Parliament and Upkeep
Phases VIII and IX of John Company: the Prime Minister draws and picks a law, turns the policy dial to tax, bonus or power, the vote with cash and vote icons, the Opposition Leader, the Vote to Deregulate, then upkeep on prizes and the refresh.
Choosing a law
The player holding the Prime Minister dial draws law cards one at a time, up to three, and picks one; the others are discarded. Players may discuss each before the next is drawn. A dilemma (marked at the top of the card) must be picked as soon as it is drawn.
Policies
Then the Prime Minister turns the dial’s arm, clockwise or counter-clockwise, to the first space showing the icon printed at the bottom of the law. That space holds a consequence and a target (an enterprise type, Company shares or prizes) that apply if the law passes:
| Consequence | Effect on the target |
|---|---|
 Tax | Each player pays £1 per target they own; each one they can’t pay for goes back to the supply — even the Chairman’s share. |
 Window tax | On tax spaces with a window icon: each player also pays £1 per window on their prizes and enterprises, or loses that prize piece or enterprise. |
 Bonus | Each player takes £1 per target they own. |
 Power | The target’s power token swaps with the one just above it on the Power track. Already on top? Swap any two others. |
A ship whose shipyard is lost to a tax stays in play, but nobody may buy that shipyard while the ship is out.
The Prime Minister reads the law aloud and sets the Votes marker to the law’s starting support (bottom right of the card). Then players debate.
Voting
Starting with the Prime Minister and going clockwise, each player may cast votes for or against. After a full round the Prime Minister either starts another round or stops; a round with no votes ends the voting.
- £1 from your family treasury = 1 vote.
- Each card in your area gives as many votes as its
vote icons (shipyard 1, workshop
2, some prestige cards). Turn it sideways when used; it comes back after the vote. - No limit. Past the end of the track, park coins next to the marker to count the extra.
The Opposition
Anyone who votes against joins the opposition and can’t vote for the law later (a supporter may still switch to opposing). Opponents keep count of the votes they cast against.
- Opposition Leader — whoever cast most against takes the Opposition Leader marker; on a tie, the current holder keeps it.
- Coalitions — you may cast votes for another opponent, with their consent; they count toward their total.
- The Prime Minister’s honour — the Prime Minister can’t vote against their own law or let their enterprises vote against it (unless someone calls in their “Vote with my enterprises” promise).
Resolving the vote
- Support −1 or lower: the law fails. Discard it (resolve “If failed” on a dilemma). The Opposition Leader gives back the marker and becomes Prime Minister. The new Prime Minister moves the policy arm one space either way and resolves that policy.
- Otherwise the law passes. Put it by the board with the other passed laws; the Prime Minister takes
a passed law token (+1
at the end). Resolve the selected policy, then the law’s
immediate effects.
Turn voting cards back upright. If a law makes the Company fail, finish the vote and go to Final Scoring.
Every law is pictured on Cards & Components.
Vote to Deregulate
Only in the 1758 and Long 1710 scenarios. At the start of a turn, before the London Season, the Prime Minister may call a special session if the Standing or Debt marker is on a lined space, and must if either is on a starred space.
- Passes: halve the Debt (one step down per two Debt), put Standing on the space marked S, and the Prime Minister takes a passed law token. Deregulation is now in play.
- Fails: Company shares become worth one more point — place or flip the share VP token in the Court (at most ±3). The Prime Minister stays in power and keeps the law for later.
This vote has no policy, and the Prime Minister may vote against it.
Upkeep and Refresh
Upkeep. Pay each prize’s upkeep (the number beside its cost) for every family member you have on it. One you can’t pay for goes home, and you lose that prize’s points. Other players may lend you the cash.
Refresh (skip on the last turn and go to Final Scoring):
- Writers on orders go back to their Presidency’s Writers box.
- Filled-order tokens and Presidency dividers go back to the supply.
- Extra ships go back to the supply.
- Exhausted officers and regiments become active; local alliances still active are exhausted.
- Advance the turn marker.