Objective
Accumulate the most SI across a standard 4 fiscal years (3-year and 5-year games are also supported). SI is your directorate score — earn it through programs, theater control, contracts, and year-end effects.
Track SI on your dashboard. Each quarter: Crisis, hidden orders, resolution, cleanup, and card draw.
Strategic InfluenceSI
Highest SI wins. Earn it from programs, theaters, contracts, and year-end scoring.
Theaters6 regions
The global map you fight over — presence from bases, alliances, forward ops, and stationed programs drives control and SI.
Orders12 totalpick 2 / quarter
Your quarterly actions — chosen hidden, then resolved in sequence: Influence, Procure, Deploy, Sustain.
Quarters4 / year16 in standard
Each fiscal year is four quarters of Crisis, orders, resolution, cleanup, and draws — standard campaign is 4 years.
Game Flow
Each fiscal year follows this sequence. Standard length is 4 years (16 quarters).
The four beats below run in reading order — that is the order of play at the table each year.
Agenda voteopens the year1 agenda
Commit PC to support or oppose the Congressional Agenda. Pass or fail applies that card's effects to every player for the whole year.
Contract marketup to 3 shown2 active max
Pick public objectives with immediate perks and year-end requirements. Taking a contract applies its on-take effects.
Quarterly operations4 per year2 orders each2 programs × 2 / yr
Where most turns happen: Crisis, hidden orders, category resolution, cleanup — then after Q1 and Q3 cleanup each player draws 2 programs (entering Q2 and Q4). No program draw after Q2 or Q4.
Year-end scoringcontractstheaters4/2/1 SI
Resolve year-end sustain text, finish or fail contracts for SI, then score theater control (4/2/1 SI per theater).
Inside each quarter
Same rhythm every quarter — these four moments always happen in this order.
Crisis
Crisis pulse
Reveal the quarter Crisis. Immediate effects apply; quarter-start sustain effects may fire.
Commit
Plan orders
Every player selects 2 orders face-down, then reveals together.
Resolve
Resolve orders
Resolve in order: Influence → Procure → Deploy → Sustain (Intel Focus can spend 1I to shift timing).
Cleanup
Cleanup
Discard to hand limit (7), clear orders, then advance. After Q1 and Q3 only, each player draws 2 programs before the next quarter.
Resources
Budget lines (A S E X U) fund domains; secondary resources (M L I PC) pay for orders and tempo. Each track has current stock and production rates.
Year-start production refills everyone; orders, contracts, agendas, and sustain effects add more during the year.
Budget Lines
A
Air
Funds AIR-domain programs. High-value for North Atlantic and Arctic presence.
S
Sea
Funds SEA-domain programs. Essential for Indo-Pacific and North Atlantic control.
E
Expeditionary
Funds EXP-domain programs and Forward Ops placement costs.
X
Space / Cyber
Funds SPACE_CYBER programs. Growing relevance in late-game crises.
U
Sustain
General-purpose maintenance. Required for bases, forward ops, and readiness.
Secondary Resources
M
Manpower
Spent on Major Exercise and some program activations. Produced slowly.
L
Logistics
Required for Forward Ops. Gain via Logistics Surge or TRANSCOM passive.
I
Intel
Used to reorder resolution timing. Spend via Intel Focus for advantage.
PC
Political Capital
Spent to vote on Agendas, reprogram budgets, and place Alliances without a Base.
Reprogramming: moving budget between lines is effect-driven (directorates, agendas, cards). PC remains the main currency for politics and votes.
The 12 Orders
Each quarter pick exactly 2 orders. Resolve Influence → Procure → Deploy → Sustain. Intel Focus can spend 1I to shift your slot in that order.
Lobby
Gain +2PC. If Agenda passed, also gain +1 of the Agenda's favored budget line.
Negotiate
Place 1 Alliance in a theater where you have a Base, or spend 1PC to place it anywhere.
Contracting
Draw 2 Contracts, keep 1. If you already have 2 active Contracts, instead gain +1 SI.
Start Program
Place a Program from hand into a Pipeline slot by paying its Pipeline cost.
Activate Program
Pay full cost, move a Program directly into an Active slot and gain its immediate effect.
Refit / Mothball
Move 1 Active program to Mothball (gain +1U), or reactivate 1 Mothballed program (pay 1U + 1 of its budget line).
Build Base
Pay 2U + 1 of any line; place a Base in any theater with an open Base slot.
Forward Ops
Requires a Base in that theater. Pay 1L + 2U; place Forward Ops in that theater.
Station Programs
Move up to 2 Stationed markers from Active Programs to theaters for strength and contract progress.
Major Exercise
Pay 1M + 1U; gain Readiness +2 and draw 1 card.
Logistics Surge
Gain +2L and reduce the Quarter Crisis penalty against you by 1.
Intel Focus
Gain +2I. Spend 1I to change your Order resolution position by +1.
Program Portfolio
Programs drive SI, theater strength, and production. Pipeline → Active → Mothball timing is the core puzzle.
3 slots
In development. Pay pipeline cost and use Start Program. No effects until activated.
Tip: Fill your pipeline early to prep activations for later quarters.
→
6 slots
Pay activate cost with Activate Program. Immediate effects, sustain text, and stationing all apply from here.
Tip: Active slots are scarce — prioritize programs with strong Sustain effects or high station strength.
→
Unlimited
Refit / Mothball from Active: gain +1U. Reactivate for 1U + 1 domain line (e.g. 1A for an AIR program).
Tip: Mothball programs that aren't contributing to free up Active slots and recover U.
Theaters
Theater control scores at year end: 1st gains 4 SI, 2nd 2 SI, 3rd 1 SI (3rd place only with 4+ players).
Strength Sources
Base+2 strengthBuild Base: 2U + 1A (or any budget line). 2 Base slots per theater.
Alliance+1 strengthNegotiate: needs a Base in theater, or 1PC to place anywhere. 2 Alliance slots per theater.
Forward Ops+3 strengthForward Ops: 1L + 2U, requires Base in that theater. 1 slot per theater.
Stationed+ card valueStation Programs order: strength equals each program's station value.
Card Types
Four card types — same coloring as in-game card text for costs and SI.
Military platforms you build into your portfolio. Each has Pipeline and Activate costs, domain tags, effects on activate, and ongoing Sustain effects while active.
- Start programs cheaply via Pipeline, then pay full cost to Activate
- Stationed programs add strength to theaters
- Mothball unused programs for +1U — reactivate later with 1U + 1 domain line (e.g. 1A)
Public objectives that award SI when completed. Completing them requires meeting specific theater presence, readiness, or resource conditions.
- You can hold max 2 active contracts at once
- Use Contracting order to draw and keep new contracts
- Some contracts award big SI payouts — prioritize them early
Congressional budget priorities voted on each year. Spend PC to influence the vote. Passing or defeating the Agenda triggers different effects for all players.
- Even 1PC can swing a close vote
- Check if the Agenda favors your directorate before spending
- SPACECY can peek at the next crisis to plan around it
Quarterly shocks that penalize players without adequate readiness or theater presence. Each crisis targets specific theaters and resource thresholds.
- Readiness above threshold reduces crisis penalties
- Logistics Surge grants +2L and cuts your crisis penalty by 1
- SPACECY can bury an incoming crisis for 1PC
Directorates
Your directorate is your faction. Each has a starting resource bonus, a permanent passive ability, and a powerful once-per-year action.
Passive
When you place a SEA-tag Program into Active, gain +1U immediately.
Once / Year
Reprogram 1 budget between lines for free.
Starting bonus: +1S production, +1U production
Passive
The first AIR-tag Program you activate each Year costs 1 less A and gives +1I.
Once / Year
If you win a Theater Control tie, you win it outright.
Starting bonus: +1A production, +1M
Passive
Your Forward Ops placements cost -1E.
Once / Year
When you complete a Contract, gain +1PC.
Starting bonus: +1E production, +1L
Passive
Your first NETWORK program you activate each Year gives +1I production.
Once / Year
Peek at the next Crisis; you may pay 1PC to bury it and draw a new one.
Starting bonus: +1X production, +1I
Passive
Any time you pay L, pay 1 less L (min 0).
Once / Year
Convert 2U → 1 of any line without PC cost.
Starting bonus: +1U production, +1L production