From: Bruce_Harper@mindlink.bc.ca (Bruce Harper)
Subject: (Advanced) Civilization variant - complete
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 19:39:23 GMT

There was a sufficient response to my original query that I am
posting the entire "Independent Kingdoms" article rather than
mail it out repeatedly.  I would hope to have a final draft in to
Avalon Hill by the end of the year, so use that as you guide for
trying and making comments.  I may post a second draft if there
are significant changes or clarifications from testing.


Independent Kingdoms (first draft - November 18, 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.

     The idea of the variant is that, in addition to the five or
six nations controlled by players, there are one or two
independent nations, control of which passes from player to
player throughout the game.  Players may use these independent
kindoms in different ways.

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 randomly.  Alternatively, the player who selected last could
decide which of the remaining nations would act as an independent
kingdom.  Another way is to determine the independent kingdom
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.
Finally, everyone might agree that a nation such as Crete ought
to be an independent kingdom.

     Groups with an attraction to 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  it is to control the independent
kingdom is not guaranteed to have control.  At the start of each
turn, all the other players may bid for control of the
independent kingdom by placing one commodity card (retained fher offer
from the player who was due to control the independent kingdom.
Once the highest bid is determined, the commodity card involved
is put aside (to be returned to the appropriate trade card stack
once civilization cards are purchased), while all other players
retain the commodity cards used in their bids.

ngdoms do not trade, are unaffected by
calamities and do not acquire civilization cards.

     Independent kingdoms are governed by the normal rules, with
a few important exceptions which apply to movement.  Independent
kingdoms always independent tendent kingdom draws trade cards before any
other nation.
These trade cards, including any calamities, belong to the
controlling nation, which uses them as its own.m are quite likely to change
from turn to turn,
dependending on which nation controls it.

     Independent kingdoms never suffer from calamities.  Any
calamities they draw go to their controlling nation, and they may
have secondary effects directed against them.  A nation which
eliminates an independent city does not receive a trade card, but
it can pillage the city (24.5).  If indepenent kindgom tokens
eliminate another player's city, the controlling nation draws a
trade card from the victim, but the independent kingdom itself
gets the pillage.

Benefits of Controlling an Independent Kingdom

     The most obvious benefit to controlling an 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.

     If the controlling nation can be sure of having units
adjacent to the independent kingdom, it can take a different
approach by trying to use the independent kingdom to gather
additional trade cards.  It is easy to visualize situations where
other nations would try to prevent this by eliminating the
trading outposts which made this possible.

Effects of the Variant

     The independent kingdom variant affects many aspects of
play, and raises many questions.  For example, how important is
it to hold a high-level trade card to allow you to bid for
control of the independent kingdom, although this might reduce
the rate at which your own civilization advances?  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?

     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.
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