Coup

[Legato Endless]

"I’ve seen coups from Angola to Zanzibar, and this is how it ends: in the trunk of a taxi to the airport, your belly full of diamonds and vodka, praying your driver doesn’t rat you out to the Reds at the last checkpoint because then the last thing you'll ever hear, besides a pistol cocking behind your head, is Ivan's laugh."
-Malory Archer, Archer

Greetings.

Coup is a game wits and gambling, crafted by the same people responsible for the Resistance and Avalon. You play one of the scheming heads of a noble family in deadly decadent high society. Your goal is to eliminate your rivals, destroy their power, and gain total dominion throughly the civilized means of manipulation, deception, bribery, and a polite assassination or three.

Spoiler: Rules

Show

Rules Overview

The Rules via Board Game Geek

Reference material and how this plays in the Forum:

There will be a deck composed of 3 identical copies of each of the following cards: Ambassador, Assassin, Captain, Contessa, Duke. Each player at the start of the game will receive 2 face-down cards (Influence) and 2 coins.

The players may take 1 action each turn, from the following list:
• Income: gain 1 coin.
• Foreign Aid: gain 2 coins. May be blocked by another player's Duke.
• Coup: pay 7 coins and cause another player to lose 1 Influence (that player must flip a card he or she owns face-up). This action must be taken if a player has 10 or more coins at the beginning of his or her turn.
• Duke: gain 3 coins. May also be used to block another player's Foreign Aid.
• Captain: take 2 coins from another player. May be blocked by a Captain or Ambassador.
• Ambassador: draw 2 cards from the deck and exchange any with your face-down cards, returning 2 cards to the deck. May also be used to block a Captain action targeting you.
• Assassin: pay 3 coins and cause another player to lose 1 Influence. May be blocked by Contessa.
• Contessa: block an Assassin action targeting you.

Mechanics
At the start of the game (or whenever your cards change), I will pm you your cards.

When it is your turn, you may take an action by posting in the thread, in bold, your desired action and target. For instance, you may write Foreign Aid or Assassin Legato. All game actions must be bolded to be considered official.

Upon declaration of an action, other players will have the opportunity to first declare whether they are challenging the action by using the commands challenge (with the card being challenged, if necessary to avoid ambiguity) / no challenge. The first challenge (by post) will be the one that takes effect. I will otherwise need to hear that no one challenges before we continue. If a challenge is submitted, the challenged player may reveal the result of the challenge. I will also reveal on behalf of the challenged player unless specified otherwise.

After the challenge, the action will proceed to blocking claims. All applicable players may claim a role (in bold) to block or may use the order no block to decline to block. All players with the ability to block in a situation must submit either a block or no block order before we can proceed. Note that blocking claims may themselves be challenged.

If I do not hear from you by the end of the deadline of any such phase, your action will default to no challenge or no block as appropriate. The exception will be if the action directly affects you, in which case you will have a longer period of time to respond.

Deadlines will not be enforced over weekends (though I may keep the game moving if players continue to check in). I will process actions early in the case of an Assassin or Captain action targeting a player and the targeted player publicly bolds acceptance (no challenge nor block) of that action. When it is your turn, passing the deadline means that your action will default to Income (if allowed by the game state).

Note that as long as players can respond, we can move more quickly than the deadlines suggest. In the interest of time, I will also accept conditional orders for pretty much anything if you're going to be away. So you may send me a pm saying "I will not challenge any claims for the first turn. If someone Captains me, I will respond with a claim of Ambassador." Then I will process as appropriate on your behalf.

As a note on protocol: it is strongly advised that you do not edit your posts, as it may jeopardize your position if there is a dispute as to what your post originally said. Also, all communication should be "above table"; you may scheme and negotiate however you like, but there should be no communication between players regarding this game outside of this thread.

So no pms unless they're with me.

Sign ups are open for five players. As I've new to hosting, anyone with previous experience with the game would be preferential for this first iteration, but feel free to express interest regardless. It's appreciated. I don't need everyone to know what they're doing, but a few would definitely help, especially if I make a mistake.

Game to Start on Monday the 22nd, or if and when we fill up to 5 players.

1. Ramsus
2. Silent Interim
3. Eloel
4. Penguin
5. Aspi

(players listed in accordance with turn order, rather than join date for clarity)

Sign Up Waiting List:
1. Tolomei
2. Logic
3. Xihirli
4.
5.
6.

[aspi]

This is nice and should be something I can fit into my time schedule, so I'd like to join. I wouldn't call myself an expert but I've played a few times.

Since I didn't see any mention of this, how long do you plan on making a phase / response period?

[Eloel]

Hello, new game!

[Ramsus]

I'll be in. I watched the game being played on Tabletop, does that count as experience?

[Penguinator]

I want in, but I have zero experience.

[Legato Endless]

This is nice and should be something I can fit into my time schedule, so I'd like to join. I wouldn't call myself an expert but I've played a few times.

Since I didn't see any mention of this, how long do you plan on making a phase / response period?

Good question.

Ideally I'd like to be able to punch through one player's turn a day or two at most, so a player is alerted to their turn, and declares an action which is then challenged (or not). After all players weight in, or the first challenge, we can then proceed to blocking. Essentially I'm asking for a player to be able to check in once per day for their actions. If it goes faster, that's great. If you have an emergency and need time, that's okay too.

What I don't want is a player taking 4 days on average, which is kind of absurd for a game like this where's there's no hive mind to deal with like in Mafia. If people are feeling peppy, I could also break that down faster, but the absolute general minimum would be 12 hours.

So, player starts turn. Player has a day to decide, and then challenges and blocking are resolved within 24 hours of the end of that decision. We could also relegate the turns to starting at the same time, but again, I don't think it would to be that regulated.

Also note that cross talk is encouraged. You can feel free to interrogate or question someone's assertion before you challenge them, or for whatever paranoia gambit or such you want to run.

[Logic]

Color me interested.

[Tolomei]

Interested. Put me on the wait list if you're full?

I'm not very experienced at it or anything, but I've played an evening of Coup as well as some rounds with the faction expansion.

[Xihirli]

I'm in! Should I make a character or are they assigned?

[Silent_Interim]

Gah! I was too slow! Oh well. I'll live. Happy to go on the wait list behind the others already there. I have experience with the game if not mastery.

[Logic]

Gah! I was too slow! Oh well. I'll live. Happy to go on the wait list behind the others already there. I have experience with the game if not mastery.

You can have my spot, narrator permitting. I am in a few too many games at once anyway.

[Legato Endless]

You can have my spot, narrator permitting. I am in a few too many games at once anyway.

The narrator abides. You have been moved to the waiting list.

Gah! I was too slow! Oh well. I'll live. Happy to go on the wait list behind the others already there. I have experience with the game if not mastery.

In accordance with my emphasis on experience, I'm shifting you into the first game if that's alright.

Interested. Put me on the wait list if you're full?

I'm not very experienced at it or anything, but I've played an evening of Coup as well as some rounds with the faction expansion.

No problem. You're in next game.

I'm in! Should I make a character or are they assigned?

Feel free to create one. The only limitation is you're a noble family head, and you're motivated to destroy your peers. Other than that, go nuts. Although I'd prefer everyone be human personally, just to keep things a bit grounded.

Alright, cards sent.

I'll place a table for tracking coins and influence up when I'm off my mobile, but for now, everyone has zero 2 coins and two influence.

Ramsus, it is your turn. In acknowledgment of the weekend, you will have until Monday, 11:59pm CST to complete your first turn. Other players, feel free to be cross talk now.

Once Ramsus states his action, you may challenge (if applicable).

[Ramsus]

I'll use my Duke to gain 3 coins. (Am I doing this right? Should I be roleplaying?)

[Legato Endless]

You are indeed.

Roleplay is encouraged, but not obligatory.

[Logic]

You are indeed.

Roleplay is encouraged, but not obligatory.

I almost wish I could roleplay, but I suspect I may have adverse effect on the other players here.

[Legato Endless]

Game State

Players	Coins	Card 1	Card 2
Ramsus	2	???	???
Silent Interim	2	???	???
Eloel	2	???	???
Penguinator	2	???	???
Aspi	2	???	???

@Logic: Yes, unfortunately in a game like this, it would be difficult to have onlookers RP without risking possibly influencing the players decisions. You're in for next game though. Thank you again for your patience.

[Ramsus]

((Ah ok then, well I'll add some roleplay for my last action then. And I guess partially determine the setting while I'm at it since you didn't provide one that I noticed.))

The Arciellaun sat upon it's mechanized crystal throne aboard the dreadnaught class capital ship Myth which lay cloaked in orbit around August Prime, awaiting the arrival of it's sister ship Legend. When it arrived, the Arciellaun gave the command and the two ships seized control of the system, swiftly obliterating it's defensive fleet with only having had to launch a fourth of their single and two-man starfighters. The end result was the swift acquisition of an efficiently operated agro-planet, a resource rich asteroid field, a gas giant that could be harvested for valuable gasses, and some fairly worthless planetoids that could perhaps be put to some purpose or another later. All in all a healthy profit for a day's work that came with a fairly decent view of the spider-eel nebula under the lighting of the blue and orange binary stars. And all "above board" with little risk of reprisal thanks to the system being far outside the reach of most of the stellar alliances and empires.

((I'll give more description for the Myth & Legend in future posts.))

[Silent_Interim]

No challenge from this quarter. Will turns be going down the list on the first post?

[Legato Endless]

Yes. Your turn is next. Aspi also no challenges, incidentally.

[Eloel]

Not challenging. Do you expect everyone to go "no challenge", or do you expect people to challenge if they want to.

[Silent_Interim]

I would say that it's a little bit easier on Legato if people do actively say not challenge, as it means no-one has to wait and see. It's better to post in advance with a no challenge than to leave everyone waiting, don't you think?

[Penguinator]

The man sat behind the command deck of the spacecraft, issuing orders here and there as his eyes wandered over the area outside. He heard the doors open behind him, and a man rushed in, saluting quickly. "Permission to speak, Sir!"
The Captain nodded, waving a hand. "You have it. Proceed."
"We have received reports that the dreadnaught Myth has taken over several small planets, Sir! What are your orders?"
The Captain shook his head. "I won't challenge it. We have no need to sully our hands and make enemies this early on." Looking over the reports, he added, "Besides, the spider-eel nebula is nowhere near our home base. No point rushing out there now."

(No challenge. I hope I fit in with Ramsus' setting well enough)

[Lex-Kat]

Interesting. I've played this against other Playgrounders at the Trogland meet-up last year. It can be very fun.

[Legato Endless]

Game State

Players	Coins	Card 1	Card 2
Ramsus	5	???	???
Silent Interim	2	???	???
Eloel	2	???	???
Penguinator	2	???	???
Aspi	2	???	???

Ramsus gains 3 coins.

It is now Silent Interim's turn.

@Eloel: I would prefer no challenge, as routine as that may be. It moves the game faster, we've already gotten one turn done in much less time, but if you don't challenge and time runs out, it's simply assumed you decline. If routinely stating this seems arduous, note that you can send me orders before hand.

[Silent_Interim]

The Fat Man emerged from cryo stasis on the luxury cruise liner The Delighted as it approached Beta Centauri 5. The ship was fast, sleek, beautiful, and armed with more guns than its official purpose would normally suggest. It catered only to the extremely wealthy and on occasion the extremely famous and powerful. Very few guests knew who the owner was.
Several servants helped him to his hover chair- even in relatively low, artificial gravity, he found it helpful. He moved the chair through the hallways, servants handing him reports and contracts to sign off on, nothing important. The important stuff he received personally.
He entered a meeting room where his aide was already sitting, waiting for him. "Well?"
The aide stood. "Mister Hieronymous, sir. The beginnings of a conflict are brewing. A new major player is emerging. Calls itself the Arciellaun. Two battle cruisers named the Myth and Legend were deployed under its command to dominate a small system near the Spider-Eel Nebula, dominating the Rgoni system, which was ours, if not technically or legally. The Captain appears to be marshalling his forces for battle. And sleeper agents are reporting a possible additional pair of powers to emerge in coming days."
The Fat Man sat and thought for a moment. "Hmmm. We need to raise capital for the conflict. Contact Duke Devli. Tell him that production quotas are being over fulfilled and we should raise taxes. We'll split the income from it fifty fifty with him and take any fire he might come under. I assume that production quotas are, in fact, being over-fulfilled?"
Without missing a beat the aide made a note. "They are now, sir."
The Fat Man smiled. "Good."
Claiming Duke for tax of 3 coins. This game is really fun with RP elements, which you just don't seem to get around a table.

[Ramsus]

((Not challenging, though two Dukes in a row is a bit suspect. I went so far as to flip a coin to see if I should challenge or not. Wonder what would happen if someone else flipped differently.

So to clarify, so far I'm using Star Wars style ship classes. Which means the two ships I mentioned were on the scale of star destroyers. Although the Legend is actually halfway between the size of a star destroyer and a super star destroyer and the Myth is slightly larger than a regular star destroyer. They're both also that general shape, though the Myth is longer and thinner and the Legend is proportionately wider in addition to being overall larger.))

[Eloel]

Still not challenging.

I haven't thought up a character, so no rp from me for now, sorry.

[Silent_Interim]

You're entitled to your suspicions, wrong or right as they may be. Two duke claims isn't that uncommon. Three or more, and I would start to get suspicious. I have, however, seen games that literally had five duke claims in the first round. As it turns out, the first two, which went unchallenged, were bluffs. The fourth and fifth were not, much to one players chagrin. Duke is a really useful card to claim early on, as it not only brings in a lot of coins, but prevents foreign aid, which forces people to go with income (slow) or to claim duke (dangerous after two or more people already have).

[Ramsus]

Ahhh, I see. Do we know how many of each card is in the deck? Or since we're doing it this way is there actually no limit?

[Silent_Interim]

There are three of each for a fifteen card deck. I do not think the game would work with no limit. I would imagine that Legato has a hard copy deck to keep track of things.

EDITING RATHER THAN DOUBLE POST: If you yourself have a Duke, as you claim, then why would you find a second claim suspicious? I find that highly suspicious. If somebody, anybody, wants to claim Foreign Aid, not only will I not block you, but if Ramsus tries to block I will challenge his claim. Please note that I may revoke this if extenuating circumstances occur, such as ANOTHER Duke claim.