Manual — Eminent Domain: Escalation

OVERVIEW
"This galaxy ain't big enough for all of us..."

The flourishing era of peace and unchecked expansion has come to a close, and the skies
are getting crowded. Fringe Planets have become border Planets, and vast armadas of
warships now patrol the once-desolate expanses of space. Warmongers raise their flags
over the ashes of weaker Empires, while civilized societies consolidate their power behind
ironclad peace treaties. Dangerous new worlds pop up with each new scan, and researchers
desperately scramble for technological breakthroughs to swing advantage in favor of their
emperor, to you. The stage is set; now brace yourself against the rising tensions in this next
chapter of Eminent Domain: Escalation!

Escalation is an expansion to Eminent Domain, and cannot be played without the base
game. We recommend that you play the base game several times before incorporating this
expansion.

COMPONENTS

PLANET CARDS X 15
PLAYER AID TILE
PURCHASE CARDS X 8
TECHNOLOGY CARDS X 32
ADVANCED, FOR 4-5 PLAYER GAME

5TH PLAYER ROLE CARDS X 20
MARKED WITH BLUE BORDERS
START PLANET TILES X 6

PRODUCTIVITY CARDS
RESEARCH
COLONIZE
WARFARE
SURVEY

IMPROVED FLEET
BASIC FLEET
FLEET TILES X 5
SCENARIO CARDS X 18
ERRATA CARDS X 3
ERRATA STICKER

Important Note: Ship and Resource tokens are not intended to be piece-limited. If you run out
of these tokens, use any suitable proxy. As in the base game, depleting the Influence Tokens
in the supply will trigger game end, but additional Influence may be collected through the
final player's last turn.

2

THE FLEET
Each of the different ship tokens now represents a distinct class of warship. Ships may only
be used as their specific type (ships can never be used as a different type of ship).

Fighter : The most basic ship, the
remains exactly the same as in the base
game. All new Level 1 Technologies may be
purchased by spending 3 , instead
of 3 .

Destroyer : The defenses of Civilized and
Hostile Planets can only be overcome with a
. All new Level 2 Technologies may be
purchased by spending 2 , instead of 5 .

The Fleet Tile

You begin the game with a Fleet Tile in play, which allows you to upgrade
your ships. You may play actions printed on the Fleet Tile instead of
playing a card during your Action Phase. When leading or following a
Research role, you may upgrade Fleet to Improved Fleet (flip the tile over)
instead of buying a Tech card by paying 3 or 3 . There is no Planet
requirement for this upgrade.

Basic Fleet Abilities

ACTION
Discard 3 to
gain a . You
may only gain 1
per action.

ACTION
Discard 2 to
gain a .

Battlecruiser : You may only have 1
in play at a time. While in play, it is worth 2
and grants you a 1 discount (2
with Improved Fleet) on all Warfare costs.

Attacking a Civilized Planet requires you to
spend to satisfy any Warfare cost.
All new Level 3 Technologies may be
purchased by spending instead of 7 .

Improved Fleet Abilities

ACTION
For every 2
you discard in this
action, gain 1 .

ACTION
Discard 2 to
gain a .

Your now has a Primary Weapon; you
may spend 1 when attacking any Planet
instead of the printed Warfare cost.

3

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NEW TERMINOLOGY
Escalation introduces a few new common
abilities that will appear on several of the
new Planets or Technology cards. These
include:

Peace Treaty
All Civilized Planets
and some Technology
cards provide an ability
known as a Peace Treaty.
Whenever you dissent a
Warfare role, in addition
to drawing a card, you
will receive 1 from the supply for each
Peace Treaty in your Empire. These benefits
stack, so with three Peace Treaties in play
you receive 3 each time you dissent a
Warfare role.

Recon
Recon is an ability which allows players
to search one of the decks in the game
and its discard pile for a number of cards,
shuffle that deck, then put the chosen cards
on top. It is written "RECON [DECK] for X
cards," where "X" is the number of chosen
cards, and [DECK] is the deck searched. For
example: "RECON the Planet deck for 1
card" means "Search the Planet deck and
discard pile for any 1 Planet card, shuffle
the Planet deck, and place the chosen Planet
card on top." And "RECON your deck for
3 cards" means "Search your deck and
discard pile for any 3 cards, shuffle your
deck, and place the chosen cards on top (in
any order)." In Escalation there are 2 cards
that utilize Recon, and each allows you to
search a deck for 1 card.

Reparations
Escalation introduces several new ways
for you to directly impact your opponent's
play area, including ways for you to
conquer their Planets or remove permanent
Technology cards. Any ability that
directly targets an opponent comes with
a "REPARATIONS: X" value. Whenever
you successfully use this ability against an
opponent, that opponent is compensated
with whatever "X" is (printed on the
card). For all the cards with Reparations in
Escalation, "X" is "2" from the supply".

Replenishing Slots
Some Planets and
Technology cards provide
Replenishing ship slots. Place
a token of the appropriate
type on the slot when
the card comes into play.
You may spend that token at any time.
These slots automatically replenish at the
beginning of your turn.

NEW PLANETS
Escalation also livens up the galaxy with
several new Planet styles. There are six new
Start Planets, giving players a wide range
of new advantages and drawbacks, and each
of the familiar Planet types may now be
discovered in Civilized, Hostile, or Bustling
styles.

Expensive Start Planets
There is now one
"expensive" Start Planet
for each standard Planet
type (Advanced/Fertile/
Metallic). These Planets
each cost 5 or 5
to flip, are each worth
2, contain no
Resource slots, but
provide you with two Role symbols.

Prestige Start Planets
These Start Planets each
cost 2 or 2
, are
worth 2, contain one
"Any Resource" slot,
and provide one Role
symbol. Unlike standard
Planet types, Prestige
Planets do not have an
associated Technology stack.

Civilized Planets
Civilized Planets represent independent
worlds that have established political
structure and Planetary defenses. These
Planets welcome Colonies from expanding
Empires, but will not lightly submit to
tyranny. All Civilized Planets can be
colonized for 4, but can only be attacked
by discarding a. All Civilized Planets
provide the Peace Treaty ability when
flipped.

Hostile Planets
Violent refuges for criminals and pirates
on the deep outskirts of imperial control,
Hostile Planets will never be settled, but will
fight for anyone strong enough to conquer
them. Hostile Planets can be attacked by
discarding a; they cannot be colonized.
Every Hostile Planet provides a Replenishing
slot.

Bustling Planets
The inhabitants of Bustling Planets have
mastered the local ecosystems to unleash
the pure industrial potential of the Planet.
Bustling Planets can be colonized for 4 or
Attacked by discarding a. Once flipped,
these Planets provide a new action that can
be used during the Action phase, instead
of playing a card. Unlike icons on Planets,
actions printed on Planets and permanent
Technology cards may be used more than
once per turn if you have more than 1
action.

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NEW TECH ICONS
Technology cards in Escalation feature a
few new icons in addition to the traditional
role symbols.

Resource Icons
A technology card may
include a Resource icon in
the upper left-hand corner.
You may discard this card
from your hand to spend
it as if it was the printed Resource. Cards
discarded in this way are placed in your
discard pile.

Example: You have a card with an Iron in
the upper left-hand corner. During a Trade
role, you may discard this card as if it were
a Iron Resource in one of your Resource
slots.

Ship Icons
A technology card may
include a Ship icon in the
upper left-hand corner. You
may discard this card from
your hand to spend it as if it
was the printed ship. Cards discarded in this
way are placed in your discard pile.

Example: You have a card with a Fighter in
the upper left-hand corner. When attacking
a Planet, you may discard this card as if it
were a Fighter in your Empire.

RESEARCH COSTS
The new technologies in Escalation are
printed with different research costs.

30
-OR-
30
Level 1: You may spend either
3 or to learn this
technology.

20
-OR-
50
Level 2: You may spend either
5 or 2 to learn this
technology.

10
-OR-
70
Level 3: You may spend either
7 or to learn this
technology.

You may never combine Research ()
icons and ships when researching a
technology; you either pay the full cost in
Research icons or discard the full cost in
ships. In each case, you must satisfy the
Planet requirements of the technology.
You may never spend ships to research
technologies that do not have ships in their
printed cost (e.g. technologies from the base
game).

One new technology, Double Time, has a unique Planet requirement. Each Double Time
requires one Planet of a specific type, and one Planet of any other type.

For example, a Double Time from the
Metallic Technology stack requires 1
Metallic Planet, and 1 non-Metallic
Planet. Utopian Planets, due to their
ability to mimic other Planet types in
your Empire, do not satisfy this prerequisite when researching Double Time
(if you have a Metallic Planet in play, Utopian Planets are not non-Metallic).

TECHNOLOGY CARD REFERENCE

DESTROYER ICON
BATTLECRUISER ICON
FIGHTER ICON
RESOURCE ICON
2 DESTROYERS
1 BATTLECRUISER
2 DESTROYERS
3 FIGHTERS
REQUIRES 1 ADVANCED PLANET,
AND 1 OF ANY OTHER TYPE
REQUIRES 1 METALLIC, 1 FERTILE, AND 1 ADVANCED PLANET

SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE
NATURAL ORDER
ANNEX
DOUBLE TIME

ACTION
You may play 2 additional actions
during this Action phase.

There is a new stack of Diverse Technology
cards. Each technology in this stack requires
an Advanced, a Fertile, and a Metallic
Planet. You must have flipped at least one
Planet of each of these types in order to
research these technologies.

6

7

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SCENARIOS
An optional rule which replaces the standard setup, Scenarios provide a
great deal of variety to experienced players by providing unique starting
configurations. Each Scenario card indicates your starting deck, starting
Planet, and any Technology cards which you will have at the beginning
of the game. Each player will have a different starting configuration,
greatly increasing play variety.

SETUP
Set up the game according to the base Eminent Domain rulebook, then:
1) Give each player a Fleet Tile.
2) Deal each player one of the new Start Planet Tiles at random. Each player should now
have 2 Start Planet Tiles (one base, one new). Players will choose which of their two Start
Planets to use, and return the other to the box.
3) Sort the new Technology cards by type ( / / /Diverse) and place them into
4 FACE-UP piles near the original Technology cards. You may consolidate new and old
technology cards into similar stacks, but be sure to pay attention to the research costs
when
acquiring them.

Specific Setup Rules
For 2 Players: Remove the following Role
cards from the stacks: 4, 2, 4,
4, 4. Return these cards to the box;
they will not be used in this game.
For 5 Players: Add the four blue-bordered
"5 PLAYER ONLY" Role cards to each stack.
Also add the eight blue Influence Tokens to
the standard supply pile. In 5-player games,
the game end will trigger when any two
role stacks are empty, or when the Influence
Token supply pile (including the blue tokens)
is empty.

Replenish Phase
At the very beginning of your turn,
replenish any empty Replenishing slots in
your Empire. If a card contains more than
one Replenishing slot, each empty slot
will refresh even if the other slots are full.
Any Replenishing slots that are full at the
beginning of your turn are unaffected.

Action Phase
During your Action phase, you are allowed
to take one action. This action may be from
a card in your hand, from your Fleet tile, or
from any face up Bustling Planets in your
Empire. Taking an action is optional; you
may choose to take no Actions during your
Action phase.

Any cards played during your Action phase
are set aside from the play area. Cards set
aside in this way have no effect during
subsequent Role phases. Cards played
during your Action phase will not be placed
into the Discard pile until the beginning of
the Cleanup phase.

Actions printed on Planets and permanent
Technology cards are limited to once per
action, not once per turn.

Role Phase
The Role phase is mandatory. After your
Action phase, you must lead one of the 6
roles. The Role phase works just like it does
in the base game, except as follows:

In situations where a player is allowed to
take an additional Role phase in a single
turn, each Role phase is resolved separately.

SETUP REFERENCE

PLAYERS
NUMBER OF ROLE CARDS
END GAME TRIGGERS
DEPLETED
ROLE STACKS

2
16
14
16
12
16
24
1

3
20
16
20
16
20
24
1

3
18
15
18
14
18
24
2

4
20
16
20
16
20
24
2

5
24
20
24
20
24
32
2

* 3 Player Extended Variant

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Role Phase Continued...
Any cards played to boost or follow a role
are set aside from the play area at the end
of the Role phase. Cards set aside in this
way have no effect during subsequent
Role phases. Cards played during any Role
phase will not be placed into the Discard
pile until the beginning of the Leader's
Cleanup phase.
Role symbols on Planets and permanent
Technology cards may be used once per
Role phase.
Cleanup Phase
The Cleanup phase works just like it does in
the base game, except as follows:
At the beginning of the Cleanup phase,
before you reconcile your hand, place all
cards that were set aside during your Action
and Role phases into your Discard pile.
Players who followed during your Role
phase(s) place any cards they set aside into
their Discard piles at the beginning of your
Cleanup phase.
FINAL ROUND
With the expansion, it is even more
important to know whether you will have
one last turn at the end of the game. When
the game end triggers, complete the current
round as normal, and then play one
additional full round. This way, all players
will know for sure whether any given turn is
their last turn.
Remember: If the Influence supply is
depleted, additional Influence may still be
collected. Use any suitable proxy to track the
additional Influence.

ERRATA
Certain cards and rules from the base
game have been corrected and updated as
follows:
Leader Bonus on empty stacks: When
leading a Survey role from an empty stack,
add to your role in addition to the
normal "Look at one additional Planet"
Leader Bonus. When leading a Warfare role
from an empty stack, add to your role if
you are collecting Fighters.
Both of these changes can be noted on the
main Central Card Display with the included
sticker.
Terraforming: No change in card text.
Ignore the note on the back of the base-
game rulebook. Terraforming can be used
in conjunction with Colonize symbols on
Planets and permanent Technology cards in
your Empire.
Abundance: Produce 4 Resources. When
you Settle or Attack a Planet, produce 2
Resources.
Logistics: Play the Action and Role phases
of your turn in any order. At the end of the
game, take an additional turn.
Bureaucracy: When following a role:
. You may use the Leader
Bonus when following Colonize or Warfare.

TECHNOLOGY CARD APPENDIX
This appendix includes the complete text of all new technology cards, as well as any specific
notes or rules governing their usage.

FERTILE TECHNOLOGY

IMPROVED COLONIZE
Action: Settle 1 Planet. Settle
another Planet OR
+1 Colony.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3

DOUBLE TIME
Action: You may play 2
additional actions during this
Action phase.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3

DOUBLE TIME
Action: You may play 2
additional actions during this
Action phase.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3

PEACE TREATY
Permanent Technology:
Collect 1 when dissenting
a Warfare role.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3
Note: Multiple Peace Treaty
abilities from Tech cards and
Planets stack.

BIOSPHERE
Permanent Technology:
Biosphere provides you with
2 slots.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3

IMPROVED PRODUCTION
Action: Produce 2 Resources.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3

10
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FERTILE TECHNOLOGY

Spoils of War
Action: Produce 1 Resource
for each in your Empire.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 5 or 2

Black Market
Permanent Technology:
You may discard Resources
from your Empire as if they
were symbols to boost or
follow any role.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 5 or 2

Colony Ship
Permanent Technology:
Colony Ship holds Colonies.
Once per turn: +1 Colony.
When Settling, you may
redistribute Colonies in your
Empire.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 5 or 2
Note: The +1 Colony is
added as a "free action"
at any point during
your turn. Adding a
Colony is optional. When
redistributing Colonies, you
may move any Colony,
not just those on Colony
Ship. Colonies may be
redistributed regardless of
whether you lead or follow
the role, but not when
dissenting the role.

SPECIALIZED PRODUCTION

Specialized Production
Action: Choose a Resource
type. Collect 1 for each
Resource of that type you
produce this turn.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 5 or 2

FERTILE TECHNOLOGY

Natural Order
Action: Remove one permanent Technology card from the
game. Its owner receives REPARATIONS: 2 Influence from
the supply.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 7 or 1
Note: Any Resources or tokens on the removed card
are lost. You may use Natural Order to revert an opponent's
Improved Fleet back to a standard Fleet tile. That player
receives Reparations as normal and may not research Improved Fleet again in that game.
Any ships constructed with Improved Fleet remain in play, but the benefits of a Battlecruiser
way, place the Influence Tokens you receive as reparations onto your Fleet tile as a reminder
that you may not upgrade it again.

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

IMPROVED RESEARCH

DOUBLE TIME

DOUBLE TIME

Improved Research
Action: Draw 1 card. Then
remove up to 3 cards in hand
from the game (may include
this card).
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3

Double Time
Action: You may play 2
additional actions during this
Action phase.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3

Double Time
Action: You may play 2
additional actions during this
Action phase.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3

12

13

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ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
IMPROVED TRADE
Action: Collect 1 from the
supply.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3

PEACE TREATY
Permanent Technology:
Collect 1 when dissenting
a Warfare role.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3
Note: Multiple Peace Treaty
abilities from Tech cards and
Planets stack.

FREEDOM OF TRADE
Permanent Technology:
You may follow Produce
roles as if they were Trade
roles and vice versa.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY
Action: Take any Tech card
costing 3 or less and put
it into your hand. You do not
need the prerequisite Planets.
You may play an additional
action during this Action
phase.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 5 or 2

SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE
Action: Discard 1. If you
do, collect 3 from the
supply.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 5 or 2
Note: You may only discard
1 each time you play this
card.

INDUSTRIAL ESPIONAGE
Action: Each opponent must
return 1 to the supply.
Collect 1 from the supply.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 7 or 1
Note: You will only collect 1
from the supply each time
you play this card, regardless
of the number returned by your
opponents.

DEFENSE CONTRACT
Permanent Technology:
Once per turn you may
discard 1 Resource or
1 to collect 1 from the
supply.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 5 or 2

SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Permanent Technology:
When LEADING a Research
role, you may purchase 1
additional Tech card. (Do not
reuse Planets in prereqs)
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 5 or 2

METALLIC TECHNOLOGY

IMPROVED WARFARE
Action: Collect 2 or Attack
1 Planet.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3

DOUBLE TIME
Action: You may play 2
additional actions during this
Action phase.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3

DOUBLE TIME
Action: You may play 2
additional actions during this
Action phase.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3

Note: Each Planet may only be used as a prerequisite once
per Research role. Therefore, if you were to purchase two
Level 2 Advanced Technology cards, you would need FOUR
Advanced Planets. Each Research symbol may only be used
once per Role phase, so it may not be used to pay for both of
your purchases.

14

15

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METALLIC TECHNOLOGY
IMPROVED SURVEY
PEACE TREATY
THOROUGH SURVEY
WARFARE TECHNOLOGY
WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE
TOUR DE FORCE
Improved Survey
Action: Draw 3 cards.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3
Peace Treaty
Permanent Technology:
Collect 1 when dissenting
a Warfare role.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3
Thorough Survey
Permanent Technology:
During a Survey role, you
may draw 2 fewer Planet
cards. If you do, you may
keep 1 additional Planet.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3
Note: You may use this ability
when leading or following.
Warfare Technology
Permanent Technology:
You may discard as if
they were when boosting
or following Research roles.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 5 or 2
Note: Since are being
treated as if they were
you may freely mix and
match and during
Research roles while this card
is in play.
Wealth of Knowledge
Permanent Technology:
You may use standard
Survey cards to boost (not
follow) any role.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 5 or 2
Note: This benefit applies
only to standard Survey
cards.
Technology cards and
Planets do not benefit from
Wealth of Knowledge.
Tour De Force
Action: Collect from the
supply. You may
Attack a Planet after any Role
phase this turn.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 7 or 1
DEEP SPACE PROBES
DESTROYER TECHNOLOGY
Deep Space Probes
Action: RECON the Planet
deck for 1 card. You may play
another action during this
Action phase.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 5 or 2
Destroyer Technology
Action: Collect 2 from the
supply.
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 5 or 2
16
17

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ELEVATED INCENTIVES OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MILITARY CAMPAIGN SYNTHESIZE ELITE SQUADRON WELL OILED MACHINE
Elevated Incentive Oversight Committee Military Campaign Synthesize Elite Squadron Well Oiled Machine
Action: Take an additional Permanent Technology: Permanent Technology: Action: RECON your deck Permanent Technology: Permanent Technology:
Role phase this turn. +1 Hand Size. You may pay 1 and It has replenishing You may take an additional
Opponents may follow or Action: Draw 2 cards then equal to the Planet's Influence slots. Role phase each turn. If you
dissent as normal. remove up to to Attack opponents' face up do, opponents may follow or
Planet Prerequisite: 2 cards from the game. Planets. Planet Prerequisite: dissent.
Planet Prerequisite: REPARATIONS: 2 from the Cost: 7 or 1 Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 3 or 3 supply. Cost: 5 or 1
Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 5 or 2
ANNEX Military Campaign
Action: Attack a face-down Permanent Technology:
Planet in an opponent's You may pay 1 and
Empire. That player equal to the Planet's Influence
receives REPARATIONS: to Attack opponents' face up
2 from the supply. Planets.
Planet Prerequisite: REPARATIONS: 2 from the
supply.
Cost: 5 or 2 Planet Prerequisite:
Cost: 5 or 2
Note: You must pay the Warfare cost as normal, modified
by any benefits you may have. You may never look at the
front of a face down Planet card in an opponent's Empire.
After Attacking, place the Planet face up in your Empire.
Note: You receive the Planet in
the same condition as it was
before the Attack: Resources
remain in Resource slots,
and Scorched Earth penalties
remain. This is not a Warfare
cost, so discounts from
Scorched Earth Policy and
Fleet/Improved Fleet do not
apply.
SPECIAL THANKS
Mike Watne and John Hedèr contributed
significantly to the testing and development
of Eminent Domain: Escalation.
PLAYTESTERS
Other invaluable playtesters include Holli
Fontaine, Django Bohren, Dave Elliot, Deri
Morgan, Todd Muldrew, Alex Vuchnich,
Jason Curtis, Alex Cotton, Richard Clyne,
Steve Walker, Eric Snyder II, Paige Watson,
James McCarthy, Steven & Lisa O'Shea,
Aaron Bredon, Matt Luke, Kenneth Ven
Osdell, Jeremy Jinkerson, and Marty Oas.
TMG
Copyright 2013
Tasty Minstrel Games, L.L.C.
Tucson, AZ
www.tastyminstrelgames.com
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