In Imperial Struggle, debt is an important element in the game, and its rules are as follows:
6.1 Taking Debt[]
- During their Action Round, a player can choose to take Debt to increase their Action Points. Each Debt taken grants 1 Action Point of the type corresponding to the Major or Minor action on the player's selected Investment tile, or from Action Points granted by an Event.
6.2 Reducing Debt[]
- When a player passes during their Action Round (by not selecting an Investment tile), they can reduce their Current Debt by 2.
6.3 Debt Limit[]
- A player cannot voluntarily take Debt if doing so would exceed their current Debt Limit.
- The Debt Limit can be increased through various in-game effects.
- If a player is forced to take Debt and cannot take the full amount due to reaching their Debt Limit, any Debt not taken awards 1 Victory Point (VP) to their opponent for each Debt not taken.
6.4 Available Debt[]
- Some Event cards have bonuses triggered by Available Debt.
- Available Debt is the difference between a player's current Debt and their Debt Limit. Therefore, the player with a greater difference between their current Debt and their Debt Limit has more Available Debt.
Play Note[]
- Debt serves as "wild" Action Points but carries the risk of vulnerability to dangerous Event cards. Players must carefully consider the balance between taking on Debt for added actions and the potential consequences of triggering adverse Events, especially if they know certain dangerous Event cards are in play.