Overview

Polis: Fight for the Hegemony is a two-player strategy game set in 5th century BC Greece where one player controls Athens and the other Sparta. Players compete for hegemony over the Greek Poleis through diplomacy, trade, military force, and prestige. The game covers the period from the Persian Wars through the Peloponnesian War, with players managing resources, armies, navies, and political influence.

Components

• 1 game board (map of Greece with market value table, territory tables, project spaces, round tracker)
• 40 Event cards (divided by rounds: 3, 4, 5a, 5b)
• 18 Polis cards (showing neutral/affiliated status, population, fortification)
• 14 Project cards (representing cultural and political works)
• 24 Combat cards (for land and sea battles)
• 1 four-sided die
• 45 blue wooden cubes + 45 red wooden cubes (population, hoplites, galleys, good markers)
• 5 black wooden cubes (market values, round marker)
• 25 blue discs + 25 red discs (polis ownership, territory collection)
• 8 blue ships + 8 red ships (merchants)
• 1 blue pawn + 1 red pawn (proxenos)
• 2 individual player boards (goods stock and prestige tracking)

Setup

1. Place the game board centrally with Event, Polis, Project, and Combat card decks arranged.
2. Each player takes their color’s cubes, discs, ships, pawn, and player board.
3. Set initial polis affiliations per scenario.
4. Place starting population cubes on affiliated poleis.
5. Set market values for goods to starting positions.
6. Place round marker on round 1.

Turn Structure

The game is played over multiple rounds. Each round consists of:

1. Event Phase

Draw and resolve Event cards for the current round. Events affect the political and military situation.

2. Action Phase

Players alternate taking actions. On each turn, a player performs one action:

• Diplomacy: Attempt to bring a neutral polis to your side.
• Military: Move armies (hoplites) or navies (galleys). Initiate battles or sieges.
• Trade: Send merchants to trade goods. Buy/sell on the market.
• Projects: Undertake cultural/political projects for prestige.
• Wheat Collection: Gather wheat from controlled territories (critical resource).
• Population Growth: Grow population in your poleis.
• Fortification: Build walls to defend poleis.

3. Upkeep Phase

Feed populations, check supply, resolve sieges, adjust market prices.

Actions

Diplomacy

Use your proxenos to influence neutral poleis. Spend resources to convince them to join your league.

Military Operations

• Hoplites: Land armies that can be recruited from population. Used for land battles and sieges.
• Galleys: Naval units used for sea battles and blockades.
• Battles: Resolved using Combat cards. Both players play cards simultaneously.
• Sieges: Roll the four-sided die to resolve; fortified poleis are harder to capture.

Trade

• Send merchant ships along trade routes.
• Buy and sell goods (wheat, wine, oil, metal) on the fluctuating market.
• Market prices shift based on supply and demand (die rolls affect prices).

Projects

Undertake projects representing cultural achievements (philosophy, theater, architecture). Projects earn prestige points and may provide ongoing benefits.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The game can end through:

1. Military victory: Control enough poleis to dominate Greece.
2. Prestige victory: Accumulate enough prestige through projects, military victories, and diplomatic achievements.
3. After the final round: The player with the most prestige wins.

Prestige is earned from:

• Winning battles
• Completing projects
• Controlling important poleis
• Successful diplomatic actions

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Wheat is the most critical resource; populations must be fed or they revolt/die.
• Market prices are volatile; the four-sided die affects price fluctuations each round.
• Poleis have maximum population limits shown on their cards.
• Fortified poleis require sieges to capture; unfortified ones can be taken by force more easily.
• Athens has naval advantages; Sparta has land military advantages.
• Some poleis can never be conquered and must be diplomatically persuaded.
• Events can dramatically change the game situation (Persian invasions, plague, etc.).

Player Reference

Action	Description
Diplomacy	Influence neutral poleis to join your league
Move Army	Move hoplites between territories
Move Navy	Move galleys along sea routes
Battle	Resolve combat with Combat cards
Siege	Attempt to capture fortified polis (die roll)
Trade	Buy/sell goods; send merchants
Project	Undertake cultural work for prestige
Recruit	Convert population to military units
Grow	Increase population in your poleis
Fortify	Build walls for defense

Win: Most prestige at game end, or military/prestige victory condition.