Conquistador Errata & Addenda

Developer's Notes for Conquistador are also available.


Changes to Map

Hexes 2018, 2118, 2119, 2217, 2412 and 2611 should be clear terrain (beige), not impassable (black). Also, the two flanking islands in hex 2512 should be beige.

Land Attrition Table

The Land Attrition Table should be replaced with the following:
Adjusted Area Attrition Level
die-roll 1 2 3 4 5
1 - - - - -
2 - - - - C*
3 - - - C* S
4 - - C S CS
5 - C S CS 2CS
6 C S CS 2CS All

Changes to Rules

8.7: Naval invasions, like naval combat, cost 3 movement points.

14.1.5: If mining in a resource doubled area, each colonist in a hex outside the mine hex would thus collect 2 ducats; when mining in an area which is not "R2", each would collect 1 ducat.

14.4.4 becomes: Players must ship Gold or Treasure from a friendly port that is in the Area in which the Gold or Treasure was produced, if that Area has a coastline. If the Area does not have a coastline, the Gold may be shipped from a port in an adjacent Area. Exceptions: 1) Gold from Gold Mines in the Rockies must be shipped through a port on the Pacific Ocean, and 2) Gold from hex 4213 (the Pitosi silver mines) may be shipped from any port in Rio del Plate. NOTE: Gold from Cuzco may NOT be shipped from Rio del Plate; it must be shipped from a port in the Incan Empire.

16.2.6: Privateers gain column shifts both for Naval Combat and Naval Invasion.

16.3.2 becomes: If there are any Conquistadors present during Land Combat, the Spanish player may subtract one (-1) from the die-roll when attacking, and add one (+1) when defending.

Changes to Expedition Log

Some of the native levels listed on the Expedition Log are incorrect. The correct values are: Midwest Plateau 4 (not 3); Aztec Empire 5 (not 4); Mayan Empire 3 (not 2); Incan Empire 6 (not 5).

Optional Rules for German Bankers

For some reason, Alan Moon chose to remove the German Banker rules from the Second Edition, although the ad copy on the back of the box still talks of an optional fifth player. If I can persuade Avalon Hill to restore them, they will be printed when Conquistador is revised (which will be when the current printing sells out). In the interim:

Changes to Counters

Three Germany Banker Treasury markers must be added (color black, labelled "0 Ducats", "00 Ducats" and "000 Ducats").

Changes to Rules

Add optional rule D, as follows:

D. The German Bankers

These rules are a fairly abstract simulation of 16th Century fiscal realities, and are included for players who wish to increase the scope and dimension of the game. There should be at least three players in the game other than the Banker player if this option is to work well. The Banker player represents the large German banking houses---the Fuggers, the Walsers, and so on. All rules are as in the standard game, except as noted below. Players should note that this option places a premium on economics and diplomacy, and that the German Banker player has quite a bit of control over the destinies of the different countries.
D.1 Mechanics

D.1.1 One player takes the role of the German Bankers. In essence, he plays a somewhat inactive position, controlling destiny though finance. He may not send out any Expeditions, nor make any "active" moves on the game-map.

D.1.2 When using this option,

  1. initial Treasury levels are as follows:
  2. The French player does not get any of the following Explorers at any time during the game: Villegagnon, Ribaut, and Personne. In addition, Gonneville is available during Game-Turns 2 and 3, not 1 and 2.
  3. If there is an English player, he receives the use of Sebastian Cabot only on turns 6 and 11 (exclusive). If there is a Portuguese player, he receives the use of S. Cabot on turns 7 through 10 (inclusive). If there is no Portuguese player, Cabot is not available to any player on turns 7 through 10.

D.1.3 When rolling for taxes, players other than the German Banker add one to the die-roll (a roll of 7 is treated as a roll of 6). This modification does not affect the availability of colonists or random events; the modification is made for taxation purposes only.

D.1.4 The German Banker has a permanent "Monarch" rating of "A". Although he rolls for taxes (no die-roll modification is made), he does not receive colonists and ignores random events.

D.1.5 The German Banker begins with 260 Ducats.

D.1.6 The German Banker may loan money to other players at any rate agreed upon by the parties to the transaction. No other players may make loans or transfer funds in any way to another player. If a player cannot or will not repay a loan at the agreed upon date (together with any accumulated interest), the German Banker may repossess any ships owned by the player that are located in Europe at any time after the negotiation of the loan. Ships are repossessed at the following rates: each Carrack is worth 8 Ducats; each Caravel, worth 4; each Galleon Fleet, worth 40. Ships repossessed are taken complete with cargo. Ships returning to Europe cannot unload any cargo before being repossessed.

D.1.7 Players in debt to the German Bankers must pay off loans before paying any maintenance. The Spanish player still always pays his Missionaries' maintenance before anything else.

D.1.8 If any player rolls "Costly European War" (Event number 4) on the Political Event Table, the German Banker must deduct 40 Ducats from his own Treasury.

D.2 German Banker Explorers

The four German Explorers are controlled by the German Banker player. Although he may not outfit Expeditions himself, he may rent or lend his Explorers to any other player(s), under any mutually agreeable arrangement.

D.3 German Banker Control

The German Banker may demand as partial repayment of loans a percentage of the profits of any Expedition(s) he helps to finance. (This was the normal way of doing business at the time.) If a player has Political Control over an Area, but at least 50% of the profits from that Area (Gold + Resources) are going to the German Bankers, the German Banker, not the actual owning player, is considered to be "in Control" of that Area for Victory purposes.

D.4 German Banker Victory

The German Banker player receives 3 Victory Points for every Ducat in his Treasury at the end of the game. However, he does not receive Discovery credit for any Discovery. He is considered to be the winner if he has the most Victory Points at the end of the game. In addition, whatever his Victory Point total, if his Treasury Level is greater than any two other countries' combined, the German Banker has scored a "technical" victory (i.e., while the other countries may have received the glory, the banking houses are reaping the more tangible benefits).


Pax Britannica errata.
Conquistador Developer's Notes



Copyright © 1985 by Greg Costikyan.