17. Victory & Prestige

The most common Victory Condition for the various scenarios in the game is to be the player with the most Prestige (`0`) at the end of the game.

Prestige is scored in several different ways during and at the end of the game.

Final Scoring happens in Phase 5 of the Round in which the end of the game has been triggered, as described on page 11.

Some scenarios will have different Final Scoring criteria.

## 17.1 The Prestige Track

Prestige (`0`) scored during the game is indicated with the Prestige Markers on the Prestige Track, which is located on the Distant Continents board.

The main sources of `0` during the course of the game are Missions, Milestones, Power Struggles (if used), Ideas, and Events.

Once a player's `0` exceeds 60, flip their Prestige Marker to the "+60" side, and continue counting additional `0` from the start of the track. If a player's `0` falls below `0`, place a Negative Prestige token on top of their Prestige Marker, to indicate that its position shows a negative `0` value.

In some scenarios, the end of the game is triggered when a player passes a certain amount of `0` on the Prestige Track.

## 17.2 Missions

Each of the Major Powers of the game has an individual deck of Mission Cards. In addition, there are 2 generic Mission Decks that can be used to compose Mission Decks for other Realms. Each Scenario will specify which Missions are available to each playable Realm at the start of the game.

Some Missions have a green frame and background, indicating them as starting Missions for the regular 1444 setup. For such a game, players will normally pick 2 of these Missions at the start of the game.

Striving towards completing Missions provides clear intermediate goals during the course of the game, and tends to send a Realm down a semi-historical path. They are particularly useful to new players, but certainly add both flavor and dynamism to the game for seasoned gamers, too.

Experienced groups of gamers who prefer a complete sandbox experience can remove Missions from the game entirely, if all players agree to it.

### Mission Prerequisites

All Missions have a Mission ID (in the red circle at the bottom of the card). Certain Missions require you to have completed at least 1 of the listed prerequisite Missions (indicated to the left of the Mission ID) before they can be picked. In turn, these may unlock other Missions (indicated to the right of the Mission ID) once completed.

### Completing a Mission

Missions can be completed at any time except in Phase 1. To complete a Mission, you must meet its listed requirements and announce this to the other players. Upon doing so, the Mission's listed effects immediately take place. Mission requirements must be met at the time of scoring; having previously met a Mission's requirements does not qualify.

A player who completes a Mission also receives a number of `0`, as stated in the Mission Card's top right corner.

### Mission Rewards

When collecting the Reward from a completed Mission, follow the 'Event Guidelines' rules for all effects (see p. 40).

### Selecting New Missions

In the next Draw Cards Phase after you have completed and scored at least 1 Mission in your hand, you may select new, eligible Missions from your deck to replace them so that you once again have 2 Missions in hand.

In the Draw Cards Phase, you may also put any Mission in your hand back in the deck, and select a new, eligible one to replace it with.

## 17.3 Milestones

Milestones are similar to Missions, but they are public and may be scored by anyone who meets their completion requirements.

The `0` reward will be higher for those who complete the Milestones earlier, thus providing an arena for competition among players – even between those who do not have directly conflicting interests on the map board.

There are always 4 available Milestones.

In each Age, 1 card is randomly drawn from each of the 4 decks (Expansion, Politics, Warfare, and Economics). At the end of each Age, discard all Milestones and draw new ones from each of the next Age's decks. Scenarios may sometimes instruct you to remove certain Milestones from the game before setup, or to display predefined Milestones instead of drawing at random.

Milestones may also be replaced whenever the Comet Sighted Event is played. In this case, draw new Milestones from those remaining for the current Age.

### Completing a Milestone

The first player to complete a Milestone scores 5`,` the second player scores 3`,` and the third scores `1`. Subsequent players completing this Milestone score no `0`.

When you complete a Milestone, mark it with a Tag chit from your Supply.

The tie breaker, if several players complete a Milestone at the same time, is Turn order (starting with the Active Player if in Phase 2, or First Player if in Phases 3 or 4), unless stated otherwise on the Milestone.

Milestones also provide rewards in the form of Monarch Power (`a`, `b`, or `c`) or Ducats (`D`), as indicated in the lower-right corner of the card. All players completing a Milestone receive this same reward.

### 17.4 Power Struggles

**Advanced Rules**

Whether you want to include Power Struggles or not in your game is up to your gaming group. We recommend that you play without them in your first game.

Power Struggles add increased levels of tension, interaction, and conflict between PRs, since they will be simultaneously competing for the same objectives.

Just below the card's title, above the horizontal line, each Power Struggle lists a number of **Battleground Areas** (`§`) where players will compete for `0`. Below the line there are some additional criteria for gaining or losing `0` when that card is scored.

### Preparing the Power Struggle Deck

Scenario setups have different recommended Power Struggle Deck compositions. Some scenarios will suggest Power Struggles to be sorted in a specific order, while others may suggest a randomized order.

The deck should be placed face-up with the top-most card visible to all players – this card is called the **Upcoming Power Struggle**.

Claims in Battleground Areas When taking the ***Fabricate Claims*** Action (see p. 15), players only need to pay 1 `b` for each `G` placed in any Battleground Area that is listed on either the Active Power Struggle or the Upcoming Power Struggle.

### Activating Power Struggles

Power Struggles are activated when the relevant Event symbol is resolved (see section 16.5, p. 41). When the top card of the deck is moved to the *Active Power Struggle* space on the Status Mat, this will also reveal the new Upcoming Power Struggle, giving players a chance to prepare for what is coming next.

### Scoring Power Struggles

Any **Active Power Struggle** will be scored in the Income & Upkeep Phase, Step E (see p. 10), before being discarded.

When a Power Struggle is scored, all players who satisfy the conditions will score `0` as described below:

#### Scoring Battleground Areas (`§`)

For each Battleground Area, players will score `0` as follows:

* 1 per Tax Value of Provinces they Control there (`v` count as half)
* 1 for being the only PR with `t`/`v` there (for `§` on the Main Map only)
* 1 for having at least 1 `A`/`M` there

#### Additional Prestige criteria

Players that satisfy listed criteria may score additional `0`, while players who fail to do so will sometimes lose `0`. These conditions are often specific to certain Realms.