Steppe

BACKGROUND

It is currently the tail end of the 18th century. Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, has just invited you to farm the vast Eurasian Steppes. You are the head of a Mennonite family attempting to establish a homestead in the regions fringing the Russian town of Selena. But be warned! You are not the only one invited by the Empress and the hostile Bolsheviks are gaining power in Moscow. They will not tolerate your pacifist beliefs or cultural heritage. In the face of increasing oppression, you must use wits rather than violence to amass the resources you need to thrive - and then flee!

Gameplay

In this area-control game, play as 1 of 6 Mennonite leaders attempting to peacefully claim the Russian Steppe for themselves then flee the advancing Soviet Regime. Players must navigate competitors and the Communist Party through action selection, resource management, and area-control.

At the start of the game, players decide together which of 12 possible Achievements they will include as the objectives for their specific game. Achievement objectives range from building structures to controlling important territories on the board. Players can choose to play with anywhere from 5-12 potential Achievements, meaning that each game of Steppe is unique depending on the combination of Achievements that the play group decides to use.

Each turn, players must decide between 5 possible actions: harvest, trade, movement, building and gossip. A good strategy will require players to rotate through multiple actions throughout the game, responding to their opponents and the unique game state of the board.

Victory is awarded to the first player to earn 8 Achievements.

Passive-Agressive Area-Control

Discover Steppe's redefined area control with its unique passive-aggressive system. Step into the shoes of the Mennonites in the 18th century Russian steppes, where conflict wasn't settled with violence, but with the exchange of secrets and reputations.

Unlike traditional area-control games, Steppe introduces the "dispute" mechanic. Say goodbye to ammunition and artillery; instead, players race to increase their popularity within the community and unearth damaging secrets about their opponents during the bolstering phase. When disputes arise over lucrative territories, both sides unleash their arsenal of rumors before the discerning Town Council.

The key to victory lies in maintaining your reputation. The player whose reputation remains unscathed retains control of the territory, while the defeated opponent retreats in disgrace. There are no guns, no deaths—just the rise and fall of reputations.

Game Tutorial Video

Video Glossary

0:00 Introduction

0:28 Setup: the board

3:31 Setpup: player mat and character card placement

4:19 Setup: character card

4:55 Setup: player mat

5:24 Setup: positioning (achievements and secrets)

6:16 General Gameplay: Overview

7:24 Turn Order

7:37 How to take your turn

8:32 Actions: harvest

9:20 Actions: Trade

10:45 Actions: gossip

11:52 Actions: movement

12:32 Disputes

14:08 Actions: building

15:52 Achievements/Win Conditions

17:38 Citizenship seal abilities

19:04 Emigration seal penalties

19:46 End game

20:21 Example of a winning turn

22:57 Expansions: secret achievements

23:51 Expansions: extra seals

24:36 Expansions: Stalin mode

Why buy this?

• 7 different terrain options provides ample replayability.
• 36 gossip cards offer a unique alternative to "combat."
• Comes with 3 expansions for mixed gameplay.

Requirements

Components

Component	Quantity	Photo
Domino Mat Set	1 set of 4 domino mats
Large Booklet	1
Domino Deck	1 deck of 12 cards
Domino Deck	1 deck of 12 cards
Large Circle Chit Set	5 sets of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	17 sets of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	2 sets of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	1 set of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	1 set of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	13 sets of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	9 sets of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	2 sets of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	1 set of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	2 sets of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	2 sets of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	2 sets of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	2 sets of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	2 sets of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	2 sets of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	1 set of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	12 sets of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	1 set of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	1 set of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	1 set of 1 large circle chits
Large Circle Chit Set	1 set of 1 large circle chits
Bridge Deck	1 deck of 36 cards
Square Deck	1 deck of 1 cards
Square Deck	1 deck of 4 cards
Square Deck	1 deck of 1 cards
Square Deck	1 deck of 1 cards
Square Deck	1 deck of 1 cards
Square Deck	1 deck of 1 cards
Square Deck	1 deck of 1 cards
Medium Hex Tile Set	1 set of 5 medium hex tiles
Medium Hex Tile Set	1 set of 19 medium hex tiles
Large Retail Box	1
Disc, 16mm x 4mm, Red	24
Halma, Blue	1
Halma, Orange	1
Halma, Purple	1
Halma, White	1
Meeple, Wood, Blue	6
Meeple, Wood, Orange	6
Meeple, Wood, Purple	6
Meeple, Wood, White	6

Possible Discounts