Secret Russian

Secret Russian: Game Description & Official Manual

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Part I: Game Description

1.1 Overview and Lore

Step into a high-stakes, atmospheric world of political intrigue, covert espionage, and psychological deception in Secret Russian, a premier social deduction and hidden-role board game set within The Moscow Citadel. Set against the backdrop of a tense mid-20th-century Cold War capital, Secret Russian pits two secret factions—the Loyalists and the Subversives—against each other in a fierce battle for control of the State Council. Merging elements of political strategy, parliamentary voting, deduction, and tactical bluffing, this game challenges 5 to 10 players to uncover hidden identities, pass critical state decrees, and determine the fate of the nation.

In Secret Russian, players are secretly assigned identity cards at the start of the match: the majority become Loyalists striving to maintain stability, while a minority become hidden Subversives seeking to undermine the regime. Among the Subversives lurks the ultimate shadow agent—the Secret Russian. The Subversives know the identities of all their co-conspirators, but the Secret Russian remains anonymous to the Loyalist majority. Each round, a designated Premier nominates a Director to form a governing Cabinet. The assembly votes on this Cabinet, and if approved, the two leaders draw and enact State Decrees. Loyalists win by enacting five Loyalist Decrees or by identifying and executing the Secret Russian; Subversives win by enacting six Subversive Decrees or by successfully electing the Secret Russian as Director after three Subversive Decrees have been passed.

Designed for social gatherings, deduction enthusiasts, and tabletop strategists, Secret Russian delivers an exhilarating mix of tension, paranoia, and analytical gameplay. Every vote cast, every decree passed, and every legislative veto becomes a piece of information—or a calculated lie. Featuring crisp high-definition 2D vector artwork, an immersive atmospheric soundtrack of dark ambient radio chatter and classical orchestration, smooth digital board controls, customizable table settings, and dynamic leaderboards, Secret Russian presents an unforgettable psychological arena where trust is a weapon and betrayal is an art form.

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1.2 Component Inventory & Player HUD Layout

Whether played via point-and-click desktop interfaces or intuitive mobile touch displays, Secret Russian provides a clean, highly organized parliamentary dashboard:

• 1 Central Government Table (The State Canvas):
  • The Decree Tracks: Two parallel tracks displaying enacted Loyalist Decrees (5 slots to victory) and Subversive Decrees (6 slots to victory).
  • Election Tracker: A 3-step failure meter tracking rejected Cabinet proposals; three consecutive failed votes result in an automatic random decree enactment.
• 1 Secret Identity & Envelope Dock:
  • Secret Dossier: Houses your hidden Role Card (Loyalist, Subversive, or Secret Russian) and Party Membership Card.
  • Ballot Box: Contains single-use "Ja!" (Yes) and "Nein!" (No) voting cards for Cabinet confirmation.
• 1 Cabinet & Legislative Interface:
  • Decree Draw Pile: The active policy deck containing hidden Loyalist and Subversive Decree cards.
  • Executive Action Dock: Unlocks special presidential powers for the Premier as Subversive Decrees advance (Investigate Loyalty, Call Special Election, Inspect Policy Deck, Execution).
• 1 Session HUD & Player Rosters:
  • Seat Registry: Visual circular table showing player positions, current Premier/Director titles, speech indicators, and vote histories.
  • Game Log & Vote Matrix: Tracks historical voting patterns across all previous Cabinet proposals for analytical deduction.

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1.3 Visual Aesthetics and Acoustic Atmosphere

Secret Russian surrounds players with a stark, cold, and thrilling Cold War aesthetic engineered to heighten suspicion and tactical focus:

• Stark Cold War Visuals: High-definition 2D visuals featuring dark marble council chambers, stamped manila case files, crimson and navy velvet table felts, flickering reel-to-reel tape indicators, and dramatic spotlight animations during executions.
• Tense Acoustic Design: A brooding orchestral soundtrack layered with subtle telegraph clicks, heavy wooden gavel strikes, soft paper rustles, radio static, and a sharp musical crescendo during critical vote reveals.

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1.4 Core Objectives

The primary objective in Secret Russian depends strictly on your secret faction identity:

• Loyalist Faction Objective: Enact 5 Loyalist Decrees OR successfully execute the Secret Russian using an Executive Power.
• Subversive Faction Objective: Enact 6 Subversive Decrees OR elect the Secret Russian as Director at any point after the $3\text{rd}$ Subversive Decree has been enacted.

Player performance is evaluated through:

1. Deductive Accuracy: Identifying the secret alignment of other players based on voting patterns and policy outcomes.
2. Bluffing & Rhetoric: Convincing the assembly of your loyalty regardless of your true underlying identity.
3. Cabinet Governance: Successfully passing desired faction decrees while serving as Premier or Director.
4. Executive Control: Utilizing unlocked executive powers effectively to gain information or eliminate threats.

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Part II: Gameplay Instructions

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2.1 Faction Distribution & Setup Rules

Before a match begins, players receive a secret identity dossier based on the total player count.

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Distribution Table

Identity cards are shuffled in secret envelopes and distributed to players:

Player Count	Loyalists	Subversives	Secret Russian	Subversive Knowledge Rule
5 Players	3	1	1	Subversive and Secret Russian see each other
6 Players	4	1	1	Subversive and Secret Russian see each other
7 Players	4	2	1	Subversives see each other; Secret Russian does NOT know them
8 Players	5	2	1	Subversives see each other; Secret Russian does NOT know them
9 Players	5	3	1	Subversives see each other; Secret Russian does NOT know them
10 Players	6	3	1	Subversives see each other; Secret Russian does NOT know them

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2.2 Structure of a Gameplay Turn (The Legislative Cycle)

A single round of Secret Russian follows three sequential, distinct phases:

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Phase 1: Electoral Phase (Nomination & Vote)

1. Premier Succession: The Premier title passes clockwise to the next eligible player.
2. Director Nomination: The new Premier nominates an eligible player to serve as Director.
   • Eligibility Constraint: The previous Premier and previous Director cannot be nominated as Director in the current election (in 5-player games, only the previous Director is ineligible).
3. Assembly Vote: All players simultaneously cast their public vote using their "Ja!" or "Nein!" ballot cards.
   • Majority "Ja!": The Cabinet is confirmed! Proceed immediately to Phase 2.
   • Tie or Majority "Nein!": The Cabinet fails. The Election Tracker advances by $+1$. The Premier title passes clockwise to the next candidate.

$$\text{Election Tracker Reset Condition} = \text{Successful Cabinet Vote (Enacted Decree)}$$

$$\text{Election Tracker Overflow (3 Failures)} = \text{Top Decree Auto-Enacted} \quad \& \quad \text{Tracker Resets}$$

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Phase 2: Legislative Phase (Decree Passing)

Once confirmed, the Cabinet enters the legislative chamber to enact a policy:

1. Premier Draw: The Premier draws the top $3$ Decree Cards from the Decree Deck, examines them in total secrecy, discards $1$ card face-down into the discard pile, and hands the remaining $2$ cards to the Director.
2. Director Enactment: The Director examines the $2$ cards in secrecy, discards $1$ card face-down into the discard pile, and places the remaining $1$ card face-up on its corresponding track (Loyalist or Subversive).
3. Communication Restrictions: Absolute silence is required during card handling! Players may discuss, lie, or state their actions only after the enacted decree is placed on the board.

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Phase 3: Executive Phase (Powers & Settlement)

If the newly enacted decree opens an Executive Power slot on the Subversive Decree Track, the current Premier must execute that power before the round concludes:

• Investigate Loyalty: The Premier inspects the secret Party Membership Card (Loyalist or Subversive) of any chosen player.
• Call Special Election: The Premier chooses any eligible player to become the next Premier candidate.
• Policy Inspection: The Premier secretly views the top $3$ un-drawn Decree Cards in the deck.
• Execution: The Premier executes one player at the table, removing them permanently from the game! (If the executed player is the Secret Russian, Loyalists win instantly).
• Veto Power (Unlocked after $5\text{th}$ Subversive Decree): The Director may request a Veto. If the Premier agrees, both drawn cards are discarded, and the Election Tracker advances by $+1$.

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2.3 Fundamental Tactics & Step-by-Step Strategy

Winning Secret Russian requires strategic calculation, behavior tracking, and tactical manipulation:

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Technique 1: Mathematical Deduction & Conflict Tracking

Track every card discard claim! If a Premier claims they handed the Director one Loyalist and one Subversive card, but the Director passes a Subversive card, one of them is lying—or forced by a 3-Subversive draw. Identify these "Conflicts" to isolate potential Subversives.

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Technique 2: The Subversive Infiltration (Subversive Strategy)

As a Subversive player, do not pass Subversive Decrees on every opportunity! Building early trust by passing Loyalist Decrees allows you to secure late-game Cabinet positions or get elected as Director after the $3\text{rd}$ Subversive Decree is unlocked.

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Technique 3: Protecting the Secret Russian

If you are a regular Subversive, act aggressively and draw suspicion onto yourself! Creating chaos draws the attention of Loyalist execution powers away from the true Secret Russian, keeping your leader safe until election victory.

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Technique 4: Loyalist Voting Discipline

As a Loyalist, treat Cabinet votes with extreme caution! Voting "Ja!" on unproven or suspicious Cabinets risks handing free Subversive decrees or giving the Secret Russian an immediate game-winning Director position late in the match.

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2.4 Executive Power Unlocks by Player Count

Executive powers trigger on specific slots of the Subversive Decree Track depending on table size:

Subversive Slot	5–6 Players	7–8 Players	9–10 Players
1st Decree	None	None	Investigate Loyalty
2nd Decree	None	Investigate Loyalty	Investigate Loyalty
3rd Decree	Policy Inspection	Special Election	Special Election
4th Decree	Execution	Execution	Execution
5th Decree	Execution & Veto	Execution & Veto	Execution & Veto

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2.5 Game End & Victory Conditions

A match of Secret Russian officially concludes upon reaching either of two absolute outcome states:

1. Loyalist Triumph:
   • The $5\text{th}$ Loyalist Decree is successfully placed on the track.
   • OR the Secret Russian is Executed via the Premier’s Execution power.
2. Subversive Domination:
   • The $6\text{th}$ Subversive Decree is successfully placed on the track.
   • OR the Secret Russian is Elected Director in any confirmed Cabinet after $3$ Subversive Decrees have been enacted.

The player who controls the assembly, masterfully navigates hidden agendas, and commands political rhetoric earns the title of Grand Marshal of the Citadel!

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2.6 System Integrity & Field Settings

• Automated Card Shuffling: Ensures mathematically pristine deck randomization for all legislative draws.
• Public Vote Matrix: Toggleable interface displaying real-time historical voting records for all players.
• Cross-Platform Cloud Sync: Profile progress, custom avatar borders, win-loss statistics, and global rank titles sync seamlessly across desktop and mobile devices.

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Secret Russian Manual © Moscow Citadel Studios. All rights reserved.