From: Bruce_Harper@mindlink.bc.ca (Bruce Harper)
Subject: Adv Civilization variant - 2nd draft
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 22:06:59 GMT

As promised (threatened?), here is second draft of the
"Independent Kingdoms" variant (in the form of an article for the
"GENERAL".  Several simplifications have been introduced as
compared to the original draft.  Please test this version if you
are so inclined.

Independent Kingdoms (second draft - December 10, 1992)
An Advanced Civilization Variant
by Bruce Harper

In my view, Advanced Civilization is best played by seven or
eight players on the full board (including the western expansion
map).  Because not every nation can secure enough space for nine
cities, it becomes difficult for any nation to sit back and
relax.  The game becomes an entertaining struggle for survival,
not merely an exercise is accounting.

But what to do when that sixth or seventh player fails to show
up?  It's possible to play on only part of the board (this is
what the rules recommend), or play on the full board with as few
as six players, but for those who prefer a crowded, confused
ancient world, there is another solution - the independent
kingdom variant.

Which Nation?

There are several ways to determine which nation(s) are
independent.  One is to select nations normally (let's say we
have six players), then draw one of the three remaining nations
at random.  Alternatively, the player who selected last could
decide which of the remaining nations would act as an independent
kingdom.  Or everyone might agree that a nation such as Crete
ought to be an independent kingdom.  But the best way is probably
to determine the independent kingdom(s) before any players select
their own nations.  This raises the possibility that nations
which are normally selected by players, such as Egypt or Babylon,
might be independent kingdoms.

Groups which like mayhem, of course, can play with more than one
independent kingdom.

Controlling the Independent Kingdom

We'll assume that our six players decide to have one independent
kingdom, and that it turns out to be Crete.  Let's also assume
that Illyria and Asia aren't in the game at all.

Each turn, control of the independent kingdom rotates in AST
order, beginning with Africa.  This means that in the course of a
normal game, each player might expect to have control of the
independent kingdom about three times.  Were there two
independent kingdoms, control of the second independent kingdom
would begin halfway down the AST (in our example, the second
independent kingdom would be controlled by Assyria at the start
of the game).

Independent Activities

Once control of the independent kingdom has been established, the
independent kingdom increases its population, constructs and
maintains ships, moves, resolves conflicts, constructs cities,
removes surplus population and collects trade cards.  Independent
kingdoms do not collect taxes or trade, and do not acquire
civilization cards.

Independent kingdoms are governed by the normal rules, with a few
important exceptions.

The first is shipbuilding.  Rather than collect taxes and spend
to build ships, independent kingdoms may automatically build one
ship for each of their cities, to a maximum of four ships.  Since
independent kingdoms don't bother to maintain ships, the simplest
way to handle this is to remove all the independent kingdom's
ships at the start r nations, but only if the
independent kingdom has enough cities on the board or under
construction in safe areas to meet the city requirement of the
current epoch (as determined by the nation furthest along the
AST).  A "safe area" is defined as an area which cannot be
reached by any other player, (including the controlling player).
If no safe areas are available, the independent kingdom must try
to build cities in less secure areas.  Thus in the Early Iron Age
the independent kingdom would have to be assured of having four
cities before it used any tokens to attack other nations.

Independent tokens may only remain in or move into an area in
excess of a population limit to build or attack a city.
Independent tokens may move into areas containing units belonging
to another nation, but still may not exceed the population limit
of the area, except when attacking cities.  Opposing tokens are
not taken into consideration when determining the legality of
independent movement, although the effects of Agriculture are.
In effect, it is assumed that any tokens belonging to other
nations vacate the areas into which the independent tokens have
moved - the test is whether overpopulation would result if no
conflict occurred.  Independent tokens may also only move into an
area containing a city if there is at least a possibility of
eliminating that city.  These restrictions prevent suicide
attacks by independent tokens.

Trade Cards

An independent kingdom collects trade cards normally, drawing its
trade cards before any other nation.  These trade cards are
placed face down while it is determined whether the controlling
player benefits from them, which depends on whether he can
establish trade routes with the independent kingdom.

Trade routes are traced from city to city.  Land trade routes may
be of any length, but may only pass through areas containing
units belonging to the controlling player or the independent
kingdom.  Sea trade routes must begin and end in a port, and are
subject to the same limits as sea movement.  If the controlling
power holds Astronomy, a sea trade route could be traced over
open seas, while Cloth Making allows the sea trade route to be
traced through five, rather than four, sea areas.  For each city
belonging to the controlling player with a trade route to one of
the independent kingdom's cities, the controlling player receives
a trade card, beginning with the lowest value cards.

Thus one trade route would result in the controlling player
receiving one trade card (most likely an Ochre or a Hide, unless
the first stack was empty at the start of the turn), two trade
routes would give the controlling player the lowest two trade
cards from the independent kingdom, and so on.  Since trade
routes are traced from city to city, and each of the controlling
player's cities may only trade with one of the independent
kingdom's cities, the controlling player may never take more
trade cards from the independent kingdom than he has cities.
Once the controlling player has obtained whatever trade cards he
can from the independent kingdom, normal trading begins.  Any
trade cards still held by the independent kingdom are put aside
until calamities are resolved.

Calamities

Since the trade cards selected by the independent kingdom are
concealed until the controlling player establishes his trade
routes, some of the trade cards he obtains from the independent
kingdom may be calamities.  These act on the controlling player's
nation as though he drew them directly from the trade card
stacks.

If the controlling player's nation has fewer cities than the
independent kingdom, or if he was unable to establish enough
trade routes, the independent kingdom may be left with trade
cards.  Commodity cards held by the independent kingdom are
returned to the appropriate trade card stack at the end of the
turn.  Calamities held by the independent kingdom act on the
independent kingdom as the primary victim, and on the controlling
player as the secondary victim to the greatest extent possible.

Independent kingdoms may not be selected as the secondary victim
of calamities, and are never affected by the secondary effects of
calamities.

Independent kingdom attributes

With the exception of the effects of Military, independent
kingdoms take on the attributes of their controlling nation,
including the ability to convert adjacent units to Monotheism.
Thus, if its controlling nation had Astronomy, an independent
kingdom's ships could move across open sea areas, and so on.  The
attributes of an independent kingdom change from turn to turn,
depending on which nation controls it.

A nation which eliminates an independent city does not receive a
trade card, but it can pillage the city (24.5).  If independent
kingdom tokens eliminate another player's city, no pillage is
permitted, but the controlling nation draws a trade card from the
victim.

Benefits of Controlling an Independent Kingdom

The most obvious benefit to controlling an independent kingdom is
that its units may be used to attack other players, both for
reasons of state and profit.  For the more pacific, at least the
independent kingdom won't attack you as long as you control it!

On a more strategic level, the controlling player may move an
independent kingdom's tokens to relatively harmless locations, in
anticipation of control passing to an adversary.  A good example
of this might be a nation with Astronomy sending a good portion
of the independent kingdom's tokens to a far shore, from which
they would be unable to return if controlled by an enemy which
didn't hold Astronomy.

A second advantage to controlling an independent kingdom are the
additional commodity cards which are obtained if trade routes
exist between the controlling nation and the independent kingdom.
For nations such as Babylon and Assyria, trade will usually be
limited only by the number of cities involved, which offsets the
obvious drawbacks of being next to an independent kingdom.  Where
sea trade routes must be established, the situation can be
trickier.  And, as with trade between players, the controlling
nation might find that some of the trade cards it obtains are
calamities.

Effects of the Variant

The independent kingdom variant affects many aspects of play, and
raises many questions.  For example, is it better to be close to
an independent kingdom (for trading) or far from it (to avoid
being attacked)?  Can enemy nations be completely overthrown by
an attacker which controls one or more independent kingdoms?  Is
it better to trade with the independent kingdom or use its tokens
to attack other nations?  Should an attempt to be made to
establish cities close enough to the independent kingdom to
permit trade?  Does this make Astronomy more important for
nations such as Egypt, which usually have no use for it?

The uncertainty introduced into Advanced Civilization by the
variant may not be to everyone's taste, but for those who wanted
a board crowded with units and danger, I would recommend an
independent kingdom or two.