2 de Mayo FAQ

FAQ for 2 de Mayo Info taken from FAQs in file area and various forum threads, consolidated into a Wiki page so that people can more easily find all the info in one place and update it. List of game FAQs Table of Contents Definitions Area = Zone Preparation You can play a card immediately after drawing it Prevent opponent's card draw if they have 3 (or more) cards more than you Detailed sequence: decide to prevent, decide to draw, draw simultaneously The discard piles are face up Orders Group of 1 unit ordered to leave a contested area is invalid Duplicate identical orders are invalid Number of your orders out of an area cannot be more than your cubes in that area Movement Opposing groups at border unaffected by other groups Resolution Combat Resolution based on strength, not just cubes Spanish Event Cards "Capitan Luis Daoiz" only works in zones 2, 3, 4 "Jacinto Ruiz" can only be played after 3 French units are eliminated "Presos" (no Resolution Phase) versus "Fuego cerrado" (Repeat the Resolution Phase) "Las soldados se escapan" (new unit) vs "Artilliera" (no movement into zones 15/16) "Las Manolas de la Puerta de Toledo" - the Spanish unit needn't start in Zone 20 "Un tiesto mata al hijo del General Legrand" can affect movement from off-board "Ordenes Inteceptadas" must be played before orders are executed "Heroinas" must be played before orders are executed French Event Cards "Ordenes de Napoleon" can activate the blocking power of "Artillery" "Murat" doesn't change other order rules; it simply gives 5 orders "Caballeria" can be used by French units entering the city into Zone 16 "Colaboracin con los Frenceses" timing depends on order of player card play "La turba se dispersa": the Spanish player must write down the number of cubes moving End of the Game French must win on turn 10, not earlier Example of Play

"Ordenes de Napoleon" can activate the blocking power of "Artillery" "Murat" doesn't change other order rules; it simply gives 5 orders "Caballeria" can be used by French units entering the city into Zone 16 "Colaboracin con los Frenceses" timing depends on order of player card play "La turba se dispersa": the Spanish player must write down the number of cubes moving End of the Game French must win on turn 10, not earlier Example of Play Typo in example game, turn 3

Definitions
Area = Zone
The rules seem to use the word "area" while the cards use the word "zone". Both refer to the numbered locations on the map.

Preparation
You can play a card immediately after drawing it
A card can be used in the same preparation phase when you drew it. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/384492

Prevent opponent's card draw if they have 3 (or more) cards more than you
The rules say: "If a player has exactly 3 less cards than his opponent, he either draws a card (and his opponent can draw a card) or denies his opponent the benefit of drawing a card." Additionally, if a player has 4 (or more) fewer cards than his opponent, he can draw a card and deny his opponent the benefit of drawing a card. I.e. if your opponent has 3 or more cards than you, you can prevent them drawing a card, regardless of whether or not you happened to draw a card. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/328059 Of course only cards in your hand count for purposes of hand size, not played cards that have an ongoing effect (like "Artilleria"). http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/350790

Detailed sequence: decide to prevent, decide to draw, draw simultaneously

The player with 3 or more cards fewer than the opponent first declares if there shall be no cards drawn. Then both players say if they are drawing cards. (In the unlikely decision one is basing their decision on what the other is doing, keep resaying your answer until you both agree what you're doing... or perhaps write and reveal your decisions simultaneously?) Then they draw their cards, considered to be simultaneously. At that point, cards are played at will, and if there is a timing conflict, whoever played first resolves their effect first. In some cases, this could be ambiguous/frustrating, e.g. the French "play immediately" card "Colaboracin con los Frenceses" that causes the Spanish player to

Then both players say if they are drawing cards. (In the unlikely decision one is basing their decision on what the other is doing, keep resaying your answer until you both agree what you're doing... or perhaps write and reveal your decisions simultaneously?) Then they draw their cards, considered to be simultaneously. At that point, cards are played at will, and if there is a timing conflict, whoever played first resolves their effect first. In some cases, this could be ambiguous/frustrating, e.g. the French "play immediately" card "Colaboracin con los Frenceses" that causes the Spanish player to discard a card. If the Spanish player is faster, they could play a card before being forced to discard a card by the French. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/365610

The discard piles are face up

Every card played or discarded goes face up in the discard pile, so people know what the last card played or discarded was. http://boardgamegeek.com/article/4380928#4380928

Orders
Group of 1 unit ordered to leave a contested area is invalid
If a Spanish group has only 1 unit and is ordered to leave a contested area, then the order is invalid (since you must leave behind half the group rounded up, and every move order must cause at least one unit to move). http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/323864

Duplicate identical orders are invalid

One can imagine situations where a player might want to write two identical orders ("2 to 3; 2 to 3"), e.g. as protection against an opponent's card cancelling an order. But this is not legal. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/2845007#2845007

Number of your orders out of an area cannot be more than your cubes in that area
This is more or less implied by the rules (since each movement order must cause at least one cube to move), but to make it explicit: there must be as many cubes in an area as there are orders moving out of that area. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/2842057#2842057

Movement
Opposing groups at border unaffected by other groups
If a French group moves from area X to Y, and a Spanish group moves from area Y to X, any other groups moving in or out of areas X or Y have no relevance. Only the sizes of the 2 groups moving between X and Y determine which group (the larger) will move and which group (the smaller) will be blocked and not move. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/357213

Resolution
Combat Resolution based on strength, not just cubes

If a French group moves from area X to Y, and a Spanish group moves from area Y to X, any other groups moving in or out of areas X or Y have no relevance. Only the sizes of the 2 groups moving between X and Y determine which group (the larger) will move and which group (the smaller) will be blocked and not move. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/357213

Resolution
Combat Resolution based on strength, not just cubes
The Resolution rules say "If the groups have the same number of cubes, neither group suffers elimination of any cubes." Of course that means if the groups have the same strength (cubes + strength modifiers from cards). http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/344965

Spanish Event Cards

"Capitan Luis Daoiz" only works in zones 2, 3, 4
The English text of the card "Capitan Luis Daoiz" fails to state the requirement that it be used for zone 2, 3, or 4 only. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/338641

"Jacinto Ruiz" can only be played after 3 French units are eliminated
The Ruiz card doesn't say when it can be played. It can be played any time after 3 French units are eliminated and either: the Spanish player also has "El Alcalde de Mstoles" to play with it or the French card "Fusilamientos" has been played. So if the card conditions are met, but fewer than 3 French units have been eliminated, the Spanish player still cannot play Ruiz. (Thus there is a risk they'll lose the Ruiz card via the French card "Colaboracin con los Frenceses" that causes Spain to discard a random card.) http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/365610

"Presos" (no Resolution Phase) versus "Fuego cerrado" (Repeat the Resolution Phase)
If the Spanish play "Presos" to cause no Resolution Phase in zone 15 or 16, the French can use "Fuego cerrado" to cause a (single) Resolution Phase in that zone. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/352694

"Las soldados se escapan" (new unit) vs "Artilliera" (no movement into zones 15/16)
Although "Artilleria" prevents movement into zones 15 and 16, it does not prevent the new unit of "Las soldados se escapan" from appearing in zones 15 or 16. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/4509794

"Las Manolas de la Puerta de Toledo" - the Spanish unit needn't start in Zone 20
If a Spanish unit starts and stays in Zone 20, or if there is no Spanish unit in Zone 20 and a Spanish unit moves into Zone 20 during the

Although "Artilleria" prevents movement into zones 15 and 16, it does not prevent the new unit of "Las soldados se escapan" from appearing in zones 15 or 16. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/4509794

"Las Manolas de la Puerta de Toledo" - the Spanish unit needn't start in Zone 20
If a Spanish unit starts and stays in Zone 20, or if there is no Spanish unit in Zone 20 and a Spanish unit moves into Zone 20 during the Movement Phase, this card can be used. (But if Spanish units start in Zone 20 and move out, the card is not usable.) http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/368464

"Un tiesto mata al hijo del General Legrand" can affect movement from off-board
The French player can choose an entering off-board group to be the group that leaves one unit behind (so it would stay off-board). http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/368464

"Ordenes Inteceptadas" must be played before orders are executed

The card says "Play this card in the Movement Phase". More specifically, the Spanish player cancels a written order before orders are actually executed. http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/473195

"Heroinas" must be played before orders are executed

The card says "Play this card in the Movement Phase" (1st ed.) or "Play this card before the end of the Movement Phase" (2nd ed.). More specifically, the Spanish player must play it before orders are executed. http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/473190

French Event Cards

"Ordenes de Napoleon" can activate the blocking power of "Artillery"
Suppose the French has Artilleria and controls 16 but 15 is empty, hence at present the Spanish can cross from 9 to 17, so the Spanish player gives the order to move from 9 to 17. At the start of the movement phase the French player sees the Spanish orders and decides to play 'Ordenes de Napoleon', placing a cube on 15. Then the Spanish move is blocked/canceled due to the effect of Artillery. (The sudden unexpected illegality of this move does not cancel the rest of the Spanish orders, since the order was legal at the time it was written.) http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/417460

"Murat" doesn't change other order rules; it simply gives 5 orders

Orders out of the dark areas 14, 15, 16 do not count as part of the 5 orders when using "Murat", just as they don't count as part of the 2 orders the French player normally has. All French orders must still be written as usual when using Murat,

http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/417460

"Murat" doesn't change other order rules; it simply gives 5 orders

Orders out of the dark areas 14, 15, 16 do not count as part of the 5 orders when using "Murat", just as they don't count as part of the 2 orders the French player normally has. All French orders must still be written as usual when using Murat, including the "extra" orders. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/353989

"Caballeria" can be used by French units entering the city into Zone 16
"The first zone" means the first zone entered (of the 2 entered zones), not the first zone that the group starts in. Note that this can be used by a French group entering Zone 16 from outside the city, letting the entering group move to a second zone after Zone 16. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/368464 The first zone entered must be empty of Spanish units when the order is written. You can not write an order to move through area 16 if there are Spanish units and you hope they will be ordered to leave. http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/498905/clarification-on-cavalry-card

"Colaboracin con los Frenceses" timing depends on order of player card play
The drawing of cards in the Preparation phase is considered simultaneous, and the cards are then played "at will", so in close cases when the Spanish player wants to play a card just as the French player is playing this card that forces Spain to discard a card, whoever played "first" gets to do their effect first. Thus Spain wouldn't have to risk their intended card being randomly discarded if they played it before the French play this "play immediately" card that forces a random discard. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/365610

"La turba se dispersa": the Spanish player must write down the number of cubes moving
The card doesn't mention it, so it's easy to forget that the Spanish player must write down the number of cubes executing the split move. This is mentioned in the rules at the end of Phase 2 Orders. (Otherwise there would be a timing problem if the Spanish player and the French player get to decide how many cubes they move after seeing each others' orders.)

End of the Game

French must win on turn 10, not earlier
"At the end of Turn 10, check the victory conditions." Even if the French kill all Spanish units on the board before turn 10, that does not mean they have won. They must, on turn 10, occupy areas 1, 6, 16, 20 and have no Spanish forces on the map. (With the right cards, the Spanish can bring in reinforcements and stop French movement orders, even if there are currently no Spanish units on the map!) http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/352248

End of the Game

French must win on turn 10, not earlier
"At the end of Turn 10, check the victory conditions." Even if the French kill all Spanish units on the board before turn 10, that does not mean they have won. They must, on turn 10, occupy areas 1, 6, 16, 20 and have no Spanish forces on the map. (With the right cards, the Spanish can bring in reinforcements and stop French movement orders, even if there are currently no Spanish units on the map!) http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/352248

Example of Play
Typo in example game, turn 3
The text of Turn 3 of the Example of Play has the Spanish player moving a cube from Area 9 to 15, which should read "from Area 20 to 17". http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/338641