Andean Abyss - Rulebook

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R U L E S O F P L AY

SECOND EDITION

by Volko Ruhnke

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

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1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2. Sequence of Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3. Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4. Special Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5. Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6. Propaganda Rounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7. Victory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8. Non-Player Factions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Key Terms Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Available Forces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Andean Abyss

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Andean Abyss is a 1-4-player game depicting insurgent and

counterinsurgent (COIN) conflict in Colombia during the 1990s

and early 2000s. Each player takes the role of a Faction seek-

ing to run Colombian affairs: the Government (Govt) or 1 of 3

Insurgent Factions—the Marxist FARC, the right-wing AUC

“paramilitaries”, or the narco-trafficking Cartels. Using military,

political, and economic actions and exploiting various events,

players build and maneuver forces to influence the population,

extract resources, or otherwise achieve their Faction’s aims. A

deck of cards regulates turn order, events, victory checks, and

other processes. The rules can run non-player Factions, enabling

solitaire, 2-player, or multi-player games.

Andean Abyss is the inaugural volume in the COIN Series of

games that use similar rules to cover a variety of insurgencies and

other inter-factional conflicts. This Second Edition extensively

alters and augments rules and play aids throughout to bring this

volume up to date within the Series. Updated cards are marked

“2nd Ed”.

This rule book lists and defines key game terms in an index on

pages 19-20. The most important game functions are summarized

on several aid sheets. Game setup is explained on the flip side of

the Sequence of Play aid sheet.

1.1 General Course of Play

Andean Abyss—unlike most card-assisted war games—does not

use hands of cards. Instead, cards are played from the deck one at

time, with one card ahead revealed to all players. Each Event card

shows the order in which the Factions become Eligible to choose

between the card’s Event or one of a menu of Operations and

Special Activities. Executing an Event or Operation carries the

penalty of rendering that Faction Ineligible to do so on the next

card. Propaganda cards mixed in with the Event cards provide

periodic opportunities for instant wins and for activities such as

collecting resources and influencing popular sympathies.

1.2 Components

A complete set of Andean Abyss includes:

• A 22”x34” mounted game board.

• A deck of 76 cards.

• 153 dark and light blue, red, green, and yellow wooden forces

pieces, some embossed (1.4; see “Available Forces” on the rule

book’s back for a complete listing).

• 8 cylinders, embossed (1.7, 2.2).

• 6 black and 6 white pawns (3.1.1).

• A sheet of markers.

• 2 Sequence of Play and Setup sheets.

• 4 Faction player aid foldouts.

• 1 Non-player Insurgents flowcharts foldout.

• 1 Non-player aid foldout with Government flowchart.

• 3 6-sided dice: 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green.

• A background Playbook.

• This rule book.

1.3 The Map

The map shows the country of Colombia divided into various

types of spaces, as well as parts of neighboring countries.

1.3.1 Map Spaces. Map spaces include rural Departments

(Depts), urban Cities, and Lines of Communication (LoCs)

between them. All spaces—including LoCs—can hold forces.

Mountain Department

(Dept)

Line of Communication

(Pipeline)

City

Grassland Department

Forest Department

Town

Department Boundary

Department Name

Population Value

Place bases here

At Start set up

Line of Communication

(Road)

Place Terror markers here

Place Support and Opposition

markers here

Andean Abyss

1.3.2 Departments. Each Department shows a Population value

(Pop) of 0, 1, or 2 that affects victory via Support for or Oppo-

sition to the Government (1.6) and some Insurgent Operations

(3.3). Departments are further distinguished by terrain as Tropical

Forest (Forest), Mountain, or Grassland, affecting some COIN

Operations (3.2) and Events (5.0).

1.3.3 Cities. Each City similarly shows a Population value of 1

to 8 (each Population value representing a million Colombians).

1.3.4 LoCs. Each Line of Communication (LoC) shows an Eco-

nomic value (Econ) of 1 to 3 that affects Government Resources

(1.7). LoCs are further distinguished as Roads or Pipelines.

Pipelines tend to have higher Economic value and affect certain

Events.

DESIGN NOTE: LoCs also represent other transportation ar-

teries and infrastructure such as power lines that parallel roads

and pipelines.

1.3.5 Foreign Countries. The map includes parts of Brazil (Bra-

sil), Ecuador, Panamá, Perú, and Venezuela. They are not spaces

(1.3.1) unless and until specified by Event (5.0).

EXAMPLE: The “Darién” Event renders Panamá a 0 Population

Forest Department for all purposes, except that Sweep Opera-

tions do not Activate Guerrillas there (3.2.3).

NOTE: Venezuela is next to Guainía but not Vaupés, affecting

the “Hugo Chávez” Event.

1.3.6 Adjacency. Adjacency affects the movement of forces and

implementation of certain Events. Any 2 spaces meeting one of

the following conditions are adjacent:

• Spaces that border on (touch) one another.

• Departments separated by LoCs.

• LoCs or Departments separated by Towns.

NOTE: Towns are not spaces; they merely separate LoCs or

Departments.

1.3.7 Coasts. Spaces adjacent to blue areas are coastal, affecting

the “Narco-Subs” Event.

1.4 Forces

The wooden pieces represent the Factions’ various forces: Gov-

ernment Troops (dark-blue cubes) and Police (light-blue cubes),

Insurgent Guerrillas, and all Factions’ Bases.

Government Cubes:

FARC

Guerrillas:

Bases:

Troops

Police

Underground

Active

AUC

Cartels

Use to mark City and

Department Control (1.8)

Use to mark FARC Zones

(6.4.4)

Govt Capa-

bilities

Use on the Edge Track:

Victory-related and Aid markers

Use on the Propa-

ganda Track

Support and Opposition markers

(1.6.2)

Terror

(3.3.4)

Event Reminder

markers

Sabotage

(3.3.4)

Drug Shipment

Overflow marker

TYPES OF FORCES

ADJACENCY EXAMPLE: The 4 Departments and 4 LoCs around

the Town of Ayacucho are all adjacent to each other because they

are separated by a Town. Antioquia and the Forest Department

to the west are adjacent because they are separated by a LoC.

FARC

Govern-

ment

Andean Abyss

• With 3 players, AUC runs the Cartels.

• With 2 players, Government runs AUC; FARC runs the Cartels.

A player running two Factions uses the lower victory margin of

the two (7.1-.3) and only causes play to end on a victory check

(6.1) if both Factions are meeting their conditions. Players may

not voluntarily transfer (1.5.2) between their own Factions.

Non-Player Option: If playing solitaire, or as an alternative

to the above with two or three players, use the Non-player

rules in section 8 to govern leftover Factions:

1.5.2 Negotiation. Players may make any mutual arrangements

within the rules but may voluntarily transfer only Resources (1.7)

or Shipments (4.5.3) and only during either’s execution by the

Sequence of Play (2.3.4) of an Operation or Event. All negoti-

ations are open. The rules do not bind players to agreements.

1.6 Support and Opposition

Support and Opposition affect victory and some Operations.

1.6.1 Cities and Departments with at least 1 Population (1.3.2-3)

always show 1 of 5 levels of its populace’s Support for or Oppo-

sition to the Government that can shift during play:

• Active Support.

• Passive Support.

• Neutral.

• Passive Opposition.

• Active Opposition.

1.6.2 Show Active or Passive Support or Opposition with mark-

ers placed in each City or Department. Show Neutral spaces by

the absence of such markers. Active Support/Opposition counts

double for Total Support/Opposition (1.6.3).

NOTE: LoCs (1.3.4) and Population 0 Departments never hold

Support or Opposition markers (they are always Neutral).

1.6.3 Total Support and Total Opposi-

tion. Government or FARC victory de-

pends on the total value of population

Support or Opposition (plus FARC Bases,

7.2), respectively. Adjust “Total Support” or “Opposi-

tion + Bases” on the numbered edge track per the box

below as any change to Support, Opposition, or the

number of FARC Bases occurs.

Total Support and Opposition Equations

Total Support equals:

(2 x Population in Active Support) + (1 x Population in Passive

Support)

Total Opposition equals:

(2 x Population in Active Opposition) + (1 x Population in

Passive Opposition)

Opposition + Bases equals:

Total Opposition + The number of FARC Bases on the map

DESIGN NOTE: Bases represent not only training and bivouac

facilities but also, for the Insurgents, political administration as

well as coca or poppy fields and processing labs.

PLAY NOTE: Use “Overflow” boxes for Forces that exceed the

room in a City or smaller Department on the map; place the

corresponding Overflow marker in that space.

1.4.1 Availability and Removal. The inventory shown on the

“Available Forces” chart on the back of this rule book limits the

number of pieces that may be in play. Keep forces not on the

map in the Available Forces holding areas. (Place Bases in the

highest-numbered empty circles, revealing the number of on-map

Bases to help track victory, 7.0)

• Forces may only be placed from or replaced with those avail-

able in the holding areas—ignore any instructions to place

forces if the appropriate type is not available because all are

already on the map (remove rather than replace such pieces;