[Accessories section omitted]

Agents Rendezvous in Venice

Carnival in Venice -- the night is filled with happy noise, unrestrained jubilation, song and laughter of costumed figures who whisk their way through the narrow alleys.
But lying low in this wild, unrestrained atmosphere there are also four entirely different characters: true masters of deception, capable, camouflaging themselves against detection, creeping through the night on their secret missions. These four (and one of them is YOU!) may be described as follows:
• Lord Fiddlebottom was already in the secret service when the service was not entirely secret. He is a man of inestimable wealth, on a first name basis with all of the noble houses of Europe and arrived in Venice aboard his luxury yacht MATA HARI II. A dignified figure. But the long years of a controversial double life are beginning to show. Among other things, it is revealed in the constant winking of his right eye.

• Colonel Bubble has been Lord Fiddlebottom's right hand man for years. Since he left the army, above all his greatest service was the founding of the Royal Balloon Brigade. One says of him that he is unshakeable and so cool in the face of great danger that it visibly freezes him. In agent circles he is known for his ready wit and for the curious habit of pulling on his left ear lobe.

• Agent X is eXtremely sly, eXtra deceptive and possessed of eXquisite malice. No one knows any details of his dark past, but at the moment he has stopped in Venice. He is an absolute professional, completely incorruptible, and of almost perfect insensitivity. Externally he is so colorless that if he stands in front of wall paper, his outline already begins to melt. This would make him perfect, if not for his compulsive frowning.

• Madame Zsa Zsa claims to have been in her youth a trained ballerina. In reality however she was trained as a contortionist, which perhaps explains her latent personality. One also remarks on her participation in some doubtful deals for which, however, the local authorities show no interest. Everyone knows that she is a spy and cooperates at the moment with the notorious agent X. She keeps such an extreme opinion of herself that she often disdainfully lifts her nose at others.

• And still a fifth figure is in the game mix: the luckless Ambassador.
  He is always friendly out of pleasant ineffectiveness, and loves to catch any scraps of conversation at every party, which he then carefully notes and stores in the embassy safe -- right next to the super secret MEGA list, a microfilm copy of which he inexplicably always carries around in his vest pocket.

Setting Up the Game

• Put the Harbinger* [the masked figure containing the marbles] in the lagoon area of the board and the black ambassador pawn on the embassy space that is marked with a cylinder -- this is the embassy.

• Each player chooses a color and receives a complete set of this color: 4 pawns, 8 cards and 1 passport (4 cards are identity cards, one for each of the different roles available. The other four cards are aspect cards, one for each of the four aspects which the players can take on: tall, short, fat and thin).

• Put the pawns on the four spaces of their color and place the passport so as to form before you a screen, behind which you can fill out your notes sheet. (In your passport find a list of secret missions. During the game you will discover which you have to fulfill.)
  Note immediately on your sheet the names and colors of the other players.

• A player takes the four identity cards from the 12 secret cards, shuffles them and distributes them face down and unseen to each player (and himself). The next player does the same with the four aspect cards and the third player repeats this with the mission cards. So each player has the following information:
  1 Identity card which shows him which of the four agents he represents.
  1 Aspect card from which he learns which of his four pawns is his true self.
  1 Mission card which (together with the mission card of the so far still unknown partner) reveals the how one can win the game.

  Do not unintentionally let any other players see these cards!
  In other words: All of these information must be kept secret until you decide to give it out.

The proximate goal is to move your own pawns onto spaces that contain an opponent's figure. In this way one receives the right to look at some of the cards of the corresponding player so that by deduction and elimination conclusions about his identity and aspect may be made.
The final goal however is to discover from among the three opponents one's own partner. Because he has the other half of the secret goal, the two must work together to make victory possible.

Start

It is decided which player is to start. This player goes first. After that play passes to the player on his left and so forth.

Turns

The player whose turn it is vigorously shakes the masked Harbinger and then securely sets it down again. 3 colored marbles appear below the mask. Their meanings:

• Red: The player may move one of his pawns 1 space along a land path (red line).
• Blue: The player may move one of his pawns 1 space along a water way (blue line).
• Yellow: The player may move one of his pawns 1 space along either land or water way.
• Black: The player may move the ambassador one space along either land or water way.
• White: No move.

One may move past one's own pawns where it is not allowed to remain. It is not allowed to end a turn on the same space as one of one's own pawns. It is not required to use up all of the movement options.

Meeting Other Figures

As already mentioned, one should try to reach spaces which are already occupied by other agents or the ambassador.

When a player lands on another player's pawn (that is to bring one of one's own pawns into the space where another player's pawn is standing), he requests to see 3 of his cards. The following options are available:

1. The player can ask about the identity of the opponent. He must show (face down) the player 2 of his identity cards and 1 of his aspect cards. At least one of the 3 cards must be true.
2. The player can ask about the aspect of the opponent. He must show (face down) the player 2 of his aspect cards and 1 of his identity cards. At least one of the 3 cards must be true.
3. Toward the end of the game further information may not be of interest. Then the player, instead of looking at cards and banishing the pawn, may immediately move his pawn one space further, regardless of whether by land or water. He may not move to another occupied space, however.

Whoever meets the ambassador may ask the player of his choice for either 2 identity or 2 aspect cards. One of these must be true.
There are two ways to meet the ambassador:

1. The player moves one of his pawns so as to end on the ambassador's space.
2. The player moves the ambassador (using the black marble) to one of his pawns' space.

Making Notes

After each viewing the player records the information, each view from each player receiving its own line, beginning with the first one. Besides this, one notes (as proof or as a protective reminder with another symbol on the next line, or on the back of the page), which of one's own cards have been show to which players.

Example of crafty deduction:
Michel (Lord Fiddlebottom) meets with one of his pawns one of Leo's pawn and asks for ASPECT. Leo shows Michel the aspect cards "short" and "tall" and the identity card "Colonel Bubble". In the next round Michel meets the ambassador and asks Leo for IDENTITY. Leo shows him "Lord Fiddlebottom" and "Agent X". But Lord Fiddlebottom is Michel himself!
Since one of the two cards must be true, Michel now knows that Leo is "Agent X". Moreover, Michel can deduce that Leo as Agent X must be either "short" or "tall", since one card from the first question must be true.

Banishment

After the questioning the player whose pawn has met an opponent banishes the latter's pawn to any unnumbered, unoccupied space. The ambassador is banished to any unoccupied colored space or to the embassy.

Keeping Secrets

Be aware that while it is certainly important to hide your identity, it is even more important (and to win, required) to find out who you partner is and make yourself known to him. It is not allowed to show the same player the same combination more than once. Also, showing a pair of cards (as in a meeting with the ambassador), it is not allowed to repeat a subset of a previous showing to that player.
If you are unable to show the player a combination different from those already shown and must thus show the same combination a second time, then you must show one fewer card than usual. At least one of these cards must be true.
If you are unable to show the player a combination different from those already twice shown and must thus show the same combination a third time, as punishment you show him one true card.

For example:
On a earlier request Leo had shown Michel the cards "short", "tall" and "Colonel Bubble". Now Michel meets the ambassador and asks Leo (once more) for the aspect. Michel receives from Leo a look at the cards "short" and "tall". Thus with that Leo shows Michel for the second time the cards "short" and "tall". Since Leo has now shown both of these cards, he must let Michel see his true aspect.

Looking for your Partner

In the course of the game you will be suspicious of who the other players are and with time find out which one is your partner. Then try to reveal your identity to him. There are two basic ways to do this. Either show him the manic habit of the character you are playing (e.g. winking the right eye if you are Lord Fiddlebottom).
Or, show him, as soon as you are absolutely certain, at the next opportunity instead of one or more colored cards, one or several secret cards. Attention: If you show a mission card, it does not count as "true"; at least one further card must also be true.

As soon as the partner has seen your mission card he can decode for himself your common mission. Nevertheless you must yet first meet one of his pawns so that you can see his half of the common mission.

Completing Your Mission and Victory

As soon as you have seen the mission card of your partner, you can decode the common, secret mission. Seek in the list of missions in your pass the line which contains your codeword as well that of your partner.

For example:
If you are Lord Fiddlebottom and have the Bravo card and if your partner (Colonel Bubble) has the Delta card, then can your common mission be read: Move Colonel Bubble to Checkpoint 1.
Thereby you can conclude that Madame Zsa Zsa and Agent X have either Mission Alpha/Charlie (Take Colonel Bubble, the great Zampano, captured) or the mission Charlie/Alpha (Take Colonel Bubble in for questioning). Thus you know that you must protect Colonel Bubble from approaching opponents' pawns.

Winning the Game

The team that first fulfills its common mission wins. This is the case if the specified stipulation in the passport is fulfilled and it is the turn of one of the two partners.
Victory is announced with the expression "Mission accomplished" and by demonstrative handshaking of the two partners. In any case then it must be ascertained that it was indeed the correct partners and the correct missions. If not, then the other two players have won.

Amateur Agents

(Unusual reactions of an unusual character)

Should a player dispute that he has already shown identical cards the 2nd (or 3rd) time, you must prove the contrary using your notes (not cheating!). If you cannot do that, you must be satisfied with the cards provided.

What happens if you (e.g. as Lord Fiddlebottom) try to shake hands with a player and he refuses it?
If the player is your actual partner (Colonel Bubble), then you have had bad luck and the opposing team wins.
If the player is not your actual partner (e.g. Agent X), then you have nevertheless had bad luck and your real partner as well. The other player (Agent X) and his partner (Madame Zsa Zsa) win.

Tips and Tricks

While you are looking for your partner, you can at the same time try to throw off your opponents. Certainly, it contradicts the self-conception of every agent to address his fellow players directly. But, for example, you can also display the behavior and habits of the four characters so as to send other players real or false messages. Only in showing cards is it your honest duty: at least one card must always be true. Otherwise however one can sow confusion as much as one wants and can. For example you can trick an opponent to whom you show your secret mission card so that he falsely imagines that you are his partner! And certainly And certainly yet many more mean and spiteful tricks will occur to you in the merciless spy war!

Inkognito for 3 Players

Inkognito was actually intended for 4 players. Nevertheless the 3 player version makes for devilish fun: What has happened so far ...
The police have put out a press release to the effect that they are holding a spy under arrest. The agent, is being interrogated at a secret place, and it is still too early to say anything about his identity. In addition, the ambassador: "I would like turn up all dirt, since we have found the leak..."

Rules for 3 Players

Remove the pawns, cards and passport of one color from the game.
At the start of the game distribute the cards for four players as usual. One set of cards will be set aside however.
The game proceeds as usual until player either discovers that one of the other two players is his partner or that he has been set up alone.

If you have a partner, complete the game as in the four-player version.
(If your mission concerns the missing character, transfer everything over to the player who is alone.)

If you have no partner your mission is as follows: leave Venice by the quickest route!
That is, for Lord Fiddlebottom or Colonel Bubble, the Yacht (space 5) or the Balloon (space 1), if Madame Zsa Zsa or Agent X on the other hand, reach the Freighter (space 4) or the Speed Boat (space 6) (the respective pawn must reach the corresponding location to fulfill the mission).
In your passport these flight points are marked as small, running figures.

(C) 2001 by Winning Moves. All rights reserved.

*[The German term used here, MeneTekel, is not directly translatable with a single word, being a reference to the incident in the Bible in which King Nebuchadnezzar saw a large hand writing letters on the wall. The words spelled out the doom of his kingdom.]

[See also these notes on the game.]