3. Game Setup

At the start of the game, determine Player Realms and setup by selecting a scenario from the Scenario Booklet.

1

Place the **map boards** (A) in a central location and put **Player Mats** (B) around the board in the order described in your chosen scenario. The setup pictured here is for a Deluxe Edition 6-player, 1444 scenario.

Shuffle each of the **Action Card decks** (C) separately and place them at the side of the board; leave space for each deck to have a discard pile.

Sort the **Trade Deck** (D) according to the chosen scenario, then shuffle it and place it by the edge of the board.

Set up the **Event Deck** (E) as described in the chosen scenario. Draw Event Cards equal to 1 more than the number of players (unless the scenario states otherwise). Place these in a display with the first 3 cards face-up, and the remaining cards face-down.

Shuffle the **Milestones** (F) for the first Age that will be played and place 1 card from each deck on display.

Place the 3 Basic **Ideas** (G) (green background) side-by-side on display. Set aside all Ideas marked with an Age number higher than the first Age of your chosen scenario. Shuffle the remaining Ideas by type. Draw 2 cards from each deck and place them next to the Basic Ideas to form a 3 x 3 grid.

Position the **Status Mat** (H) next to the boards and place Cardinals (`C`) and the Imperial Authority (`E`) token according to the scenario setup. Place all players' Round Status markers in the *Event not Taken* space.

The resource tray containing Ducat (`D`) coins, `R`, `?`, and Mercenary Units, etc., is referred to as the **General Supply** (I); place this next to the board.

2

Give each player the tray with all units and tokens matching their player color, and put their Prestige (`0`) Markers by the **Prestige Track** (J).

Each player should place their Stability Marker at 0 on their **Stability Track** (K), and place 20 Small `t` and 8 Large `t` in the slots (1 in each slot) of their **Town Track** (L).

Then, each player should place 1`v` on the first spot of their **Vassal Track** (M), and 2`v` in every other spot of that track.

Unless otherwise stated in the scenario, each player now puts 3`d` in each of their **Monarch Power pools** (N), and places 15`D` in their Treasury (O).

3

Provide each player with their Realm's Setup Card (P), or scenario setup notes, listing their starting Provinces (Large Provinces are marked with an "L") and starting Ruler.

Players should then set their Realms up according to this setup, taking `t` from the Town Track of their Player Mats, and adding Small (Q) and Large (R) `t`, as well as `v`(S)as indicated. `t` and `v` are always taken from the lowest-numbered slots (from left to right). Then, each player adds a number of Units to their **Available**`m`(T) equal to the total `m` shown on their Town and Vassal Tracks (plus `E` value for the Emperor).

From Available `m`, allocate Units to the starting Armies listed in their setup. Place the miniatures for the starting Armies and Fleets in the starting Areas (U), and unused Armies and Fleets on their corresponding mats. Place starting Ships on Trade Protection slots in the Sea Zones listed, or on the Fleet Mat (V).

Players should also add `I`(W), **Merchants** (X), `A`, and `M` (Y) to the map board as specified, and place the appropriate Religion token in the State Religion slot on the Player Mat.

Once this setup is complete, players should slide their starting Rulers underneath the Ruler slots (Z) of their Player Mats, making sure that the appropriate Ruler is face-up.

4

This step of setup replaces the Draw Cards Phase of the first Round. Each player, in Turn order, draws 1 card from each of the Action Card decks, plus another 3 Action Cards of their choice.

Players may then Appoint any **Advisors** and **Leaders** from these cards, paying the hiring costs shown in their lower-right corners.

Following this, each player may, at no cost, hold up to 4 Action Cards in their hand, discarding as necessary. (**Note**: hand size limit at the end of Phase 5 is 5 Action Cards.)

Finally, distribute **Mission Cards** according to the scenario's setup instructions. The default method is for each player to secretly select 2 of the green Starting Missions from their Mission Deck to keep in their hand, and set the rest aside for later.