ABOUT THE ILLUMINATI
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The Bavarian Illuminati
Formally known as the “Ancient Illuminated Seers of
Bavaria,” these are the original Illuminati. Many consider
them to be the prototype of all subversive secret societies.
They were indicted three times by the Spanish
Inquisition but largely protected by their vows of
secrecy each time. In 1776, the Bavarians were thought
to have infiltrated the Freemasons, planning to conquer
that organization from within.
Power and Goals: The Bavarians’ goal is simply
raw power. They can win by controlling Groups with a
total Power of 35 (including their own Power of 10).
They are subtler than the other Illuminati; their special
ability lets them make a privileged attack each turn at the
cost of 5 MB.
Playing the Bavarian Illuminati: You have the high-
est Power, a good Income, and a special power that
makes it hard for players to defend against you.
Remember your special power and use it! Furthermore,
your Goal is directly related to the strength of your Power
Structure. When you build up your position in the game,
you are also moving directly toward your victory!
Your best strategy is to play firmly, but conserva-
tively. Don’t make waves or antagonize the other
players. If they combine against you, they can bring you
down. If they leave you alone, you have a good chance of
moving steadily toward victory – or toward a sudden
coup, like taking over a whole arm of someone else’s
Power Structure, that will give you the Power you need.
The most desirable puppets for the Bavarians are the
high-powered Groups: the Mafia, the International
Communist Conspiracy, and so on.
Opposing the Bavarian Illuminati: Good luck! The
Bavarian Illuminati have no particular weak point. Your
best bet is to watch them carefully, playing on the other
Illuminati’s fear of the Bavarian power and abilities.
Together you may be able to bring him down, or at least
keep him too weak to win.
The Bermuda Triangle
Sinking ships is just a sideline with these people.
Their philosophy is to ensure control by taking over many
different types of Groups. They are so shrouded in
mystery and fear that others are always taking the blame
for the unexplained happenings around their headquarters
off the Florida coast.
Power and Goals: The Bermuda Triangle player has the
ability to reorganize his Power Structure freely at the end of
each turn. The Triangle wins by collecting at least one
example of each of the ten different alignments. If a Group
has several alignments, it counts for each of them.
Playing the Triangle: Your enemies will be continually
looking over your shoulder, counting alignments. Once you
get six or seven, they’ll make it hard for you to add more.
Often your best bet is to deal with another player – an
exchange that gives you two or three Groups at once, sealing
your victory, while giving him what he needs for his own
Goals.
The Triangle is the most likely of all the Illuminati to
benefit from making a deal. Keep your lines of communica-
tion open, and always have a little spare cash and a Special
card or two, to improve your bargaining position.
Alternatively, if your enemies are obsessed with count-
ing alignments and keeping you away from your special
victory, you can make a quick stab at a regular victory. This
often works, and your rivals will hate themselves for letting
you get away with it.
The most desirable targets for the Triangle are those
combining many different alignments: the Semiconscious
Liberation Army is the biggest prize of all! And the Orbital
Mind Control Lasers can give you the victory by changing
an alignment at the right time.
Opposing the Triangle: First, make absolutely sure that
he doesn’t get the SLA. If you can, keep him away from the
IRS and KGB, too; though they have only two alignments
each, they are comparatively rare ones (and, unlike the SLA,
the Groups themselves are useful).
Pick one relatively rare alignment, like Communist or
Weird, and make sure that none are available for the Triangle
to pick up. The Discordians will happily help you keep the
Weird Groups out of circulation, but don’t let them get too
far with it!
The Triangle will want the Orbital Mind Control Lasers.
You must keep them out of his hands.
In general, watch the Bermuda Triangle closely, but
don’t just concentrate on how many alignments he has picked
up. Look at which ones he still needs. If he is still trying for
a Communist, he can be stopped. But if all he needs, for
instance, is a Violent Group, look out! There are Violent card
everywhere, and many of them are fairly easy to capture.
The Discordian Society
Worshippers of Eris, the Roman Goddess of Strife and
Chaos, they delight in confusion. The Discordians seek to
bring all the strange and peculiar elements of society under
their banner, and especially delight in confusing the
“straights” around them.
Power and Goals: The Discordians can win by control-
ling five Weird Groups, and they get an extra +4 on all
attempts to control such Groups. Because of their chaotic
nature, they are immune to attacks from Straight or
Government Groups. No Straight or Government Group
may attack the Discordian power structure in any way, or aid
such an attack.
Playing Discordia: Your special powers are of no use
offensively, and your Power and Income aren’t especially
good. But hang in there! The other Illuminati aren’t likely to
see you as a threat. Enlarge your Power Structure gradually,
picking up Weird cards when you can. Be sure to get a cou-
ple of Groups with two or three control arrows, because few
of your Weirds will have any control arrows at all.
To reinforce your “harmless” impression, you may even
want to pass occasionally. By the time your foes see you as
a threat, you should be able to deal with them . . . and when
they attack, they will have to do it without some of their
most powerful Groups, because Straight and Government
Groups cannot affect you in any way.
The Secret Masters of Fandom (S.M.O.F.) and the
Science Fiction Fans are useful puppets for you.
Opposing Discordia: Since very few Weird Groups have
Power, they cannot be destroyed (except with the
Whispering Campaign card).
The few Weird Groups that do
have power are very valuable to Discordia. Destroy them or
take them over yourself. The International Communist
Conspiracy, the Mafia, and the CFL-AIO, which are neither
Straight or Government, are good tools to use against the
Discordians.
When Discordia gets three Weird Groups, be careful.
When he gets four, act!
The Gnomes of Zurich
This is the old nickname for the Swiss bankers who are
reputed to be the money-masters of the world. Not only do
they have huge amounts of money, but they can transfer it
quickly and easily, and they have a finger in every financial
pie.
Power and Goals: The Gnomes may move money freely
among all their Groups at the end of a turn. They win by
amassing 150 megabucks – not just on their Illuminati, but
in the treasuries of their whole power structure.
Playing the Gnomes: Try to take control of high Income
cards like the IRS, the Multinational Oil Companies, the
Republicans, the Democrats, and the International Cocaine
Smugglers. However, if you openly move in on the super-
high Income Groups, your foes are likely to target you for
extinction.
Trying for a larger number of moderately lucrative
Groups is often more productive. Your overall income will
be the same, and your Power Structure will be dispersed and
harder to hurt.
If you get the Market Manipulation card, hold it until
you can win at one stroke by cashing it in. Meanwhile, don’t
be reluctant to spend money when you need to. Don’t attack
indiscriminately, but defend your income-producing
Groups. If you lose them, you might as well give up.
Opposing The Gnomes: Keep track of their overall
income – the amount of money they make each turn. When
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