The Rise and Decline of the Serenissima A Strategy

The Rise and Decline of the Serenissima
A Strategy Game by Marco Maggi & Francesco Nepitello
2
Introduction
In Venetia, 2 to 4 players compete to become the most
prosperous and influential noble family in the history of
the Serenissima Republic.
The action of the game takes place in the golden age
of the city that was once known as the “Queen of the
Mediterranean”, from its rise in the Ninth Century until
its decline and fall in the Eighteenth.
Your aim in the game
You control a patrician household of Venice, vying for
power against the other influential families. To gain clout
and fortune (Victory Points), your family
must extend its influence outside the city
by sending representatives to foreign
markets.
Venice starts the game in its Rise, and the game ends when
the Struggle Epoch is completed.
Players score Victory Points (VPs) at the end of every
epoch.
The player with the highest VP score at the end of the
game wins!
Components list
The Standard Rules use the following components:
- 1 game board
- 7 Action dice
- 160 Influence tokens, in 4 colors
- 32 Podestà tokens, in 4 colors
- 24 Family cards (6 for each family)
As your authority spreads, the
power of Venice also increases, and
distant towns and ports fall under
the sway of the Serenissima. At
the same time, you must compete
within the city for the coveted
title of Doge—the head of the
government—spending your Ducats
to gain popularity.
Many threats
But the hegemony of Venice is not assured. The
Republic is threatened by many enemies, and must face
the rise of competing powers, such as the rival seafaring
Republic of Genoa and the Kingdom of Aragon to the
west, or the Byzantine Empire and Ottoman Turks to the
east.
Century after Century, you will take part in the struggles
that will see the rise and fall of the Republic of Venice.
Rewrite history
The game is played across three Epochs: Rise, Apogee,
and Struggle. The Power Track on the board triggers the
passage of the various Epochs.
- 45 Action cards
- 20 Threat cards
- 10 Battle tiles
- 18 Victory Point tokens (VP)
- 18 Doge tokens
- 12 Venice Control/Enemy fleet
tokens
- 42 Kingdom tokens (shields)
- 1 Infamy marker
- 1 Venetia marker
- 1 Enemy Powers marker
- 3 Epoch markers (1 for each Epoch)
The set of optional rules found on page 15 require the
following additional components:
- 60 Ducat tokens (in 4 colors)
- 24 Monument tokens (in 4 colors)
- 7 Voting tiles
3
Standard Rules
Most games of Venetia will be played using the Standard
Rules.
Players looking for a higher level of historical accuracy
and strategy may consider adding the Optional Rules
presented on page 15.
Standard Components
When using the Standard Rules, the players do not use a
number of components (Ducat and Monument tokens
and Voting tiles), and do not use the names of the districts
in the city of Venice (Sestieri) shown on the game board.
Player materials
At the start of the game, each player chooses a color
(white, red, blue, or yellow), and takes all the components
of that color.
Family cards
Family cards are used to select candidates for the title of
Doge when an election occurs.
Influence tokens
Each player takes 40 Influence tokens
(wooden cubes) in his color.
Players place Influence tokens on sea areas
and colonies of the board, to compete with
the other players for predominance.
Podestà tokens
Each player takes 8 Podestà tokens
(wooden pawns), representing the city
officials who govern a colony in the
name of the Serenissima.
Podestà tokens are placed on the board to show when a
player has gained control of a colony.
Action dice
The game uses 7 special dice, divided into 3 sets by color.
The color shows which type of action that die allows a
player to make: Military (silver), Political (bronze), or
Commercial (gold). Each die has the same set of icons,
regardless of color:
The dice are rolled to generate the Action Die Pool—a set
of results that are used by the players to take actions. At
the start of his turn, each player selects 1 die result from
those available.
White player:
the Dandolo
Yellow player:
the Morosini
Red player:
the Gradenigo
Blue player:
the Venier
Action cards
There are 45 Action cards in the
game. Each card describes a special
opportunity inspired by historical
events, and shows a number of
Ducats to be used in the election of
a new Doge.
Players draw cards when using a die result showing a card
icon. Cards that have been used or discarded are placed in
a discard pile. If the Action deck ever runs out, shuffle the
discard pile to form a new deck.
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Threat cards
The game board
Threat cards reveal events
that may change the political,
economic, and military landscape
of the Mediterranean (the
Venetia Città Nobilissima booklet
describes the historical circumstances introduced by
each card).
The game board shows the Mediterranean Sea and the
coasts—the focus of the Serenissima Republic’s expansion
throughout its history.
The map is divided into 10 regions and 8 sea areas.
Regions
The Regions are identified by a distinctive color and name
(see the illustration below):
Players draw cards from the Threat deck at certain
moments: whenever the Action Die Pool runs out or when Ponente (a), Tirreno (b), Italia (c), Dalmatia (d), Grecia
a player taking a Military Action triggers a Casus Belli—an (e), Romania (f ), Arcipelago (g), Tartaria (h), Levante
incident that provokes a reaction from the enemy powers.
(i), and Africa (l).
Battle tiles
Every region contains 3 minor colonies and 1 major
colony (small circles with a ‘3’ and bigger circles with a ‘4’,
respectively).
Battles in Venetia are resolved using
the set of 10 Battle tiles. These large
tiles are kept to the side until needed,
and must be shuffled each time they
are used.
A small shield box is next to each region’s name, and will
be used to hold a Kingdom token should it enter play.
Finally, there are 1 or more dots above each region’s name:
this is the value (in VPs) awarded to players who have
Influence tokens inside that region’s major colony (see
Scoring on page 13).
VP tokens
Players gain VP tokens by removing
enemy fleets or by playing certain Action
cards. Each VP token is worth from 1 to
3 VP. These tokens are scored and then
discarded at the end of each Epoch
(see Scoring on page 13).
o
Sea areas
The 8 sea areas are identified by a name and a large white
circle on the board. Sea areas are separated from each other
by dotted borders.
q
r
h
p
d
b
a
f
c
g
e
i
l
n
m
The boxes and tracks on the board are used to
keep track of different activities:
(m)The Power track: Used to record the rise of
the power of the Serenissima, and the threat of
its enemies (using the Venetia and the Enemy
Powers markers, respectively).
(n) The Action die pool boxes: Where Action
dice are placed when they are rolled.
(o) The Family boxes: Where players place their
Action cards when they decide to run for the
office of Doge.
(p) The Doge box: Where the Family card of
the current Doge is displayed, along with the
available Doge tokens.
(q) The Threat box: Where the deck of Threat
cards is placed at the start of the game.
(r) The Epoch box: Where an Epoch marker for
the current Epoch is placed.
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Setting up the game
1. Each player chooses a color and takes all the matching
components (Family cards, Influence and Podestà
tokens).
2. Shuffle the Threat cards and place them face down on
the Threat box.
3. Place the “I” Epoch marker on the Epoch box
to the right of the Threat box.
4. Shuffle the deck of Action cards and deal 3 to
each player. Place the rest of the deck beside the game
board.
5. Place the Venetia marker on the leftmost space of the
Power track (white circle). Place the Enemy marker on
the opposite end of the track (black circle).
The first turn
Now, the Doge player rolls the Action dice to create the
first Action Die Pool (place the dice in their respective
boxes on the board).
Then, the Doge takes the first action of the game. The
game proceeds with players choosing a die and taking
actions, playing in clockwise order.
Turn Sequence
The game is played in turns. Players take turns as the
“acting player” in clockwise order around the table. During
each turn, the acting player follows the sequence of phases
below. When he is done, his turn is over and the player to
his left takes a turn.
6. Place the Battle tiles face down and mix them. Keep
them nearby.
Each phase must be followed every turn, with the
exception of the first and last phases (Threat Phase and
Election Phase—marked below in italics).
7. Put the VP tokens in an opaque container or cup. Keep
it nearby.
1. Draw threat cards
8. Elect the first Doge.
The first doge
All players participate in the election of the first Doge by
choosing 1 Family card and 1 Action card from their hand.
All players place both cards face down on the table. Then,
all cards are revealed and their values compared.
Add up the value on the Family card and the number
of Ducats shown on the Action card played. The player
with the highest total is the first Doge.
In case of a tie, the player who played the Family card
with the highest value (among those tied) is elected Doge
(break any further tie randomly).
The elected player places the Family card he played on the
Doge box. The Family cards chosen by the other players
for the election are discarded (unless is was a Family card
with value “1”—see Doge Elections on page 11), along with
all Action cards used for voting.
The new Doge takes a number of Doge tokens based on
the number of players: 3 tokens with 3 or
4 players, or 4 with 2 players (these tokens
determine when the next election will
take place).
If the Action Die Pool is empty, the Doge player must
draw a number of Threat cards (skip this phase if the
Action Die Pool is not empty). The number of cards
drawn depends on the current Epoch:
Draw 1 Threat card during Rise, 2 Threat cards during
Apogee, and 3 Threat cards during Struggle.
The Doge draws 1 card at a time and applies the effects
before he draws the next card (see Threat Cards on page
10).
When the effects of all cards drawn have been resolved, the
acting player rolls all the Action dice to form a new Action
Die Pool.
2. Choose 1 action die
The acting player now chooses 1 die result from those
available in the Action Die Pool. If the result allows him to
draw 1 or more cards, follow the steps below:
Draw action cards
If the acting player has chosen a (2 Card) die result, he
draws 1 Action card. If he chooses a (4 Card) die result,
each of the other players (but not the acting player) draws
1 Action card in turn order (starting to the acting player’s
left).
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When a player draws a card, he looks at it and chooses to
either:
a. Keep the card and add it to his hand (to use its special
ability later);
OR
b. Place the card face down in his Family box (on top
of any other cards already played there). The number
of Ducats on the card will be counted during the next
Doge election.
All players who get to draw cards must do so before the
acting player starts using his Action points for the turn.
Cards are distinguished by type in the same way as the
Action dice (there are Military, Commercial, and Political
cards).
The acting player may only play a card of the same type
as the Action die he chose for the turn.
For example, you may only play “Unique Trade” (a gold
card) if you chose a Commercial Action die for the turn.
A card with the keyword ◆ Free may be played in addition
to spending Action points. Otherwise, the action
described on the card replaces the use of Action points.
Read the card text carefully and apply its effects.
4. Elect a new doge
If the current Doge player now has no more Doge tokens,
the players must elect a new Doge. Skip this phase if the
Doge player still has Doge tokens.
Taking Actions
The acting player has a number of Action Points at his
disposal equal to the value of the Action die result chosen.
For example, if you choose a die result of “3”, you may spend
up to 3 Action Points.
Cards can be placed on your Family box only when drawn.
If you add the card to your hand, it can only be played for
its special ability.
3. Take actions
The acting player now takes actions based on the type of
die selected (Military, Political, or Commercial).
The acting player may spend a number of Action Points
equal to the value of the chosen die result (see Taking
Actions in the next column).
If the acting player is the current Doge, he must first use 1
Doge token (see The Power of the Doge on page 12).
Play action cards
When it is his time to take an action, the acting player may
play 1 card from his hand (but not more than 1).
Action Points are mainly used to establish naval routes
and place Influence tokens on colonies around the
board.
Players may only place Influence on colonies that are
connected to the city of Venice by a valid naval route—if
a colony is not connected to Venice, the acting player may
spend Action Points to establish a naval route there.
1. Establishing a naval route
The acting player checks the board to see which sea areas
separate Venice from the colony he wants to connect to.
The acting player must spend 1 Action Point for each
sea area along the route that does not contain a Venice
Control token (each “uncontrolled sea area) to place an
Influence token on it.
When the acting player has an Influence token on a sea
area, he may use it as part of a naval route.
Note: Players are not allowed to place more than 1 Influence
token in same sea area during the same turn.
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2. Placing influence in colonies
The acting player may spend Action Points to place
Influence tokens on colonies that are connected to Venice
by a naval route.
Based on the number of Action Points available and the
type of die chosen, it is possible to influence 1 or more
colonies.
Note: The rules for Commercial and Political actions are very
similar, while Military actions are quite different, as they
require the use of Battle tiles.
Commercial action (gold dice)
It costs 1 Action Point to place 1 Influence token. The
active player may not place more than 1 Influence token
on the same colony on the same turn.
Continuing the example above, the red player now chooses a
3 Action Point Commercial die. He establishes a naval route
through Mare Libico, leaving him with 2 Action Points.
Since he cannot place more than 1 Influence per colony per
turn, he uses his Action Points to place 1 token in Corphu
and 1 in Sicilia.
Political action (bronze dice)
For example, the blue player wants to place Influence on
Corphu. The colony is separated from Venice by 3 sea areas
(Golfo di Venetia, Mare Adriatico, and Mare Libico).
Golfo di Venetia and Mare Adriatico both contain a Venice
Control toke, so she must spend 1 Action Point to place
her Influence token on Mare Libico. If all 3 sea areas were
already controlled, she would not have needed to spend any
Action Points to establish the naval route.
The dominion of venice over the seas
A sea area containing a Venice Control token is part of
the Dominion of Venice and can be included in any naval
route without spending Action Points.
A Venice Control token is placed on a sea area when the
total number of Influence tokens placed on it equals the
number printed on the board.
When an uncontrolled sea area becomes controlled, all
Influence tokens there are returned to the respective
players.
It costs 1 Action Point to place 1 Influence token. All
Influence placed this turn must be placed in the same
colony (i.e., you may not place Influence tokens in
different colonies this turn).
The white player chooses a Political Action die worth 3
Action Points. He establishes a naval route through Mare
Libico and is left with 2 Action Points. Since he must place
all of his Influence this turn in the same colony, he places 2
tokens in Malta.
Military action (silver dice)
Instead of placing Influence on colonies directly, the acting
player spends Action Points to draw Battle tiles. Each
Action Point spent allows him to choose 1 colony and
draw 1 Battle tile. Then, he places a number of Influence
tokens equal to the numerical value of the Battle token on
the selected colony (see Battle Tiles on the next page).
The acting player may attack the same colony several times,
or may switch to attack different targets, as long as he has
Action Points to spend.
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Battle Tiles
When Battle tiles are used, apply the effects
of each tile before drawing another. Battle
tiles are left on the table when drawn—they
are not shuffled back together until all the attacks for the
turn are done.
Most Battle tiles show only a numerical
value, indicating how many Influence
tokens the player may place on the
targeted colony.
A number of tiles show the following
icons:
For example, the yellow player chooses a Military Action die
worth 3 Action Points. She establishes a naval route through
Mare Libico and now has 2 Action Points left. She chooses
Corphu first and draws 1 Battle tile: the tile shows “2” so she
places 2 Influence tokens on Corphu. Then she decides to press
her attack on Corphu by spending her last Action Point to
draw a second Battle tile (she could have chosen to attack a
different target, such as Malta, instead). This time she draws
a “0”. Better luck next time!
Infamy
If the acting player attacks a colony with a
Podestà token, he must take the Infamy token
(taking it from the current owner, if there is
one).
The holder of the Infamy token cannot attack a colony
that contains a Podestà, and suffers a penalty during the
next Doge elections (see Doge Elections on page 11).
Enemy Fleets
A Military Action can be used to remove enemy fleets
from the board (see Enemy Fleets on page 11).
Note: A Military Action is less predictable than a
Commercial or Political action. The values on the Battle tiles
may allow you to place 2 Influence tokens per Action Point,
but may also have a value of zero or even provoke a Casus
Belli—a severe diplomatic incident forcing the draw of a
Threat card! Judge carefully what you want to accomplish
when you choose a Military Action die!
Casus Belli tiles
If one or more Casus Belli tiles are
drawn, at the end of the turn the Doge
player must draw and resolve a number
of Threat cards equal to the number of
Casus Belli tiles drawn (see Threat Cards
on page 10).
Pillage
If the acting player pulls a Pillage tile, he
draws 1 Action card and places it on his
Voting box.
Podesta’
Placing an Influence token on a colony represents the
creation of a trading post, run by a family of merchants.
Once there are enough Venetian trading posts in a colony,
the Serenissima Republic takes notice and elects an official
representative there: the Podestà.
In game terms, placing Influence tokens on colonies may
gain a player VPs, and placing a Podestà there is worth
even more.
Placing a podestà
Each colony has a rating. Minor colonies have a rating
of 3, while major colonies have a rating of 4. The rating
determines when the colony falls under the control of
Venice and a Podestà is placed there.
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A Podestà token is placed on a colony if, at the end
of any player’s turn, the colony contains a number of
Influence tokens of any color equal to or higher than the
colony’s rating.
Riots
The player who has the majority of Influence tokens on the
colony places a Podestà of his color there. If no player has
more Influence there than his opponents, the Podestà is
not placed.
Immediately remove 1 token of each color from the colony
(i.e., 1 token for each player present in the colony).
If at any time the number of Influence tokens (of any
color) in a colony (major or minor) reaches or exceeds 6,
there is a riot.
If this is not enough to reduce the number of tokens below
6, another riot occurs: remove 1 more token of each color;
until the total number is below 6.
b
a
a
For example, there are 2 Influence tokens on Candia (1
yellow and 1 white). On his turn, the red player places 2
Influence tokens there (a), bringing the total to 4, which
matches Candia’s rating. The red player gets to place his
Podestà (b), since he has more Influence in Candia than any
other player.
If for any reason the number of Influence tokens in a
colony drops below its rating, the Podestà there is removed
immediately.
For example, the red player has the majority in Candia
(and thus a Podestà). On her turn, the blue player adds 4
Influence there (a). This brings the total to 8, well above the
riot level (6).
c
Ousting a podestà
It is possible to remove another player’s Podestà token
by placing enough Influence in a colony to reach a new
majority (a tie is not enough).
b
If a player achieves a new majority, he replaces the
Podestà with one of his own (the removed Podestà
returns to its player).
For example, the red player has a Podestà in Corphu: the
colony has 1 yellow token and 2 red ones. On her turn, the
yellow player places 2 more Influence tokens in Corphu. Since
she now has a majority there (3 to 2), she replaces the red
Podestà with one of her own.
Each player in that colony must remove 1 token (b), reducing
the total to 4 Influence: 1 red token and 3 blue ones. This
creates a new majority! The blue player replaces the red
Podestà with one of her own (c).
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Threat Cards
Threat cards represent historical events of great import,
tied to the political, economic, and military upheavals
that affected the Mediterranean. There is only one deck
of Threat cards, but each card has information for all 3
Epochs.
When a Threat card is drawn, only the information for
the current Epoch is used.
When an Epoch ends and a new one begins, all Threat
cards are shuffled back into the Threat deck.
Drawing threat cards
Threat cards are drawn for the following occasions:
a. If the Action Die Pool is empty at the start of any
player’s turn (Draw Threat Cards Phase), the Doge
player draws a number of Threat cards equal to the
current Epoch (1 card in Epoch I, 2 in Epoch II, or 3 in
Epoch III).
b. When a player draws 1 or more Casus Belli Battle
tiles, the Doge player draws 1 Threat card for each
Casus Belli tile drawn at the end of that player’s turn
(regardless of the current Epoch).
Threat cards are drawn 1 at a time and resolved
immediately—this means that the Doge player must read
each card and apply all of its effects completely before he
draws another Threat card.
Effects of threat cards
Each Threat card depicts the rise of a foreign enemy power
in a specific region of the board. The name of the affected
region is shown in the title block on the card, and the
region’s color is featured in the card’s background.
A Threat card may affect the presence of Venetian
Influence in a region (“Kingdoms”), its naval routes across
a sea area (“Enemy Fleets”), or worsen the relationship
between Venice and the other major powers of the
Mediterranean (“Enemy Powers Advancement”).
Kingdoms
The lower half of each card shows 3 entries in a column,
showing the name and flag of 3 Kingdoms. When a Threat
card is drawn, it provokes the emergence of the Kingdom
listed for the current Epoch.
(a) Affected region
a
(b) Affected sea area
(Enemy Fleet)
b
(c) Epoch I Kingdom
c
(d) Epoch II Kingdom
d
e
f
(e) Epoch III Kingdom
(f) Enemy Powers
Advancement
Starting from the top, the first Kingdom entry corresponds
to Epoch I (Rise), the second entry to Epoch II (Apogee),
and the last entry to Epoch III (Struggle).
To put a Kingdom into play, take the
matching Kingdom token (shield) and
place it on the board in the shield box
next to that region’s name.
Then, apply the following effects:
a. If the shield box was empty (there was no Kingdom
token already there), remove 1 Influence token of each
color from the major colony in that region.
b. If the shield box already has a Kingdom token, replace
it with the new one and then remove 1 Influence
token of each color from all the colonies in that region
(minor and major).
For example, the Mameluke Sultanate is in play in Africa
when a new Threat card is drawn that brings an Ottoman
Empire token into play in that region. The Mameluke
Sultanate token is discarded, and the Ottoman Empire token
takes its place. All players who have Influence in Africa must
lose 1 token from each colony.
Effects of Kingdoms
The presence of a Kingdom token in a region prevents
players from placing Influence tokens in the colonies of
that region.
A Kingdom token can be removed by the active player
spending 1 Action Point from any Action Die type, if the
player can trace a naval route from Venice to any colony in
that region.
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On a players turn, he may remove any number of Kingdom
tokens, as long as he can trace a naval route to the
corresponding regions and spend the required Action Points.
Treaties
A player keeps any Kingdom tokens he removes from the
board to represent a Treaty. Treaties are worth Victory
Points at the end of the game (see Endgame Phase on page
14).
Enemy fleets
For example, there is an enemy fleet in Mar Tirreno, and
the acting player wants to remove it. He chooses a Military
Action Die for 3 Action Points. First, he establishes a naval
route to Mar Tirreno, leaving him with only 1 Action
Point. He draws 1 Battle tile, showing (2 Casus Belli). He
successfully removes the fleet and places 1 of his Influence
tokens on Mar Tirreno. He also draws a VP token as a
reward. But, the Doge must also draw a Threat card, and
everyone will face the consequences of the daring Venetian
military action…
When a Threat card with the symbol of an
enemy fleet is drawn, apply these effects
(regardless of the current Epoch):
Enemy powers advancement
a. If the sea area indicated does not contain a Venice
Control token, place 1 enemy fleet token in the sea
area. Return any Influence tokens in that sea area to
their players.
When a Threat card is drawn, the Doge player must
advance the Enemy Powers marker down the Power
track a number of spaces equal to the number of crosses
to the right of the appropriate entry.
b. If the sea area contains a Venice Control token,
remove the token from the board (but do not place an
enemy fleet token).
The Enemy Powers marker starts the game on the last
space of the track (the black circle), and moves to the left
(see The Power Track on page 12).
c. If the sea area already contains 1 or more enemy
fleets, add 1 more enemy fleet.
Doge Elections
Effects of Enemy Fleets
The presence of enemy fleet tokens in a sea area prevents
players from tracing a naval route across it or placing
Influence tokens in it.
Players may remove enemy fleet tokens using a Military
Action Die. The acting player targets a sea area connected
to Venice by a naval route and spends 1 Action Point to
draw 1 Battle tile.
A number of enemy fleet tokens equal to the value of the
Battle tile are removed from the sea area (any other effects
on the Battle tile are applied, normally—see page 8).
If the sea area attacked is now empty, the acting player
places 1 Influence token there. The active player may target
the same sea area several times during the same turn, or
switch targets.
Naval Victories
The active player draws 1 VP token for each enemy fleet
removed from the board.
Many of the Epoch II and III entries on the Threat cards
are followed by a number of crosses.
All players can compete for the position of Doge (and the
special privileges that come with the title).
At the start of the game, each player receives 6 Family
cards, representing renowned members of their family who
can run for election.
If the current Doge player has no Doge tokens during
Phase 4: Elect a New Doge, it is time for a new election.
The Family card currently placed in
the Doge box is discarded, and all
players participate in the voting
process by following the steps
below.
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Running the election
1. Each player chooses 1 Family card from those still in
their hands, and places it face down on the table.
The holder of the Infamy token (if there is one) must select
the Family card with value “1” and place it face up. Then,
he discards the Infamy token.
2. Then, each player picks up the Action cards they have
on their Family boxes (if any) and chooses 3 of them
(discard any others).
3. The Family and Action cards are revealed. Each player
adds up the Ducati values from their Action cards,
together with the numerical value of their chosen
Family cards.
4. Finally, the players compare their totals. The player
with the highest total is elected Doge. If there is a tie,
the player (among those who tied) who played the
Family card with the highest value is the new Doge. If
there is still a tie, the former Doge player chooses the
new Doge from the tying players.
The power of the doge
The Doge player must always begin his turn by using
1 Doge token from those in his possession (this will
eventually force a new election).
Using a Doge token allows the Doge to choose from 2
possible benefits:
1. The Doge player may discard
1 Doge token to receive 1
additional Action Point for the
turn (regardless of the type of die
selected);
OR
2. The Doge player may take 1
Doge token to score 1 VP (he
sets the token in front of him).
The Doge player remains in charge until there are no Doge
tokens left in the Doge box (at the end of any player’s
turn).
Epochs of the Game
+
= 11
The new doge
The winning Family card is placed in the Doge box.
Then, 3 Doge tokens are placed on the card (4 tokens in a
2-player game).
As explained earlier, the game is divided into 3 Epochs: Rise
(Epoch I), Apogee (Epoch II), and Struggle (Epoch III).
The Epoch markers are placed in
the box to the right of the Threat
deck to show which Epoch the
game is currently in.
The game starts with Venice in its Rise: the Epoch marker
numbered “I” is placed on the board.
The power track
The other Family cards (that lost the election) are
discarded, with 1 exception:
The Power track and the Venetia and Enemy Powers
markers are used to determine when each Epoch ends,
across the 3 Epochs until the fall of the Republic and the
end of the game.
Family cards with the value “1” are always
returned to the player.
The venetia and enemy powers markers
Note: The fact that the family cards
numbered 2 to 6 are discarded after use
means that the players must carefully
consider their chances to win the election,
based on the number of Action cards they have in their
Family boxes—or on their bluffing ability!
The Venetia marker moves to the right along the Power
Track.
At the beginning of the game, the Venetia marker is placed
on the white circle at the left end of the Power Track. The
Enemy Powers marker is placed in the black circle at the
opposite end.
13
Apogee ends, struggle begins
The Apogee Epoch ends when the Venetia marker and the
Enemy Powers marker are in the same space on the Power
track at the end of any player’s turn or during the Threat
Phase (or if they pass each other). Remove the Venetia
marker from the track.
The Venetia marker moves 1 space each time a player
places a Podestà token on the board, and each time a
Venice Control token is placed in a sea area.
The second scoring phase occurs. Epoch III (Struggle)
begins. Replace the Epoch II marker with the Epoch III
marker. Then, play resumes normally.
In the same way, the Venetia marker moves back 1 space
(to the left) on the track whenever a Podestà token or
Venice Control token is removed from the board.
Struggle ends, endgame phase begins
Note: If a Podestà is replaced by another player’s Podestà,
there would be no net change in the location of the Venetia
marker.
The game ends when the Enemy Powers marker reaches
the end of the Power Track, entering the white circle at the
left end (either at the end of a player’s turn or during the
Threat Phase).
The third scoring phase occurs. Then, the Endgame
Phase begins.
Scoring
Players earn Victory Points at the end of each Epoch, using
the Scoring Sheet on page 20 (permission is granted to
photocopy or print the sheet for personal use).
The Enemy Powers marker moves in the opposite
direction, starting at the right end of the Power Track and
going left.
The Enemy Powers marker moves when a Threat card
indicates (see Threat Cards on page 10).
If the two markers meet on the track, the Venetia marker
is removed from the Power Track, regardless of which
marker was moving (see Epoch Progression, below).
Epoch progression
The progression of the Epochs is particularly important,
as the end of an epoch triggers a scoring sequence and
changes how the Threat cards are drawn and applied (see
Threat Cards on page 10).
Rise ends, apogee begins
The Rise Epoch ends when the Venetia marker reaches the
“8” space of the track (with the white circle) at the end of a
player’s turn.
The first scoring phase occurs. Epoch II (Apogee)
begins. Replace the Epoch I marker with the Epoch II
marker. Then, play resumes normally.
Sources of victory points
Victory Points are earned for the Influence and Podestà
tokens the players placed on the board, as well as VP tokens
gained and any Doge tokens used to get VPs.
See Epoch Scoring on page 14.
Endgame bonuses
Finally, at the end of the third epoch, all players receive
additional VPs for the Kingdom tokens they collected
during the game (see Treaties, page 11) and as a result of
the final Doge election.
See Endgame Phase on page 14.
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Epoch scoring
Endgame phase
Presence
Kingdom tokens
The number of points earned depends on whether the
Influence is in a major colony, or only in minor colonies:
Each player gains 1 VP for each type of Kingdom token
they collected (e.g., 1 VP for every different “flag”).
End of Epoch scores are recorded in the appropriate boxes
on the Scoring Sheet:
Players earn a number of VPs for each region where they
have at least 1 Influence token.
a. Major colony: If a player has at least 1 Influence in a
region’s major colony, he gains a number of VPs equal
to the region’s value (the number of dots above the
region name).
b. Minor colonies: If a player only has influence in a
region’s minor colonies, he gains 1 VP.
Podestà tokens
Players also gain VPs for each
Podestà they have on the board.
Each Podestà in a minor colony
awards 2 VPs. Each Podestà in a
major colony awards 3 VPs.
VP tokens
The players now reveal the VP tokens
in their possession.
Each player scores VPs equal to the values of
their 3 highest value VP tokens.
All VP tokens are placed back into the container at the
end of the scoring phase.
Scored doge tokens
Players gain VPs for any Doge tokens they scored during
their turns as the Doge (see The Power of the Doge on page
12). The scored Doge tokens return to the supply.
1 VP is awarded for each Doge token.
Endgame scoring calculations are recorded in the
appropriate boxes of the Scoring Sheet.
Players now earn VPs for the Treaties they concluded
during the game.
For example, during the game, the red
player has collected 4 Kingdom tokens.
2 belong to the Ottoman Empire, 1 to the
Byzantine Empire, and 1 to the Republic
of Genova. He gains 3 VPs.
Final doge elections
The last phase of the
game is a final vote, held to elect the
Doge who will negotiate the end of the
Serenissima Republic.
But first, the current Doge player must
resign, scoring any Doge tokens still in
his possession as Victory Points (1 VP
for each Doge token).
Now, the players resolve the final election
by adding the Ducat value of any 3 cards
in their Family boxes to the value of their
selected Family cards (as in normal voting).
The player with the highest total is the last Doge in
the history of the Republic and gains a number of VPs
equal to the value of the Family card that won the final
election.
When the final voting phase is over, the game ends and the
winner is declared!
The player with the highest Victory Point total is the
winner. If there is a tie, the winner is the tied player who
has the most Influence tokens on the board.
15
Optional Rules
This section includes additional gameplay options
that provide a higher degree of historical accuracy and
strategy—at the cost of higher complexity.
Players are advised to use these rules only when they
feel comfortable with the Standard Rules. All of the
Standard Rules apply except where changed below.
optional Components
Caliphate of córdoba (Ponente)
In the 9th and 10th Centuries, members
of the Umayyad Dynasty ruled over the
greater part of the Iberian Peninsula
from the city of Qurtuba.
Their rule marked the heyday of the
Arab domination of Spain, and theirs
was the largest fleet to sail the Mediterranean.
Also place an enemy fleet token in Mar di
Ponente.
At the beginning of the game, the players also take the
following additional components: 20 Ducat tokens and 6
Monument tokens (of their colors). The seven Voting tiles
are kept near at hand, close to the board.
Optional Doge Elections
The Family boxes used for voting in the Standard Rules are
not used. Instead, the new voting process uses the diagram
of Venice on the game board.
These rules replace the use of Family boxes with the city
diagram on the board, the placement of Ducat tokens,
and the drawing of Voting tiles.
Optional Set-up
Placing ducats on the city
When playing with the Optional Rules, the game begins
with 3 Kingdoms already in play.
Under the Standard Rules, players affect the election of
the new Doge by playing cards in their Family boxes.
The city diagram in the top left of the board shows the
names of the six areas of Venice (the Sestieri), each listed
inside a scroll.
Before the first Doge is elected, place the following
tokens on the board (in the areas shown in brackets).
Abbasid caliphate (Levante)
The Abbasid Caliphate ruled Islam from
Baghdad for many centuries, reaching its
height in the 9th Century.
Eventually, administrative difficulties led
to the loss of entire provinces, and Syria
and Palestine fell under the sway of the
Fatimid Caliphate.
Byzantine empire (Romania)
Between the end of the 9th Century and
the beginning of the 11th, the Byzantine
Empire reached the peak of its power,
its reach covering all of Anatolia, the
Balkans, and southern Italy.
The Byzantine capital of Constantinople
was the largest and richest city in the known world.
Each Sestieri is associated with 1 of the 3 colors of Action
dice and cards (silver, bronze, and gold).
San Polo and Santa Croce are silver, San Marco and
Dorsoduro are bronze, and Castello and Cannaregio are
gold.
When a player draws an Action card, he looks at it
and chooses whether he wants to keep it (as under the
Standard Rules), or discard it to place a number of Ducat
tokens of his color equal to the Ducat value on the card.
16
When a player discards an Action card to place Ducats,
he may only place Ducat tokens in the two Sestieri that
match the color of that card.
Players are free to place all their Ducat tokens for their
card in the same Sestiere or divide them between the two.
Running the elections
New elections occur when described in the Standard Rules
(at the end of any player’s turn if the current Doge has no
Doge tokens).
The Optional Rules change the way votes are counted.
Voting tiles
There are 7 Voting tiles in the game. 6
tiles bear the names of the Sestieri of
the city. The last is marked Quarantia
(a “vigilance body” of the Republic).
During the game, players place Ducat
tokens on the city diagram to gain
popularity.
For example, the red player draws the “Stato da Mar” Action
card, which is a Commercial card (gold) with a Ducat value
of 3. He may discard it to place 3 Ducat tokens in Castello
and/or Cannaregio. He chooses to place 2 Ducats in Castello
and 1 Ducat in Cannaregio.
There is no limit to the number of Ducat tokens that can
be placed in a Sestiere.
Players may place their tokens in any Sestiere, regardless of
the presence of other players’ tokens.
The aim of placing Ducats is to gain prestige and votes in
the Doge elections.
Monuments
Whenever a Sestiere contains 4 Ducats
of the same color, they are replaced by a
Monument.
The owning player takes back his 4 Ducats and replaces
them with a Monument, with the colored side showing.
A Monument token has the same value as the Ducats it
replaced in the next election (4 votes), but will be worth
only 1 vote in any following elections (see Running the
Elections).
Additionally, the player gains 1 VP for each Monument
he owns in each scoring phase.
Each player can have a maximum of 6 Monument tokens
in play at any time. If a player has already placed all 6 of
his Monuments, he may not replace his Ducat tokens,
regardless of their number.
When new elections occur, the popularity of the
different families of Venice are compared by drawing 2
Voting tiles.
The 2 tiles drawn identify which Sestieri are counted in
the election. The drawn tiles are then set aside, and are not
used in future elections until the Quarantia tile or all 6
Sestieri tiles are drawn (see below).
Elections sequence
Follow the steps below when running elections using the
Optional Rules:
1. Select Candidates: Each player chooses his candidate
by secretly selecting 1 Family card.
2. Draw Voting Tiles: The current Doge shuffles the
Voting tiles and turns 2 over. If 1 of those tiles is the
Quarantia, only 1 Sestiere will be counted.
3. Count Votes: The players gain votes for the Ducats
and Monuments in the Sestieri that match the drawn
Voting tiles.
Each Ducat and grey Monument is worth 1 vote; each
colored Monument is worth 4 votes.
4. Election Results: Each player adds the votes gained
from the Sestieri to the value of their candidate Family
card.
The player with the highest total is the new Doge.
Break ties as per the Standard Rules.
17
In addition to the Standard Rules election effects, apply
the following results:
Ducat and Monument Tokens
Discard all Ducat tokens from the Sestieri that were
counted in the election.
Colored Monument tokens in those Sestieri are flipped
over to the grey side (Monuments already showing
the grey side and Monuments in other Sestieri are not
affected).
Voting Tiles
If, during successive elections all 6 Sestieri tiles were
drawn, or the Quarantia tile is drawn during the last
election, all 7 Voting tiles are shuffled back together and
are available for the next election.
Otherwise, the tiles used in the election are set aside and
are not used in the next election.
credits
Game design
Marco Maggi & Francesco Nepitello
Illustrations
Matteo Alemanno
Development
fm game studio
Historical consultant
Davide Trivellato
Art direction and graphic design
Francesco Nepitello
Production manager
Silvio Negri-Clementi
Editor
William Niebling
The Doge Power of Veto
The Doge gains a new special ability in the Optional
Rules:
When the Doge draws a Threat card, he looks at it
before revealing it. He may spend 1 Doge token to
“veto” and cancel the Threat card.
The Doge may use his veto power once each time he draws
Threat cards.
For example, at the end of a player’s turn the Doge must
draw 2 Threat cards as a consequence of 2 Casus Belli tiles.
The Doge draws and applies the first card. When he inspects
the second Threat card, he decides to invoke his power of
veto and cancel it. He discards a Doge token, along with the
canceled card.
A canceled Threat card is discarded and its effects are
ignored except for any Enemy Powers Advancement,
which is always enforced.
Playtesters
Amado Angulo, Martino Castellani, Giuliano Nepitello,
Davide Trivellato, Saverio Santarello, Roberta Montagna,
Marco Molin, Irene, Marianna and Riccardo Maggi, Andrea
‘Beretar’ Costa, Filippo Vianello, Francesca Canella, Elisa
Vianello, Tomaso Borzato, Damiano Mascolo, Patricio
Barbirotto, Pietro Boscolo Zemelo, Filippo Merlo, Giacomo
Farinati, Nicola Della Casa, David Zanotto.
Playtest play (Modena)
Pierluigi Colutta, Marco Signore
Piero Flaminio, Andrea Ranieri.
Playtest conpulsion (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Graeme Smith, Kieren Fortune, Sebastian Hickey.
Special thanks to Mark Rein-Hagen
Tutorials and additional game information available at
www.passportgamestudios.com
Venetia is a © & 2013 Giochi Uniti, licensed to Passport Game Studios™. P.O.
Box 550, Bothell, WA, 98041 USA, under Stratelibri permission. All rights
reserved by Stratelibri srl – Via Sant’Anna dei Lombardi, 36 – Napoli 80134 –
www.stratelibri.it - info@stratelibri.it. Any reproduction or translation of this
game – even partial – is striclty forbidden. Retain this package and address for
future reference. Made in China.
18
Important terms
Venetian Nobles
The patrician class was one of
three social groups that composed
Venetian society—along with the
citizenry and the foresti (foreigners). All adult male nobles could
run for any position in the government, and were all lifelong members of the Maggior Consiglio,
the highest political organ of the Republic (the number of
members in the council was restricted by the Serrata of 1297
and a law passed in 1320 barred access from recently created
noble families).
Venetian nobles were characterized by a strong mercantile and
seafaring tradition. As a result, the patrician class based its
power not on land property, but on trading (especially trade
with the Orient). This created a very dynamic composition of
families, as opposed to the very static nature of nobility elsewhere.
Colony
Venetian settlements on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
When a colony was part of a larger settlement in a foreign country, like a village or city, it was administered by a Consul. If the
settlement was subject to direct political control from Venice,
the colony was administered by a Podestà.
Podestà
A magistrate of noble birth, charged with the administration of
justice and the keeping of public order in the main settlements
of the Serenissima Republic. The title was first created in the
13th Century.
Naval Route
A trading route for the shipment of goods across the sea.
Convoys of ships called mude sailed along these routes, composed of government-owned ships rented out to private
merchants (called patroni) by means of auction (the incanto).
Several routes took their names from their destination, like the
Muda di Siria, the Muda d’Egitto, the Muda di Barbaria, etc.
Doge
The highest magistrate of the Serenissima Republic. In the beginning (7th Century), the Doge was an officer of the Byzantine
Empire, subject to the Exarch of Ravenna. The term derives
from the Latin dux, meaning duke, governor, or commander.
The Doge could be referred to as Dux Venetiarum, Serenissimo
Principe, or Sua Serenià.
From the election of the Doge Orso in the year 726-727, the
title changed from a local honorific into a kind of monarchy
that lasted until the 11th Century. In fact, even though the local
nobles were involved in the exercise of power since the beginning, the powers of the Doge were subject to limits only after
the institution of a communal government—the Commune
Venetiarum. From that moment on, representatives of the
richest mercantile families entered the government, and by the
14th Century the Serenissima Republic was born: an aristocratic
republican regime that would rule the city for more than three
centuries.
The evolution of the political infrastructure of the Venetian
state robbed the Doge of any dynastic ambition, turning the
title into that of the supreme magistrate of the Republic, elected
by the highest ruling authority—the Maggior Consiglio. This reduction in stature notwithstanding, the title of Doge preserved
much value in the eyes of every patrician, enough to make
them all covet it regardless of the enormous costs attached to it
(mainly tied to the expensive ceremonies the Doge was required
to take part in).
The Doge was also the de facto head of the Church in the city,
after the body of Mark the Evangelist was taken to Venice in 828
and a basilica was built by the Doge Giustiniano Partecipazio
to house the relics. The Doge retained episcopal prerogatives,
separate from the authority of the official representative of the
Church in Venice, the Patriarch.
The Doge publicly displayed several symbols of
authority, especially on the occasion of the great
ducal processions. In particular his hat, the
corno ducale, stands out: it was a stiff bonnet made of brocade or
cloth-of-gold, worn over a white linen cap, the camauro.
Stato da Mar
The term used by the Republic to indicate their overseas dominions. It was used especially to refer to Istria, Dalmatia, the
Ionian Islands, the Aegean Islands, and Candia (Crete). It was
one of the three partitions of Republican territory, along with
the Dogado (the Venetian lagoon and nearby areas) and the
Stato da Tera (mainland territories on the Italian Peninsula).
The conquest of colonial dominions started around the year
1000, with the conquest of Dalmatia, and reached its maximum
extent with the acquisition of territories from the Byzantine
Empire, as stipulated at the end of the Fourth Crusade (1204).
The Stato da Mar was a vital source of income, and was fundamental for the safekeeping of the naval routes of the Serenissima
(thanks to its many ports, fortresses, and the patrolling of the
coasts).
Rise
The Rise Epoch can be identified as the historical period running from the establishment of the ducal power in Venice (9th
Century) to the Fourth Crusade (1204).
19
During these centuries, the Republic became an international
power and trading center, through the creation of naval routes
and commercial outposts in the Mediterranean and beyond.
Apogee
The Apogee Epoch can be identified as the historical period
running from the end of the Fourth Crusade (1204) to the
defeat at Agnadello (1509) against the League of Cambrai. This
epoch saw Venice expand its influence not only by commercial
means, but also by military conquest along the coasts of the
Mediterranean and Northern Italy.
Struggle
The Struggle Epoch can be identified as the historical period
running from the defeat at Agnadello (1509) to the fall of the
Republic (12th of May, 1797). This period saw Venice diminish in the face of the rise of the major European countries. The
Serenissima Republic struggled to maintain its independence,
and succeeded for almost three centuries thanks to the diplomatic skills of its representatives and the solidity of its institutions.
Treaties
The diplomatic cunning of the representatives of the Republic
was legendary. The treaties regulating the relationships between
Venice and the other powers of the Mediterranean were of
primary importance to securing the privileges that made trade
more profitable for Venetian merchants.
Quarantia
The Council of Forty, or Quarantia, was one of the highest constitutional bodies of the Republic of Venice, with both legal and
political functions. It was established in the Year 1179, as part
of the constitutional reforms that gave Venice its communal
form of government. Its forty members assisted the Doge in the
administration of justice, and governed the state along with the
Senate.
Sestiere
Venice is divided into six partitions called Sestieri. This current
subdivision was first created in the 12th Century:
Cannaregio: The name comes from the beds of reeds (canne)
that originally covered the area, before the urbanization process
reached the northern portion of the city.
Castello: The name comes from the Byzantine castrum (fortified
village or castle) that rose on the island of Olivolo, at the eastern
end of the city. The Arsenale, the renowned Venetian shipyards,
are located here.
Dorsoduro: The name originates from the sandy hillocks that
dotted the sourthernmost portion of the city. This sestiere
includes la Giudecca, the largest island of the Venetian lagoon
(and the current residence of the two designers of this game…)
San Marco: The name comes naturally from the basilica in St.
Mark’s square. This area was once the political center of the city.
When diplomacy failed, Venice would intervene by sending
the fleet—or by sending money, when a war could turn into an
excessively onerous affair.
San Polo: The name comes from the church with the same
name. Here is found the market of Rialto, once the center for all
trading activities.
The Venetian Ducat
Santa Croce: The name comes from an ancient church and
monastery that stood here until the year 1810 (the Church
of the Holy Cross). It was demolished by order of Napoleon
Bonaparte. This sestiere includes the western portion of the city.
In the Year 1284, the Venetian government decided to mint the ducat: a 3.56
gram, 24 carat gold coin; following the
success of the fiorino of Florence. The coin
was later called the zecchino (from the Zecca, the
state authority for the minting of coins), and became
a prestigious currency across Europe and the Mediterranean.
Silver and copper coins were later added to the gold version.
The Fall of Venice
On the 12th of May, 1797, the Doge Ludovico Manin decreed
the end of the Republic, after a last meeting of the Maggior
Consiglio. The decision was made amidst rumors of conspiracy
and of an imminent attack by the French Revolutionary Army.
Monuments
Works of great artistic and historical value (from the Latin
monumentum: memory), like churches and palaces.
The patrician families funded the building and restoration of
many churches, chapels, altars, and oratories, to commemorate
their most illustrious members or simply for the acquisition of
prestige.
Their family palaces are also counted among the most precious
pieces of cultural patrimony in the city.
On the 15th of May, the Doge left his palace for the last time,
retiring to his family’s residence and announcing with his last
decree the birth of a democratic government, inspired by the
principles of the French Revolution.
20
Players
Epoch I - Rise
Presence
Podestà tokens
VP tokens
Doge tokens (scored)
Monuments (Optional)
Epoch I total
Epoch II - Apogee
Presence
Podestà tokens
VP tokens
Doge tokens (scored)
Monuments (optional)
Epoch II total
Current total
Epoch III - Struggle
Presence
Podestà tokens
VP tokens
Doge tokens (scored)
Monuments (optional)
Endgame bonus
Final total