How to Play Brazil: Imperial – Autômato

Game Objective

The Automaton is a game-controlled opponent that simulates a human player in Brazil Imperial. It competes against 1 to 3 real players, following automated rules with Action Cards and Movement Cards. The goal remains the same as the base version: accumulate Victory Points (VP) through constructions, achievements, and missions. The game ends when a player completes their Era III Mission, and the winner is the one with the most VP at the end.

Setup

1. Set up the game as per the base manual (page 6).
2. Choose a Board for the Automaton (it does not use the Monarch's Board or Palaces II to VI).
3. Draw 1 card from each Era for the Automaton and place them face down.
4. The Capital not chosen by the players becomes the Automaton's Capital, receiving its Palace I in its color.
5. Place the Compass on the Automaton's Capital.
6. Choose the difficulty:
   • Easy: Remove all 4 cards with a Star from the decks.
   • Hard: Do not remove any cards.
   • Epic: Remove all 4 cards with a Feather.
7. Shuffle the Action Cards and Movement Cards separately.

Game Flow

The Automaton's turn consists of two fixed phases:

1. Action Phase: The Automaton performs actions using its Action Cards (always occurs).
2. Movement Phase: Only occurs if the Automaton has Military Units on the map, using Movement Cards and the Compass.

Actions and How to Play

Action Phase

• Action Cards have 3 columns (one per Era) with 4 rows of actions each.
• In the first round, flip the entire Action Card stack face up and execute the first row of the current Era's column.
• In subsequent rounds, remove the top card from the stack. The Arrow on it indicates which row of the next card will be executed.
• If no action in the current Era's column is possible, the Automaton collects 1 Gold Card.

Movement Phase

• Only occurs if the Automaton has Units on the map.
• Movement Cards determine the Compass direction and bonuses (such as +1 Movement or Combat Cards).
• The Automaton moves all Units in the same hex as its Strongest Unit, following the priority on the card.
• The number of movements is limited by bonuses (maximum 3 per turn).

Special Rules

• Constructions: Follow normal rules, but in ties, prioritize spaces that offer more future construction options.
• Cities: Are built adjacent to the Automaton's empire, ignoring the Monarch.
• Missions: Revealed only when an action card requests it. The Automaton performs only 1 action from the objective (does not need to complete it entirely).

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends when a player completes their Era III Mission. For the Automaton:

• Add up all normal Victory Points (Palaces, constructions, etc.).
• Reveal all of the Automaton's Gold Cards and add their VP, even if the criteria are not met.
• The Automaton does not manage resources or elements, so they do not affect its score.

Tips to Win

1. Control the Compass: The Automaton prioritizes directions near enemy Capitals or cities. Position units strategically to divert its movement.
2. Explore Before It Does: The Automaton automatically explores Exploration Tiles when it reaches them. Secure key resources before it takes them.
3. Use Defensive Combat: The Automaton always uses 2 Combat Cards if possible. Force combat in advantageous situations to deplete its deck.