dragon's money laundering

The Rules - Gameplay

A game of Dragon's Money Laundering flows through series of sequences and subsequences much like a computer program with nested subroutine calls. Some of them are repeated for each Player, and some might trigger unexpectedly due to dice rolling or drawing a specific card from the Event Deck. Every step during these sequences happens in series, so there is no ambiguity on what resolves and when. Any unexpected subsequences will return to their spawn-point and the game will continue from the next step of the spawning parent sequence.

The game table is divided into Zones that different game rules, events and actions interact with. Zones provide a clean uncluttered gaming area and meaning to regular playing cards that reside within them.

The cards of a regular playing card deck circulate the game Zones throughout the game sequences. The sequence rules provide unambiguous instructions on how to move the playing cards around legally during the game. Players try to collect specific cards or amass as many cards as possible before the end of the game.

Prerequisites

Learning about Dragon's Money Laundering gameplay happens by first understanding the basic concepts introduced in the Game Component Reference section. Players need to know all legal Zones where cards can be located during the game, and they need to know the special rules concerning Dice Rolling and the more unconventional Victory Conditions.

When a Player knows how to find the aforementioned information quickly, the Player can follow the game sequences to the letter and be able to play the game in full.

N.B.
Game sequence printout sheet will show exactly the steps to take and the condition checks that alter that flow. By following those steps exactly the game will proceed without offending the rules.

Initiative Badge

DML encourages each Player to learn the game mechanics as early as possible and enables a simple, yet effective, learning aid from the very beginning. The Player with the Initiative Badge works as the dealer through the Setup Stage. Similarly, during the Game Stage the dealer changes as the Rounds change.

The dealer's responsibility is to follow the gameplay sequences, draw cards, create Black Markets, place cards to Dragon's Hoard, Dragon's Nest and Exile. The dealer will also prompt Character Powers between Turns and has the first chance to use a Character Power action.

When all Players are proficient with the game rules, the dealer may start delegating Setup Stage work to make things more fluid.

Victory Conditions

The game ends when a trigger shifts the game state to End Stage. The game comes to a natural end when the Event Deck is depleted at the start of a new Round, but winning can happen in multiple ways.

Gameplay Jargon

Sequence

A sequence is a list of instructions that tell the Players what to do at which point of the game. In turn, the instructions that make up a sequence can be classified as steps, actions or phases.

When a sequence runs out of items to perform, it will return to its parent sequence and continue executing that from the next step from where it left off. By following the sequences in a serial fashion the game will lead the Players through itself in an unambiguous manner.

Stage

A stage is a greater whole that needs to be completed before moving to the next stage. It is a logical construct that helps to decouple unrelated game mechanics and makes learning the game in steps easier.

Dragon's Money Laundering is divided into three main game stages:

1. Setup

   Setup Stage

   Setup Stage encompasses everything the Players need to do before starting a game of Dragon's Money Laundering. After executing the Setup Sequence properly everything is ready to loop through the sequences established in the Game Stage.

   Setup Sequence
   1. Resolve which Player obtains the Initiative Badge according to the Initiative Badge Roll-Off rule.
   2. Extract all Merchant Kings, all Resources of Face Value of 2 or 3 and Dragon Egg cards from the Event Deck.
   3. Place all four Dragon Eggs into the Dragon's Nest.
   4. Randomly stack all twos and threes extracted from the Event Deck into four face-down piles consisting of a one 2 and a one 3 each.
   5. Randomly allocate one face down Merchant King to each Player starting counter-clockwise with the Player who has the Initiative Badge.
   6. Starting counter-clockwise from the Player with the Initiative Badge each Player may choose one of the Resource piles of twos and threes, and put it into their Treasury.
   7. Draw cards from the Global Event Deck according to Restock Rule as explained in Turn Sequence.

   Specific Rules

   Initiative Badge Roll-Off

   The Player that happens to have the dice starts the roll-off in counter-clockwise order. The Player that rolls the highest result with two dice gets the Initiative Badge.

   If any number of Players are tied for the highest result, they will repeat the roll-off until the Initiative Badge position is resolved.

   If any Player rolls Dabo!, the Player may re-roll both the dice.

   If any Player rolls 'Woot! Woot!', immediately interrupt Initiative Badge Roll-Off and that Player receives the Initiative Badge.

2. Game

   Game Stage

   After the game has been setup, the Game Stage sequences start proceeding. Game Stage can only end by a trigger that moves the game to the End Stage. Until the breaking trigger the sequences are looped indefinitely.

   Game Sequence

   Repeat Round Sequence until a trigger initiates End Stage

   • Round

     A Round consists of an Event Phase, an Action Phase and an End Phase.

     A Round starts from the Player holding the Initiative Badge. That Player is responsible for managing all the Round and Turn sequence routines until the end of Round.

     Round Sequence

     Event Phase

     • At the start of each Round the game mechanics change slightly to provide tactical opportunities.

       Event Sequence

       Draw a card from the Event Deck 1.a If a Player can't draw a card from the Event Deck due to it being depleted, immediately trigger End Stage base sequence. 1.b If an Event class card is drawn, place it into the Event Zone. 1.c If a non-Event class card is drawn, place it into the Dragon's Hoard.

       Resolve Event Zone contents according to Event Resolution Sequence.

       Event Resolution Sequence

       Identify the Event Type and Event Value of the card in the Event Zone. 1.a If there is no Event class card in the Event Zone, apply 'Carnival of Coin' Event Type.

       Apply the Player and Market effects according to the current Event Type and Event Value.

     Action Phase

     Action Phase

     Each Round the Players get to perform various actions during the Action Phase.

     Once a Round the Players have an Active Turn when the Players declare their Market and Black Market actions. Conversely, each Player has multiple Passive Turns when the Player can react to other Players actions. The Player executing the Turn Sequence is considered the Active Player. Subsequently, each other Player is considered a Passive Player.

     Before, after and between each Turn there's a Character Power Phase. During the Character Power Phase the Players can play Character Powers or Emblems.

     Action Sequence

     1. Character Power Phase
     2. Turn Phase

        Each Player starting from the Player possessing the Initiative Badge proceeds with their respective Turn Phase in counter-clockwise order. After the last step of the Active Player and before the next Player's Turn Phase there is a Character Power Phase betwixt.

        Turn Sequence
        1. Supply Step
           Draw one card from the Event Deck:
           • If it is a Resource, put it in the Market Place in to its corresponding Stock
           • If it is a Foreign Merchant, commence Foreign Merchant Phase immediately
           • If it is any other Character Card, place it into the Dragon's Hoard
        2. Market Phase

           Market Phase is when the Active Player gets to perform actions and Passive Players get to react to them.

           By default each Player has a one Market Action and a one Black Market Action per Turn. This number, however, can be modified by many in-game methods.

           Market Sequence
           1. (Any extra Market Actions granted by rules)
           2. Market Action

              Market Action is the standard method of interaction with the game. It allows Players to declare Acquisition Attempts on any available Stock or Emblem.

              The Active Player may choose to substitute a Market Action for a Black Market Action. The substitution can be declared at any time before an Acquisition Attempt is declared and for each Market Action separately. However, all actions resolve in the given order of the Market Sequence.

              Grants one Acquisition Attempt on Stocks or Emblems.

              • Acquisition Attempt Phase Dragon's Money Laundering is all about acquiring goods. An Acquisition Attempt is declared, when an Active Player wants to buy certain Resources from the Marketplace, take over Emblems or go for contraband from Black Markets.

                Each Acquisition Attempt comprises of a Target Value and a dice roll.

                The Target Value is the minimum result the Player has to roll on two dice in order for the Acquisition Attempt to be successful. The Target Value of an Acquisition Attempt is the combined Face Values of the Resources/Emblems selected by the Active Player with Event modifiers applied. The Active Player has to roll equal to or more than the Target Value in order to obtain the desired Resources. The exceptions are 'Woot! Woot!' succeeding and 'Wyvern Eyes' failing automatically regardless of the Target Value.

                The Target Value can be modified in many ways. Events and bid Primary and Secondary Buying Resources alter the number the Active Player has to roll. The Active Player and Passive Players have a chance to add negative and/or positive modifiers to the Target Value.

                Acquisition Attempt Sequence
                1. Declaration Action
                2. ( Seize Attempt Phase )

                   Every Acquisition Attempt towards Stocks on the Marketplace provoke opportunities for Seize Attempts. Seize Attempts are actions that Passive Players can declare against the declared Acquisition Attempt.

                   The Player who's awarded the Seize Attempt can join in the Bidding Phase of the Acquisition Attempt as explained in its sequence.

                   Seize Attempt Sequence
                   1. Starting counter-clockwise with the next Player from the Active Player, each Player may put a face-down card next to the declared Acquisition Attempt. If a Player wishes to forfeit their opportunity, they can simply pass on their turn.
                   2. After all Seize Attempt cards are laid down the Players reveal them simultaneously.
                   3. The Player with the highest card of the appropriate Resource Type(Primary Buying Resource) gets awarded the Seize Attempt. Furthermore, if no Player bid any Primary Buying Resources, no one gets the Seize Attempt. Each other Player retrieves their cards back to their Treasuries.

                   N.B. Skullduggery and bluffing is highly encouraged during Seize Attempts.

                3. Bidding Phase

                   The Target Value of the Acquisition Attempt can be modified positively or negatively, thus making it easier or more difficult to roll on two dice. In order to make dice rolling easier the Active Player can modify the Target Value of an Acquisition Attempt. Each Resource Type has a one Primary Buying Resource that enables this modification. Together the Resource Types and Primary Buying Resources form a Wheel of Profit, which is a cyclical structure that appoints one unique Primary Buying Resource per Resource Type.

                   The Active Player may bid any number of Primary Buying Resources from his/her Treasury to aid his/her chances to acquire the desired set of Resources, or to proceed with the Acquisition Attempt without modifying the Target Value.

                   Seize Attempts enable one Passive Player to bid appropriate Primary Buying Resources to make the dice rolling more difficult. The only difference is that each Primary Buying Resource bid by the Player performing a Seize Attempt would increase the Target Value by the Primary Buying Resource's Face Value.

                   Even though the Active Player may play further Primary Buying Resources to modify the Target Value in response to a Seize Attempt, the Seize Attempts introduce another key concept called: Secondary Buying Resource. Secondary Buying Resources are used by the Active Player to nullify the Primary Buying Resource played by the Passive Player. Secondary Buying Resources are placed next to the Passive Player's bid Primary Buying Resources, and they'll reduce the Primary Buying Resources Face Values according to their own Face Values. However, they can not make those Face Values negative, so Secondary Buying Resources can't modify the Target Value directly, but only affect the Passive Player's Primary Buying Resources.

                   Wheel of Profit in table form

                   Resource Type	Primary Buying Resource	Secondary Buying Resource
                   Slaves	Wood	Iron
                   Spice	Slaves	Wood
                   Iron	Spice	Slaves
                   Wood	Iron	Spice

                   Bidding Sequence

                   Bidding Sequence is repeated until a breaking trigger.

                   ( If no one has been awarded a Seize Attempt, break Bidding Sequence ) Active Player's Bid Action Passive Player's Bid Action Bid Action The Target Value of the Acquisition Attempt can be modified by increasing or decreasing it, thus making it easier or more difficult to roll on two dice.

                   The Active Player may bid any number of Primary Buying Resources next to the Acquisition Attempt Resources. The Target Value is thus decreased by the Face Values of those bid cards.

                   Alternatively, the Active Player may bid any number of Secondary Buying Resources next to the cards bid by the Player with the Seize Attempt. The total sum of Face Values of those cards is decreased by the Face Values of the Secondary Buying Resources. However, this value can't be decreased below 0 at any times, even if the Secondary Buying Resource's Face Values are higher than the Passive Player's bid Primary Buying Resources.

                   Whenever a Player forfeits one's Bid Action it immediately breaks Bidding Sequence and shifts the Acquisition Attempt Sequence to Resolution Step. Players can't increase their bids unless someone else has bid something first.

                4. Resolution Step
                Declaration Action

                Active Player chooses any number of Resources from any one Stock in the Marketplace, a Black Market Stock, or one Emblem another Player controls. The Player then places their selection in front of oneself.

                The Target Value must be less than or equal to 12 at this point. During Declaration the Active Player may however bid any number of Primary Buying Resources to adjust the Target Value to equal 12 or less.

                Black Market

                Acquisition Attempts that target Black Market Stocks are slightly different from regular Acquisition Attempts.

                Black Market Acquisition Attempts do not provoke Seize Attempts.

                The default Target Value of any Black Market is 7 and it can't be modified, because they have no Resource Type.

                If the Active Player succeeds at the Acquisition Attempt, the Active Player may take one card at random from the chosen Black Market.

                Example: Only the active player can make a "counter offer" and use secondary buying resource to nullify the resources which other player bid in a seize attempt. Secondary buying resource can only nullify resources but primary buying resource can bring it lower:
                Target Value: 5, for Iron 5
                Active Player bids 2 of spice(primary) so the TV becomes 3
                Another Player makes Seize Attempt with 3 of Spice. TV becomes 8.
                Active player then plays 4 of Spice. TV now becomes 4.
                Alternatively the Active Player counter offers 4 of slaves(secondary), and nullifies the Seize Attempt value. TV returns to previous value of 3.

                Resolution Step

                The Players calculate all Primary and Secondary Buying Resources bid to the Acquisition Attempt and apply their modifiers to the Target Value.

                The Active Player rolls 2D6. If the result is the same or higher as the Target Value, the Active Player puts the Resources or the Emblem into one's own Treasury.

                However, if the Active Player fails the roll, then any player who was awarded a Seize Attempt will get the Resources. If no Seize Attempts were made, and the roll still fails, the Resources or Emblems are put back to their origin Zone.

                Any Primary or Secondary Buying Resources bid during the Acquisition Attempt are placed to the Marketplace in their respective Stocks.

           3. Black Market Action

              Black Market Action is a minor action compared to a regular Market Action. It allows Players to declare Acquisition Attempts only to Black Market Stocks.

              The Active Player may choose to forfeit one's Black Market Action.

              Grants one Acquisition Attempt on Black Market Stocks.

        3. Restock Phase

           The Marketplace must have at least 3 Resource cards at the Restock step of each Turn.

           If there are less than 3 valid Resource cards in the Marketplace during Restock, the dealer draws cards from the Event Deck until at least 3 Resource cards are in the Market Place. If the dealer can't draw cards, because the deck is depleted, the Turn ends and the missing cards are ignored.

           Foreign Merchant cards will interrupt the Restock Step and resolve immediately. Restock routine is then continued normally.

           All other cards of non-Resource types are put to the Dragon's Hoard.

           Restock Sequence
           1. Check the amount of Resource cards in the Marketplace
              • Number of cards equal to or more than 3. End Turn.
              • Number of cards less than 3. Continue Restock Sequence.
           2. Draw cards from the Event Deck until there are three cards in the Marketplace. 2.a If there are no cards in the Event Deck left. End Turn.

     3. Character Power Phase

        Character Power Sequence

        1. Starting with the Player who has the Initiative Badge, the Player may play any number of Character Powers and/or Emblems on top of the Character Power Stack. Repeat this step counter-clockwise for each Player.
        2. If any other Player played any cards on top of the Character Power Stack, each other Player has a new opportunity to respond to it and play another set of cards on top of it. This procedure is repeated until each Player, save the one who played the last card, has passed his turn to play any new cards.
        3. Resolve the Character Power Stack as defined by Character Power/Emblem Resolution rule.

        Character Power/Emblem Resolution

        Character Powers and Emblems are placed in a last-in-first-out stack called the Character Power Stack. Each subsequently played Emblem or Character Power is placed on top of the Character Power Stack, and after all Emblems and Character Powers are played, the cards are resolved from the top to the bottom of the Resolution Stack.

     End Phase

     • At the end of each Round there are a few cleanup routines and all Event effects end as well.

     • End Sequence
       1. Place the Active Event card, if any, to Dragon's Hoard
       2. Shift Initiative Badge counter-clockwise to the next player

3. End

Each one of these stages has a base sequence that consists of subsequences that themselves might consist of other subsequences. When the base sequence runs to completion or is interrupted by an appropriate trigger the game moves on to a new Stage.

Phase

A phase is an entity that always involves a subsequence. A phase can consist of sub-phases, steps and actions.

Step

A step is an atomic and self-sufficient part of a sequence. It's a single instruction.

Action

An action is similar to a step, but always requires input from a Player.