I’m about to web-publish my latest card game design, Entente. There will be a few play tests left to be sure everything is running smoothly. In this final beta version of the game I changed a card to maintain the balance between the players and a few wording/typos of the cards. I’m very pleased with the quick development process with the support of my gaming group. I hope you enjoy my game, too.
Playing with large groups is a very entertaining experience for me. Although in games, more players mean more chaos, commotion and noise, it also means more laughter and cheer. Games like Werewolf, Saboteur and Bang are the favorites of my gaming group when we are playing with our wifes and friends. Two years ago, in the New Year party, we were almost missing the countdown while we were playing Werewolf.
Any ways, I wanted to design a card game for large groups with joyful chaos but also tactics. This game is shaped for the tastes of my group. My play-testers suggested that if I write alternative rules, the players can customize the game according to their wishes. After the basic game you’ll find alternative rules for alliances, games for four players, seating of the players at the start of the game and such. An expansion for 8 players is on the way.
What is it about?Entente is a six player card game which involves player elimination and can be played in 20 minutes. In Entente, there is no personal victory but team victory. Each player plays one of the imperial powers and act in the best interest of himself and his allies.
This is a non-collectable card game for mature players, which involves diplomats, spies, assassins and lots of bombs. The goal of the game is to protect your and your allies’ diplomats and eliminate (kill) rival diplomats. Although the idea of assassination and bombing disturbing in ethical sense, this game is for the adult players who has the ability to see the difference between a game and reality.
It is a print-and-play game and it can be downloaded as a .pdf file from izgames.vze.com
Meaning of Entente
Entente (än tänt′) is an agreement between two or more nations that pledge to adopt a common policy or action and may refer to a number of agreements:
-The Entente Cordiale, 1904 between France and the United Kingdom.
-The Anglo-Russian Entente, 1907 between the United Kingdom and Russia.
-The Triple Entente, 1907 between France, Russia, and the United Kingdom.
-The terms The Entente, The Triple Entente, The Entente Powers, and The Entente Forces also refer (informally) to the Allies of World War I, that is, powers opposed to the Central Powers in World War I. And so on…
The story / Theme
In 1914, the Europe was at the eve of the Great War. The arms race was at its peak when Germany, Russia, France, Austria-Hungary and Italy were competing to reinforce their armies. This created more tension and put alliances (Triple Entente and Triple Alliance) into a more defensive mode. Behind the curtain, intelligence agencies of the nations were in a secret war of their own.
The fictional story of the game takes place in the headquarters of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Brussels, just a few months before the WWI. The Union called a peace conference as the last attempt to prevent the upcoming war. All the imperial states participated in the conference with diplomats, bodyguards and spies to make a good scene and to utilize any opportunity against rival alliance. At the heart of the conference the diplomats took place as the negotiators and leaders who protect national interests.
-The Anglo-Russian Entente, 1907 between the United Kingdom and Russia.
-The Triple Entente, 1907 between France, Russia, and the United Kingdom.
-The terms The Entente, The Triple Entente, The Entente Powers, and The Entente Forces also refer (informally) to the Allies of World War I, that is, powers opposed to the Central Powers in World War I. And so on…
The story / ThemeIn 1914, the Europe was at the eve of the Great War. The arms race was at its peak when Germany, Russia, France, Austria-Hungary and Italy were competing to reinforce their armies. This created more tension and put alliances (Triple Entente and Triple Alliance) into a more defensive mode. Behind the curtain, intelligence agencies of the nations were in a secret war of their own.
The fictional story of the game takes place in the headquarters of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Brussels, just a few months before the WWI. The Union called a peace conference as the last attempt to prevent the upcoming war. All the imperial states participated in the conference with diplomats, bodyguards and spies to make a good scene and to utilize any opportunity against rival alliance. At the heart of the conference the diplomats took place as the negotiators and leaders who protect national interests.
Alliances
Triple Entente is the alignment between Great Britain, France, and Russia. The Triple Alliance (Central Powers) was the military alliance among Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.
When Germany and Austria-Hungary found themselves running into a war with the rival Triple Entente, Italy pledged its support to the Central Powers, but subsequently declared neutrality. The Central powers recovered the lost of Italy by the joining of Ottoman Empire to them.
The flow of play
There are 3 different card deck in the game; play deck (main deck), diplomat deck and the imperial power deck.
At the beginning of the game, the imperial power deck is dealt one card per player randomly. Each power has a different ability. The leader countries sit between their allies. You might recognize this form from the empire style Magic the Gathering.
Each player receives diplomats from the diplomat deck and play then directly on the table. You may consider the diplomats as you life points, if you lose the last of them, you are eliminated. The diplomats have special abilities which are triggered when they are played or eliminated.
After each player draws their hands from the play deck, the game begins with Germany.
In the play deck there are character cards such as spy, peacemaker, assassin or bodyguard; there are bomb cards such as dynamite, gunpowder barrel or hand grande and one location; embassy. Some cards has star symbol on them which indicates they can be played during other players turn.
The bomb cards are the main destructive element of the game. Some of them kills more then one diplomat and some of them can kill from more than one player. The player plays the bomb on an rival player, it’s checked if the bomb triggers. If it does, it explodes and possibly kills a diplomat unless rival players plays a protective card such as bodyguard. If it doesn’t trigger, the bomb card moves to the next player and so on.
When the last of the opponents’ diplomat is killed, the game ends. The surviving powers are the victors.
Final words
Entente is game with high player interaction. The cooperation of the allied players is the key to the victory. The combined attacks and defenses can be very effective. Sometimes sacrifices may be necessary for the good of the team.
There is a lot of luck based on which card you draw. However, when you understand how to recycle cards, when to keep them and when to play, you will have more control of the game.
In the development of Entente, my priorities were to design a game which can be played with gamers and non-gamers alike, to keep the duration within 20 minutes, to be appropriate for large groups, have a high degree of luck factor and be true to its theme. I think I successfully completed my objectives and I hope you like Entente.
Good play,
Tunc Iper
Triple Entente is the alignment between Great Britain, France, and Russia. The Triple Alliance (Central Powers) was the military alliance among Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.
When Germany and Austria-Hungary found themselves running into a war with the rival Triple Entente, Italy pledged its support to the Central Powers, but subsequently declared neutrality. The Central powers recovered the lost of Italy by the joining of Ottoman Empire to them.
The flow of playThere are 3 different card deck in the game; play deck (main deck), diplomat deck and the imperial power deck.
At the beginning of the game, the imperial power deck is dealt one card per player randomly. Each power has a different ability. The leader countries sit between their allies. You might recognize this form from the empire style Magic the Gathering.
Each player receives diplomats from the diplomat deck and play then directly on the table. You may consider the diplomats as you life points, if you lose the last of them, you are eliminated. The diplomats have special abilities which are triggered when they are played or eliminated.
After each player draws their hands from the play deck, the game begins with Germany.
In the play deck there are character cards such as spy, peacemaker, assassin or bodyguard; there are bomb cards such as dynamite, gunpowder barrel or hand grande and one location; embassy. Some cards has star symbol on them which indicates they can be played during other players turn.
The bomb cards are the main destructive element of the game. Some of them kills more then one diplomat and some of them can kill from more than one player. The player plays the bomb on an rival player, it’s checked if the bomb triggers. If it does, it explodes and possibly kills a diplomat unless rival players plays a protective card such as bodyguard. If it doesn’t trigger, the bomb card moves to the next player and so on.
When the last of the opponents’ diplomat is killed, the game ends. The surviving powers are the victors.
Final wordsEntente is game with high player interaction. The cooperation of the allied players is the key to the victory. The combined attacks and defenses can be very effective. Sometimes sacrifices may be necessary for the good of the team.
There is a lot of luck based on which card you draw. However, when you understand how to recycle cards, when to keep them and when to play, you will have more control of the game.
In the development of Entente, my priorities were to design a game which can be played with gamers and non-gamers alike, to keep the duration within 20 minutes, to be appropriate for large groups, have a high degree of luck factor and be true to its theme. I think I successfully completed my objectives and I hope you like Entente.
Good play,
Tunc Iper
