Surges of Colonization

Frequently Asked Questions

Adversaries

• When the Kingdom of Sweden reveals an Escalation symbol, does the Escalation apply to all subsequent Explore Cards that turn?
  No, "Swayed by the Invaders" only applies to the card with the Escalation symbol, and not to any other Explore Cards.

  This also means that if the Escalation would happen when the card isn't an Explore Card (e.g., when combining with the Tsardom of Russia's "Entrench in the Face of Fear"), then the Escalation does nothing.
  Tags: Stage II escalation, Combining Adversaries, Kingdom of Sweden, Explorers are Reluctant, 2 more...
• With Habsburg Monarchy (Livestock Colony) Level 5 (Wave of Immigration), do you do the effect before or after the Explore on that turn?
  After completely resolving the Explore Card above it, but before resolving the Adversary's "After the Explore Step" Escalation. If you're resolving another Explore Card that turn, e.g., because you're playing the Surges of Colonization scenario, resolve the effects of the Reminder Card before revealing the next Explore Card. Similarly, the effects of the Reminder Card happen before anything triggered by Advancing the Invader Cards, like the extra Build Step caused by the "Fortification" Event.

  Formally, Reminder Cards resolve once you're done resolving the Invader Card above them. (Or, in unusual cases like this FAQ, if they end up atop the Invader Deck.)

  This ruling originally implied that the "Seek Prime Territory" Escalation happens first. Because the timing of the Escalation was made more explicit in later printings, this ruling has been updated accordingly.
  (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Invader deck, Ordering, Reminder Cards, Combining Adversaries, 6 more...

Event Cards

• If there are multiple Ravage Cards, which lands get a Ravage Damage bonus from "Foreign Dignitaries Visit"?
  Each Invader Card grants the bonus to the lowest-numbered land it matches, only for the Ravage it creates in that land (if any). For example, if the first Ravage Card is Wetlands and the second Ravage Card is Coastal lands, then if Land 2 is a Coastal Wetlands, it'll get the +2 Damage in the Ravage caused by the Wetlands Card (as the lowest-numbered Wetlands) but not in the later Ravage caused by the Coastal lands card (since that cards grants bonus Damage in Land 1).

  Which land gets a bonus doesn't change once it's locked in at the start of resolving that Invader Card, even if the list of matching lands changes due to some of the Ravages (e.g., due to the Tsardom of Russia's "Competition Among Hunters" making lands with 3+ Explorers match all Ravage Cards). Nevertheless, these changes can affect which land gets the bonus from any subsequent Invader Cards that cause Ravage Actions.
  Tags: Matches, Ravage, Foreign Dignitaries Visit, Tsardom of Russia, 4 more...

Invader Actions

• When an Explore Card adds new sources of Invaders (e.g., adding a Towns via Kingdom of Scotland Level 1 or the Event "Promising Farmland") are the Invaders able to immediately Explore from that new source?
  No. When resolving an Explore Card, first you note which lands have nearby sources, then you resolve all Explore Actions in those lands – in an order of your choice, if relevant.

  Nevertheless, if there is a second Explore Card (e.g., due to the "Explorers are Reluctant" Fear Card), the new sources matter for that Explore Card.

  This applies similarly to Build Cards and Ravage Cards, though adding new Invaders can increase the Damage of a Ravage that would already happen.
  Tags: Explore, Ordering, Kingdom of Scotland, Promising Farmland (Event), 2 more...
• What happens when multiple Invader Cards are in the same space on the Invader Board? (e.g., due to Explorers are Reluctant)
  In the corresponding step of the Invader Phase, resolve each card one at a time, starting with the oldest card – the one closest to the Invader Board. When Invader Cards advance at the end of the Invader Phase, the cards move together. [B&C p. 14, JE p. 11]

  Each card separately determines where it creates Invader Actions. If a land matches multiple cards, it can thus get an Invader Action from each one! Clarifications for specific actions:

  • Ravage: Defend applies separately to each Ravage. Only add Blight if a single Ravage deals 2+ Damage to the land. In the uncommon case that a Ravage created by the first card adds or moves Invaders, it can change which lands Ravage due to the second card.
  • Build: Towns/Cities added by the first Build Card affect what is built in that land by the second Build Card.
  • Explore: Pieces added by the first Explore Card can be sources for the second Explore Card, though this only matters if something makes an Explore Action add Towns/Cities or allows Explorers to be sources.

  Anything effect that checks which lands match the Invader Cards in a particular space (e.g., the Hard-Working Settlers Event) or the terrains showing on those cards (e.g., the Fortification Event), checks all of those cards. (It generally won't matter how many times those lands match or those terrains appear, just if they do.)
  Tags: Invader deck, Matches, Tsardom of Russia, Surges of Colonization, 6 more...

Scenarios

• How does Surges of Colonization interact with the Terror Level 2 effect of Explorers are Reluctant?
  If you resolve Explorers are Reluctant on an even-numbered turn where you’re resolving multiple Explore Cards, resolve one fewer Explore Card that turn and resolve one additional Explore Card on the following turn, when you'd normally not resolve any Explore Cards.

  If you resolve Explorers are Reluctant on an odd-numbered turn where you’re not resolving any Explore Cards, the "next normal Explore" and "next Invader Phase" are both on the next turn, so the two halves of the effect cancel each other out and the Fear Card essentially has no effect.

  If Explorers are Reluctant applies to the final even-numbered turn and there aren't enough cards left for the final surge, it may cause a game loss on the following turn when attempting to Explore from an empty deck.
  Tags: Normal Action, Explorers are Reluctant, Surges of Colonization
• In the Surges of Colonization scenario, are the Explore Cards on surge turns resolved simultaneously or sequentially?
  Sequentially, just like for other effects that resolve more than one Explore Card in a single turn.

  Explorers added in the first card will be sources of Explorers for the second card. Also, if a land matches multiple cards, it can get Explored multiple times.
  Tags: Explore, Invader deck, Surges of Colonization