Dune: Imperium

Setup and round structure: Each player begins with the same 10-card starting deck and two Agents, while Leaders provide different abilities. Each round has five phases: Round Start, Player Turns, Combat, Makers, and Recall. At Round Start, reveal a Conflict card and draw five cards each.

Agent turns and dual-use cards: Play one card and send one available Agent to an unoccupied space with a matching icon. Pay the space’s costs and meet its requirements before resolving the space and the card’s Agent box. A card played on an Agent turn cannot also provide its Reveal effects that round.

Revealing and acquiring cards: You may reveal before using all your Agents. Reveal your remaining hand, resolve its Reveal boxes, spend Persuasion on cards from the Imperium Row or Reserve, and set your strength. Acquired cards enter your discard pile; unused Persuasion cannot be saved. After revealing, you take no more turns in this phase. During cleanup, discard the cards you played and revealed. If your deck cannot supply a draw, reshuffle your discard pile and continue drawing.

Influence and Alliances: Sending an Agent to a Faction space normally grants one Influence with that Faction. Reaching two Influence grants one Victory Point, lost if you fall below two. Reaching four grants the track bonus, and the first player to reach four takes the Alliance and an additional point. An opponent must move strictly higher than the holder to take the Alliance and transfer that point; a tie is insufficient. A holder who loses Influence also loses the Alliance if they fall below a previously tied opponent or below four; transfer or return the token as directed by the official FAQ.

Troops and strength: Recruited troops first enter your garrison. When sending an Agent to a Combat space, you may deploy any troops recruited that turn, plus up to two troops already in your garrison. Each troop in the Conflict provides two strength, and each revealed sword provides one. Without a troop in the Conflict, your strength is zero.

Combat resolution: Participants take turns playing Combat Intrigue cards or passing. Resolve rewards by strength once all participants pass consecutively; zero strength earns nothing. Players tied for first each take the second reward, those tied for second each take the third, and those tied for third receive nothing. Normally, the third reward is available only in a four-player game, but a tie for second still follows the rule above. After resolution, all troops in the Conflict return to their owners’ supplies, not their garrisons.

Makers, Recall, and the endgame: During Makers, each of the three Maker spaces without an Agent gains one bonus spice. During Recall, enter the endgame if anyone has at least 10 Victory Points or the Conflict Deck is empty. Otherwise, return the Mentat, recall Agents, and pass the First Player marker clockwise. Resolve Endgame Intrigue cards before comparing Victory Points; break ties by spice, then Solari, water, and garrisoned troops. If all listed endgame tiebreakers remain tied, the final tiebreaker favors the player who most recently took a Reveal turn.