From: David Wessman Subject: Serenissima Variant Rules Variant Rules for Eurogames' Serenissima by David Wessman, 1998 Randomize the end of the game. At the end of the 2nd-to-last turn roll the die to determine if the game ends. A roll of 5 or 6 and it does, otherwise continue. At the end of the next turn the game ends on a 4-6. The turn after that on a 3-6 and so on. This is to discourage unrealistic behavior on the last turn. Make galleys worth 1 victory point. This makes building them a little more worthwhile. It also discourages players from sinking them or being reckless with their employment, and provides more encouragement to capture them. Distribute the 15 commodity pieces of each type as evenly as possible to the ports which produce this commodity. Any leftovers are randomly distributed. This would seem to have the greatest effect on the game system, but it addresses on aspect of the game that I don't like. That is the possibility that a commodity can be entirely bought up out of a particular set of ports, leaving the remaining ports that produce that commodity unable to provide it. I realize this game isn't supposed to be an historical simulation, but I can't imagine a rationale for the rule as written, (other than it makes the game simpler). For each port a player controls add to their fixed income 100 ducats for each small port, 200 ducats for each medium port and 300 ducats for each large port. This is just to put more money in the game. Optionally, you might want to require the warehouse to be full to qualify for the extra income. Give neutral ports a garrison equal to the number of warehouse spaces divided by two. It doesn't seem right that taking control of neutral ports should be accomplished without a fight. For a really drastic change create 23 Commodity Produced markers corresponding to what each port produces. (1 gems, 2 each of gold and spice, 4 each of wine, iron and textiles, and 6 wood.) Use them to alter what each port produces, creating a very different map.