From: Randy Moorehead Subject: Review: Land of the Free Rules Q&A, answers provided by the designer: 2.3 Starting the game. Is the initial setup simultaneous? If so, once units are placed can they be moved before the game begins? There are advantages to setting up first (staking out your territory, in New York for example) or last (avoiding trouble). We decided to roll for turn order when setting up in order to avoid arguments. RANDOM ORDER FOR SETTING UP. FIRST TO SET UP SHOULD NOT ALSO AUTOMATICALLY BE THE FIRST TO MOVE; ROLL AGAIN TO SEE WHO MOVES FIRST. 3.1 Only the first player gets to draw a special counter for free? WHOOPS! EACH PLAYER DRAWS ONE, SEE 9.1. 3.1 WILL BE CORRECTED. 6.0 Building. The rules say builds are simultaneous. It seems though, that there are advantages to seeing what other players are doing before resolving your own builds - I see the Commies building party militia, which means they can threaten my cadres in the adjacent area, so I should build militia instead of raising money, etc. This "waiting" slowed down our game, so we used the turn order to resolve builds. SURE THERE ARE ADVANTAGES TO WAITING TO SEE WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS BUILDING, BUT I MADE THIS PHASE SIMULTANEOUS SO THERE WOULD BE NO TIME DELAY. GO AHEAD AND HAVE PLAYERS BUILD IN THEIR TURN ORDER AS A HOUSE RULE IF THE GAME SLOWS DOWN. 6.1 I infiltrate one cadre each into the BUR and POL box in an area. Do I now have CONTROL of that area? Or is CONTROL only established by winning a regional election? YOU HAVE CONTROL OF THE BUR AND POL BUT NOT THE REGION. CONTROLLING THE BUR BOX HELPS YOU WIN ELECTIONS, AND CONTROLLING THE POL AFFECTS ENEMY MOVEMENT, BUT ONLY WINNING AN ELECTION WILL GIVE YOU CONTROL OF BOTH BOXES AUTOMATICALLY AND THE POPULATION (FOR FEDERAL ELECTIONS)AND THE FREE MONEY POINT. 6.1 Related question: I win a regional election and displace the enemy cadres in the BUR and POL boxes. He is able, several turns later, to eliminate my cadres and replace them with his own. Does he now CONTROL the region, or do I since I won the regional election? YOU STILL CONTROL THE REGION FOR THE PURPOSE OF COUNTING POPULATION NUMBERS IN THE FEDERAL ELECTION, AND THAT FREE MONEY POINT EACH BUILD PHASE. 6.1 Cadre infiltration into BUR and POL boxes are modified by the "usual DRMs for Build attempts." Does this include the -1 for Migrants in the region? NO IT DOESN'T BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A NORMAL BUILD ATTEMPT. THANKS FOR POINTING THIS OUT, WILL CHANGE THE RULE TO EXCLUDE EFFECT OF MIGRANTS. 6.2 I have a mob counter, drawn from the cup. I can place this mob in any area during my build phase? Or do I place it anywhere I have a unit? YOU CAN PUT IT ANYWHERE; IT VANISHES AT THE END OF YOUR TURN. 6.3 Money. Is the amount a player has in his hand public knowledge? NOT REALLY ANYONE'S BEESWAX, IS IT? NO, IT'S A SECRET. 8.1 Regional elections. In 1930 the die roll is a 6, meaning regional elections in Bayou, Dustbowl, etc. In 1931, I roll a "6" again. Since regional elections cannot be held "two terms running" as per 8.1, do we roll again (ignoring a "6"), or skip the elections since they may not be held twice successively? ROLL AGAIN ON THE TABLE; THEY HAVE TO HAVE THEM SOMEWHERE. 8.1.1 Regional elections. The rules say they are resolved in any order. Who determines what this order is? This can be important for deciding where to spend money for votes. We decided to follow the order listed on the regional elections table, although I could also see letting the first player determine the order. INTERESTING POINT - PRESUMABLY PLAYERS WOULD HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHICH REGIONS WERE MORE IMPORTANT TO THEM AND HAVE A SPENDING PLAN ANYWAY. HM, I'D SAY IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS USE THE ORDER LISTED ON THE TABLE. 8.2.2 Lobbying during a Federal election. Rule 8.2.2 does not specifically say so, but after choosing a platform the player should roll one die for each party and apply the modifiers (a total of 2 dice rolls, one Democrat and one Republican)? It says "and rolls to see" - we assumed it meant one die for each. THE LANGUAGE IS AMBIGUOUS IN THE RULE BUT YOU ARE CORRECT - ONE DIE (MODIFIED) FOR EACH PARTY. 8.2.2 Political platforms: who can choose Internationalism? 8.2.2 Lists Demagoguery, Isolationism, Law & Order, and New Deal, but not Internationalism. Also, can two different parties choose the same platform? SOME WORDS INADVERTENTLY GOT LEFT OUT (MY FAULT): THE COMMUNIST PLAYER CAN CHOOSE INTERNATIONALISM. YES, PLAYERS CAN CHOOSE THE SAME PLATFORMS. 9.1 Special counters. Are the special counters held by a player (whether drawn or purchased) public knowledge? AGAIN, THESE SHOULD BE A SECRET - NOT MUCH FUN OTHERWISE.