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Networks
(The first advanced game)
Object: To win by building the largest global network of cities.
Number of Players: 2 to 4.
Card Deck: The full 55 card cosmopolis deck
Rules: Networks is different from previous games. There is no trading of cards or partnerships, but cards can be "taken" as explained below. Using as many of the white-centered cards as a player wishes, each player tries to build the largest possible global network of linked cities. Certain linking cards serve as connectors to three adjoining regions. The remaining linking cards connect only two regions. Both sides of all cards are playable.
1. Taking turns, each player deals a round. Shuffle the 55 card deck, and, deal a 7 card hand to each player. The remaining cards are placed within reach of all the players. The top card is placed beside the deck to start the discard pile. Players' hands can never exceed 7 cards.
2. Player to the left of the dealer plays first. Play consists of playing down sets of at least 3 cards (this is the player's Spread). Or, a player may draw a card from either the deck or the discard pile and discard one card. A discard can be made from the player's hand OR spread as long as the spread is not reduced below 3 cards. A playable set can be: (a) 3 cards of the same color; (b) a white-centered card plus a card from each of two adjoining regions, or; (c) 2 cards of the same color plus a linking card adjoining that region. Additional cards of the same color can be added to the original set of 3 on subsequent turns. Whenever cards are played in the Spread, the names of those cities should be clearly spoken.
3. If a player chooses to draw and discard rather than play down, the card drawn cannot be played until the next turn.
4. If a play is possible and the Player does so, then at the completion of the play, the Player draws cards from either or both the discard pile and the deck to replace cards that have been played. Play then passes to the next player on the left. When the card deck is completely used, the discard pile is turned over and constitutes a new deck.
5. When replacing cards in one's hand, the Player follows the "Amazing Shrinking Hand" rule. This rule states that cards played will be replaced to restore one's hand to a total of 7 unless the Player has white-centered linking cards showing. Anytime a Player has linking cards showing in his/her Spread, the maximum number of cards allowed in the Player's hand after replacement is reduced by the number of linking cards showing in the Player's Spread. So a player with 7 linking cards showing cannot play and is only an observer since his/her hand has shrunk to 0 cards.
6. Players can lose cards in their Spread to another Player if those cards are not "protected". A protected set is one containing a linking card and at least one card from each of two adjoining regions. Sets of all one color or sets of one color plus a linking card are not protected and can be taken by another Player if those cards can be immediately added to cards already showing in the taking Player's Spread. After taking cards from another Player at the start of one's turn, then the taking Player may make a play from his/her hand and then draw for replacement as usual. Or the taking Player can draw a single card and discard.
7. The game proceeds with Players attempting to build the largest possible Network of cities linked with white-centered cards. Plays can still be made after the deck and discard pile are exhausted and replacement of cards is not possible. When the last play is made and scores counted, the deck passes to the next dealer for shuffling and dealing the next round.
Ending the Round. The round ends when no more plays are possible by any player.
Ending the Game. The game ends when all players have dealt 1 round. But if this is likely to result in a game that is unreasonably short, the players can agree beforehand to some multiple of the one round per player rule.
Scoring. At the end of each round, each player scores points for the cards in their single longest network (linkage). However, count only the colored (regional) cards. The white-centered linking cards make the building of networks possible, but they are not counted for scoring purposes.
A Reminder. The colors on the linking cards are the key to building networks. Keep the reference map handy for all Players and use it to become familiar with the colors of the regions. Learning to identify the regions by color and the linking cities that connect them is the key to success in this game.
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