Game Objective

In Deception: Undercover Allies, a wave of fear spreads through the streets of Hong Kong, with suspicions that a recent string of murders may have been committed by one of the very investigators tasked with solving them. The police are bringing in more help, and behind the scenes, the killer is also recruiting. This game is an expansion for Deception: Murder in Hong Kong and adds new Roles, Scene Tiles, and Clue and Means cards.

The overall goal of the game is for the team of Investigators to uncover the killer and the means of the crime, while the Killer team tries to deceive them. The Forensic Scientist, who knows the solution to the crime, must guide the investigators without speaking, using the Scene Tiles and Bullet Tokens. However, with the new Event Tile "The Perfect Crime", the Forensic Scientist can switch sides and win with the Killer team if a second Event Tile is secretly revealed. The Forensic Scientist must still truthfully respond to all attempts to solve the crime but can use the Bullet Tokens to mislead the investigators if it benefits her.

Setup

Before playing your first game using this expansion, follow the steps below:

1. Clue and Means Cards: Simply shuffle the new Clue (red) and Means (blue) cards with their counterparts from the base game. They can be used in all future games and do not need to be removed between plays.
2. Scene Tiles: Combine the new Scene Tiles with the original Scene Tiles from the base game. The new Scene Tiles give the Forensic Scientist new options for describing the crime scene.
3. Event Tile: The new Event Tile, called "The Perfect Crime," should be used in the same way as the original Event Tiles. The use of the Event Tile remains optional.
4. Roles and Badge Tokens: With the new Roles and extra Badge Tokens, the game can be played with up to 14 players. The new Roles are:
   • Protective Detail: An optional role for games that include the Witness. The Protective Detail knows who the Witness is at the start of the game and can help distract the Killer and Accomplice from who the real Witness is. (The Witness does not know who the Protective Detail is.)
   • Inside Man: An optional role recommended for games with 8 or more players.
   • Lab Technician: An optional role recommended for games with 7 or more players.
5. Suggested Role Setup:
   • 6 Players: Forensic Scientist, Witness, Killer, Accomplice, 2 Investigators.
   • 7 Players: Forensic Scientist, Witness, Lab Technician, Killer, Accomplice, 2 Investigators.
   • 8+ Players: Forensic Scientist, Witness, Lab Technician, Killer, Accomplice, Inside Man, 2+ Investigators.
6. Protective Detail (Optional): You can include the Protective Detail in place of an Investigator in any game that uses the Witness. This will make it slightly harder for the Killer team to win by Reversal. If you want to completely remove the possibility of a Reversal, simply replace the Witness in any Role set with a regular Investigator.
7. Crime Setup (with Protective Detail): When playing with the Protective Detail, the Forensic Scientist will need to insert the following into their "The Crime" setup after identifying the Witness: "Protective Detail, open your eyes." The Forensic Scientist points to the Witness. The Protective Detail nods in acknowledgment, after which the Forensic Scientist says: "Protective Detail, close your eyes."
8. Crime Scene (Variant): For a more challenging game for the Investigators, use the new unique Crime Scene Tile instead of the Forensic Scientist choosing one of the 4 original Tiles.

Game Flow

The use of the new Roles—Lab Technician and Inside Man—requires a change to the game structure. A new phase, called the Allies Phase, must occur between the end of step 2a—First Evidence Collection Round—and the start of step 2b—Second Evidence Collection Round.

During the Allies Phase, the Forensic Scientist will guide players through a round where they close their eyes and some perform secret actions. The Forensic Scientist must guide players as follows:

1. "Everyone, please close your eyes," and check that all eyes are closed.
2. "Lab Technician, please open your eyes and point to 1 card to see if it was used in the crime." The Lab Technician must point to 1 Clue Card or Means Card on the table, and the Forensic Scientist must verify (gesturing and/or whispering the object's name) that both are looking at the same card. The Forensic Scientist then gives a thumbs-up if the selected card was the Clue Card or Means Card used in the murder and a thumbs-down if it was not. The Forensic Scientist then says: "Lab Technician, close your eyes," and checks that they do so.
3. "Inside Man, please open your eyes and point to any 1 player to have their Badge Token removed." The Forensic Scientist must make a mental note of the selected player and then say: "Inside Man, close your eyes," and check that they do so.
4. Finally, the Forensic Scientist must instruct: "Everyone, open your eyes," and then remove the Badge Token of the player indicated by the Inside Man.
5. Proceed to the Second Evidence Collection Round.

Actions and How to Play

Refer to the manual for details on this section.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends, and the Forensic Scientist's win condition can change with the Event Tile "The Perfect Crime". When the Forensic Scientist draws this Tile, she must read it aloud and follow the instructions. She is instructed to secretly look at the next Tile in the draw deck and then set it aside face-down without revealing what she saw. If that Tile is not an Event Tile, the game continues as normal. If that Tile is an Event Tile, the Forensic Scientist now wins with the Killer team!

Mechanically, nothing changes in the game for the Forensic Scientist. She must still truthfully respond to attempts to solve the crime. She must still remain silent. And she must still give any remaining clues by drawing and replacing Scene Tiles and replacing Bullet Tokens. However, she can now use the Bullet Tokens to mislead the investigators if it benefits her. At the end of the game, the Forensic Scientist must reveal the Tile that was set aside, which decides whether she wins or loses.

The Protective Detail wins if the Investigators team wins.

The Inside Man wins if the Killer team wins.

The Lab Technician wins if the Investigators team wins.

Players should not reveal their hidden Roles until the end of the game. This includes claiming a Role without revealing the card.

Tips for Winning

• Forensic Scientist (with "The Perfect Crime"): If the Forensic Scientist switches to the Killer team due to the Event Tile "The Perfect Crime", she can use the Bullet Tokens to mislead the investigators if it benefits her. This requires a subtle shift in behavior to avoid detection.
• Investigators: Although a team switch is rare, it can happen, and investigators should remain vigilant to detect any changes in the Forensic Scientist's behavior.
• Protective Detail: This role can make the game slightly harder for the Killer team to win by Reversal, as the Protective Detail knows who the Witness is and can help distract the Killer and Accomplice.