Assessment Phase
During the first segment of the Assessment Phase, the players assess the development of their Controlled Regions. Only the Capitalist and Fascist players played Influence cards beside their Controlled Regions. Since Germany's Economic and Cultural areas still contain only 3 Influence cards, Germany's weakest area of influence is 3. Germany therefore remains a Level 3 Region this turn.
The United States, however, has 4 Influence cards in each area of influence, so its weakest area of influence is 4. The United States therefore becomes a Level 4 Region, and a Level 4 Development marker is placed on top of its starting Development number. Note that even though the United States' starting Development Level is no longer visible, it is easy to remember its starting Development Level, since the United States is colored red on its Region card like the other Level 3 Regions. Therefore, when determining the maximum level of influence for the United States, it will be easy to remember that the maximum level is 6 since, like all red regions, the United States begins with a Development Level of 3.
All Level 2 Regions are orange, and all Level 1 Regions are yellow. Therefore, if the Communist player develops Central Asia into a Level 2 Region later in the game, it will be easy to remember that its maximum level of influence is 2 since, like all Level 1 Regions, it is colored yellow on its Region card.
During the next segment of the Assessment Phase, the players check to see if they no longer maintain a majority of Influence cards at any of their Controlled Regions. Since none of them initiated conflicts at any of their opponents' Controlled Regions, none of them were in any danger of losing control over their starting Regions. It is extremely rare for an Ideology to actually lose control of its starting Region. It is more likely that later in the game, Independent Regions that have come under an Ideology's control may later become independent again, or even fall under an opponent's control.
During the last segment of the Assessment Phase, the players assess control of the Independent Regions. At this point, there is only one Independent Region: Central Asia. Central Asia would have remained independent if it hadn't received its maximum level of influence in all areas of influence. An Independent Region's maximum level of influence is equal to its current Development Level. Since Central Asia is only a Level 1 Region, it only needs to possess one of each influence type to be at its maximum level of influence.
Even at its maximum level of Influence, Central Asia would remain independent if no Ideology possessed a majority of influence cards there (that is, more Influence cards there than any other single player). Since the Communist player possesses 2 Influence cards at Central Asia, and the Imperialist player only possesses 1 Influence card there, the Communist player seizes control of Central Asia. The Region card and all the Influence cards placed around it slide next to the Communist player's other Controlled Region, Russia. Additionally, the Communist player places one of his control markers on the Central Asia space on the World Map.
Since there are no other Independent Regions in play, the game proceeds to the Turn Order Phase.
© 2003 Z-Man Games, Inc. All rights reserved.
Game Design © 2003 Andrew J. Parks
Illustrations © 2003 C. James Parks