Vienna Connection

To set up Vienna Connection, first, players must access the Antares N.I.A. database online at anterysdatabase.com and create a free account. After logging in, select 'Vienna Connection' and the first mission. On the physical table, place the mission sheet for the chosen mission in the play area. Keep the lead deck, without shuffling or looking through it, and various tokens (dollar signs, stars, bottles, shields) nearby. Open the 'Top Secret' package to retrieve several secret files, placing them within reach but not examining them yet. Locate the mission-specific envelope from the Central Intelligence Agency, open it, and take out its contents, including three operation cards (placed face-up, but do not look at their reverse sides), three local agent cards (placed face-up), and a code envelope (do not open yet). Finally, read the mission setup sheet for the case introduction, then flip it over to follow additional setup steps: add three dollar sign tokens to the pool, add tokens corresponding to the local agent cards to the pool, open the code envelope to collect the code inside, and retrieve specific numbered files from the file stack, ensuring not to look at other files.

The primary objective in Vienna Connection is to collaboratively achieve the specific goals outlined on your mission setup sheet. This typically involves uncovering crucial connections, securing vital code cards, and gathering intelligence to untangle a web of deception and half-truths from the Cold War era. Players work as a team of CIA agents, and success is measured by the effective completion of these objectives, which then influences the unfolding narrative of the overarching campaign.

Unlike traditional board games, Vienna Connection does not have individual player turns. Instead, players collectively decide on actions as a group. These actions include: following leads by drawing numbered cards from the lead deck (which may incur 'exposure'), gaining files by finding direct references to specific file numbers in collected information, conducting searches by looking up real-world information related to symbols on game components (using external resources like Wikipedia or Google), and performing operations by spending specific tokens to resolve effects on operation cards. Decisions are made collaboratively, emphasizing teamwork and strategic discussion.

Vienna Connection does not feature a traditional scoring system. The game's progression and outcome are narrative-driven. Success in a mission is determined by whether the team achieves its stated goals, as outlined on the mission sheet. The choices and actions taken throughout a mission, including successes and failures in solving puzzles or managing exposure, influence the narrative path and available options in subsequent missions. At the end of the entire campaign, players receive an overall assessment of their performance, reflecting the cumulative impact of their decisions.

A mission concludes when the team crosses off the final 'Man in Black' space on the mission sheet, or when all primary mission goals are successfully achieved. The number of 'Man in Black' spaces available varies by player count, acting as a timer or pressure mechanism. Once a mission ends, players access the 'Final Report' section on the Antares N.I.A. database. Here, they receive mission-ending information, which may be influenced by solved word puzzles, and then choose two 'Further Actions' from a provided list. These choices guide the narrative and setup for the next mission in the campaign. Any lead cards, local agents, operation cards, mission sheets, and code cards used in the completed mission are returned to the game box and are not used in subsequent missions, though collected files remain available throughout the campaign.