EPOCH
INTRODUCTION
Card and Record Keeping game for 2-6+ players.
Ancient Civilization Building Theme.
VICTORY
The player with the most Victory Points at the end of the game wins.
GAME END
The game ends at the end of the turn in which any player has
Played his 10th Age Meld.
RECORD KEEPING
Players will have to record the following using paper and writing implements:
1. The Name (and Aspect) of each Age card they have played in order.
2. The Advances they have made and their level in each
3. Exemplary Bonuses
4. End of game scoring calculations
THE DECK
Players share a common deck.
There are 2 types of cards in the deck:
1. Age cards
2. Advance cards
SETUP
Shuffle the deck.
Each player is dealt 3 cards.
TURN SEQUENCE
The turn is divided into 5 phases:
1. Discovery Phase
2. Trade Phase
3. Age Phase
4. Scribe Phase
5. End Phase
DISCOVERY PHASE
Each player is dealt 3 cards.
If the deck runs out, shuffle the discard and draw from it.
TRADE PHASE
Players may freely trade cards with each other.
AGE PHASE
Each player may make 1 Meld.
A Meld consists of 2 things:
1. One Age card
2. A number of Advance cards as specified by the Level of the Age card
Note: Age cards are of 2 Aspects: Positive and Negative.
You must play an Aspect that is opposite of the Aspect you played last time.
Recall: The game ends at the end of the turn in which any player has
Played his 10th Age Meld.
SCRIBE PHASE
If a player played a Meld last phase, he records the Age card (& Aspect) and
He gains 1 level in each advance he played a card for, which also
Must be recorded with paper and pencil.
All Meld cards are discarded.
END PHASE
Max hand size is 7 cards.
Discard excess cards.
EXPLORATION RULE
You may at any time discard 2 Age cards to draw 1 card from the top of the deck.
CARD LIST NOTATION
A = Age
V = Advance
P = Positive
N = Negative
COMMON DECK CARD LIST
Name: Type Aspect Level Notes:
Classical Age A P 2
Age of Heroes A P 3
Age of Peace A P 4
Revolutionary Age A P 5
Renaissance Age A P 6
Age of Prosperity A P 2
Age of Reason A P 3
Age of Wonder A P 4
Romantic Age A P 5
Age of Chivalry A P 6
Age of Empire A P 2
Age of Industry A P 3
Age of Enlightenment A P 4
Age of Progress A P 5
Golden Age A P 6
Age of Innocence A P 2
Age of Freedom A P 3
Age of Discovery A P 4
Age of Exploration A P 5
Best of Times A P 6
Worst of Times A N 2
Age of Corruption A N 3
Age of Tribulation A N 4
Age of Decadence A N 5
Age of War A N 6
Age of Tyranny A N 2
Age of Stagnation A N 3
Age of Sorrow A N 4
Age of Battles A N 5
Dark Age A N 6
Age of Famine A N 2
Age of Disease A N 3
Age of Oppression A N 4
Age of Anarchy A N 5
Age of Civil War A N 6
Age of Chaos A N 2
Age of Decline A N 3
Age of Enslavement A N 4
Age of Migrations A N 5
Age of Reformation A N 6
Metallurgy V - - Conquerors
Military Doctrine V - - Conquerors
Equestrian V - - Conquerors
Siege Craft V - - Conquerors
Cartography V - - Explorers
Ship Building V - - Explorers
Navigation V - - Explorers
Engineering V - - Builders
Architecture V - - Builders
Tools V - - Builders
Invention V - - Builders
Science V - - Thinkers
Mathematics V - - Thinkers
Philosophy V - - Thinkers
Law V - - Rulers
Ethics V - - Rulers
Government V - - Rulers
Politics V - - Rulers
Painting V - - Artists
Sculpture V - - Artists
Fashion V - - Artists
Coinage V - - Traders
Economics V - - Traders
Industry V - - Traders
Religion V - - Priests
Theology V - - Priests
Mythology V - - Priests
Astronomy V - - Priests
Literature V - - Writers
Poetry V - - Writers
Writing V - - Writers
Music V - - Performers
Dance V - - Performers
Theatre V - - Performers
Sports V - - Bodies
Martial Arts V - - Bodies
Medicine V - - Bodies
Agriculture V - - Farmers
Food Preservation V - - Farmers
Animal Husbandry V - - Farmers
END OF GAME SCORING
Each player calculates his final Score.
Players score Victory Points (VP) for the following:
* The Going Out Bonus: The first player to make 10 Melds gets 5 VP (this ends the game).
* Greatness Bonuses: You gain 3 or 4 VP for each Greatness Bonus you make.
* If you play all the cards for a Greatness Bonus in 1 single meld, this is called an
Exemplary Bonus and earns an additional +2 VP.
* If you have the most (ties don't count) levels in a single advance (Such as Dance) you
gain 1 VP.
GREATNESS BONUSES
There are 12 Greatness Bonuses.
To get a Greatness Bonus in End scoring you must have at least 1 level in each of the
Advances listed for that particular Greatness Bonus.
GREAT CONQUERORS BONUS +4VP
Metallurgy
Military Doctrine
Equestrian
Siege Craft
GREAT EXPLORERS BONUS +3VP
Cartography
Ship Building
Navigation
GREAT BUILDERS BONUS +4 VP
Engineering
Architecture
Tools
Invention
GREAT THINKERS BONUS +3VP
Science
Mathematics
Philosophy
GREAT RULERS BONUS +4VP
Law
Ethics
Government
Politics
GREAT ARTISTS BONUS +3VP
Painting
Sculpture
Fashion
GREAT TRADERS BONUS +3VP
Coinage
Economics
Industry
GREAT PRIESTS BONUS +4VP
Religion
Theology
Mythology
Astronomy
GREAT WRITERS BONUS +3VP
Literature
Poetry
Writing
GREAT PERFORMERS BONUS +3VP
Music
Dance
Theatre
GREAT BODIES BONUS +3VP
Sports
Martial Arts
Medicine
GREAT FARMERS BONUS +3VP
Agriculture
Food Preservation
Animal Husbandry
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FAQ
QUESTION -
--All Ages are "equal," can be played on any turn?
--You don't have to "live through" more primitve Ages to get to later ones?
--Each time you make a meld, you must put down exactly the number of
Advances equal to the Level of the Age you're playing?
--All Advances are "equal" in that each is worth 1 "level" no matter when played?
--"Level" of an Age has nothing to do with "level" of Advancements you've achieved?
ANSWER
--The "primitiveness" of an age does not affect gameplay. In that respect ages are "equal".
--They don't have to be played in any particular "historical" order, or have any particular level.
Example of play: I'm making my first Meld of the game: I have the "Age of Empire" card.
It has a level = 2, so I must play exactly 2 Advance cards with it to complete the meld, lets
say I traded for music and dance. Now, a few turns later I am ready to make my second meld.
"Age of Empire" was a "Positive Aspect" Age card, so now I must use a "Negative Aspect" Age card:
I have an "Age of Corruption" card so I use it. It requires I play 3 Advances:
I play Theatre, Astronomy, and Mythology along with it to complete the meld.
Note that I also completed the "Great Performers Bonus" Combo because I have advances in
it's 3 requirements: Dance, Music, and Theatre.