Foreign Phase
At the start of the Foreign Phase, the top card of the Region deck is turned face up and placed in the center of the playing area. This is the first Independent Region of the game: Central Asia. The playing area now looks like this:
The Imperialist player has the first action. He plays a Military Influence card from his hand beside Central Asia. Because Central Asia is not adjacent to any of the Imperialist player's Controlled Regions, he would normally have to discard one Military Influence card from his hand in order to play a Military Influence card beside Central Asia. This is called "paying the distance penalty."
However, the Imperialist player uses his Ideology's unique ability, "Global Colonization," which allows him to extend influence to Level 1 Independent Regions during the Foreign Phase without paying a distance penalty. Because Central Asia is a Level 1 Independent Region, the Imperialist player does not have to pay the distance penalty.
The Imperialist player also holds a Cultural Influence card in his hand that he would like to place beside Central Asia as well. However, unlike the previous phases, during the Foreign and Conflict Phases each player may only take one action at a time before the next player in the Turn Order may take an action. Therefore, the Imperialist player must wait for all the other players to take an action or pass before he will have the opportunity to act again during this phase.
The Capitalist player and Fascist player have no cards in their hands (they spent them all during the Development Phase), so they have no choice but to pass during this phase. The Communist player wishes to play an Economic Influence card beside Central Asia. Because his Controlled Region, Russia, is adjacent to Central Asia, he may do so without paying a distance penalty.
The Islamic Fundamentalist player's Controlled Region, Iran, is also adjacent to Central Asia, so he also does not have to pay a distance penalty. He plays a Cultural Influence card from his hand beside Central Asia.
The action again returns to the Imperialist player. However, since the only Independent Region, Central Asia, has achieved its maximum level of Influence (a Level 1 Independent Region can only have one of each Influence type), he cannot play any more Influence cards beside Central Asia this phase.
As an action, the Imperialist player could choose to remove his Military Influence from Central Asia, but since none of the other players possess a majority of Influence cards there, it's very possible that Central Asia will remain independent this turn, even though it possesses its maximum level of influence. The Imperialist player also knows that there are ways he can tip the balance in Central Asia in his favor later in the game, so he decides to keep his influence there. He passes his action, as do the other players. Since everyone has passed consecutively, the Foreign Phase ends.
© 2003 Z-Man Games, Inc. All rights reserved.
Game Design © 2003 Andrew J. Parks
Illustrations © 2003 C. James Parks