The ashes from the first Great War still darken the snow in 1920s Europa. The capitalistic city-state known simply as "The Factory", which fueled the war with heavily armored mechs, has closed its doors, drawing the attention of several nearby countries. With characters from five factions converging onto a small but highly desired swath of land, who will gain fame and fortune by establishing their empire as the leader of Eastern Europa?
Playing The Campaign
Each episode starts with a brief story that sets the scene for the events that are about to unfold. During the setup process, there will be a number of adjustments players will need to make to prepare for the specific episode or to account for rewards earned from previous games. Finally, at the end of each game, certain players will receive temporary or ongoing bonuses based on who won or achieved specific goals. All of the elements of each episode (story, setup & rules changes, and rewards) are designed to work together to create a cohesive thematic experience in the individual episodes as well as across the campaign.
Lessons of the Past is a multiplayer campaign designed to explore the post-Great War world of Scythe. This campaign has some light Legacy elements, and so it is recommended that players play as the same faction throughout, although the ongoing effects of the game impact the factions and not the players.
It is recommended the players play a few games of regular Scythe before undertaking this campaign, as this campaign makes several adjustments to the rules that will be easier to understand if players know the game fairly well.
Lessons of the Past begins immediately after the end of the Great War and the decline of the Factory. The nations of Europa are war-weary and ready for recovery. Over the course of the campaign, players will experience a story of national recovery, popular anxiety, and, ultimately, the dangers of not learning from history.
Lessons of the Past unfolds over the course of 10 episodes. Each episode introduces rules and setup changes that will challenge new & experienced players alike to think differently about the game of Scythe. Often, tried and true tactics will be quite effective, but it will also often be the innovative thinker who prevails. All players should be well aware of the episode-specific setup & rules changes, as well as the goal of the episode and rewards for victory, before beginning each game.
Each episode awards the victor and/or players who accomplish defined goals with powerful ongoing bonuses. In order to track and recall these bonuses during future games, please log them on the Episode Rewards Sheet. These bonuses can be powerful, and allowing one player to accumulate multiple rewards early on is dangerous.
Finally, this campaign was not designed with the expansion factions in mind and may require revision before it is compatible with them. It would, however, be a good source of neutral pieces for some scenarios when playing with five players.
Designer's Note: The campaign terls a story. It is rescommended that you playthrough without reading ahead. There are no spoilers but it wilt be more engaging to see the story unfold gradual-Cy. cPlayers can certainly read ahead if they prefer but the only strategic tip is to try to win, always. What comes next won't change that.
General Guidelines
Each episode of this campaign "breaks" the base rules of Scythe in some way (and sometimes in several ways). Thus, each will require some rethinking of strategies. The "most obvious" strategy for an episode, may not always be the best.
The background story, special setup & rules, and rewards of each episode are intended to weave a story that thematically affects gameplay in many cases. Being familiar with each of them before playing an episode should help players approach each game.
Pay careful attention to the "Episode Setup & Rules" section of each game, and consider referencing it frequently during the game. Some episodes limit or change various elements of the game, such as how stars are earned or the repercussions of combat.
Global Rules For Scythe: Lessons Of The Past
Unless otherwise noted, always use the base game's rules. Episode-specific rules and setup procedures DO supersede the base game, however.
Player boards should change each episode. Initially, distribute player boards randomly as in the base game. From there, you may continue random distribution, or you can try this recommended distribution method:
The faction that won the previous episode chooses last.
The faction who has won the fewest episodes chooses first (the "Episode Rewards Sheet" should make determining this easy).The next fewest wins chooses next, and so on.
In the case of a tie, the faction to left of the faction that last won, chooses first. Episode Reward Bonuses follow factions, not players (if players choose not to play the same faction every game).
These bonuses are optional. However, if a faction chooses to take a bonus, it may only be done during game setup.
There is one episode "Reward" that is actually a penalty, and it is mandatory.
Episode 1: Rebuilding part I
The Great War has ended, and the Factory has mysteriously closed its doors. The nations across Europa are battle weary and broken, their resources exhausted. Slowly, each begins to rebuild, returning to an agrarian lifestyle and restoring their economies. Their mechs, once hulking, mechanized bringers of destruction are retrofitted and converted to use in the rebuilding process. Each nation hopes to quickly recover from the war and return its people to top productivity.
Episode Setup & Rules
Players set up as usual, but without Factory cards.
The following rules changes apply:
No unit may occupy the Factory.
Mechs produce resources just like workers, on all hexes except villages.
Because the people are especially war weary, players lose TWO
2Popularity per worker displaced by combat units.
The game ends as usual. Final scoring is as usual, but with the following adjustment For final scoring, players score resource points for every ONE 1 resource, rather than for every two.
Episode Reward
The winning faction receives a Productivity Bonus. For all future games, that faction may place one 1 bonus resource on each of their original two starting territories during setup, unless scenario rules spe cify otherwise. The resource chosen for each space must be one of your starting peninsula resources, but may not be a worker. This bonus stacks on other starting bonuses a scenario may award, unless otherwise noted.
Episode 2: Rebuilding Part II
Having restored resources and filled some reserves , the nations of Europa are now trying to rebuild their infrastructure.
The costs of war are many and high, and it is time to rebuild lost structures that are so crucial to their culture, productivity, and security.
Episode Rules & Setup
Players set up as usual, with two exceptions:
Do Not Use Factory Cards
Place two
2Structure Bonus Tiles, rather than one.
The game is played as usual, with the following addition to final scoring: Players may score structure bonuses from either or both of the Structure Bonus Tiles.
Episode Reward
For all future episodes, the winner of this episode may draw a Structure Bonus Tile randomly from the five unused tiles after setup. This player alone may choose to use either the drawn tile OR the public tile for structure bonus points during the scoring of all future games.
Episode 3: The Tesla Rescue
Word is spreading that Nicolai Tesla has been found and captured by a mercenary group that was scavenging parts at th e Factory. He is reportedly being held at the factory and tortured into creating new technology for them.
However, there are rumors that he is secretly sabotaging their machinery, trying to cripple them from within. Word that the genius behind such advance d technology is endangered and in need of help has sparked renewed interest in the nations of Europa. Hopefully one of them can rescue him before it is too late.
Episode Setup & Rules
Players set up as usual (taking any rewards from previous victo ries), except no Factory cards will be used this game.
Place a mech and worker from an unused faction on the Factory. If all factions are used, a substitute for each will be necessary.
Place the power marker from the same unused faction (or a substitute t oken) on the 16 Power spot of the power track. This is the Mercenary Power marker.
Beginning with the second round, before the starting player's turn, move the mercenary power marker down one spot on the power track.
Give the first player the mercenary faction's "action pawn" to move from spot to spot with their own pawn, to remind them to lower the power each turn.
When a player reaches the factory, he must defeat the mercenaries to rescue Tesla. The mercenaries' combat value is equal to the marker on the power track , plus two random cards of the combat card deck. Remove the mercenary mech when they are defeated.
If Crimea has the SCOUT ability, draw a card from the deck before the mercenaries draw two cards.
If Nordic Kingdom has artillery unlocked, the -2 power counts toward the battle, but does not lower the power marker on the track.
The first player to defeat the mercenaries is now considered to be escorting Tesla.The first player to return Tesla to their base wins.
Tesla must be escorted via a mech OR a character, and can only move when that unit moves (Tesla's movement does NOT count toward the number of units the player may move in a turn).
For this scenario, a player's mech or character may move ONTO their base space from an adjacent hex, but only they are escorting Tesla.
Tesla is exhausted from his ordeal and may not move more than once per turn. Thus, he may not be carried by one mech, then transferred to another to continue moving.
Because of his weakened state, Tesla also cannot handle trea cherous movement across water or broad swaths of land. Therefore, the following mech movement abilities cannot be applied to the unit escorting Tesla: Submerge, Underpass, Seaworthy, Wayfarer and Township.
If the player escorting Tesla is defeated in combat , the character/mechs retreat as usual and Tesla transfers to the winner.
If Tesla is still held by the mercenaries when their power reaches 0, they will have discovered his sabotage and killed him. The game ends and nobody wins this episode.
The games ends when a player moves Tesla onto their base, or when six stars have been placed. If no one gets him to their base, t he player escorting Tesla when the sixth star is placed is the winner.
Episode Reward
The winning faction takes the Tesla Bonus. In gr atitude for your help, Tesla grants the winning faction special technology that allows them to take one1 free Upgrade action during the setup stage of all future games in this campaign.
Episode 4: Knowledge Race
With the awareness that the factory re mains a trove of advanced technology, the nations of Europa begin a race to control the factory and its mysteries. Their objective: to explore as much of the factory's secrets as they can before other nations can arrive. This is a knowledge gathering mission.
Scenario Rules & Setup
Players complete setup as usual (taking any rewards from previous victories).
Players acquire Factory cards as normal, but all Factory card actions are ignored. Factory cards have only onefunction:
While a character is on the Factory, the player may take this "bonus" action at the end of their turn. Factory Research: Pay one
1power and place a star on the Factory card. These stars count toward the end game trigger and end of game scoring.The Factory Research bonus action may ONLY be taken by a player whose character controls the factory at the end of their turn and may be taken on the same turn that a character arrives at the Factory.
Game end and scoring are as usual, with the players counting the stars on their Factory cards as part of their final star tally (and toward ending the game).
Episode Rewards
The faction with the most stars on their factory card may choose to place their character ON the Factory during the setup of Episode 5. In the case of ties, the player with the most coins wins. If it is still tied, follow the usual tie breakers from the base game rules.
The faction that wins the game (has the most coins) may take +1 objective during setup of all future games.
Episode 5: The Ground Game
The new knowledge gained from the Factory has rekindled the nations' interest in conquering their neighbors. However, none are ready to enter into open aggression at this time.
Nations are rebuilding the trust and morale of their people, and reestablishing their place in the region. To that end, the leaders of each country, seeing their neighbors slowly expanding their territorial claims, realize that now is the time to secure their borders and claim any new ground they hope to hold, as well as secure the support of the local populations.
Scenario Setup & Rules
Players set up as usual (taking any reward bonuses from previous victories).
Reminder: The player with the most stars on their Factory card in Episode 4 may begin the game with their character on the Factory.
End game and final scoring are the same as usual, with the following adjustments for scoring: Territories are worth +1 coin during end of game scoring (3 coins at tier 1, 4 at tier 2, and 5 and tier 3).
Episode Rewards
The faction that wins begins all future games with +1 Popularity.
The faction that controls the most Encounter territories at the end of the game may take a free Enlist action during the setup stage of all future games. This action includes gaining the one-time bonus as a result of enlisting.
Break ties in the following order: 1) most territory controlled (Factory counts as three still), 2) most recruits taken this game, 3) most coins, 4) most structures, 5) fewest mechs, 6) most resources.
Episode 6: Arms Race
As territorial expansion gradually slows among the nations, their minds soon return to the marvels they discovered at the Factory. They recalled seeing heretofore unknown mech technology in various states of disrepair or development, and it isn't long before each has decided to return to the factory and steal some unknown military technology - strictly as a precautionary measure lest a neighbor become too aggressive, of course. Each nation dispatches a leading official to sneak into the Factory and return with one of these mech prototypes that could be of future military value.
Scenario Setup & Rules
Players set up as usual (taking any reward bonuses from previous victories).
Place mechs from an unused faction on the Factory, equal to the number of players in the game (eg. Three mechs for three players). In a five player game, use a substitute token to represent the mechs.
Players' characters, upon reaching the factory and after taking a factory card (their first time there), will now pilot one of these mechs back to their home base.
The Factory mech can only move when escorted by a character.
Factory mech s are in various states of disrepair. Therefore, the following rules apply:
In combat, they do not contribute a combat card, only the faction's characters and mechs do that.
Mech abilities unlocked on the faction mats do NOT apply to Factory mechs.
Factory mechs can Riverwalk to all territories (and so can characters, while escorting them).
If a character is defeated in combat , the mech it was escorting remains in that territory and can be claimed by any player's character that isn't already escorting a mech.
Game end and final scoring are as usual.
Episode Reward
Players receive a +1 power bonus in future games for each mech they hold on their home peninsula at the end of the game. (Place a number in the box on the Episode Rewards Sheet to mark your reward).
The winner of the episode may place the Armory on a worker-controlled territory during the setup of future games.
Episode 7: Hearts And Minds
The increased militarism creeping back into the continent has caused murmurings of a second Great War among the people. Gradually, productivity wanes as the population of Europa grows nervous and rumors swirl. The leaders of each nation slowly realize that they need to allay any fears and make an effort to assure their people that war is not eminent.
Scenario Setup & Rules
Set up as usual (taking any rewards from previous victories), with the following changes:
Players each take one additional Objective card (but may only complete the usual number of objectives).
All players begin with 1 Popularity (before EpisodeReward bonuses).
In addition to the regular cost, players must pay ONE 1 popularity any time they place a mech (via Deploy or Encounter/Factory cards). If they cannot pay that popularity, they may not place the mech.
End game and final scoring are as usual.
Episode Rewards
The faction with the highest popularity at the end of the game may place a worker on the third hex of their starting peninsula in all future games of this campaign. Break ties in the following order: 1) most Recruits, 2) most structures, 3) fewest mechs, 4) most resources, 5) most coins.
The winning faction may begin all future games by placing the Monument on one of his worker-occupied starting territories
Episode 8: Posturing
Peace and prosperity have been propagated. As the people increase their wealth and comfort, fear of aggression from their formerly hostile neighbors grows.
Eventually, the people begin to demand that their governments protect them as they become increasingly cautious, fearful, and xenophobic.
Once again, they have something to lose, and they do not want to lose everything for a second time. The nations' leaders all respond to the cries of their people, some with feigned reluctance, and others by stoking the flames of fear and mistrust. As a show of strength meant to bolster the morale of their people, each nation becomes much more aggressive in defending its borders and takes increasingly more aggressive stances toward enemy militaries.
Scenario Setup & Rules
Players set up as usual, taking any previous Victory Rewards bonuses.
Lose ONE 1 popularity any time an enemy combat unit that did not begin its turn on or adjacent to one of your three home territories, ends its turn on or adjacent to one of your three home territories.
Gain ONE 1 popularity every time you successfully defeat an enemy combat unit on or adjacent to your starting peninsula.
Game end and final scoring are as usual, with the following additional scoring categories:
Defend the homeland: Players gain the following bonuses based on the number of territories in their home peninsula and adjacent hexes that are occupied by enemy combat units: 0: 6 coins, 1-2: 3 coins, 3+: 0 coins.
Show of Force: Players gain bonus co ins for having their own combat units adjacent to enemy combat units: 1-2 enemy units: 2 coins, 3-4 enemy units: 5 coins, 5-6 enemy units: 8 coins, 7+ enemy units: 12 coins.
Episode Rewards
The winner of this episode receives +1 combat card to start all future games in this campaign.
Episode 9: Peace Talks
Recent events and posturing have caused tensions throughout Europa. Citizens are anxious and governments are nervous.
Not all parties have the s ame military ambitions, and to that end, leaders from each nation have managed to broker a cease-fire in order to hold peace talks. Their hope is to negotiate a permanent cease-fire and eventual truce between all nations. They stand at a crossroad, and time will tell whether they can learn the lessons of the past and usher in a new era of peace, or will succumb to the rising tide of fear and violence that threatens to consume them.
Episode Setup & Rules
Players set up as usual (taking any previous victor y rewards bonuses), with the following adjustment: All characters (leaders)begin on their faction mats, as they are away at the peace talks. This leaves players with only their starting workers and any victory bonuses.
Only a violation of the present cease-fire will draw the characters from the peace talks - if more than one player places stars for combat, the cease fire is immediately broken, and all faction leaders leave the peace talks and begin returning home.
Characters may not be deployed until the cease-fire has been violated, which happens immediately when a second player places a combat star.
After the cease fire has been violated, players may use the Deploy action to bring their characters into play. To Deploy a character, players must: Pay a cost of 1 food, 1 wood, 1 oil, and 1 metal (instead of the usual Deploy cost). Deploy their character to their base. aaa
Game-end and final scoring are as usual; however, the episode rewards, and the very nature of the final two episodes, will vary based on the events of this game.
Victory Rewards Cease-fire Was Maintained
The faction that committed combat during the cease-fire suffers economic sanctions by the rest of Europa. For the next episode, they may not use the Trade action.
All other factions receive +1 Popularity in Episode 10.
Advance to episode 10-A.
Victory Rewards Cease-fire Was Broken
All Factions that placed combat stars receive +1 power for the remainder of the campaign.
The winning faction receives +1 combat card for the rest of the campaign.
Advance to episode 10-B.
Episode 10-A: A New Dawn
The peace talks were successful.
Suspicions remain high amongst the populace and their leaders, but hope too gradually bubbles up as the possibility of long-term peace slowly becomes more tangible. Old recovery efforts, long ago interrupted by threats of war, are resumed, and each nation is now on a mission to finish their rebuilding and become the greatest nation they can as they usher in a new era of peace and prosperity.
Scenario Setup & Rules
Players set up as usual (taking any rewards from previous victories), with one exception: The Saxony faction may take TWO 2 additional objective cards.
Players can score six 6 stars from objectives.
Players can score "Objective" stars fo r every TWO 2 encounters they have.
Players should keep their encounter cards/tokens as a reminder during the game.
Players may ONLY score stars from structures, recruits, popularity, and power, objectives and encounters (1 objective star for every 2 encounters).
Every time a player completes an objective card, the player draws two new objective cards and returns any one card they are holding to the bottom of the deck.
The game ends when a player places the sixth star for their faction. Tally scoring as usual.
Episode Rewards
The faction that places all SIX 6 stars receives an Objective Bonus. For all future games, this faction may draw ONE 1 additional objective card during setup.
The faction with the highest score may build the Mill as a free action during the setup of future games.
Episode 10-B: Battle For The Factory
Any pretense of "national defense" has fallen aside. The aggressive posturing of opposing nations has been leveraged by local leaders to whip the populace into a frenzy. Fear of the unknown has driven the people of every nation to demand a preemptive move to stop any violence against them before it might start. Every nation is now in an open arms race and dashing all-out for the Factory, to grab whatever advantages they can in order to drive their enemies into submission before the same might be done to them.
Scenario Setup & Rules
Players set up as usual (taking any previous victory rewards bonuses).
The winner is the player who controls the Factory when the sixth star is placed.
If no player controls the Factory when the sixth star is placed, decide the winner by most money, as usual.
Episode Reward
The winning faction begins the next episode with one mech deployed at the factory.
Episode 11-A: Lessons Learned
The tenuous peace continues to hold, and each nation once again equips their mechs to assist in production and recovery. The citizens of Europa breathe a collective sigh of relief as they cautiously begin to settle in to new lives of peace. However, it takes time for old anxieties and animosity to fade, and the people of each nation remain vigilant and wary of foreign forces.
Even a whiff of aggression sets the rumor mills churning and it will not take long for word to spread across the land if any nation shows signs of returning to the warring ways of recent history. The people are ready for a new era of prosperity, and, as they see it, history's weapons of war have no place in this new world, other than as tools for peace.
Episode Setup & Rules
Players set up as usual (taking any rewards from previous victories).
The following rules changes apply:
Mechs may produce resources just like workers, except on villages.
Deploy action: Players must pay 1 popularity (in addition to the regular cost) if a mech will be deployed outside their home peninsulas.
Factions may not gain popularity while they have mechs outside of their home peninsula.
Game-end and final scoring are as usual.
The faction to win this episode becomes a civic and cultural leader throughout Europa. They will usher in a newly enlightened era, learning from their past and growing together with neighbors in a new world of peace and prosperity. This faction in particular stands as a beacon of hope as dawn breaks on the dark years that followed the Great War and its ensuing recovery.
Congratulations! You have won this campaign and lead the way in ushering in a new era of peace and prosperity for the people of Europa.
Episode 11-B: Lessons Of The Past, Forgotten
Full-scale war has once again strangled Europa. Any hope for peace is now lost and forgotten. There will be no treaties. There will be no quarter. A fierce, unyielding fire of fear and bloodlust has engulfed the continent and nothing can extinguish it - it must simply run its course.
Unadulterated nationalism runs rampant, and pride in national victories overrides any reputational damage that may have once occurred. Every nation seeks to distinguish itself, but only one will rise up to establish, once and for all, its dominance over the region.
Scenario Setup & Rules
Players set up as usual, taking any previous Episode Rewards bonuses. In addition, all players receive the following, during setup: +2 Combat cards, +2 Power, one 1 free mech deployed on any worker-occupied space on their home peninsula. The winner of the previous episode deploys an additional mech on the Factory to start the game.
When drawing combat cards or gaining power, all players gain +1 card or power, respectively.
No faction loses popularity for displacing workers after combat.
Polania's "camaraderie" ability has a new effect: Polania gains 1 popularity for displacing workers during combat.
All factions still lose popularity for displacing workers in non-combat movement.
The game-end and final scoring are as usual.
Episode Reward
The winner of this episode is the victor of the campaign, but only the strictest sense.
War has once again ravaged the land. Fields are destroyed, populations slain, and the nations are once again in ruin.
The winning faction has imposed its will on the people of Europa, who now must decide between moving forward under the thumb of this tyrannical nation, or rising up to claim their freedom yet again.
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