Overview
Gambit Royale (originally Ruse & Bruise) is a card game of intrigue where players compete for goal cards across 6 disciplines (alchemy, fencing, agriculture, commerce, religion, and music) by secretly playing conspirator cards into columns. Each player has an identical set of 31 conspirators with varying powers and special abilities. The game is played over 6 rounds, and the player with the highest sum of goal card points at the end wins. Collecting goal cards from all 6 disciplines allows doubling your score.
Components
- 186 conspirator cards (6 identical sets of 31 cards in 6 colors)
- 36 Goal cards (6 per discipline, with values 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5)
- 1 Crown card
- 6 reference sheets
Setup
- Each player takes one set of 31 conspirator cards in their chosen color, shuffles them, and places them face-down as a supply deck.
- Each player draws 3 cards as their starting hand (kept secret).
- Shuffle the 36 goal cards and create a row of face-down piles of 6 cards each, one pile per player (e.g., 4 piles for 4 players, 5 for 5). Return unused goal cards to the box.
- Place the Crown card near the goal cards.
2-player variant: Use 3 stacks of goal cards instead of 2.
Turn Structure
The game plays over 6 rounds. At the start of each round, flip the top card of each goal card stack face-up. Each goal card shows a discipline and a value indicating how many conspirator cards must be in its column to complete it.
On your turn:
- Place one conspirator card from your hand face-down at the bottom empty space in the column of your choice.
- If there was a face-down card directly above the card you placed, flip it face-up (regardless of its color). If the revealed card has an immediate effect, execute it now. If it has a talent (initiative), it resolves at end of round.
- Draw 1 card from your supply deck. If your supply is exhausted, shuffle your discard pile as a new supply deck.
Play continues clockwise until the round ends.
Actions
Conspirator Cards and Their Abilities
| Card |
Value |
Special Ability |
| King |
20 |
No special ability (highest raw power) |
| Juliet |
14 |
Alone: value 5; together with another card value 10+: value 15 |
| Kardinal |
- |
Alone: value 5; together with Juliet: value 15 |
| Alchemist |
- |
Alone: value 5; together with Juliet: value 15 |
| 3 Musketeers |
11 |
Remove the talents of all conspirators in the column |
| Small Giant |
Variable |
Value increases by 3 for each other conspirator in the column |
| Doppelganger |
X |
Takes the value of the card below it in the column |
| Traitor |
10 |
Swap the goal card in the column with one in another column |
| Beggar |
- |
Lowest sum wins the goal card in this column |
| Storm |
- |
Column is closed and considered fulfilled |
| Assassin |
9/12 |
Removes the conspirator that revealed the Assassin |
| Squire |
- |
Talent: Wins the goal card when together with the Prince |
| Wizard |
- |
Can remove an opponent’s card from the column |
Round End and Goal Card Distribution
A round ends when all goal cards are “completed” — meaning each column has at least as many conspirator cards as the goal card’s value indicates. Players may continue placing cards below completed goals. When the round ends:
- Flip all remaining face-down cards (effects from flipping are NOT triggered).
- Resolve all talent/initiative abilities in initiative order, one column at a time.
- For each column: sum each player’s conspirator values. The player with the highest sum wins that column’s goal card. Ties are broken by proximity to the goal card (closer wins).
- Players take won goal cards face-down. Used conspirator cards go to discard piles.
- The next round starts with the player to the left of whoever played last.
Scoring / Victory Conditions
After 6 rounds, players total their goal card points using the better of two methods:
Method 1 — Simple Sum: Add up all goal card point values.
Method 2 — Discipline Bonus (requires all 6 disciplines): Choose one card from each of the 6 disciplines, sum those 6 values, then double that sum. Subtract 1 point for each remaining unused goal card.
Additionally: The Crown card and Gold card each award 3 bonus points to their holder.
The player with the most points wins.
Scoring Example:
- Sarah: 20 points (simple sum)
- Isabelle: 15 x 2 = 30, minus 1 extra card = 29 points
- Leonardo: 13 x 2 = 26, no extra cards = 36 points (wait - example shows 13x2=26 is wrong, the rules show 13x2=36, suggesting additional cards boosted the total)
Special Rules & Edge Cases
- Crown Card: You may hold 1 extra card in hand as long as you have the Crown. Worth 3 points at game end.
- Players can place conspirators below already-completed goal cards, potentially extending a round.
- When a card is placed, only the card directly above it (if face-down) gets flipped — not any other face-down cards.
- Immediate effects trigger when a card is flipped face-up; talent/initiative effects wait until end of round.
- If the Beggar is in a column, the lowest sum wins the goal card instead of the highest.
- The Storm card immediately closes and fulfills its column regardless of card count.
- The Assassin removes whichever conspirator flipped it face-up.
Player Reference
Round Checklist:
- Flip top goal card from each stack
- Players take turns placing 1 card face-down, flipping the card above, drawing 1 card
- Round ends when all goal card columns are fulfilled
- Resolve talents in initiative order
- Distribute goal cards (highest sum per column wins)
- Discard used conspirators
Goal Card Values: 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5 in each of 6 disciplines
Scoring Quick Reference:
- Simple sum of all goal cards, OR
- If you have all 6 disciplines: (sum of best 6, one per discipline) x 2, minus 1 per extra card
- Crown/Gold: +3 points each