Base game
Object of the game
You and your opponent are rulers of small kingdoms in northern medieval Spain. Your goal is to unite Aragón by building Military, Political, and Economic influence.
At the end of your opponent’s Influence phase, you normally win in either of these ways:
- Reach 10 influence in one area.
- Reach at least 5 influence in any two areas.
Setup and first turn
- Shuffle the cards together to make one shared draw deck.
- Deal four cards to each player.
- The player who most recently lost a game that included the other player goes first. If that does not settle it, roll a die or draw high card.
The opening turn
On the first player’s first turn, they may play no more than one card and skip the Influence phase. The second player takes a normal turn.
How a turn works
After the opening turn, each turn has four phases.
Beginning
Resolve any abilities that happen at the beginning of your turn, one at a time, in any order you choose.
Planning
You may play one card from your hand into its matching Military, Political, or Economic area. Some abilities allow additional cards. Resolve each card completely before playing the next one.
Abilities marked “On Your Turn” are used during Planning. Each can be used once per turn.
Influence
Compare both players’ total strength in each area. The player with more strength gains influence equal to the difference.
When influence changes sides, reduce the opponent’s influence before adding your own. Influence in an area cannot exceed 10. After adjusting all three areas, check whether your opponent has won.
Draft
Set your hand down and look at the top three cards of the draw deck. Keep one, then pass the other two to your opponent. Your opponent keeps one, and the last card is discarded face down.
If fewer than three cards remain, draw as many as possible. If only one card remains, keep it; there is nothing to pass or discard, and your turn ends. The other player then begins their turn.
Victory and endgame
Winning is checked at the end of your opponent’s Influence phase. The usual thresholds are 10 influence in one area or at least 5 influence in two areas.
When both players meet a threshold
- If both players have 10 influence in different areas, continue until one player has at least 5 influence in the third area at the end of their opponent’s Influence phase.
- If one player has at least 5 influence in two areas while the other has 10 influence in one area, continue until there is a clear victor.
When the deck runs out
After the draw deck is empty, when a player plays the last card in their hand, the opponent takes one normal turn. If neither player has a clear victory after that turn, the player with the most total influence wins.
Cards and game terms
Reading a card
Each card has a name, a Military, Political, or Economic type, a strength value, and one or more abilities.
- Discard
- Cards discarded from a hand or the top of the deck stay face down unless an effect reveals them. Face-up cards abandoned or destroyed from play stay face up in the discard pile.
- Surrender influence
- Move the influence marker one step toward your opponent. You cannot surrender influence in an area where your opponent already has 10.
- Abandon
- Move a card you control from play to the discard pile. You can only abandon your own card.
- Destroy
- Move the targeted card in play to the discard pile. A face-up card remains face up there.
Optional cards
James, Philip, and Randall
These Leader/Event cards are not included with the print-on-demand base game. The Crown of Aragón game page shows both sides of all three cards and links to their BoardGameGeek records.
- Shuffle the three cards, give one Leader face up to each player, and set the remaining card aside.
- Keep your Leader in front of you. Its printed Leader ability is active while it is face up.
- During your Planning phase, you may flip your Leader when you would play a card and use the Event on its reverse.
- An Event is a one-time effect. Resolve its instructions immediately; it does not enter a Military, Political, or Economic area and adds no strength.
- Return the card Leader-side up at the beginning of your next turn.
Credits
- Concept and mechanisms
- James Searles
- Game design
- Phil Amylon and James Searles
- Development
- Randall Nadeau and James Searles
- Producer
- Matthew DeMatteo
- Art and graphic design
- Touch Touch Studios
- Publisher
- Joggle