Overview

Junta is a political board game set in the fictional Banana Republic where players are corrupt power elite families trying to deposit as much foreign aid money as possible into their Swiss bank accounts before the money runs out. The game alternates between a political card game phase (elections, assassinations, budget allocations) and a strategic board game phase during coups d’etat. The winner is the player with the most money in their Swiss bank account at the end.

Components

• Game board depicting the Republic
• Development Aid money cards
• Location cards
• Political cards (influence, assassination, events)
• Player pieces and military units
• Dice
• Office markers
• Swiss bank account tracking

Setup

Choose the first Presidente by election or random selection. The Presidente controls the government and distributes development aid. All other players are members of the junta seeking power and wealth.

Turn Structure

The game consists of two alternating parts:

Political Game Phases

1. Accept Development Aid: Presidente draws development aid cards.
2. Budget Allocation: Presidente proposes how to distribute the money among offices.
3. Vote on Budget: Players vote to accept or reject the proposed budget.
4. Assign Offices: Players receive government positions.
5. Bank Deposits: Players secretly deposit money into Swiss bank accounts.
6. Assassination Attempts: Players may attempt to assassinate other players.
7. Return from Exile: Exiled players may return.
8. Coup d’Etat: Any player may call a coup.
9. Coup Consequences: Resolve the military coup.

Coup d’Etat Phase

When a coup is called, the game switches to a board game:

• Players deploy military units to key locations.
• Battles are resolved with dice and card play.
• The coup determines who controls the presidency.
• Rebels fight against Loyalists in various city locations.

Actions

• Assassinate: Use assassin cards to attempt to kill other players at specific locations.
• Bank Deposit: Secretly deposit cash into your Swiss bank account (safe from theft).
• Call a Coup: Initiate a military coup to seize power.
• Vote: Use influence cards to affect elections and budget votes.
• Deploy Forces: During coups, place military units on the board.
• Shell/Air Raid: Use gunboat shelling or air raids during coups.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

When El Presidente can no longer draw sufficient funds from the Development Aid deck, the game ends. The winner is the player with the most money in their Swiss bank account.

Money in your Swiss bank account is safe; money in your hand can be stolen. Only deposited money counts for victory.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Dead players’ offices and units are redistributed.
• Exiled players can return to the game under certain conditions.
• El Presidente’s Cousin takes over some functions when players die.
• The game includes special rules for 2-player and 3-player games.
• Paratroopers and Marines have special deployment rules during coups.
• Embassies provide safe havens during coups.
• Police have special reaction abilities during coups.

Player Reference

Phase	Key Action
Budget	Presidente proposes distribution
Vote	Accept/reject budget (majority rules)
Assassination	Play assassin + guess target location
Bank Deposit	Hide location, deposit secretly
Coup	Deploy forces, resolve battles

Key Numbers	Value
Ideal player count	7
Game includes rules for	2-7 players
Assassination success	Varies by card type