The Politics Progress Card is one of the three types of progress cards introduced in Cities & Knights. There are two different Politics decks: one introduced in Cities & Knights and one used in select scenarios of Legend of the Conquerors. The two decks, though used identically, are separate from each other and are not meant to be mixed together.
Appearance
As with all card decks, English and international cards are different in size, with English size using the bespoke “Catan size” (54mm x 80mm) cards and international sets using the mini European size cards (43mm x 67mm). Up until the English 6th edition and 4th international edition, the card backs are different between English and international sets, though both use a blue version of the common card back for all progress cards. Because of this, Politics Progress Cards are sometimes known by their color as blue progress cards.
Since the English 6th edition and 4th international edition, both English and international decks share the same back, notwithstanding the differences in card size. The cards are now in gray, to better associate them with the coin commodity and ore resource.
The cards from Cities & Knights and Legend of the Conquerors are not distinguished from each other in any way, though do note that Legend of the Conquerors uses the card backs used in the English 5th edition and 3rd international edition. Note that they only have one card in common (both decks have three copies of Spy, with the same artwork in each; the version in the main deck was renamed for the English 6th edition), though other cards share effects but have different names and artworks. All scenarios use one or the other deck; players are never directed to mix cards from both decks together.
Gameplay
Politics progress cards are gained by a player whenever the politics face is rolled on the event die, and the red die rolled for production is one of those indicated by their city improvement board. Once obtained, they are treated no differently from any other progress card in a player’s possession.
Standard Politics Cards:
Constitution: When this card is drawn, it is immediately flipped face-up. This card awards the player who obtains it one victory point.
Diplomacy: This card allows a road at the end of an open line of roads to be removed from the board. If a player removes one of their own roads, they may place a new road at no cost.
This card was known as Diplomat prior to the English 6th edition.
A player is not required to place a new road if they choose to remove one of their own roads.
If a player chooses to remove their own road and place a new one, it cannot be placed in the same location, as it would constitute discarding a card for no effect.
It is possible that a player can, using this card’s effect, relinquish possession of the Longest Route, if they remove a road and it is not replaced. If this road is replaced, however, possession of the Longest Route does not change hands unless the player does not have the longest route afterwards.
For example, if a player is in a tie for the longest route and holds the Longest Route, and that player plays this card and removes one of their own roads that make up the Longest Route, the player does not relinquish the Longest Route by virtue of having removed the road; determining ownership of Longest Route only happens after the road is replaced.
It is possible for a settlement to be left with no adjacent roads by the effect of this card.
A player may not play this card when there are no eligible roads that may be removed.
When playing with Seafarers, this card can be used with a ship instead of a road.
A player may not choose to replace a road with a ship, or vice versa. If a player chooses to remove their own piece, only the same piece may be placed.
Note that a player is permitted to, using this card’s effect, move a ship that is not able to be moved under its own power due to the presence of the Pirate.
Encouragement: This card allows a player to activate all of their knights at no cost.
This card was known as Warlord prior to the English 6th edition.
Espionage: This card allows a player to take an unplayed Progress Card currently in the possession of another player, and add it to their own collection.
This card was known as Spy prior to the English 6th edition.
The card taken by this card may be played the same turn, if the conditions permit.
Intrigue: This card allows an opponent’s knight connected to a player’s own road network to be displaced.
Sabotage: This card has different effects depending on the edition of Cities & Knights.
This card was known as Saboteur prior to the English 6th edition.
Since the English 4th edition and 2nd international edition, this card makes all opponents with more victory points discard half of their hand, rounded down, returning their cards to the supply.
In the English 3rd edition and 1st international edition, this card sabotages an opposing city, forcing it to act as if it were a settlement.
Taxation: This card allows a player to move the robber to any hex, and steal a resource from all players with a settlement or city adjacent to its new location.
This card was known as Bishop prior to the English 6th edition.
Only one card may be stolen from any player, even if they have multiple adjacent settlements or cities.
When playing with Seafarers, this card may not be used to move the pirate.
Treason: This card allows a player to remove an opposing knight from the board and place a knight of the same rank on the board.
This card was known as Deserter prior to the English 6th edition.
If a player does not have a knight of the same rank in their supply, they may place a knight of the next lower rank instead. If a player has no knights of lower rank, then no knights are put on the board as a replacement.
Similarly, if a player has no legal location to place a new knight, no knights are put on the board as a replacement.
A player may place a mighty knight with this card’s effect if they do not have the fortress.
If the knight that was removed was activated, the knight being placed on the board is placed activated. If the knight was deactivated, the replacement knight is placed deactivated.
This card may not be played if there are no opposing knights on the board, as it would constitute discarding a card for no effect.
Wedding: This card makes all opponents with more victory points than the player give two resource or commodity cards to the player.
The opponents may choose which cards to give to the player.
Players with only one resource or commodity card in their hand must give the one card if they are affected. Players with no cards in their hand are unaffected.
Bribery: This card allows a player to remove one of the Conquerors with the lowest strength rating from the board, and also place a basic knight on the board at no cost.
If the player has no basic knights in their supply, the card can still be used to remove a Conqueror. However, the card cannot be used to place a knight if there are no Conquerors on the board.
This card may be played at any time during a player’s own turn, including before the Action Phase.
The removal of a Conqueror by this card’s effect does not constitute the defeat of said Conqueror, and as such, no advancement is made on the hero track.
Brothers in Arms: This card allows a player to either promote another player’s knight, or activate all of another player’s knights, at no cost. In exchange, the player advances one space on the hero track.
Note that the opponent is required to have the fortress in order to promote one of their strong knights into a mighty knight.
If all opposing knights cannot be further promoted and all opposing knights are activated, then this card cannot be played, as it would constitute discarding a card for no effect.
Help from the South: When this card is played, one of each resource card is taken from the supply and shuffled to form a face-down stack. Then, each opponent, in turn order, starting with the player to move next, takes the top card from that stack. Finally, the player takes the next two cards from that stack, before returning any remaining cards to the supply.
This card may not be played if there is a resource shortage in any of the resources.
Lea the Healer: This card can only be played whenever a knight is removed from the board as a result of losing a battle with a Conqueror. This card allows one of the knights removed from the board as a result of battle to be placed back onto the board.
This knight does not have to be a player’s own knights. If a player chooses to put back an opponent’s knight, the player advances one space on the hero track.
Any knight put back on the board is subject to the same placement restrictions as if it were new. As such, it cannot be put back on the board in the same location as before, as it would immediately be defeated.
This card may not be played if there are no knights that can be replaced.
This card may be played on an opponent’s turn, and before the Action Phase of a player’s own turn.
Neighborly Help: This card makes all opponents with more victory points than the player give two resource or commodity cards to the player.
The opponents may choose which cards to give to the player.
Players with only one resource or commodity card in their hand must give the one card if they are affected. Players with no cards in their hand are unaffected.
This card is identical to Wedding from the main deck, but is themed specifically for Legend of the Conquerors.
Road Building Mission: This card allows a player to, as a knight action, build up to two roads on paths adjacent to the knight’s location.
A player cannot play this card and choose a knight for which no roads can be built, as it is considered discarding a card for no effect.
If building more than one road, both roads must be placed adjacent to the same knight.
Spy: This card is identical to Espionage in the main deck.
Warlord Roven: This card allows a player to activate all of their knights at no cost.
This card is identical to Encouragement from the main deck, but is themed specifically for Legend of the Conquerors.
Manifest
The Cities & Knights Politics deck has 18 cards, and consists of the following cards: