Introduction

Rules

1. Draw randomly to determine which color each player uses.
2. Each player sets up his color's pieces as described below under "Historical Initial Empires Setup."
3. Monuments are placed with the colored side down in this scenario and thus are always worth one point each. The existing monuments should be set up as described below under "Historical Initial Monuments Setup."
4. Deal each player 9 event cards, as described under "Initial Cards Allocation." Each may only play 2 cards per epoch, leaving three for each player to decide not to play.
5. Place Strength and Victory Point markers of each color on the Victory Point Record Track at 0 (zero).
6. Begin the game with the empires of Epoch V. Draw Empire cards in the following order:
   1. Red
   2. Blue
   3. Purple
   4. Black
   5. Green
   6. Orange
7. Play the game through the completion of Epoch VII. Players conduct retreats and score points for all pieces of their color on the board, even empires they have not created.

Historical Initial Empires Setup

• 2 Red III counters representing Mayans: Central America (*), Mexican Valley.
• 6 Red IV counters representing Goths: Northern Appennines, Central Massif, Western Gaul, Northern Gaul, Lower Rhine, Albion.
• 4 Blue III counters representing Huns: Danubia, Central Europe, Dalmatia, Dnieper.
• 3 Blue IV counters representing Khmer: Mekong (*), Irrawaddy, Malayan Peninsula. Fleet: South China Sea.
• 7 Purple IV counters representing Byzantines: Balkans (*)(2x)(F), Western Anatolia, Crete, Morea, Pindus, Southern Appennines. Fleet: Black Sea, Eastern Mediterranean.
• 2 Black III counters representing Celts in Ireland, Highlands.
• 7 Black IV counters representing Guptas: Eastern Deccan (*), Western Deccan, Eastern Ghats, Ganges Delta, Ganges Valley, Upper Indus, Lower Indus. Fleet: Bay of Bengal.
• 8 Green IV counters representing Tang Dynasty in Tarim Basin, Wei River (C), Yellow River, Great Plain of China (C), Yangtse Kian (*), Szechuan, Si-kyang (C), Chekiang. Fleet: Sea of Japan.
• 20 Orange IV counters representing Arabs: Pyrenees, Western Iberia, Southern Iberia (C), Shatts Plateau, Libya, Nile Delta (C), Nubia, Upper Nile, Arabian Peninsula (*), Palestine, Levant, Upper Tigris, Middle Tigris, Lower Tigris, Zagros, Eastern Anatolia (C), Persian Plateau, Persian Salt Desert, Hindu Kush, Turanian Plain. Fleet: Red Sea.

Historical Initial Monuments Setup

• Red:
  • in New Guinea, Australasia, Stone head of Easter Island
  • in Ganges Valley, India, Great Stupa at Sanchi, dedicated to Ashoka, mid-1st century AD
  • in Southern Appennines, Southern Europe, Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater), Rome 70-82 AD
• Blue:
  • in Ganges Delta, India, Palace of Pataliputra
• Purple:
  • in Albion, Northern Europe, Stonehenge, c. 2000 BC
  • in Morea, Southern Europe, Parthenon (Temple of Athena Parthenos), 448-432 BC, Athens, Pericles
  • in Palestine, Middle East, Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, 690 AD
• Black:
  • in Central Massif, Southern Europe, Pont du Gard, Nîmes, France, 1st century BC
  • in Mekong, Southeast Asia, Angkor Wat, Temple on Mt. Meru, Cambodia, 1150 AD
• Green:
  • in Lower Tigris, Middle East, Palace of Darius, Persepolis c. 500 BC
  • in Tarim Basin, China, Seated Buddha
• Orange:
  • in Nubia, North Africa, Great Sphinx, c. 2500 BC
  • in Nile Delta, North Africa, Stepped Pyramid at Saqqara, c. 2650 BC
  • in Balkans, Southern Europe, Hagia Sophia at Constantinople, 537 AD
  • in Szechuan, China, Flower Pagoda

Initial Cards Allocation

1. Deal out event cards to all players as normal except for the minor empires cards.
2. Remove from the game the minor empires from Epochs I-IV leaving a minor empire deck of three cards.
3. If there are more than three player sides participating in the game, add unallocated cards to the deck so as to reach the number of participating sides from the following remaining cards (in order):
   1. a card from the purple kingdom deck
   2. a card from the blue sword deck
   3. a card from the maroon skull & crossbones deck
4. Shuffle this new deck and deal out one card to each player randomly.

Further Variant

Instead of drawing randomly for color, before play each player secretly bids a number of victory points on paper. These are revealed and the highest bidder receives the color of choice, the second highest bidder his favorite of those still remaining, and so on. Ties are broken by random means.