While we're waiting for Tripoli's brief move: next up will be the 3rd Revenue segment, which again is totally automatic, and which I'll run in the background. This will report the Republic's own income and expenditures, which this early in the game is simple to calculate: we already know (I'm pretty sure, but I'll check the rules again) that the Republic will go from 30 Talents + 30 income - 10 for the War - 4 for the 2 Active Legion upkeep, to 46 Talents. Plus any senatorial contributions, but as long as a Frogman stays the highest ranking available officer that will stave off any financial disasters until next turn.
After this Phase ends, the Forum Phase begins. Each player will play a round again, in the same order around the table, currently the Frog's Plutocrats first and Tripoli's Militarists last.
During each round, I'll draw one card for each player from the current scenario deck, the Latin Era, which I semi-randomly set up (along with the other Era decks) at the start of the game. These cards generate the history of the game, and you can expect to go through many historical events (but not necessarily in the exact historical order.)
Very basically speaking, if you draw a red-text card, that's a "Faction" card and I'll give it to you face down on any screenshots screenshot, and p-mail you privately about what you drew, and when and how you're allowed to use it. I'll announce publicly that you did draw a Faction card, and then I'll talk about your available choice options for this Phase. (There aren't many this early in the game.)
If it's a black-text card, I'll play that publicly to the Forum, and immediately implement any effects, and explain what's going on, before talking about your available choice options.
Another possibility is that you roll a random event and no scenario draw at all. This also will get played to the Forum publicly and I'll implement the effects and explain what's going on before going to your choice options this phase.
This will happen for
each player.
However, the game is set up so that
at least 6 rounds will be played, as if there are at least 6 players. What happens then, will be that any players with Faction cash still available will be allowed to bid once (in order around the table) on playing each extra round. That means an extra chance at drawing a scenario card (or a random event); and also an extra opportunity to make those choices again, some of which can only be done once per round otherwise. So you might try to persuade another knight to join one of your senators as a minion; and you'd get another chance to persuade a senator to join your Faction, even if you tried that already on your prior round.
This is a powerful ability. And it's a consideration for keeping some Faction cash handy (although most of your Forum choices will involve spending your senators' personal cash.

) Moreover, if no one bids, then whoever controls the current HRAO will automatically win control of the extra round(s)! -- but the flip side is that the HRAO's Faction must bid at least 1 Talent, if there's any remaining in the Faction Treasury. (He'll still win if no one bids, even if he's broke.) This is a key advantage, in smaller games (like ours currently), to having one of your senators as the HRAO.
I'll remind everyone about this again when we get to it, but since you'll be each playing a Forum round soon I thought I should mention it now while we're waiting.