Imperial Struggle

2020

Experience the riveting 18th-century rivalry between France and Britain in Imperial Struggle. Engage in wars, politics, and economic strategies in this low-complexity, high-stakes board game.

240
minutes

2 - 2
player(s)

14+

Heavy

About the game

Imperial Struggle is a two-player board game that takes you back to the 18th Century, during the span of the two Anglo-French Wars. The game offers an immersive historical encounter where the players get to control one of the two global superpowers of the time – Britain and France.

The game is set on a board that represents various regions around the world. The player’s objective is to gain supremacy in these regions through diplomatic, military, and economic means. The game operates in both peace and war turns, creating a dynamic and suspenseful gameplay environment.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Imperial Struggle is a rich and complex board game that simulates the 18th-century rivalry between France and Britain. The game includes a variety of components, each playing a unique role in the gameplay. Here’s a detailed description of each component:

1. Game Board: The game board represents the world map during the 18th century. It’s divided into different regions like North America, Europe, India, and the Caribbean. Players place their units and markers on this board to show their influence and control in different areas.

2. Rulebook: The rulebook provides detailed instructions for playing the game. It includes rules for setup, gameplay, scoring, and resolving conflicts. It also provides background information about the historical context of the game.

3. Player Mats: There are two player mats, one for each player. These mats are used to track each player’s resources, including military, diplomatic, and economic power. They also provide space for players to organize their cards and tokens.

4. Investment Tiles: These tiles represent the assets that players can invest in to gain influence and control. Players draw these tiles at the beginning of each turn and place them on their player mats.

5. Event Cards: These cards represent historical events that can affect the game. When a player draws an event card, they can choose to play it for its event or for its action points. These cards can change the balance of power, start wars, or provide other benefits or penalties.

6. War Tiles: These tiles are used to resolve wars. Each war tile shows the number of battle points that a player can use to fight in a war, as well as the potential spoils of victory.

7. Advantage Tiles: These tiles provide players with special abilities or bonuses. Players can earn advantage tiles by achieving certain goals, such as controlling key regions or winning wars.

8. Game Pieces: The game includes a variety of pieces that represent military units, fleets, forts, and other assets. Players place these pieces on the game board to show their control of different regions.

9. Counters: These markers are used to track various game states, such as the current turn, the status of wars, and the balance of power in different regions.

10. Dice: The game includes dice for resolving battles and other random events.

In Imperial Struggle, players use these components to vie for control of the world. By strategically investing in assets, deploying their forces, and responding to historical events, players can shape the course of history and achieve victory.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Imperial Struggle is a two-player game representing the 18th-century rivalry between France and Britain. The game is played on a board divided into several regions, where players compete for supremacy. Here’s a detailed guide to help you set up the game.

Step 1: Player Roles

One player represents the British Empire and the other represents France.
Both players have the same capabilities and the roles are symmetrical, meaning no player has a unique set of actions or abilities.

Step 2: Board Placement

Place the main game board in the center of the playing area where it is easily accessible to both players.
The board is divided into four main areas: Europe, North America, India, and the Caribbean. Each area has spaces known as War Tiles and Advantage Tiles.

Step 3: Initial Resources

Each player begins the game with a set of counters representing military units (navy and army), fortifications, and economic resources.
For the British player, these counters are red, and for the French player, they are blue.
Each player should place their counters in their respective ‘Available’ boxes on the board.

Step 4: Advantage Tiles

Shuffle the Advantage Tiles and place them face down on the designated spaces on the board. There should be two tiles in each space.
Once all tiles are placed, turn them face up. The tiles are available to the players during the game to gain specific benefits.

Step 5: War Tiles

Separate the War Tiles by era: Succession (green), War of the Spanish Succession (blue), and War of the Austrian Succession (red).
Shuffle each set of tiles separately and place them face down in their designated spots on the board.

Step 6: Event Cards

Separate the Event Cards by era (Peace and War) and shuffle each deck separately.
Draw six cards from the Peace deck and place them face up in the Event deck area of the board. These cards are available for players to use during their turns.

Step 7: Random Elements

Each round, players will have to deal with random elements represented by Investment Tiles.
Shuffle the Investment Tiles and place them in a face-down stack. Draw the top three tiles and place them face up next to the stack. These tiles show the actions available to players during their turns.

Now, you’re ready to start playing Imperial Struggle! Remember, the aim of the game is to gain the most victory points by the end of the game, achieved by dominating regions, winning wars, and securing advantageous treaties.

Game flow Round and round we go

Imperial Struggle is a complex and strategic board game designed for two players. The game is set during the 18th century, where players take on the roles of the two most powerful empires of the time, Britain and France. The game spans four ‘Wars’ and six ‘Peace Turns’, each with multiple rounds, and various actions that players can perform during each.

The Game Turn

The game turn structure in Imperial Struggle is divided into Peace Turns and War Turns.

1. Peace Turns: During a Peace Turn, players alternate taking a single action until they have taken six actions each. These actions are determined by the available Action Cards and Investment Tiles.

Action Cards: These cards provide players with a variety of options, including diplomatic maneuvers, military campaigns, economic growth, and more. When a player chooses an Action Card, they perform the action described on the card.
Investment Tiles: These tiles represent different types of investments that the empires can make. Players may choose a tile and place it on the board in a region where they have influence, increasing their control over that area.

2. War Turns: During a War Turn, players do not use Action Cards or Investment Tiles. Instead, they focus on resolving the ongoing war. This is done in three steps:

War Advantage Selection: Players choose a War Advantage, which provides them with a specific benefit during the War Turn.
War Resolution: Players determine the outcome of the war by comparing their military strength in various regions.
Post-War Status: The effects of the war are resolved, which may involve changes in regional control, victory points, and more.

After all Peace Turns and War Turns have been completed, the game ends and the player with the most victory points wins.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

‘Imperial Struggle’ is a two-player board game, where players represent the two dominating powers of the 18th century, Britain and France. The game lasts four turns, each one representing a different period. During a player’s turn, they can take various actions and make strategic decisions that can greatly impact the game. Here is a detailed breakdown of what a player can do during their turn:

1. Draw Cards: At the beginning of each turn, players draw eight cards from their own deck. These cards can either be Event or Ministry cards, and they determine the actions a player can take during their turn.

2. Decide on a Strategy: Before taking any action, players should decide on their strategy for the turn. This strategy could be focused on military conquest, diplomatic influence, or economic growth, among others. The chosen strategy should guide the player’s decisions during their turn.

3. Play Cards: Players can play their cards in any order they choose. Event cards can be used to trigger historical events, which can have various impacts on the game. Ministry cards can be used to gain Investment Tiles, which are needed to take certain actions.

Event Cards: These cards can be used for two purposes. The player can perform the event depicted on the card, which can lead to gaining control of territories, changing the balance of power, gaining special abilities, etc. Alternatively, the card can be discarded to gain Action Points, which can be used to take other actions. The choice between using the event or gaining Action Points is a strategic decision that can greatly impact the game.
Ministry Cards: These cards can also be used in two ways. They can either be played for the event depicted on the card, leading to various effects, or they can be discarded to gain Investment Tiles. These tiles are used to take actions such as building military units, constructing buildings, or gaining influence in territories. The choice between using the event or gaining Investment Tiles is another strategic decision that players have to make.

4. Take Actions: After playing cards, players can take various actions depending on their available Action Points and Investment Tiles. These actions can include:

Building Military Units: Players can spend Action Points and Investment Tiles to build military units in their territories. These units can be used to defend territories or to attack the opponent’s territories.
Constructing Buildings: Players can also spend Action Points and Investment Tiles to construct buildings in their territories. These buildings can provide various benefits, such as increasing the economic output of a territory, providing defensive bonuses, etc.
Gaining Influence: Players can spend Action Points to gain influence in neutral or opponent-controlled territories. This can lead to gaining control of these territories, which can be crucial for victory.
Engaging in Diplomacy: Players can spend Action Points to engage in diplomacy with neutral territories or with the opponent. This can lead to alliances, trade agreements, peace treaties, etc., which can be beneficial for the player.

5. End of Turn: After all players have taken their actions, the turn ends. Players then draw new cards, and the next turn begins. The game continues in this way until the end of the fourth turn, at which point the player with the most victory points is declared the winner.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

Imperial Struggle is a strategy board game that allows two players to recreate the 18th century struggle between France and Britain. The game ends after the completion of the 10th round, which is also referred to as the 10th Peace Turn, or prematurely if either player meets the instant victory conditions.

Victory Conditions:

Instant Victory: An instant victory is won if at the end of any Peace Turn, a player has 30 or more points more than their opponent. This is considered a Victory by Conquest.
End of Game Victory: If no player has achieved an instant victory by the end of the 10th Peace Turn, the game ends and players proceed to final scoring. The player with the most victory points at the end of final scoring wins the game. In case of a tie, the player who was not the British at the start of the game wins.

Before final scoring, players must perform the following actions:

Resolve All Remaining Game Effects: Any remaining game effects that affect victory points or game state, such as unresolved events or abilities, must be resolved.
Score Uncontrolled War Tiles: All war tiles on the game board that are not controlled by either player are now scored. The points are awarded to the player who has the majority of influence in adjacent spaces.
Score Remaining Global Demand Tiles: Players score points for Global Demand tiles in their favor that remain in the market.
Score Victory Points from Strategy Cards: Players then tally up victory points from their played Strategy cards.

At the end of these actions, the player with the highest total of victory points is declared the winner of Imperial Struggle.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Imperial Struggle is a complex and strategic board game that involves scoring points through multiple avenues. The scoring system is based on the control of regions, the economy, global demand, and victory points. Let’s dive into the specifics:

Control of Regions:

At the end of each turn, players count the number of regions they control. Control is determined by having the majority of influence in a region.
Each controlled region is worth a certain number of points, as indicated on the game board.

Economic Scoring:

Players also gain points through economic dominance. This is achieved by controlling regions with resources, such as tobacco, sugar, and fur.
The number of points awarded for each resource is equal to the global demand marker’s current position on the global demand track for that resource.

Victory Points:

Victory points are awarded based on a variety of conditions, such as successful military campaigns, diplomatic successes, and fulfilling specific objectives on event cards.
The number of victory points awarded varies, and is detailed on the relevant card or game board section.

Tie-Breaking:

In the event of a tie, the game provides a structured tie-breaking system:

The player who controls the most regions breaks the tie.
If there’s still a tie, the player who controls the most valuable regions (as indicated on the game board) wins.
If there’s still a tie, the player who went last in the final round of the game wins.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Imperial Struggle is a complex board game that simulates the global conflict between Britain and France in the 18th century. There are some special rules and exceptions that can significantly impact the gameplay. Here are some notable ones:

1. The Peace Turn:

In a normal game turn, players alternate taking actions until all action points are used up. However, the Peace Turn is a special turn where the players don’t take any actions. Instead, they score victory points based on their influence in the different regions on the board. This is a unique aspect of the game that breaks the usual flow of gameplay.

2. The War Turn:

Like the Peace Turn, the War Turn is also a special turn. However, during the War Turn, players don’t score any points. Instead, they fight wars in one or more regions. The outcome of these wars can have a big impact on the game, especially if a player manages to win a war in a region where they have a lot of influence.

3. Treaty Points:

Treaty points are a special kind of point that players can earn during the game. They are different from regular victory points because they can be used to ‘buy’ peace in a region, effectively ending a war without the need for a battle. This is a rare exception to the usual rule that wars can only be won through battles.

4. Bonus Tiles:

There are special bonus tiles that players can earn during the game. These tiles provide various benefits, such as additional action points, extra victory points, and so on. However, they can only be used once and then they are removed from the game. This is an exception to the usual rule that all game components are reusable.

5. Rule Clarifications:

Major and Minor Wars: Major wars affect the entire region where they occur, while minor wars only affect a single area within a region. This is an important distinction because it affects how victory points are scored.
Use of Action Points: Action points can be used to take a variety of actions, including moving units, building forts, and influencing politics. However, they cannot be saved from one turn to the next. This is a common point of confusion for new players.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Imperial Struggle is a strategic board game that requires careful planning, tactical decision-making, and a deep understanding of its intricate mechanics. Let’s delve into some advanced strategies, beginner tips, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to optimize gameplay.

Advanced Strategies:

Take full advantage of the diplomatic action: This action can be a game-changer. It allows you to gain control of influential countries and can be used to disrupt your opponent’s plans.
Invest in military development: While it’s tempting to focus solely on the economic and diplomatic aspects of the game, maintaining military power is crucial. It can serve as a deterrent and open up alternative paths to victory.
Keep an eye on the global demand track: Understanding the shifts in global demand can give you the edge in the economic game. You’ll be able to take advantage of high demand goods and boost your income.

Beginner Tips:

Learn the game mechanics: Imperial Struggle features a complex set of rules and mechanics. Don’t rush into playing without understanding the basics. Take the time to read and understand the rulebook and, if possible, watch a few tutorial videos online.
Start with a balanced approach: As a beginner, it’s advisable to maintain balance in your activities. Don’t overly focus on one aspect of gameplay, such as economy or military. Instead, attempt to maintain a healthy mix of diplomatic, military, and economic activities.
Use Event Cards wisely: Event cards can shift the balance of the game, but they are limited. Use them strategically, and always consider the potential long-term benefits before playing a card.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Ignoring the importance of alliances: Building alliances and maintaining diplomatic relations is crucial in Imperial Struggle. Neglecting this aspect can lead to isolation and potential defeat.
Not adapting your strategy: A common mistake is sticking to a predetermined strategy, regardless of the game’s progress. Remember, the game’s dynamics can change rapidly, and you need to adapt your plans accordingly.
Underestimating your opponent: Never underestimate your opponent’s potential for a comeback. Even if you’re ahead, continue to make strategic decisions and stay on your guard.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Plan your moves ahead: Imperial Struggle is a game of strategy and foresight. Always plan a few moves ahead and consider how your actions will impact future rounds.
Manage your resources carefully: Resources are finite. Spend them wisely, invest in profitable ventures, and avoid wasteful expenditure.
Understand your opponent’s strategies: Pay attention to your opponent’s moves and try to understand their strategy. This will help you anticipate their actions and plan your counter-strategies effectively.