In Tanto Monta: The Rise of Ferdinand and Isabella, each of the four players rules one major power and another secondary power as follows: Spain (Kingdom of Castile; Kingdom of Aragon), Muslim (Nasrid Kingdom of Granada; North African Powers: Sultanates of Fez and Tremencn), Portugal (Kingdom of Portugal; Beltranejos Faction), France (Kingdom of France; Principality of Catalonia). This is a 4-player game, no more and no less. Game Length: A game of Tanto Monta lasts up to 7 turns with a duration of about 45 minutes per turn. The winner is the first player to 45 VP with automatic and domination victories also possible. Map: The main map represents the western Mediterranean region including the Iberian Peninsula, Southern and Central France, the Italian Peninsula, and the Maghreb in North Africa. The Canary Islands are also included. A supplemental Exploration Map depicts Africa, the Indian Ocean, and the New World, locations where voyages of exploration and colonization take place. Basic Flow: Retaining many of the game systems from Here I Stand and Virgin Queen, turns start with each player being dealt a hand of cards from the shared deck to supplement their Home Cards (which provide unique actions for each major and secondary power). After diplomatic negotiations and spring preparations have concluded, players play these cards as events or operations to conduct military, political, or exploration actions to maximize their victory point gains. At the end of each turn, armies winter, royal marriages take place, andunless there is a winnerthe game resets in preparation for the start of the next turn. Minor Powers: The Kingdom of Navarre and the Italian states of Genoa, Florence, Naples, and the Papacy each play significant roles in the diplomatic landscape of the game. Important independent cities and the Guanche population on the Canary Islands also field defensive military forces. Other political entities are indirectly represented in the game through events and foreign wars, including England, Burgundy, Brittany, and the Ottoman and Holy Roman Empires. New Features: Tanto Monta introduces several innovations to the game series. The land combat system is enriched with the addition of explicit siege artillery units and cavalry units for all major powers, which can try to turn the tide in battle by making a dedicated cavalry charge. The spring phase is also extended to include play of Headline Events, chances to use a powerful hand to score bonus VP and sneak in an extra event card play before the turn is fully underway. Finally, the enhanced Exploration Map systems depict the arrival of Vasco Da Gama in India and Christopher Columbus in America and include explicit rolls to try and navigate into the Terra Incognita.