PREVIOUS ARTICLES

The first article in this series gave an overview of spying during the Seven Years War and suggested that it could be gamed.The second article presented a spy scenario set in Dresden a year before the beginning of the war. The scenario included a brief outline of Matrix Game rules that can be used to run such a game. This article presents a word for word example of play so that you can see exactly how this game is played. This is as close to playing a Matrix Game as you can get without actually playing one. I think that you will know 90% of the rules of the game by the end of the article! [NOTE: The rules provided in the last game are not the complete rules of play. The complete rules are ten pages long. I will be mentioning rules not mentioned in the previous article, but when I do they will be accompanied by explanation.]

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Count Hesselbach: Lieutenant of Police
Baron Von Blucher: Provost
The Provosts: A mounted force commanded by Von Blucher
The Dragoons: A mounted force commanded by Hesselbach
Colonel Balbi: A Genoese engineer, working for Prussia, a fool
Colonel Louven: A Dutch engineer, working for Saxony
Sir Fritz Von Maxen: Officer on the general staff
Lady Von Maxen: Fritz's wife, an Austrian
Captain D'Angelo: A Venetian mercenary, heavily in debt
Captain Herental: A Walloon Mercenary
Captain Sudrovich: A Polish Mercenary
Baron Von Munchausen: The Austrian Ambassador and notorious liar
Kunagunda: A buxom Madschen
Sister Maria: A nun
Magdelena: Daughter of a merchant
Hans: The stable boy
Zorba: A Gypsy
Karl: The postman
Minister Ludwig: A Lutheran minister
Private Dog: A Saxon soldier, not too bright

LOCATIONS

The Fortress of Dresden
The Palace
Dresden City
Saxony
Prussia

TREASURES

Plans of the fortress - found in the palace.
The organization table for the Saxon army - found in the palace.
The Saxon defense plans - found in Von Maxen's head.

EXAMPLE OF PLAY

Five gamers gather at Chris' house. They have come over to play a Seven Years War spy game. Before they arrive, Chris copies the character, location and treasure information down on cards. These are laid out on the table when the players arrive.

Chris begins the game by reading the first page of the last article to the players. This tells the players roughly what they need to be doing. He does not bore them by reading all the rules. The best way to learn them is to do them. "This is a spy game. Some of you will be Prussian spies. Others will be Saxon counter-spies. Right now I want you to look over the characters and pick which side you want to be on. Keep it secret! Once you've decided which side you fancy, pick a character. There is only one limit. Prussian players can't pick Hesselbach, Von Blucher or Von Maxen. Otherwise pick who you want." The players chose, Count Hesselbach, Colonel Balbi, Captain Sudrovich, Baron Von Munchausen and Zorba.

Chris holds up a location card - the Palace. "This is a location card. When I lay them down on the table they form a temporary map of the world. They are areas. Prussia and Saxony are states. Inside Saxony is Dresden. Inside Dresden is the Fortress and Palace. It takes an action to move from the city to the country or from one state to the next but one can move around inside an area for free. The Palace and Fortress are surrounded by barriers of defense - guards, walls, etc - so one can only move in them if you have permission or use an action."

"It is safe to say that Hesselbach is for Saxony and Colonel Balbi is for Prussia, but I have no idea who the other players are for. You all will have to do some horse trading to figure this one out."

"The goal of the game is for the Prussians to steal Saxon military secrets/treasures. The Saxon's want to prevent this. You will need to recruit agents to help you do this. With that I think we're ready to play."

"Each turn you make things happen by doing an action. You just say what you want to have happen next. The referee (me) rules on how likely it is to happen and you roll a die. If you roll right then you action happens. If you fail then nothing happens."

"Count Hesselbach, lets start with you. If this were any other kind of game and you could do anything that you wanted, what would you want to do first?"

"Well I guess I would want to make certain that the Dragoons were under my command."

"Strong, it will happen on the roll of 3,4,5,6. Don't roll yet! The players all roll at the same time."

"Colonel Balbi, if this were any other kind of game..."

BALBI: I meet Colonel Louven and Von Maxen at a party and we gamble. I lose 100 ducats to Von Maxen. What a fool I am!

REFEREE: Very Strong, it happens on a 2,3,4,5,6. I am certain that you can contrive to lose money if you want to. It sure looks like a bribe to me! "Baron Von Munchausen, if this were any other kind of game..."

MUNCHAUSEN: I spend the evening with the delightful Lady Von Maxen. She is utterly charmed by me. Especially when I tell her that she outshines all the women in the Sultan's harem.

REFEREE: Are you recruiting her or just establishing a relationship?

MUNCHAUSEN: Just a relationship.

REFEREE: Strong, 3,4,5,6. "Captain Sudrovich, if this were any other kind of game..."

SUDROVICH: I gain a post in Von Maxen's staff.

REFEREE: Average, 4,5,6. You made no preparation. If it happens this will cause a conflict to see if you actually get the office. "Zorba, if this were any other kind of game..."

ZORBA: I meet, wine and seduce Kunagunda. She is now my agent.

REFEREE: Strong, 3,4,5,6. What woman could resist your charms? If it happens it will cause a conflict to see if you actually recruit her.

"Each one of you roll for your own argument. Roll one six-sided die. If you roll one of your target numbers then the argument happened. Roll." Hesselbach rolls a 3. The dragoons are definitely under his command. He may now move them. Balbi rolls a 2. He loses money to Von Maxen. Munchausen rolls a 6. He has charmed Lady Von Maxen. Sudrovich rolls a 5. There will be a conflict to see if he gets the cushy job. Zorba rolls a 4. He seduces Kunagunda and a conflict will happen to see if he recruits her.

"In a conflict the referee decides who is in the stronger position. That person then makes an argument saying what happens. I think Von Maxen is in the stronger position with Sudrovech. Hesselbach, you argue for Von Maxen. What happens when Sudrovech asks for the job?"

HESSELBACH: Oh he gets it easily. But Sudrovech has to meet with Count Hesselbach before he can assume the office.

REFEREE: Strong, 3,4,5,6. If it happens, you to can do a little role play of this meeting before the next turn. Roll immediately.

Hesselbach rolls a 4. Sudrovech gets the job.

"In the seduction/recruitment of Kunagunda, I think Zorba has the advantage. So Zorba, what happens."

ZORBA: What can I say, the music swells, the camera pans up and in the next scene they are smoking a cigarette. She can't get enough of me. She will do anything for me.

REFEREE: Strong, 3,4,5,6. God's gift to women!

Zorba rolls a 5. He has recruited Kunagunda.

"That ends the first turn. Now you can talk to one another. Do role plays and move your people around in the city. Remember it takes an argument to leave town."

Sudrovech and Hesselbach do a short role play of their meeting. The end result is that Sudrovech will work with Hesselbach to keep Von Maxen from slipping secrets to the Prussians. Colonel Balbi and Munchausen trade lies and make fun of Zorba.

All the characters except Zorba are at the Palace. Zorba and Kunagunda are in Dresden with the Dragoons.

"Who wants to go first this time?"

HESSELBACH: I meet with Von Blucher and recruit him to work with me to maintain the security of the state.

REFEREE: Strong, 3,4,5,6. This will cause a conflict to see if he wants to work with you. After all you command rival police forces.

ZORBA: Kunagunda introduces me to her brother Hans. We talk about horses and how badly the rich treat the poor. I tell him exciting adventures I've had on the road and make him want to join me. Then I recruit him as an agent.

REFEREE: Strong, 3,4,5,6. He's not too bright. If it happens it will cause a conflict to see that he shouldn't trust you.

BALBI: Von Maxen and Louven go riding with me. We discuss battles and sieges we've seen. I make disparaging remarks about Frederick's siege abilities.

REFEREE: Strong, 3,4,5,6. I think you are making them your friends.

SUDROVECH: I go along with Von Maxin when he is with the Prussian lap dog - Balbi.

REFEREE: Very strong, 2,3,4,5,6. You got the office. You are effectively tailing your boss!

MUNCHAUSEN: On a ride through town I meet a most Divine creature, Magdelena. I smile at her and give her a rose. My teeth glint and she is smitten with me.

REFEREE: Another friendship?

MUNCHAUSEN: Yes.

REFEREE: Very strong, 2,3,4,5,6. What a gentleman, its good to see Munchausen still lives in a world of fantasy!

Hesselbach rolls a 2. He fails to recruit Von Blucher. Zorba rolls a 4. There will be a conflict to see if he recruits Hans. Balbi rolls a 4. He is friends with Louven and Von Maxen. Sudrovech rolls a 2. He now shadows Von Maxen. Munchausen rolls a 6. Yet another lady falls for his charms.

"I will give the advantage to Zorba to recruit Hans. So Zorba, tell us what happens."

ZORBA: I talk Hans up and then introduce him to a woman of my tribe. They hit it off well. He is mine to command.

REFEREE: Strong, 3,4,5,6. Zorba rolls a 6. Hans is recruited.

"That ends this turn. You can talk and move your characters again." Hesselbach and Sudrovech talk to Zorba. While Munchausen and Balbi complement one another French accents. No one moves.

"Who goes first?"

BALBI: My good friends take me on a tour of their fortress. I complement them on all its strengths and point out ways they could defeat the Prussians should they siege them.

REFEREE: Just whose side are you on? Strong, 3,4,5,6.

SUDROVECH: I stop Von Maxen and advise against the tour. Balbi is after all a Prussian soldier! He listens and no tour takes place.

REFEREE: Average, 4,5,6. This is good advice but Balbi is his friend. You are not. The two arguments are logically inconsistent so there will be a dice rolling contest to see which one happens.

HESSELBACH: My Dragoons and I stop Von Maxim from taking Balbi into the Fortress.

REFEREE: Strong, 3,4,5,6. This is logically inconsistent with Balbi's argument but not with Sudrovech's but it is still pulled into the dice rolling contest.

MUNCHAUSEN: The Baron meets and charms Sister Maria. They knew one another back in Vienna before the sister was a nun. Now she feels as giddy as a schoolgirl.

REFEREE: Very strong, 2,3,4,5,6. Another friend for the Baron.

ZORBA: I sell a very good horse to Karl der Postman at a very good price. Of course it's stolen but not from around here! Karl thinks well of me because of this we are sort of friends.

REFEREE: Strong, 3,4,5,6. I'm glad you're not trying to fix him up with your sister as well!

"First the players who are not logically inconsistent roll." Munchausen rolls a 5. He has a new friend. Zorba rolls a 3. Karl buys the hot horse from him.

"Each one of you in the dice rolling contest roll for your own argument, just like normal. If you roll in, then you get to roll again. If you roll out, then you drop out of future rolls. This keeps up till there is only one argument left in play. If all the arguments go out, then a new contest begins with all the arguments back in play."

HESSELBACH	BALBI	SUDROVECH
4 - succeed	5 - succeed	3 - succeed
3 - succeed	3 - fail	4 - succeed
2 - fail	no roll	1 - fail
A new contest begins.
4 - succeed	2 - fail	5 - succeed
2 - failed	no roll	3 -succeeded

"So Balbi gets a tour of the fortress and Hesselbach just gets to fume." The game goes on with Zorba eventually organizing a nice little spy ring amongst the poorer classes. Hesselbach recruits Zorba to keep this force from falling into the hands of the Prussians. Sudrovech succeeds in keeping Von Maxen quiet but fails to prevent him from showing Balbi the organizational table. Balbi very openly gains all the tactical information Frederick needs to invade Saxony by being the affable fool.

Munchausen on the other hand charms all the women in the land but does nothing to advance Austrian interests. If anything, the close relationship between Balbi and Von Maxen bode ill for the future. Could Saxony switch sides? Only time will tell.

AFTERWARD

Spy Matrix Game rules allow players to do much more than is shown in this example of play. But they do not weigh you down with tons of rules. They really are only ten pages long! But for a game to work it has to have a very clear scenario. Too many Baron Munchausens in the mix and the game becomes silly fantasy, to few and the game becomes too historical.

If you want to see other games that can be done with Matrix Games, check out my web page at http://www.io.com/~hamster

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