Tricky Tactics

Rules Overview

Game design: David McDougal

Win tricks to place or remove cubes from a shared map, then score control of the matching suit's locations.

Players: 2-4 Play Time: 30 minutes Ages: 10+ Mechanic: Trick-Taking

2-Player Automa Rules

Executive Preview

Uses a 3-player deal with two humans and one automa. Ranks for tricks are A high, then 10 down to 2. K, Q, J are map Locations only. Reveal happens only on the automa's turn. Follow checks only the two revealed cards. Lead always plays the higher of the two revealed cards. Actions: Add first if possible, otherwise Remove. Ties resolve K, then Q, then J; if still tied between players, choose the next clockwise from the automa.

Components

• Player decks for tricks use ranks A, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 in four suits.
• Automa deck of 16 cards built as a normal player deck.
• Cubes and markers equal to a human player.
• Board Locations are K, Q, J per suit. These are map areas only.

Setup

• Play as a 3-player game with two human players and one automa.
• Deal as for 3 players: each human receives 12 cards; the automa receives 16.
• Do not reveal any automa cards during deal or between turns.
• Give the automa a normal cube supply.

Objective

Play the standard game flow with the automa occupying the third seat. It contests tricks and resolves the post-trick Action using deterministic priorities.

Core Concepts and Terms

• Reveal Row: the two face-up automa cards available when it must play.
• Carryover: after the automa plays, the unplayed revealed card remains public for its next turn.
• Revealed-only follow: suit obligation is checked only against the two currently revealed cards.
• Location tie order: K, then Q, then J.
• Player tie for Remove: next player clockwise from the automa.

Turn Structure

Follow base timing. When the automa must contribute to a trick, use Automa Play. If the automa wins the trick, resolve Automa Action Priority. All other rules stay unchanged.

Automa Play

Reveal timing

• The automa reveals cards only when it is about to play.
• On its first play of the hand, reveal the top two cards to form the Reveal Row [Left, Right].
• After it plays one card, slide the unplayed card to Left and immediately reveal one new card to Right.
• Between its turns, only the carryover card remains public.

Rank order for tricks

Highest to lowest: A, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.

Following a lead

• If at least one revealed card matches the led suit, the automa must play a matching card.
• If both match, play the higher value in that suit.
• If one matches, play that card.
• If neither revealed card matches the led suit, play the higher value of the two revealed cards.

Leading a trick

When leading, reveal as needed, then play the higher value of the two revealed cards.

Actions

When the automa wins a trick, it performs exactly one in-suit Action.

Add first

• If the automa has cubes in supply, it must Add.
• Target selection, in order: 1. Any empty area of the matching suit's Location. 2. Otherwise the Location area with the most total cubes. 3. Ties: K, then Q, then J.

Remove if Add not possible

• If the automa has no cubes in supply, it must Remove.
• Target selection, in order: 1. The Location with the largest total cube count. 2. Within that Location, remove from the opponent with the most cubes there. 3. Ties: K, then Q, then J. 4. If still tied between opponents, remove from the next player clockwise from the automa.

Impossible actions

If the required Action has no legal target, skip it with no substitution.

Scoring

Score the automa exactly as a standard player. All cubes, claims, and area effects apply normally.

End of Round, End of Game, and Ties

Use the base rules. If a choice is required on the automa's behalf during any timing window, apply the same target ladders and tie rules above.

Information Limits

• Human players may not inspect unrevealed automa cards.
• All automa decisions derive only from its two revealed cards and public game state.

Examples

• Follow with one match: Led suit Hearts; Reveal Row [9♣, A♥] leads the automa to play A♥.
• No match: Led suit Clubs; Reveal Row [10♦, 8♥] leads the automa to play 10♦.
• Add target: Automa wins a Spades trick with cubes in supply. If K-Spades is empty, Add there; otherwise choose the Spades Location with the most cubes, ties K then Q then J.
• Remove target: No cubes in supply. Hearts totals: K=5, Q=5, J=3. Remove at Q-Hearts; if players are tied there, remove from the next player clockwise.

Frequently Asked Questions