The Resistance

2009

Be part of a thrilling journey to liberate your people in The Resistance. Decide, deceive, and strategize in this social deduction party game for 5-10 players.

30
minutes

5 - 10
player(s)

13+

Medium Light

About the game

The Resistance is a thrilling and engaging board game that will keep you at the edge of your seat. Set against a dystopian backdrop, this game is a perfect blend of intrigue, strategy, and deception.

The theme of the game is set in a dystopian future where a resistance group is challenging a malignant government. However, spies have infiltrated the group, and it is a race against time to root out the traitors before they sabotage the mission. The game is a captivating blend of trust, betrayal, and teamwork.

At the core of The Resistance are its simple yet strategic mechanics. This game is played in a series of rounds, each having a team-building phase and a mission phase. The objective is to successfully complete a majority of the missions without being sabotaged by spies.

The unique aspect of The Resistance lies in its social dynamics and the suspense it creates. Unlike many board games, it does not rely on dice or luck, but on player interaction, deduction, and deception. The game does not eliminate players, keeping everyone engaged till the end. The constant uncertainty of who to trust and the thrill of deception is what makes the game stand out.

The game starts with players being secretly assigned roles as either resistance fighters or spies. The spies are aware of each other, while the resistance fighters are kept in the dark. Each round begins with the leader proposing a team to go on a mission. Everyone votes on the proposed team, and if the majority agrees, the mission proceeds. Otherwise, leadership passes to the next player who proposes their team, and the voting process is repeated.

The team members chosen for a mission then decide to either support or sabotage the task. The results are revealed, and if there is at least one sabotage card, the mission fails. However, the exact number of sabotage cards and the individual votes remain secret, adding another layer of mystery and suspicion.

The game continues until either the resistance fighters complete three missions successfully or the spies manage to sabotage three missions. The spies can also win if the team proposal is rejected five times in a row in a single round, indicating a high level of mistrust among the players.

The Resistance is a game of secrets, strategy, and suspense that will keep you guessing till the end. It is not just a game, but a psychological warfare where your deduction skills, ability to lie convincingly, and to trust the right people will determine the winner.

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Setup and rules summary

Game components Unboxing the fun!

The game of ‘The Resistance’ comes with a number of unique components, each having its own role to play in the game. Here’s a detailed list of what’s included, along with a description of what each component does:

1. Game Cards:

There are 10 Character Cards (6 Resistance Operatives and 4 Spies), 5 Team Cards (numbered 2, 3, 3, 4, 4), 20 Vote Cards (10 Approve and 10 Reject), 10 Mission Cards (5 Success and 5 Fail), and 5 Mission Tokens. These cards are used to determine the role of each player, the team selected for each mission, the results of the votes on those teams, and the outcomes of the missions themselves.

2. Score Tableau:

This is used to keep track of the progress of the game. It shows which team is currently on a mission, the results of previous missions, and the number of players needed for each mission.

3. Voting Tokens:

There are 20 voting tokens (10 Approve and 10 Reject) that are used by players to vote on the proposed mission teams. Each player gets one Approve and one Reject token.

4. Mission Tokens:

There are 5 Mission Tokens, one for each round of the game. These tokens are used to keep track of the number of missions that have been completed and their results (success or failure).

5. Team Tokens:

The Team Tokens are used to indicate which players are on the current mission team. Each player has a corresponding token.

6. Leader Token:

The Leader Token is used to indicate the current team leader. The leader is responsible for proposing the mission team.

Each component of ‘The Resistance’ interacts with the game in different ways. The Game Cards determine the roles of the players and the outcomes of the votes and missions. The Score Tableau and Mission Tokens track the progress of the game. The Voting Tokens are used by players to approve or reject the proposed mission teams. The Team Tokens indicate which players are on the current mission team, while the Leader Token identifies the current team leader.

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

The Resistance is a game of secret identities, deception, and deduction for 5-10 players. Here is a step-by-step guide to set up the game:

Preparation: First, place the game board in the middle of the table. This will be used to keep track of rounds and mission outcomes.
Character Cards: Depending on the number of players, you will need to select a certain number of spy and resistance cards. For example, with 5 players you will need 2 spies and 3 resistance members. Shuffle these cards and hand one to each player. Players should look at their cards secretly, not revealing their roles to the others.
Mission Cards: Each player should then receive a set of vote cards (one approve and one reject) and a set of mission cards (one success and one fail). The vote cards are used to vote on mission teams, and the mission cards are used by the chosen team to decide the outcome of the mission.
Round Cards: Shuffle the round cards and place them in a stack near the game board. These cards will be used to indicate the number of players required for each mission.
Random Elements: Random elements in The Resistance include the undisclosed roles of the players and the secret voting that occurs throughout the game. These elements make each game unique and unpredictable.

Remember, the goal of the game is different depending on your role. If you’re a member of the resistance, your goal is to successfully complete missions without infiltration by the spies. If you’re a spy, your goal is to sabotage the missions without revealing your identity. Good luck!

Game flow Round and round we go

The Resistance is a social deduction board game that relies heavily on player interaction, deception, and strategic play. The game is typically played by 5 to 10 players and is divided into multiple rounds.

The game starts with a Team Formation Phase:

Leader Selection: The game starts by randomly selecting a leader from among the players.
Team Selection: The leader then selects a certain number of players to go on a mission. The size of the team depends on the total number of players and the current round.
Voting: All players then vote on whether to approve or reject the selected team. If the majority approves, the game moves on to the mission phase. If the majority rejects, the leadership passes to the next player and the team selection process repeats.

After the team has been approved, the game moves to the Mission Phase:

Mission Execution: Each player on the mission team secretly decides whether the mission will succeed or fail. In general, Resistance members always vote for the mission to succeed, while spies have the choice to vote for the mission to succeed or fail.
Mission Outcome: The votes are then revealed. If all votes are for success, the mission succeeds. However, just one vote for failure will cause the mission to fail (except in a 7+ player game on the 4th mission, where it requires two failure votes).

This cycle of Team Formation and Mission phases continues until one team has won three of the five possible missions. The Resistance wins if three missions succeed, while the spies win if three missions fail. The spies also win if five team selections are rejected in a single round, representing a loss of trust among the group.

Throughout the game, players engage in discussion, argument, and accusation to try to figure out who among them is a spy. This social interaction is a crucial part of The Resistance, as players attempt to deceive or deduce the allegiances of their fellows.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In ‘The Resistance’, a game of social deduction where players attempt to deduce one another’s identities, the action during a player’s turn can vary significantly depending on the role they have been assigned and the current state of the game. It is essential to understand the sequence of actions and strategic choices that could be made during a player’s turn.

Turn Sequence:

The game proceeds in rounds, with each round having its own leader. The leader rotates each round, moving to the next player in clockwise direction. A player’s turn generally involves the following sequence:

Team Selection: The current leader selects a team of players to go on a mission. The number of players required for the mission depends on the current round and the total number of players in the game.
Voting: All players then vote on the proposed team. If the majority approves, the mission proceeds. If not, leadership passes to the next player, who proposes a new team.
Mission: If the team is approved, the selected players secretly decide whether the mission succeeds or fails. Resistance members will always choose success, while spies may choose either success or failure.
Outcome: The success or failure of the mission is revealed, and a new round begins with a new leader.

Strategic Choices:

During their turn, players make strategic choices that can greatly affect the outcome of the game:

Team Selection: The leader must consider the players’ actions and discussions to select a team that they believe is made up of Resistance members. In contrast, spies may wish to include themselves or other spies on the mission to cause it to fail.
Voting: When voting on a proposed team, players must consider whether they believe the team is composed of Resistance members. Voting against a team can be a way to express suspicion about the included players.
Mission: Spies must decide whether to cause a mission to fail, potentially revealing themselves, or to let it succeed, maintaining their cover but allowing the Resistance to progress.

These choices, along with the discussions and debates that can occur during a player’s turn, are what make ‘The Resistance’ a game of strategy and social deduction.

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

The game of The Resistance ends when one of two conditions is met:

Three successful missions have been completed by the Resistance group, or
Three missions have failed, indicating a victory for the Spies.

A mission is considered successful if the majority of players who were sent on the mission choose the ‘Success’ card. However, if even one ‘Fail’ card is played, the mission fails (unless four or more players are on the mission, in which case it takes two ‘Fail’ cards for the mission to fail).

Resistance Victory Condition:

The Resistance wins the game if three missions are successful. When the third successful mission is completed, the Resistance players must reveal their identity cards to confirm their allegiance and victory.

Spy Victory Condition:

The Spies win the game if three missions fail. Unlike the Resistance, Spies do not need to reveal their identities to claim victory. They only need to ensure that three missions fail.

Final Actions:

Before the final scoring, players must complete their last round of play. This includes the Team Building phase, the Voting phase, the Mission phase, and the Reveal phase. Once these phases are complete, and if a victory condition has been met, players can proceed to the final scoring. The team that meets their victory condition first is the winner of the game.

It’s important to remember that The Resistance is a game of deception, teamwork, and strategy. The key to winning is not just in the number of successful or failed missions, but also in the ability to deduce the identities of the other players and manipulate the game in your favor.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

The Resistance is a social deduction game where points are not traditionally scored but rather, victories are determined by mission success or failure. However, if players wish to implement a scoring system for multiple rounds or games, they can do so as follows:

Victory Points:

Mission Success: If the team that a player is on successfully completes a mission, that player is awarded 1 point.
Mission Failure: If the opposing team fails a mission, each player on the successful team is awarded 1 point.
Game Win: The team that wins the game (by either completing three missions successfully for the Resistance or failing three missions for the Spies) is awarded an additional 2 points per player.

Tie Breaking:

In the event of a tie, the following rules can be implemented to determine the winner:

The player who has won the most games as a member of the Resistance is the winner.
If there is still a tie, the player who has won the most games as a Spy is the winner.
If there is still a tie, the player who was on the most successful missions is the winner.
If a tie still persists, the player who was on the most failed missions (as a member of the opposing team) is the winner.

This scoring system adds an additional layer of strategy to the game, as players not only have to try to complete their team’s objectives but also need to consider their individual score.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

The Resistance is a team-based game where players are either loyal members of the resistance trying to overthrow a malignant government or spies trying to thwart their efforts. Although the rules are generally straightforward, there are a few special rules, exceptions, and important clarifications to note:

1. Team Selection:

During the team selection process, the leader may select themselves for the mission. This is a strategic decision that can be used to gain trust or sow doubt among players.
The team selection is not a random process. The leader should aim to select a team they believe will not include any spies.
If a proposed team is rejected by the majority of the players, the leadership passes to the next player and the mission does not advance. If five consecutive team proposals are rejected in this way, the spies automatically win the game.

2. Voting System:

All votes are made simultaneously and then revealed. This prevents players from being influenced by the decisions of others.
If the leader proposes a team and it is not approved, the leadership switches to the next player. The rejected team proposal has no further impact on the game.

3. Mission Phase:

Only the players selected for the mission submit a success or failure card. The rest of the players do not participate in this phase.
Resistance members must always submit a success card. Spies have the option to submit a success or failure card, depending on their strategy.
Once all mission cards are submitted, they are shuffled to protect the identities of the spies before being revealed.

4. Game End:

The game ends when either three missions have succeeded, in which case the Resistance wins, or three missions have failed, resulting in a victory for the spies.
The spies also win if five consecutive team proposals are rejected, as mentioned earlier.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

The Resistance is a social deduction board game where players are either Resistance Operatives or Imperial Spies. It’s a game of secret identities, deduction, and deception. Here are some advanced strategies, beginner tips, and common mistakes to avoid to optimize your gameplay.

Advanced Strategies:

Bluffing: The art of bluffing is crucial in The Resistance. If you’re a spy, you might want to act like a Resistance member and vice versa.
Know Your Team: Pay close attention to the players who always vote ‘yes’ for missions. They might be spies trying to manipulate the game.
Change Your Tactics: Don’t stick to the same strategy every game. Change your tactics and remain unpredictable.

Beginner Tips:

Understand the Game: Before you start playing, make sure you understand the rules and objectives of the game. The Resistance is a game of strategy and deduction, so understanding the game mechanics is crucial.
Ask Questions: When you’re new to the game, don’t be afraid to ask questions. This will help you understand the game better and improve your strategy.
Practice: The more you play, the better you’ll get. Practice makes perfect!

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Being Too Quiet: If you’re too quiet, other players might suspect you’re a spy. Participate in the discussions to avoid suspicion.
Not Paying Attention: The Resistance is a game of observation. If you’re not paying attention to the other players, you might miss important clues about their identities.
Trusting Too Easily: Don’t trust other players too easily. Remember, there are spies among you!

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Use Logic: Use logical reasoning to deduce who the spies are. Look for inconsistencies in their actions and words.
Communicate: Communication is key in The Resistance. Discuss with your teammates and share your observations.
Stay Focused: Keep your focus on the game. Don’t let distractions hinder your gameplay.