Overview

Colonial Twilight is a two-player COIN (Counter-Insurgency) series game covering the French-Algerian War of 1954-1962. One player controls the French Government (with military forces and police) while the other controls the FLN (Algerian independence movement). Players compete for population support, territorial control, and political influence through operations, special activities, and events. The game features a unique card-driven system where players choose actions based on event cards.

Components

• 1 map board (Algeria with sectors, cities, and borders)
• Wooden cubes (French troops, police, FLN guerrillas, FLN bases)
• Control markers
• Event cards (dual-use)
• Support/Opposition markers
• Commitment/Resources tracks
• Victory condition markers
• Sequence of play aid
• Propaganda round cards

Setup

1. Place the map board centrally.
2. Position forces per the scenario setup: French troops, police, FLN guerrillas, and bases in specified sectors.
3. Set population support/opposition levels per scenario.
4. Place control markers.
5. Set the French Commitment and FLN Resources tracks.
6. Shuffle event cards and place as a draw deck.
7. Determine first player per scenario.

Turn Structure

The game is card-driven. Each turn:

1. Reveal the next event card from the deck.
2. The first-eligible player (determined by previous turn’s choices) decides: execute the event, conduct an operation (+ optional special activity), or pass.
3. The second-eligible player then decides from remaining options.
4. Adjust eligibility for the next turn based on choices made.

Propaganda Rounds

Periodically (when a Propaganda card is drawn), a Propaganda Round occurs:

1. Check victory conditions.
2. Conduct resource phase (both factions gain resources).
3. Conduct support phase (adjust population attitudes).
4. Reset pieces and prepare for the next period.

Actions

French Operations

| Operation | Effect | |———–|——–| | Train | Place troops or police in cities or sectors with bases | | Garrison | Move troops and police between sectors | | Sweep | Activate guerrillas (flip from hidden to revealed) in a sector | | Assault | Remove revealed guerrillas and bases |

French Special Activities

| Activity | Effect | |———-|——–| | Deploy | Move troops from France to Algeria | | Search | Reveal hidden guerrillas | | Neutralize | Remove FLN infrastructure | | Resettle | Relocate population to reduce FLN support |

FLN Operations

| Operation | Effect | |———–|——–| | Rally | Place guerrillas and build bases | | March | Move guerrillas between sectors | | Attack | Guerrillas attack French forces | | Terror | Shift population from support to opposition; place terror markers |

FLN Special Activities

| Activity | Effect | |———-|——–| | Extort | Gain resources from population | | Subvert | Convert French police to FLN guerrillas | | Ambush | Enhanced attack with guerrilla advantage | | Agitate | Shift population toward opposition |

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Checked during each Propaganda Round:

• French Victory: Total Support + Commitment >= a threshold. France is maintaining control.
• FLN Victory: Total Opposition + FLN Bases >= a threshold. The independence movement has gained critical mass.

If neither side achieves their condition when the final Propaganda card is resolved, the side closest to their threshold wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Guerrilla hiding: FLN guerrillas can be hidden (underground) or activated (revealed). Only revealed guerrillas can be targeted by Assault.
• Commitment track: Represents French political will. Low commitment limits French options.
• Border zones: FLN can move forces across borders to Tunisia and Morocco.
• Population control: Sectors are either French-controlled, FLN-controlled, or uncontrolled, based on the balance of forces.
• The eligibility track determines turn order; choosing more powerful actions may put you second next turn.
• Events are dual-use: each card has different effects depending on which faction plays it.
• Solo rules provide an automated opponent using a flowchart system.

Player Reference

Faction	Victory Condition
French	Support + Commitment >= threshold
FLN	Opposition + Bases >= threshold

Turn Sequence
1. Reveal event card
2. 1st eligible player: event, operation, or pass
3. 2nd eligible player: remaining options
4. Adjust eligibility