Quadruple Agent

Release Date: 
Saturday, November 15, 2003
AttachmentSize
Package icon quadruple.zip346.3 KB
Setup Time: 
Play Duration (new players): 
Play Duration (experienced): 
Minimum number of players: 
Maximum number of players: 
Minimum Age: 
12

by Jeremy Bushnell and Jonathan Leistiko

Object

Guide a hopelessly befuddled secret agent back to your territory.

You Need

  • A Nation Map.
  • A Radio Receiver.
  • An Agent pawn.
  • A Headquarters sheet for each player.
  • A set of 8 Command chips for each player.
  • A set of 52 Order chits (Don’t worry about the six with gray dots. They’re for the Variants.).
  • Two cups. One for mixing the Command chips and one for the Order chits.
  • Paper and pencil for tracking scores.

All of the game-specific pieces are available in a convenient downloadable bundle. Both bundles have identical contents – only their method of packaging differs:

Setting Up

Put the Nation Map and the Radio Receiver on the table where everyone can reach them. Put the Agent in the middle of the Nation Map.

Take eight Command chips that correspond to your side of the Nation Map and a Headquarters sheet. The extra two Command chips are just that – extras in case some are lost; set them aside and do not use them.

Put the Order chits in one cup and set it within reach of all players; this is the Brain Trust. Keep the other cup empty and set it nearby; this cup is the Transmitter.

Randomly select a player. Turn the Agent so it faces that player.

Play

There is no “first player;” play is roughly simultaneous. A round of play has the following steps:

  1. Allocate Resources.
  2. Reveal Allocations.
  3. Prepare Transmission.
  4. Broadcast Order & Recieve Orders.
  5. Execute Orders.
  6. Debriefing.

1. Allocate Resources: Use your Headquarters sheet to secretly allocate your Command chips to Intel and Broadcast Strength. When all players are done, proceed to the next step.

2. Reveal Allocations: Reveal your allocations. Draw Order chits equal to the number of chips you allocated to Intel. You may keep these chips hidden if you wish to. If the Brain Trust runs out of Order chips, put all discarded Order chips in the Brain Trust, shake it up, and continue the game.

3. Prepare Transmission: Place all of your chips allocated to Broadcast Strength in the Transmitter.

4. Broadcast Orders & Recieve Orders: Shake the Transmitter to assure randomness. Draw eight chips from the Transmitter, one at a time. When your chip is drawn, place a Order chit from your hand on a vacant space on the Radio Receiver. If you have a Order chit, then you must play one. If you have no Order chits left, then use a Command chip in its place.

5. Execute Orders: The Agent executes the commands on the Radio Receiver sequentially, starting with #1 and ending with #8. A straight arrow makes the Agent move forward one space. An arrow curving to the left makes the Agent turn 90 degrees counterclockwise. An arrow curving to the right makes the Agent turn 90 degrees clockwise. Command chips cause the Agent to stay still. If the Agent steps off your side of the board while executing commands, the following things happen:

  • You gain 3 points.
  • The players to your right and left each gain 2 points.
  • The round ends: Return all Command chips in the Transmitter and on the Radio Receiver to their owners. Put all Order chits back in the Brain Trust and shake it to mix the chits up.
  • Put the Agent in the middle of the map. Turn it so it faces the player with the lowest score. If there is a tie, then select randomly from the tied players.

 

6. Debriefing: If you have more than 4 Order chits, then choose chits to discard until you have 4 chits. Reclaim all of your Command chips from the Transmitter and the Radio Receiver. Begin a new round.

Winning

The game ends when any player has more than 5 points. The player with the most points wins the game.

Variants

If you play with any of the following variants, we recommend that you play with only one at a time. The Order chits with gray dots can be played face-up for their normal effect or face-down for their special Variant effect.

  • Interrupt: This Order chit lets you Swap a Order chit on the Radio Receiver for one in your hand. Play this chit as soon as the chit you want to swap is played. Remove one of your Command chips from play and play the chit from your hand. If this is the only chit in your hand and you are forced to play a chit, then discard this chit and draw one to replace it.
  • Repeat: This Order chit causes the Agent to repeat all Orders on the Radio Receiver previous to this one, then continue past this Order.
  • Wild: This Order chit lets you chose what action the Agent takes when it gets to this step. Put one of your Command chips on the same space as this chit to indicate that you’re the one who gets to determine what the Agent does. When this chit activates, remove one of your Command chips from the game.

 

Origin and Credits

Jeremy thought of the idea for Quadruple Agent at least 18 months ago. It was supposed to be a real-time simultaneous play game, but we couldn’t quite figure out how to made the mechanics work and the game got shelved. About 6 months ago I was backing up the website and stumbled across the banner that Jeremy made for the game. This got me thinking about the game again. Two months ago, I sat down and wrote the rules pretty much the way they’re presented here and playtested them with the Monday Night Gaming Group. If you’re familiar with the other Invisible City games, then the influence of Run, Hamster, Run! is pretty obvious; I like using resource pools and bags of beads.

Props to Jeremy for thinking to the game in the first place. Thanks to Sharon for editing the rules. Thanks to the Monday Night Games Group (Kori, Kathy, and Frank) for playtesting.