Things you will need to do in the simulator to play this variant

- create a deck of castle risk cards
- create an army set for a 5th player
- create a neutral army set
- create a 'Player Capital' token
- create a 'Plundered City' token
- change name of Kings Orders to 'Kingdom Policies'
- change name of Secret Missions to 'Papal Missions'
- kingdom bonus tiles not used


Board Set Up: At the start of the game players roll to see goes first. Then each player in turn picks a gold city and places 4 infantry, 2 archers and 1 cavalry on the space. That city is now their capital with a tax value of 5. Place a capital token on the space (do NOT place a castle on the space). The unclaimed cities are neutral cities defended by neutral units (1 cavalry, 2 archers, 4 infantry).


Player Rank: At the start of every game round, each players rank is determined by the number of crown tokens their kingdom is worth. A kingdom is worth a crown token for each condition below that is met. The titles for each rank are: I) Lord, II) Baron, III) Count, IV) Duke, V) Prince, VI) King, VII) High King, VIII) Emperor. The first player to attain the rank of Emperor wins the game. If two or more players have 8 crown tokens at the beginning of a game round then no winner is declared until the false emperors have been put down.

-Capital City: The players starting city is worth 1 crown.

-Vassal Cities: Each vassal city is worth 1 crown.

-Standing Army: If the total value of the players units is at least 30 coins, its worth 1 crown.

-Castles: If the player controls at least 1 castle, its worth 1 crown.

-Tax Value: If the total tax value of a players kingdom is at least 15 coins, its worth 1 crown.

-Papal Missions: Each completed papal mission card the player controls is worth 1 crown.


Kingdom Policy Cards: At the beginning of each round after determining rank, all players select 1 kingdom policy card for each crown token they have. These policies will be active during their turn.

-Siege Assault: When this policy is active, you may bombard one enemy territory during the diplomacy phase. The enemy terriotry must be adjacent to a space containing 1 or more of your siege weapons (2 die per siege weapon, hit on a 4+). The last unit in a territory is immune to bombardment. May not bombard across sea lanes. May not bombard with siege weapons that have moved this turn.

-Expand: When this policy is active you may make one additional attack move during your turn.

-Tax/Spend: When this policy is in effect, your capital and vassal cities produce +1 coin in taxes each.

-Fortify: When this policy is in effect you may make an additional fortify move or build a castle. Only one castle may be built per turn.

-King Me: When this policy is active you may make an attempt to recruit a neutral city, only 1 city may be recruited per turn.


Papal Missions: At the start of your turn draw a papal mission card (if available) if you do not currently have an active one. Each player may only have one active papal mission at a time. At the beginning of each game round completed papal mission cards are declared. Keep the card and place a crown token on it. Mission objectives must be achieved while the mission is active.

-Mission # 1-2: Spread the Faith, recruit 2 vassal cities.

-Mission # 3-4: Defend the Faith, build 2 castles.

-Mission # 5-6: Support the Faith, donate 20 coins to the church.

-Mission # 7-8: Purge the Infidels, conquer 2 cities.


Turn Order: At the beginning of each game round players first determine their rank and then pick the kingdom policies that will be active during their turn. Players then roll to determine who goes first for that round (no bidding), play proceeds clockwise. Note that each turn a player can collect taxes, purchase units, make 1 attack move, make 1 fortify move, then place purchased units regardless of what kingdom policies are in effect. The phases of a player turn follow:


1) Draw Cards: At the start of a player turn draw 1 Papal Mission card if you do not have an active one then draw 1 Castle Risk card. At the end of the turn you must discard castle risk cards down to a hand of 5. Castle Risk cards are discarded when they are played.

-General: May only play 1 per combat. May only be played when attacking. Cavalry units hit on a 2+. Add +1 to main combat die of choice.

-Marshal: May only play 1 per combat. May only be played when defending. Archer units (and bonus castle rolls) hit on a 4+. Add +1 to main combat die of choice.

-Diplomat: Adds +1 to roll to recruit a vassal city. May only play 1 card per recruitment attempt.

-Spy: Can assassinate (counter) any other castle risk card played except Reinforcements.

-Admiral: May only be played when attacking (or defending) across a sea lane. Siege weapons (and bonus city rolls) hit on a 3+. Add +1 to main combat die of choice.

-Reinforcements: During reinforcement phase add 2 infantry or 1 archer bonus units to any territory controlled since the start of the turn. May play multiple cards per turn but only 1 per territory.


2) Collect Taxes: At the start of your turn collect coins equal to the total tax value of your kingdom. Capital cities are worth 5 coins, neutral cities are worth the value shown and any territory that can trace a supply line to your capital or a vassal city is worth 1 coin. A plundered city token reduces the tax value of a city by 1 coin down to a min of 1.


3) Purchase Units: Infantry cost 1, archers 2, cavalry 3, siege 6, castles 12 coins. Units are placed at the end of the turn in territories that were controlled since the start of the turn.


4) Attack Move: You may make one attack move per turn against any adjacent territory. If defended by enemy units then roll for combat. The attacking force must leave behind at least one unit to control the terriotry. If the attack is successful the entire attacking force must be moved into the defeated territory. Neither side may retreat from combat. To attack enemy castles you must have a siege weapon in the attacking force.

-Combat: When an attack is declared, move the entire attacking force into the territory. Roll for siege weapons (2 die each, hit on a 4+), then roll for archer volley (1 die each, hit on a 5+), then roll for cavalry charge (1 die each, hit on a 3+), then roll for the main combat (all remaining units, normal risk combat rules). A defending players capital city rolls +2 dice during the siege weapons phase. A defending neutral or vassal city rolls +1 die during the siege weapons phase. A defending castle rolls +2 die during the archer volley phase and adds +1 to main combat die of choice.

-Conquered Cities: If an enemy city is conquered, the victor loots the current tax value of the city then places a plundered city token on the space. The tax value of the city is permanently reduced by 1 coin for each plundered city token (down to a minimum of 1). The victor then places his banner on the space which is now his vassal city.

-Defeated Players: If a player’s capital city is defeated he is eliminated from the game, he must surrender his treasury to the victor then discard any papal mission and castle risk cards. The defeated players capital token and all remaining units are removed from the board (castles and plundered city tokens remain). The victor loots the current tax value of the territory then places a plundered city token on the space. Vassal cities the defeated player controlled revert back to neutral, place the starting neutral force on the city space. These cities may now be recruited or conquered by other players as normal. Territories with a castle are taken over by neutral units (4 infantry, 2 archers) who will defend the castle and can’t be recruited.


5) Fortify Move: You may move one ‘force’ of units from any one territory to any one adjacent territory. A ‘force’ is any collection of units making the same fortify move. You can not leave a territory undefended as the result of a fortify move. No single unit may make more than 2 fortify moves in a turn. You may not fortify units used in an attack but you may fortify units in an adjacent territory into the conquered territory. A castle may be built during the Fortify phase if a Fortify kingdom policy is active. Castles can be placed on any territory you have controlled since the start of the turn, 1 castle per territory.


6) Diplomacy Phase: If you control a territory adjacent to a neutral city you may attempt to gain their allegiance without combat. The ‘King Me’ policy must be in effect. Pay 3 coins and roll a die to determine if your diplomatic efforts are successful. On a roll of 6 you succeed. Add +1 to the roll if you play a Diplomat card, add +1 to the roll if you have a siege unit adjacent to the city, add +1 if you pay an additional bribe of 3 coins. If you are successful place your banner on the city space and replace the neutral units with those of your own color. The city is now your vassal city, you may collect its tax value, use it to trace lines of supply and place recruited units.


7) Unit Placement: Purchased units are placed at the end of the turn. Units may only be placed in territories you controlled at the beginning of the turn. You can place 1 infantry in a castle space. You can place units in a vassal city that cost in total up to the tax value of the city. You can place any number of units at the capital.