EMPIRE OF ISLAM
INTRODUCTION
Bidding Game for 2-4+ players.
Theme: The Rise of the Caliphate 632 - 750.
Each player represents a powerful Arab family faction.
VICTORY
The player with the most victory points at the end of the game wins.
GAME END
The game is played in 10 turns.
Each turn represents one Conquest:
Turn Conquest Notes:
1. Arabia Battle of Aqraba
2. Palestine Battles of Yarmuk & Qadisiyah
3. Babylonia -
4. Syria -
5. Egypt -
6. Persia First Fitna
7. North Africa Sieges of Constantinople
8. Afghanistan Second Fitna
9. Spain Battle of Poitiers
10. Sind Third Fitna
If you win the Conquest Category in Turn 1 gain 1 extra Victory Token
If you win the Conquest Category in Turn 2 gain 2 extra Victory Tokens
If you have the lowest Control score during the first Fitna lose 1 Victory Token
If you have the lowest Control score during the second Fitna lose 2 Victory Tokens
If you have the lowest Control score during the third Fitna lose 3 Victory Tokens
If you have the lowest Conquest score during the Sieges of Constantinople or
the Battle of Poitiers lose 3 Victory Tokens.
VICTORY TOKENS
Players share a common set of Victory Tokens.
FATE TOKENS
Players share a common set of Fate Tokens.
THE CALIPH TOKEN
Players share a single Caliph Token.
THE DECK
Players share a common Deck.
There are 3 card types:
1. Control
2. Conquest
3. Culture
BIDDING MAT & SCREEN
Each player gets a bidding Mat and Screen.
The screen is used to hide the mat during bidding.
The Mat is divided into 7 Spaces:
1. Control (5 Victory Tokens)
2. Conquest ( 4 Victory Tokens & 2 Fate Tokens)
3. Culture (3 Victory Tokens)
4. Draw (5 Cards)
5. Draw (4 Cards)
6. Draw (3 Cards)
7. Conversion (2 Victory Tokens & 2 Cards)
Each space is also referred to as a Category.
SETUP
Shuffle the deck.
One random player is given the Caliph Token.
Each player is dealt 1 card.
TURN SEQUENCE
The turn is divided into 4 Phases:
1. Fate Phase
2. Bid Phase
3. Spoils Phase
4. End Phase
FATE PHASE
Each player gets 10 Fate Tokens and draws 1 Card.
If the deck runs out, shuffle the discard and draw from it.
BID PHASE
Players use their Fate Tokens to Bid on the 7 Mat Spaces.
Cards can also be used. Control cards can only be used on the
Control Space, Conquest cards on the Conquest Space and Culture
cards on the Culture Space.
Each card is worth 1-3 Fate Tokens.
Unused Fate Tokens and cards can be saved from turn to turn.
Bids are made hidden by the screens.
When all players are done the screens are lifted and all Bids are revealed.
SPOILS PHASE
The player with the most Fate points (from Tokens & cards) in a space wins that space.
The winner of a space is awarded with Victory Tokens and/or Cards as indicated.
All Bid cards and Fate Tokens used in the Bid are discarded.
The winner of the Control Category takes possession of the Caliphate Token.
END PHASE
Max hand size is 10 cards.
Discard excess cards.
BIDDING DETAILS
Some Control cards (Caliph cards) can only be used by the current Caliph.
Some Control cards (Rebel cards) can only be used by non-Caliph players.
There are 4 different types of Culture cards: Religion, Science, Art, and Custom.
If you play at least 4 different types Culture cards in a single bid, you immediately
score 2 Victory Tokens, whether you win the bid or not.
CARD LIST NOTATION
T = Control
Q = Conquest
U = Culture
COMMON DECK CARD LIST
Name Type Force Notes
Succession T 1 -
Murder T 2 Rebel
Trade Network T 2 Caliph
Central Authority T 3 Caliph
Umayyads T 1 -
Civil War T 3 Rebel
Dynasty T 3 Caliph
Tribal Council T 1 -
Sheikhs T 1 -
Opposition T 2 Rebel
Support T 1 -
Betrayal T 1 -
Infighting T 1 -
Non-Arab Muslims T 1 -
Factionalism T 2 Rebel
Discontent T 2 Rebel
Unification T 3 Caliph
Caliphate T 3 Caliph
Party of Ali T 3 Rebel
Administration T 2 Caliph
Tolerance T 2 Caliph
Financial Crisis T 3 Rebel
Permissive Laws T 2 Caliph
Revolt T 3 Rebel
Armed Aggression Q 1 -
Invasion Q 3 -
Continual Fighting Q 2 -
Fanaticism Q 2 -
Desert Power Q 2 -
Great Victory Q 3 -
Rapid Expansion Q 2 -
Raids Q 1 -
Light Resistance Q 3 -
Capture City Q 3 -
Slaughter Q 1 -
Cavalry Q 1 -
Battle Q 1 -
Able General Q 3 -
Arab Armies Q 2 -
Border Clashes Q 1 -
Warfare Q 2 -
Jihad Q 3 -
Crush Enemies Q 3 -
Reinforcements Q 2 -
Campaign Q 2 -
Skirmishes Q 1 -
Mobilization Q 1 -
Domination Q 3 -
Mosques U 3 Religion
Sunni U 2 Religion
Shia U 2 Religion
Koran U 3 Religion
Astronomy U 3 Science
Mathematics U 3 Science
Arabic U 3 Custom
Literature U 3 Custom
Technology U 1 Science
Equestrian U 2 Custom
Calligraphy U 3 Art
Arabesque U 1 Art
Law U 2 Custom
Architecture U 3 Art
Dress U 1 Custom
Theology U 1 Religion
Music U 2 Art
Dance U 2 Art
Theatre U 1 Art
Festivals U 1 Religion
Geography U 1 Custom
Medicine U 2 Science
Alchemy U 1 Science
Philosophy U 2 Science
LINKS
Islam
