Imperial

Overview

Set in the age of European imperialism, players are international investors controlling six Great Powers (Austria-Hungary, Italy, France, Great Britain, German Empire, Russia) through bond purchases. The player with the highest bond investment in a nation controls its government and directs its actions via a rondel. Nations build factories, produce and maneuver armies and fleets, levy taxes, and accumulate power points. The game ends when any nation reaches 25 power points. Victory is determined by bond values multiplied by power factors, plus cash. A pure strategy game with no dice or cards.

Components

• 1 Gameboard (Europe map with nations, sea/land regions, rondel, scoring track, tax chart)
• 54 Bond cards (6 nations, denominations 2/4/6/9/12/16/20/25/30 million)
• Flags (15 per nation)
• 6 Nation flag cards
• 1 Investor card
• Bank notes
• Armies and Fleets (wooden, in 6 nation colors)
• 30 Factories (18 unbuilt + 12 starting)
• 18 Octagonal nation markers
• 1 Turn marker

Setup

1. Place nation markers on rondel and scoring track “0” and lowest tax chart space.
2. Place 2 starting factories per nation.
3. Sort bonds by nation; place near treasuries.
4. Distribute starting money and flag cards by player count (same structure as Imperial 2030).
5. Players buy initial bonds per flag card instructions.
6. Investor card to player left of Russia’s controller.

Turn Structure

Nations take turns: Austria-Hungary, Italy, France, Great Britain, German Empire, Russia. Each nation’s controller moves the nation marker on the rondel. First 3 spaces free; each additional space costs (1 + Power Factor) million. Maximum 6 spaces. Cannot stay.

Actions

Same 6 rondel spaces as Imperial 2030:

Factory (5 million)

Build 1 factory in an unoccupied home city without hostile armies. Each nation has 5 home provinces.

Production

Each factory produces 1 free unit. Cannot produce where hostile armies are present.

Import (1 million each, max 3)

Buy up to 3 military units, place in home provinces.

Maneuver

Move fleets (1 sea region), then armies (1 land region or convoy), then place flags in newly controlled regions. Battles resolved by simultaneous unit removal.

Investor

Government gets 2 million bonus. Each player may buy 1 bond. Investor card holder gets 1 million from bank.

Taxation

Count tax revenue (factories + flag regions + unoccupied home provinces). Score power points per tax chart. Government receives personal bonus.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Game ends when any nation reaches 25 power points.

Final score: For each bond, multiply interest by owning nation’s Power Factor. Add cash. Highest total wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Switzerland is neutral; cannot be entered.
• 15 brown land regions outside the nations; only armies may enter.
• Player funds and nation treasuries strictly separate.
• Government control passes to the player with the highest total bond investment in that nation.
• A nation with no bonds has no government; its turn is skipped.
• Hostile armies (upright) block production and factory building; friendly foreign armies (lying down) do not.

Player Reference

Rondel Space	Cost	Effect
Factory	5M	Build 1 factory
Production	Free	Produce units at all factories
Import	1M each (max 3)	Buy and place military units
Maneuver	Free	Move all fleets, then all armies
Investor	2M bonus	Bond purchasing round
Taxation	Free	Score power points + bonus

Nation order: Austria-Hungary, Italy, France, Great Britain, German Empire, Russia

End game: 25 power points by any nation.