Johnny Big Bird
United States
Manassas
Virginia
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Variant for “Secret” Vinci
Objectives:
1. Reduce chances of end of game scramble for points with empires that should be sent into decline
2. Reduce bashing the leader syndrome
3. Enhance prospects of optimal empire growth
4. Reduce knowledge of other players capabilities and special abilities
I have played Vinci dozens of times and enjoy the game because it minimizes luck with its simple mathematical equation to take territories, has great re-play potential due to the large number of varying special abilities each empire can have, allows for many conquests of provinces by active empires, and allows players to make tough choices on where to attack, when to throw in the towel and choose another empire, and whether to pay extra to get a better empire when you get a new one. It is also quicker to play, with little down time during moves, than most empire games I have played such as History of the World and Risk and its variants. So I have come up with this variant, not because I do not like this game, but because I do, and what to reduce the few irritants occurring during the game. Note, this variant does create additional bookkeeping, but does not add much to its complexity. It is also fairly easy to learn.
Keep Point Totals Secret
Don’t keep track of points on the board. Each player keeps track of their own points.
Keep Special Abilities of Your Empire Secret
Some of these attributes will become obvious as battles are fought (If you have weapons or the Field Marshall or your opponent has Militia or hidden Fortification for example). Others will not be so obvious, particularly the point modifier abilities such as Currency, Slavery, Agriculture, etc.
Rule for Secret VINCI Variant
How is this to be done you ask, since in the original game, everyone not only knows what special abilities (or attributes) they have, but what every other player has, and what the next choices are in the future, when you choose another empire. This mechanic has to change a bit. Here is how. You will need to use what I call a Player Card and a Map to track your activities and progress. There is a simply Player Card at the end of this variant. I have a fancier one that I will post as a picture file under VINCI. Did not format properly when I tried to put it in these rules. Print out the Player Card and a Picture of the Map in black and white. It will be easier to mark on the map.
1. Give each player a Player Card and a Map of Vinci
2. Decide turn order.
3. Player one secretly chooses two Civilization Counters (showing special abilities or attributes) from the pile/bag. Player one notes these on his/her Player card under Civilization 1. Player one does not add the first two Civilization Counters to the pile/bag and chooses two more Civilization Counters, noting what they are on the Player card under Empire 2. Player one continues this until eight empires are listed on their card. To indicate the Civilization Counters, write the first four letters of the Civilization Counter in the appropriate cells on lines next to the numbers of the Player Card. Write a ‘C” just under the four if the Civilization Counter has a Broken Column symbol on it. Then write the number of additional tokens this Civilization Counter provides to you, just under the Civilization Counter four-letter abbreviation. For Currency for example you would enter CURR and under it write “0” since you get no additional tokens for this Civilization Counter. After all eight of your potential Civilization Counter combinations have been chosen (total of sixteen different Civilization Counters) and noted on your Player Card, put all of the Civilization Counters back into the pile/bag and Player two does the same thing. If additional players exist, they each perform this function in turn.
4. Each player, after filling out their Player Card with the Civilization Counters of the eight empire choices need to choose an empire to start the game. If you want to start with the Empire 1, simply circle it on your card. If you want to start with Empire 2, then cross out Empire 1 and circle Empire 2 on your card. Empire 2 then will be your starting empire. Cost to you. Subtract 4 victory points in a two player game, 3 points in a three player game, and 2 points in any game with four or more players. Every time you bring a new empire into the game, you must take the next one on your Player Card (after your current empire) or pay the required number of victory points (based on number of players) to skip the next one and take the one after that. If you want to skip two empires, go for it, just cross them both out and subtract victory points from your total (twice – that is eight points for a two player game, six points for a three player game, etc. ).
5. Play now begins. The only time an special ability of an empire need to be revealed (sort of) is when an attacker announces an attack into an area and places the presumptuous number of required tokens (i.e., armies). A defender with Militia or a Fortification (or both!) in the territory must at that time, inform the attacker that their attack has been thwarted and will require an extra army (or two if you have both militia and a fortification in the space) to succeed. The defender does not have to say why (such as I have militia or a fortification.) If the attacker has the extra armies, they must be added. In other words if an attack has been attempted, the attacker must attempt to win. If the attacker does not have enough armies to take the space, the attack can be called off and the armies can be used elsewhere to attack. This rule adds a little bit of uncertainty to battle (I know not much) and will keep most players actively in the game, even when it is not their turn. Why? If you have Militia or Fortifications, you need to pay attention or you do not get the bonuses. If you do not have these defensive attributes, you will want to pay attention to information your messengers bring you from far away kingdoms that fight with terrible ferocity, to plan your attacks and defenses properly. Likewise, attackers with Weapons, or Field General, etc. do not need to announce this on each attack, round, turn, etc. They just put down the appropriate number of armies to take each territory and pause to make sure they are not challenged/thwarted by a defensive genius (who has Militia or Fortification). Again, non-active players will want to watch and note which attackers seem to have invincible armies so they can plan their future expansion plans in a most excellent way.
6. Keep track of your Fortification locations on a Vinci Map. When another player attempts to take over one of your territories that has a Fortification, remember to notice and yell out that their attack has been thwarted -- or at least slowed.
7. Keep track of all declining empire information (i.e., broken column notes should go on your individual Vinci Map and not be played on the main game board), so that you can determine your score every turn, in secret. So any declining empire spaces that still provide bonus scores for mines, agriculture, livestock, ports, etc. (attribute markers with columns on them) need to be marked. Simply put a letter on the Map that indicates it is a Fortification (F) or an additional scoring space (M, A, L, P, etc.) This replaces the need to use broken column markers on the map. These counters will not be used. Use a pencil with an eraser for these marks so that the letter can be erased when your army has been defeated or has vacated the province.
8. Keep track of all points on your Player Card. You should keep a turn-by-turn count of positive points and a record of any points you subtracted from your total by passing over empire choices. Any points you subtract in initial selection should be entered in turn 1.
9. Game end. When a player has reached the end of game total (e.g., 120 points or more for a four player game) that player should announce, at the end of the round (i.e., all players turns for that round) that they have won the game with [number of points]! It is possible (but unlikely) that another player could then announce that actually they have won, because they have more points than that.
Optional Rule
Modify Rule 4 and allow players to cross out individual Civilization Counters (in order on your Player Card) for half the cost listed (for each crossed out).
Secret VINCI Variant PLAYER CARD
EMPIRE
1 Civilization Counter 1 _____________ Civilization Counter 2 _____________
2 Civilization Counter 1 _____________ Civilization Counter 2 _____________
3 Civilization Counter 1 _____________ Civilization Counter 2 _____________
4 Civilization Counter 1 _____________ Civilization Counter 2 _____________
5 Civilization Counter 1 _____________ Civilization Counter 2 _____________
6 Civilization Counter 1 _____________ Civilization Counter 2 _____________
7 Civilization Counter 1 _____________ Civilization Counter 2 _____________
8 Civilization Counter 1 _____________ Civilization Counter 2 _____________
POINTS
Turn--------Positive-------Negative-------Total-------Grand Total
1-----------________-----________------_____-----_______
2-----------________-----________------_____-----_______
3-----------________-----________------_____-----_______
4-----------________-----________------_____-----_______
5-----------________-----________------_____-----_______
6-----------________-----________------_____-----_______
7-----------________-----________------_____-----_______
8-----------________-----________------_____-----_______
9-----------________-----________------_____-----_______
10----------________-----________------_____-----_______
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