How to Play Deep Cover
Description
A hidden role game set inside an AI research company. Researchers want to keep things safe. Infiltrators want The Singularity. Only one side will get what they want.
Objective
Researchers: enact five Safe AI projects. Infiltrators and the Spy Master: enact six Rogue AI projects, or get the Spy Master elected Lead Scientist after the third Rogue project passes.
Setup
Roles are dealt through physical cards — red picture cards are Researchers, black picture cards are Infiltrators, the Joker is the Spy Master.
Infiltrators know each other. The Spy Master does not know who they are — and they do not know the Spy Master.
Rules
Each round, the Investor nominates a Lead Scientist. Everyone votes — an outright majority is required, ties fail. Three rejected nominations in a row and the top project card enacts automatically.
When a nomination passes, the Investor draws three project cards, secretly discards one, and passes two to the Lead Scientist, who discards one and publicly enacts the remaining card.
Executive powers unlock as the Rogue AI count rises: inspect an intention card, preview upcoming projects, force the next nomination, or eliminate a player entirely.
Winning
Researchers win by enacting five Safe AI projects.
The other side wins by enacting six Rogue AI projects, or by getting the Spy Master elected Lead Scientist after the third Rogue AI project has passed.
Eliminated players become silent observers — they can see everything but can't act.