Rules and Player Instructions

I have players lined up and am coordinating them via email. Meanwhile, if you are following along at home, here are the basic player instructions and the rules, everything needed to run the game can be found here.

Goal:

A simulation of the events and factions in the colony of South Carolina leading up to the American Revolution. The players will have a better understanding of the dynamics between  the different interests and the goals an constraints of the major groups.

Situation:

It is 1763 and the treaty of Paris ending the French and Indian (Seven Years) war has just been signed.  The British government urgently needs to recover the money spent defending the North American colonies.

You represent one of the major interested parties in the colony of South Carolina, and your arguments will steer the fate of the colony.  As you will see the motivations and goals in this quintessential southern colony differs from the more well-known events around Boston.

Preparation:

To prepare for this game:

• Read all of the player briefings, not just your own.  It will help you understand each player’s goals, strengths, and weaknesses.
• You do NOT need to have an in depth understanding of the complex event leading up to the revolution.  Playing this game will give you a better understanding of the dynamics in South Carolina, and you may privately ask the Umpire historical questions during the game.   How they are answered is at the umpire’s discretion.

How to play a Matrix Game

There are many ways to play an Engle’s Matrix Game and many types of games.  For this simulation we will use the following rules.

The game will be played in turns, each representing one to two years:

1763 - 1764
1765- 1766
1767 - 1768
1769 - 1770
1771
1772
1773
1774
1775

Each turn, the players will construct an argument as to what happens that turn and email them to the umpire by the deadline for that turn.  It will consist of:

• A statement of WHAT happens
• 2 -4 reasons WHY the argument should succeed

The argument will then be rated by the umpire as VERY STRONG, STRONG, MODERATE, WEAK, or VERY WEAK.

A d6 is rolled and the argument succeeds on the following rolls:

Very Strong	2-6
Strong	3-6
Moderate	4-6
Weak	5-6
Very Weak	6

If the roll succeeds, then the argument happens and it becomes part of reality.

Here are some tips:

• An argument can be about anything, and does not even have to be directly about your side.  For example, you could argue that the Cherokee attack or that your opponent suffers dissention in the ranks.
• An argument does not even have to be directly in the colony of south Carolina, for example you could argue “Boston patriots riot” or “France attempts to invade Ireland.”
• Building arguments on previously successful arguments makes them stronger.  For example, if one turn you argue “my side builds a spy network” and the next turn you argue, “My side steals the enemy’s plans” you have a stronger argument than if you just argue you steal plans out of the gate.

If your argument conflicts with another player’s argument, such as you both attach the same town, etc., then the umpire will assign a strength to each argument.  Then the umpire will conduct roll offs between them until one of the arguments fails.

End of Turn

After all arguments have been submitted for the turn, the umpire will adjudicate the arguments and provide an update to all of the players as to what succeeded and what did not.  A map of the colony may also be provided that shows anything of note that happened that turn.

The umpire may also provide some events that occur outside of SC that were not argued for by the players, to represent events in Europe or the other colonies, at the umpire’s discretion.