WE THE PEOPLE Question and Answer by Mark Herman This is a compendium of questions that I have received by mail (postal and electronic). I have tried to group the questions by rules topic wherever possible. It is my feeling that all of these questions are answered within the framework of the rules if they are taken literally, but our gaming culture necessitates clarification for the many subtle and infrequent situations that arise in play at one time or another. The only errata of note in the game is that Boston is a port space and is treated as such in the Comprehensive example of play. Reshuffling the Strategy Deck Q: The European War card says that if the French Alliance isn't in effect, the strategy cards are reshuffled. Does this include the discards also? A: Any time a card calls for a re-shuffling of the Strategy Deck, ALL cards, including discards are reshuffled. Q: There are three cards: William Pitt Peace Talks, Hortelez et Cie, and the European War card that under certain conditions reshuffle the Strategy Card deck, can these cards be discarded and prevent the deck from being reshuffled? A: The William Pitt and Hortelez et Cie cards must be played, not discarded, in order for any of their effects to occur, hence if they are discarded the deck is NOT reshuffled. On the other hand the European War card may NOT be discarded and it always causes a reshuffling of the Strategy Card deck if the French Alliance hasn't yet occurred in the game. Battle Cards Q: Does a player have to cancel an attackers Battle card if he can or can he choose to play another card and lose the battle? A: A player can play any card he desires, if the one played fails to cancel the attackers battle card he loses the battle. The fact that the defender had the proper card to cancel the attack is immaterial. Placing PC markers with Event Cards Q: Can the Nathan Hale, Jane McCrea, or the Thomas Paine event cards be used to convert a British PC marker into an American PC marker in a space containing an American General? A: No, each of these cards states that the space may not contain a British piece. The presence of the American General doesn't change this fact. Q: Can the Declaration Special Event card be used to convert a British PC marker into an American PC marker in a space with an American General? A: No, the card allows you to place American PC markers, if possible, not convert British ones. The presence of the American General doesn't change this condition. European War Card Q: The European War states, "two British units are removed". Who chooses which CUs are removed? A: The person playing the card removes the 2 CU's, hence if the British play it then they get to remove the ones they want, and if the Americans play the card they choose. See the instant replay for additional thoughts on this question. Q: If the European War card is played prior to the French Alliance, causing a reshuffling of the card deck does it activate the various cards that require it to be played, such as the Don Bernardo Galvez card? A: No, the European War cards only effect when played prior to the French Alliance is to reshuffle the deck. Benedict Arnold Treason Card Q: Can the Benedict Arnold card be played during the Strategy Phase, if no battle is occurring? A: No, this card may be played prior to a battle only. Q: Can the Benedict Arnold card be played prior to a battle when Benedict Arnold isn't present? A: Yes, the card doesn't require the presence of Benedict Arnold in order for the two additional Battle cards to be received. Regardless of whether Benedict Arnold is present in the battle when the card is played or not he is still removed from play. Q: If the Benedict Arnold card is played and Benedict Arnold is the commanding American General, whether attacking or defending, when is he removed? A: Benedict Arnold is removed the instant the card is played. He would not be used for determining, Retreat Before Combat, Battle cards totals, nor Counterattack. John Glover Marblehead Regiment Card Q: Is the John Glover Marblehead Regiment card an activation card like a Minor Campaign card or is it played in conjunction with an Operations or Campaign card? A: The John Glover Marblehead Regiment card is NOT an activation card that allows a General to move but is used in conjunction with an Operations or Campaign card to increase the movement of ONE General. In the case of a Minor or Major Campaign card only ONE of the two or three Generals moved would get the movement bonus. Canada Q: Does control of Detroit and either Quebec and Montreal give that player control of Canada? A: No, in order to control Canada a player must possess both Montreal and Quebec. The value of controlling Detroit is that it counts when determining who has more PC markers in Canada for militia purposes. Q: In cases of PC marker total ties the American player controls a colony for victory purposes at the end of the game. If Detroit has no PC marker in it and the Americans control either Montreal or Quebec and the British control the other does the American player control Canada due to the PC total tie? A: No, Canada isn't a colony, as stated, the American player needs to control both Quebec and Montreal in order to count Canada for Victory purposes. In cases where the American player controls either Quebec and Montreal without the other then the British control Canada by default. Charleston, SC Space Q: When can the British get battle cards for the Navy in the Charleston, SC space? A: The only time that the British get battle cards for the Navy in the Charleston, SC space is when they are the original defender in that space and there is a British PC marker present and there is no French navy present. In ALL other cases the British would NOT receive battle cards for the British navy. Unfortunately this group of rules ended up in three locations (map, rules book and summary card) but they are not contradictory and when integrated this covers all situations. French Forces Q: It says that French troops are in every way like American combat units and that Rochambeau moves and fights as an American general, does Rochambeau get the American general special abilities of interception and retreat before combat? A: Rochambeau, as stated, acts like an American General in EVERY way. Rochambeau gets the special abilities to intercept and retreat before combat. Additionally, the British get their Regulars bonus in combat against French forces since they are treated as American units in EVERY way. Interception Q: The rule states, "...each American army can intercept only once per Strategy Card played." When a Campaign card is played can a General attempt one intercept per enemy General moved? A: No, as stated, each General gets one intercept attempt per Strategy card played. Therefore, when a Campaign card is played each General gets ONE intercept attempt total. For example if the British played a Major Campaign card and Washington made an intercept attempt against the first British General moved he would not be allowed to make any further intercept attempts when the second and third Generals moved. It should be remembered that a General who attempts an intercept, whether successful or not, forfeits his ability to retreat before combat until the next Strategy card is played. In this example after George Washington attempted his intercept against the first British General he loses his ability to retreat before combat for the remainder of the British movements conducted during the Major Campaign card play. Q: Can multiple intercepts occur when a British army enters a space? A: Yes, but the first successful intercept IMMEDIATELY causes a battle preventing any further intercept attempts from occurring. For example if a British General entered a space with an American PC marker which was also adjacent to two American Generals, each in turn could attempt to intercept the British army, but if the first attempt were successful then a battle would immediately occur preventing the second General from attempting an interception. If the first attempt failed then the second attempt could occur and if successful the second American General would fight a battle. Q: If an intercepting American army loses the battle it caused must it retreat back to the space that it originated from before the battle? A: No, an interception places the intercepting American general in the space as if he were there prior to the British move. His retreat options are calculated as if he were in the space prior to the British attempt to enter it and the normal retreat options would prevail. See the Instant Replay for how this effected its conclusion. Q: Can an American army intercept into a space that already contains another American army? A: Yes, but one of the Generals must be removed prior to the battle. Remember, Washington is never the one removed. Q: If an American army attempts to intercept into a space that already contains another American army and fails, does this prevent the other American army from attempting a Retreat Before Combat? A: No, because the intercept of one General doesn't prevent the other from attempting a Retreat Before Combat. However, if the intercept is successful then a Battle is immediately conducted preventing any further attempts at Retreat Before Combat. Q: If an American army fails to Retreat Before Combat can another American army then attempt to intercept into the space? A: No, because after a failed Retreat Before Combat a Battle is immediately conducted preventing any further attempts at interception. Q: Can an American General alone, intercept into a space containing American CUs that are about to be attacked? A: No, the interception pre-condition requires an army, not a General alone. Q: Can an American General intercept into a space that a moving British army is entering, if besides the presence of an American PC marker there is also another British army? A: No, an intercept assumes that the American army was in the space prior to the British move which the prior presence of a British army would preclude. Retreat Q: Can CUs (Combat Units) without a General perform a retreat? A: Yes, a General is necessary for movement NOT retreat. Q: Can the British retreat from a Port that they are attacking into? A: No, the British can only retreat from a Port space that they are defending in. Q: Can the British attack from a port space into an adjacent space, lose the battle, which places them back in the original port space, and then retreat by sea to another port space? A: No, they would fall back into the port space, but NOT into the port and then by sea somewhere else. The retreat by sea only occurs if you are in a port space not retreated into one. Q: Can the British retreat from a Port space that they are defending in but has an American PC marker in it? A: Yes, regardless of the presence of a British or American PC marker (or no PC marker) the British can retreat from the Port space (assuming the French navy isn't present). However, the space they retreat into must be either empty or have a British PC marker and in all cases neither space can contain the French navy. Reinforcements Q: Can reinforcements for both sides be placed in a space that only contains an enemy General, and if so is that General captured? A: Yes, the presence of an enemy General alone doesn't prevent a player from reinforcing into that space and if this occurs the enemy General is placed in the Captured Generals Box. Political Control Q: In 10.1 it states that the American player cannot use Operations Strategy cards to place PC markers when the Continental Congress is dispersed. Can the American still convert British PC markers due to the presence of a General when the Continental Congress is dispersed? A: Yes, the exception applies to the entire 10.1 rule. Q: If the Continental Line Mutiny Card is in play can the American player still convert British PC markers due to the presence of a General? A: Yes, the Continental Line Mutiny Card acts in all ways as if Congress were dispersed which historically is what happened. The capability for an American General to convert British PC markers is not superseded by the playing of the Continental Mutiny Card. Quebec-Falmouth Line Q: For purposes of playing a British PC marker or determining political isolation, would Falmouth be considered adjacent to Quebec and vice versa? A: No, the Quebec-Falmouth line represents one of the greatest winter marches in all history. Its only use is to allow Benedict Arnold to have an historically important capability that offsets the fact that you can't trust him. It has no effect on any other game system other than those stated on the map and in the rules. One additional note: A British army cannot place a PC marker under itself if it is not adjacent to an exisiting British PC marker.