Description

Game Overview:
Monarchs, Minions & Mayhem! is a Fantasy Themed Card-Driven Strategy Board Game. It has engaging gameplay that is extremely fun to play, well-balanced with innovative and unique game mechanics that will provide endless hours of entertainment with family & friends.

Number of Players: 3-8 (2-Player Variant Rules Included)
Or 3-4 (2-Player Teams)
Ages: 14+
Playing Time: 30+ Minutes
Game Components: Rulebook, 18”x18” Game Board, 108 Custom Playing Cards (poker size 2.5”x3.5”), (9) Gemstones & (1) 12-sided Dice.

Game Sets-Up in 5 minutes or less.
Simple to follow Rules & Game Play.
Replay-ability is virtually limitless.
No two games will ever be the same.

 
Object of the Game:
Winning a round: The first player that has Zero (0) cards in their playing hand at the start of their next turn wins the round and gains 1 Gemstone.

Winning the game: After 3 rounds (Short Campaign), 6 rounds (Standard Campaign) or 9 rounds (Long Campaign) of play the player or team with the lowest casualty point score determined during the End Game Tally of the game (total casualty points minus Gemstone Point Bonus), Wins!

Setup & Dealer:
Players determine which campaign mode shall be played: Short Campaign (3 rounds), Standard Campaign (6 rounds) or Long Campaign (9 rounds). Players may opt unanimously at the end of a short or standard campaign to continue the game to the next campaign level if desired.
 
Dealer: Either roll high (d12) or If playing a series of games, the winner of the last game is the dealer for initial set-up and the first round of play. The dealer in rounds 2 thru 9 changes to the player with the lowest total casualty points (score). Shuffle the 108 custom playing card deck and deals 1 card face down on each one of the 12 Battlefield Events.
 
Each player is then dealt 7 cards. The unused cards are placed face down as the Draw Deck and the top card is flipped face up to form the Battlefield.

Gameplay:
To start a round, the dealer shuffles the cards in the Draw Deck, Battlefield, Battlefield Event Wildcard and the Discard pile. Seven cards are then dealt out to each player from the Draw Deck, and the top card is flipped face up to form the battlefield. On the first round either roll high (d12) or if playing a series of games, the player with the highest score in the previous game flips over any one of the 12 face down cards in the Battlefield Event Area that is the Battlefield Event Wildcard that is in play (Revealed!) for the current round.

On rounds 2 thru 9 the player that “Won” the previous round and gained the Crown Jewel flips over any one of the remaining face down cards in the Battlefield Event Area, and places it in the area noted on the game board as the “Battlefield Event Wildcard”.
 
Order of play begins with the person to the left of the dealer and proceeds in the direction determined by the card played on top of the existing card in the Battlefield.

• - If the Played card is lower rank = Play Direction Reversed to Counter Clockwise (Right).
• - Played card is higher rank = Play Direction Advances Clockwise (Left).
• - Played card is of equal rank (Stalemate) = player chooses direction of play left or right.

If the Draw Deck is depleted, the battlefield (except the top card) is shuffled and becomes the new Draw Deck. Cards in the discard pile may only be shuffled into the Draw Deck at the beginning of each new round.

Turn Sequence: “Order of Play”
1. Royal Decree Phase: Player may choose to play a Monarch Card using the card’s Royal Decree. The Royal Decree invokes any one Revealed Battlefield Event that the player chooses; if the Monarch card is played in this manner it is placed in the Discard pile and removed from play for the remainder of the round. There is no limit to the number of Monarch Cards that can be played during the players Royal Decree Phase using the Monarch Royal Decree. Regardless of whether or not a player plays a Monarch Card during the Royal Decree Phase, the player proceeds to the Battlefield Play Phase or Draw Phase of their turn.

2. Battlefield Play Phase: The player has several options to choose from, if available.

• - The player is not required to play a playable card in their playing hand if he/she chooses not to.

• - The player may play an Emissary or Scales of Justice card from their hand on top of any card in the Battlefield. Automatically changes faction currently in play to the faction type of the Emissary card. Continue on to the Battlefield Result Phase: The outcome of the battle is a Stalemate. After the faction change effect is resolved the rank value Emissary card is zero (0) for the next players turn.

• - The player may play a Monarch card as a Faction card from their hand on top of the card in the Battlefield. If the Monarch card either matches the faction or rank of the card in the Battlefield, continue on to the Battlefield Result Phase.

• - The player may play a Minion card as a Faction card from their hand on top of the card in the Battlefield. If the Minion card either matches the faction or rank of the card in the Battlefield, continue on to the Battlefield Result Phase.

• - The player may play a Minion card that matches the Rank of the Battlefield Event Wildcard that invokes any one of the Revealed! Battlefield Event that the player chooses. Resolve the Battlefield Event, and continue on to the Battlefield Result Phase.

3. Draw Phase: If the player was unable to play a card or chose not to play a card onto the Battlefield during the Battlefield Play Phase, they must draw a card from the Draw Deck.

• - If the card drawn by the player can be played as specified in sequential order of the preceding Royal Decree Phase or Battlefield Play Phase, the player may opt to do so.

• - The player is not required to play the drawn card even if it is a playable card.

4. Pass Phase: (end of players turn) If the player does not or cannot play a card onto the Battlefield, the player passes and play moves on to the next left (clockwise) player.

5. Battlefield Result Phase: (end of players turn) If the player has played a card on to the Battlefield, the Battlefield Result is determined by the card played on top of the existing card in the Battlefield.

• - Played card is lower rank = Play Direction Reversed to Counter Clockwise (Right).
• - Played card is higher rank = Play Direction Advances Clockwise (Left).
• - Played card is of equal rank (Stalemate) = player choses direction of play left or right.