A card-driven 2-player game about the most notorious of all political scandals by Matthias Cramer HISTORY In June 1972, five men are arrested in Washington’s Watergate Building. OBJECT OF THE GAME What looks like a third-rate burglary In WATERGATE, one player assumes the role of attempt on the headquarters of the a Newspaper Editor, while the other embodies Democratic National Committee induces the Nixon Administration – each with a unique journalists Bob Woodward and Carl set of cards. To win, the Nixon Administration Bernstein of the Washington Post to must build up enough momentum to make it start a thorough investigation. Over to the end of the term, whereas the Editor the following two years, they discover must gather enough evidence to connect two that the five men were directed from informants directly to the President. Of within the White House to spy on course, the administration will do all in its political opponents. As a consequence, power to smother that evidence. Can the secret in 1974 President Richard Nixon resigns source known as "Deep Throat“ tip the scales? from office to avoid impeachment. A thrilling race against time begins... COMPONENTS 1 game board Watergate Trial Draw 1 evidence token from the bag and pin it face up to the evidence board. Watergate Hearings Remove 1 face-down evidence token from the evidence board 1 momentum card “Nixon and return it to the bag. Impeachment Flip 1 evidence token on the Administration“ evidence board face up. - 22 - 1 momentum card End of your term You win the game! “Editor - 01 - “ 1 2 Event Journalist Ben Bradlee The President speaks ----------------------------------- Reaction: Draw 1 evidence token from the bag 20 player cards “Nixon Block the action of one of Nixon’s and place it face up onto the 3 space on your side of the conspirators. The conspirator’s card is research track. removed from the game. Then it is the ------------------------------------- turn of the Nixon Administration again. Remove this card from the game! “As long as a journalist tells the truth, in conscience and fairness, it is not his job Administration“ to worry about consequences. The truth is never as dangerous as a lie in the long “Unless a President can protect the privacy of 20 player cards run. I truly believe the truth sets men free.” - 35 - the advice he gets, he cannot get the advice he needs.” - Richard Nixon - 17 - “Editor“ 4 Draw cards 0 space of the research track. research the of space 0 place them face down onto the the onto down face them place bag, look at them in secret, and and secret, in them at look bag, Draw 3 evidence tokens from the the from tokens evidence 3 Draw Nixon Administration: Nixon 2) Player of the the of Player 1) Both players: Both Draw your hand cards. hand your Draw At the start of each round each of start the At At the end of each round --------------------------- ------------------------------------- 1) Return to the bag any evidence tokens that are on the 0 space INITIATIVE of the research track ------------------------------------- 2) Award this round's cards 1 initiative initiative token Draw 5 ----------------------------------- card 3) Award this round's momentum token 1 End of round ----------------------------------- 4) Place the initiative token and 1 new momentum token from 9 momentum tokens the supply onto the 0 space of the research track ------------------------------------- overview card 5) Award this round's evidence tokens (the player with the initiative goes first) ------------------------------------- 1 initiative token 36 evidence tokens 7 picture tiles 1 bag -2- SET UP 1)Determine who will play the Editor and Beside the 0 space of the research who will play the Nixon Administration 6)track, place the initiative card D (from now on referred to as "Nixon“). face up between the two momentum cards so that its arrows point 2)Place the game board A between you so towards the Editor. Place the End of that the Editor can see the board the round overview card E next to it. right way up, while Nixon looks at it upside down. 7)Place the initiative token F and 1 momentum token G on the 0 space 3)Take the 21 cards of your role. of the research track. Beside the board, form a supply for the 4)Place your momentum card B face up remaining 8 momentum tokens H . next to the research track on your side of the board. 8)Create a supply for the 7 picture tiles I . This supply is called the 5)Shuffle your 20 player cards and place “potential informant supply”. them as your personal draw deck C face down in front of you. 9)Put the 36 evidence tokens J in the bag K and place the bag nearby. research track Nixon’s side - 01 - 01 - You win the game! the win You A term your of End B C 4 Draw cards At the end of each round H --------------------------- 0 space of the research track. research the of space 0 place them face down onto the the onto down face them place ------------------------------------- bag, look at them in secret, and and secret, in them at look bag, 1) Return to the bag any evidence J Draw 3 evidence tokens from the the from tokens evidence 3 Draw tokens that are on the 0 space of the research track Nixon Administration: Nixon ------------------------------------- the of Player 2) 2) Award this round's Both players: Both Draw your hand cards. hand your Draw 1) initiative token ----------------------------------- At the start of each round each of start the At 3) Award this round's momentum token ----------------------------------- F G D 4) Place the initiative token E and 1 new momentum token from the supply onto the 0 space of the research track INITIATIVE ------------------------------------- 5) Award this round's evidence tokens (the player Draw cards with the initiative goes first) 5 ------------------------------------- I ------------------------------------- K Watergate Trial Draw 1 evidence token from the bag and pin it face up to the evidence board. Watergate Hearings B C Remove 1 face-down evidence token from the evidence board and return it to the bag. Impeachment Flip 1 evidence token on the evidence board face up. - 22 - evidence board the Editor’s side -3- PLAYING THE GAME WATERGATE is played over a series of rounds. Each round comprises the following 3 phases: Players draw their hand cards for the round and new evidence A) Initial phase tokens are placed onto the research track. B) Card phase Players alternate playing and resolving 1 card at a time until they have no cards left in hand. C) Evaluation phase The initiative, momentum, and evidence tokens on the research track are awarded depending on whose side they are on. The game ends immediately The game ends immediately with with a win for Nixon if: a win for the Editor if: Nixon has managed to At least 2 informants (face-up place a total of End of your term picture tiles) on the evidence You win the game! 5 momentum tokens - 01 - board are connected via face- on their momentum card. up evidence tokens to Nixon‘s picture in the center. - 01 - 01 - You win the game! the win You End of your term your of End A) Initial phase Carry out the following 2 steps: 1)Both players: Look at the side of the initiative card that points towards you and draw that many cards from your personal draw deck: either 4 or 4 cards 5 cards. Put these cards in your hand, concealing Draw 0 space of the research track. research the of space 0 place them face down onto the the onto down face them place 1 them from your opponent. If your personal draw deck and secret, in them at look bag, Draw 3 evidence tokens from the the from tokens evidence 3 Draw Nixon Administration: Nixon the of Player runs out, shuffle your discard pile (formed during 2) Both players: Both Draw your hand cards. hand your Draw 1) the game) and place it as the new face-down draw round each of start the At deck in front of you. 2 INITIATIVE Nixon only: Draw 3 evidence tokens from the bag and Draw cards 2) 5 look at them in secret. Then place them face down 1 onto the 0 space of the research track. Nixon may look at face-down evidence tokens on the research track at any time. The Editor may not. -4- Watergate Trial Draw 1 evidence token from the bag and pin it face up to the evidence board. Watergate Hearings Remove 1 face-down evidence token from the evidence board and return it to the bag. Impeachment Flip 1 evidence token on the evidence board face up. - 22 - 4 Draw cards 0 space of the research track. research the of space 0 place them face down onto the the onto down face them place bag, look at them in secret, and and secret, in them at look bag, Draw 3 evidence tokens from the the from tokens evidence 3 Draw Nixon Administration: Nixon the of Player 2) Both players: Both Draw your hand cards. hand your Draw 1) B) Card phase round each of start the At Starting with the player who has the initiative (the player that the arrows on the initiative card are pointing towards), INITIATIVE cards the two of you take alternating turns until neither of you Draw 5 has any cards left in hand. 1 On your turn, you must play ONE card from your hand. Note: Each Each card consists of two parts: • a value part card also Event shows a quote and • an action part.