Untouchables - Card Actions

Here are the 13 card effects I had in the first draft prototype of The Untouchables. Based on my last post, I will need to change some of them, and I think I will need to create some more, so if you can think of a card effect you'd like to see in this type of game, please leave a comment!

1. Advance Investigation Track (this was originally supposed to be a little better than simply playing the card face down to bump the track, because it gave everybody information about which Suspect was in play)
2. Discard an additional card face down, Advance the Investigation Track twice.
3. Send a Cop to ANY location (rather then the location indicated on the card)
4. Discard an additional card face down, Send 2 Cops to ANY 2 locations
5. Reveal a card from your hand (again, this was supposed to help communicate information to your partners about which Accomplice needs to be surrounded.)
6. Look at 5 of the face down discards (allowing you to learn which suspects are in play)
7. Move any 2 Cops on the board.
8. Draw 1 card, then put 2 cards from your hand on the bottom of the deck (allowing you to remove potential suspects from the game, so to speak)
9. Put 1 card from your hand on the bottom of the deck
10. Remove a Cop from the board to advance the Investigation Track (send a beat cop after the Boss)
11. Remove 2 Cops from the board to advance the Investigation Track twice
12. No effect (ran out of ideas)
13. Ne effect

I think I've decided that I still want some cards to be face down, but I don't like how much of a memory element was involved, so the only Face Down cards will be those played face down in order to advance the Investigation Track. Also, to fix hand size issues as well as to give players something to actually do, instead of discarding additional cards to get the stronger action effects, players will have to flip a card from the deck, accelerating the game end, and adding an unforeseen suspect to the board (that may have to be dealt with). I liked the speed of the game when players were drawing 2 cards a turn in the 2nd playtest the other night, so I think it'll work well if player draw just 1 card, and flip another for a stronger card effect.

Here's my list in progress for the next iteration...

1. Advance the Investigation Track twice, then flip a card and add that suspect to the board.
2. Send a Cop to ANY location
3. Send 2 Cops to any 2 locations, then flip a card and add that suspect to the board.
4. Move any 2 Cops on the board
5. Remove a Cop from the board to advance the Investigation Track
6. Remove 2 Cops from the board to advance the Investigation Track twice, then flip a card and add that suspect to the board.
7. Turn all cards from the face down discard pile face up (instead of making progress, you gain information. Should this be a set number rather than "all"? Should it require a card flip? Should I make 1 more limited that doesn't require a card flip, and 1 that reveals all of the face down cards and does require a card flip?)
8. Place any Played card (face up discard pile) on the bottom of the deck, removing a suspect from play.
9. {Place any 2 Played cards (face up discard pile) on the bottom of the deck, removing those suspects from play, then flip a card and add that suspect to the board.
10. Move the top card of the deck into the face down discard pile (without looking at it), advance the Investigation Track 3 times. (not sure about this one - I kinda like it because it really helps you win, but also introduces an unknown element - a suspect you don't know about)
11. Move the top card of the deck into the face down discard pile (without looking at it), Move up to 3 Cops on the board.
12. ?
13. ?

I still need more ideas!

In general the way I see the game flow going is like this (and I think it's pretty thematic):

Early game players will send cops to interrogate suspects (play cards face up to put Cops on the board). Once they start to have duplicates (cards for where there are already suspects on the board) they'll start to use the stronger actions, adding unforeseen suspects which will have to be dealt with. Over time the board will materialize and players will be able to figure out which suspects need to be surrounded and which will not matter, then they can start moving the Cops around or sending them after the Boss (to advance the Investigation Track). Also, once they can do so 'safely' I expect players will play face down cards to advance the Investigation Track, because at some point that has to happen or you'll lose.

I think the card in players' hands SHOULD count as suspects as well, and the hand limit should be pretty low (for that reason, and to keep the total number of options on your turn to a reasonable level) - say 3 cards.

Leave a comment with any thoughts you have!