but they don’t need to reveal their Character card if they are falsely Accused.

If the Accused is the resistance Chief, the spies have won.

If the Accused is not the resistance Chief, the mission results are reversed – the failure turns into a success. Flip over the Score marker to indicate the change. Complete the Investigation phase and then play continues as normal except that everyone now knows the spy Hunter.

After the 5th mission, a false Accusation will result in the other team being given a chance to make an Accusation. Repeat the Accusation process above; a correct Accusation results in a team win while an incorrect Accusation repeats the process, alternating between teams until a team wins.

If you’re using the Hunter Module along with a variant that lets you see Character cards, you’ll need to use the Inquisitor Loyalty Cards instead. As a spy, you’ll pass the spy Loyalty card, while resistance players will pass the resistance Loyalty card.

Variations of the Hunter Module

Did you know that there are additional characters with special powers that you can play in this module? It’s best to introduce one special character at a time, and then add more or switch them up once you’re familiar with how they work.

Resistance Dummy Agent

Here’s an interesting twist: if someone investigates the Resistance Dummy Agent, they might see the Chief’s loyalty card if there are 5 or 6 players, or the Resistance Chief’s loyalty card if there are 7 or more players. But here’s the catch – if someone accuses the Dummy Agent, the accusation is false because the Dummy Agent is not actually the Resistance Chief.

Resistance Coordinator – At the start of the game, the Resistance Chief or Chiefs will already know who the Resistance Coordinator is. This knowledge can come in handy when it’s time to assemble successful mission teams.

If I’m being investigated, I have to prove that I’m not the Resistance Coordinator by showing my Not a Chief Loyalty card. However, if the spy Hunter accuses me, the spies win. Now, if we’re playing with the Coordinator, there are a couple of additional lines to add during the Spies Reveal phase. First, the resistance chief or chiefs are asked to open their eyes, while the Coordinator raises their thumb. Then, the resistance chief or chiefs are asked to close their eyes, while the Coordinator puts their thumb down.

Now, let’s talk about the Spy Deep Agent. The Deep Agent doesn’t know who the other spies are, but the other spies know who the Deep Agent is.

Lastly, we have the Resistance Pretender. This one can be used in combination with the Deep Agent. The Pretender appears as the Deep Agent to the other spies. If we’re using the Deep Agent, whether with or without the Pretender, we have a special script for the Spies Reveal phase. Everyone is asked to close their eyes and extend their hand into a fist in front of them.

I’ll let you in on a little secret, so listen up! There’s this game called Spy Chief(s), and it’s a real thriller. Let me break it down for you. Here’s how it goes down: First, we extend our thumbs up – that’s the signal. But only the Deep Agent and Pretender keep their eyes open. The rest of us, we close our eyes and put our thumbs down. Total blackout. And then, kaboom! We open our eyes and the game begins. Exciting, right?

But wait, there’s more. If you want to spice things up, we can add an optional special rule when we play with the Deep Agent and Pretender. Get this: during the Team Building phase, before we start voting, the Deep Agent has the power to Blame the Pretender. It’s like a mega plot twist! The Deep Agent calls out another player and accuses them of being the Pretender. Tension rises as the Blamed player must answer honestly, but they don’t have to reveal their character card if they’re falsely accused. It’s an extra layer of mystery, making the game even more thrilling.

So, if you’re into games that keep you on the edge of your seat, Spy Chief(s) is the one for you. Give it a shot and let the games begin!

If I’m the one being blamed as the Pretender, then I have to switch my Character card with 9 others, including the Deep Agent. So now, everyone will know who the Deep Agent is. However, if I’m not the Pretender, the game goes on without any changes, except for the fact that the Deep Agent’s identity is now revealed to everyone. Oh, and just a heads up, blame can only happen once in a game.

The Amazing Inquisitor Module

Hey there! Are you ready to learn about the super cool Inquisitor token? Well, let me tell you all about it! The Inquisitor gives a player a special ability to peek at the affiliation of another player. And guess what? Unlike some other powers, everyone knows who has this ability. Pretty neat, huh? Just remember, the Inquisitor works best in games with 7 or more players.

Changes to the Setup

Okay, here’s what you need to do before the game starts. Hand over the Inquisitor token to the player sitting on the Leader’s right. Easy peasy!

Changes to Game Play

Now, pay attention because this part is important! After the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th missions are finished, the player with the Inquisitor token gets to choose one person to examine. Exciting stuff! The chosen player then gives their Character card to the Inquisitor. But wait, hold on a second! The Inquisitor can’t spill the beans just yet. They can talk about the card with others, but they can’t actually reveal it. It’s like a secret club, you know?

The person being looked at gets the Inquisitor token. The Inquisitor is only used three times in the game. If a person used the Inquisitor, then the Inquisitor can’t be used on them.

Example: I (a spy) start the game on the right side of the Leader and get the Inquisitor token. The first mission succeeds, but the second mission is a failure. As the Inquisitor, I choose Don (a resistance member) to look at. Don gives me his Character card.

I look at Don’s resistance card and say, “Don is a spy” – a total lie! Don gets really mad and quickly says, “I never trusted you and now I know you’re a liar and a spy.” I give the Inquisitor token to Don. After the third mission is done, Don will be able to look at someone else’s Character card. But Don can’t use the Inquisitor on me.

III. Reverser Module

Reversers have an incredible power to alter the outcome of any mission. With the resistance, they can turn a hopeless mission into a triumph, or with the spies, they can turn certain victory into frustrating defeat.

Setting Up

To start, choose one or both of the Character cards: resistance Reverser or spy Reverser. Use the remaining resistance/spy Character cards based on the number of players.

Put the Reverse Mission cards next to the Score Tableau.

Playing the Game

During the Conduct the Mission phase, the Leader gives each Mission Team member a set of three Mission cards (Success, Fail, Reverse). Only the Reversers can use a Mission Reverse card. The spy Reverser can play either Success or Reverse, but not Fail.

Alright, here’s the deal: for our mission to be a success, we need all the cards we reveal to be Mission Success cards, along with either none or both Reverse cards. But listen, it’s important to know that even if we have some Mission Fail cards played with one Reverse card, the mission can still be a success.

On the flip side, if we have one or more Mission Fail cards played, along with either none or both Reverse cards, then the mission fails. And let me tell you, if all the cards we reveal are Mission Success cards, but we have one Reverse card in the mix, it’s also a failed mission.

Let me paint a picture for you to help make things clearer: imagine a four-member mission where the revealed cards are Success, Success, Fail, Reverse. Well, guess what? That mission is a success!

Now, here’s a little twist for you: if we combine the Reverser Module with any variant that reveals Character cards, we’ll be using the Inquisitor Loyalty Cards instead of passing Character cards. That means spies must pass the spy Loyalty card, while resistance players pass the resistance Loyalty card. Simple, right?

Now, here’s an extra rule you can use if you like: