Bad Company Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• General Setup
• Player Setup
• Overview
  • The Gang Board
• Playing the Game
• 1. Roll Dice
• 2. Activate Gang Members
  • Rewards for Common Gang Members (3-11)
  • Rewards for Special Gang Members (2 & 12)
  • The Car Chase
  • Recruit
  • Complete Tasks
  • Complete Heists
    • Distribute Necklaces
  • Abilities and Effects
• 3. End of Turn
  • 1. Move the Police Car
  • 2. Take New Heists
  • 3. Check if the End of the Game Is Triggered
• The End of the Game
  • Final Turn
  • Final Scoring and Declaring the Winner
• Reference Sheet
  • Heist Abilities
  • Heist Scoring
  • Loot Effects
• Credits

Components

• 2 game boards — City board, Score board
• 1 reference sheet
• 54 upgrade cards (front example / back)
• 30 loot cards (front example / back)
• 48 heist cards (front example / back example)
• 6 reference cards — Heist Abilities (x 3), Heist scoring / Loot Effects (x 3)
• 12 gang board pieces — 6 left pieces, 6 right pieces
• 5 dice — Police die, 4 golden dice
• 6 recruiters
• 6 scoring discs
• 7 cars — Police car, 6 player cars
• 70 check markers
• 37 coins ($) — 17 x $1, 20 x $2
• 4 necklace tokens

General Setup

Place the city board and the score board in the middle of the table.

Shuffle the upgrade cards and place them face down on the table.

Shuffle the loot cards and place them face down next to the city board.

Shuffle the heist cards (from now on called heists) and place them in a deck with the front side facing up. Draw 4 heists from the deck and place them face up next to the deck. These 4 heists plus the top heist of the deck are the heist display.

Place the police car on the police start space with a value equal to the number of players.

With 4 players, the police car begins on space "4".

Place the necklace tokens (from now on called necklaces), check markers (from now on called markers) and coins in three separate supplies on the table. If the supply of markers or coins is ever exhausted, use any other items as substitutes.

The last player who vandalized something takes all 5 dice and becomes the first boss.

Player Setup

Each player takes the following:

• One scoring disc of a chosen color. Place it on space 0 of the point track on the score board. Whenever you receive points, advance your scoring disc accordingly.
• One recruiter in your color. Place it on the first space of the recruit track on the score board.
• One player car in your color. Place it on the start space (blue space) on the city board.
• 2 random gang board pieces – one left piece and one right piece – and place them next to each other in your play area, so that your full gang name is shown. The two pieces complete your gang board.
• 3 heists from the deck. Draw cards in turn order, starting with the boss and continuing clockwise. Choose 2 to place face up above your gang board. These are your current active heists. Return the third heist to the bottom of the deck.
• $2 from the supply. Place them next to your gang board.

Solo game: Read this rulebook, then review the additional solo rules described in the reference sheet.

Overview

In Bad Company, players complete heists, grab loot, upgrade their gang members, and escape the police to score points. The player with the most points wins!

Each round, the boss uses dice to activate two of their gang members, while each of the other players activates one of the matching gang members on their own gang board. Activating gang members will help complete heists, complete tasks, provide coins, or advance your car on the road. The end of the game is triggered when a player completes their 6th heist or when any car (player or police) enters the red zone at the end of the road. After this turn, there is one final turn before final scoring takes place. During final scoring, players add points for completed heists, loot cards and upgrade cards. The player with the most points wins!

The Gang Board

There are 11 gang members and 4 tasks on the gang board.

• Gang members 2 through 7 (left piece)
• Gang members 8 through 12 (right piece)
• Gang members 3 through 11 can be upgraded

Playing the Game

Bad Company is played over several turns. Each turn, one player is the boss. A turn is comprised of the following phases:

1. ROLL DICE
2. ACTIVATE GANG MEMBERS
3. END OF TURN

After phase 3, the boss passes all dice to the player to their left who becomes the boss for the next turn.

1. Roll Dice

The boss rolls all five dice. If you (as boss) do not like the die result, you may pay $1 to reroll any number of dice. You may pay to reroll as many times as you can afford.

The boss uses the 4 golden dice to form any two pairs. Add the values of each pair of dice separately, and loudly announce the results to the other players.

Note: The two pairs may have the same value.

Clarice is boss and has rolled the dice. She pays $1 to reroll the police die and two of the golden dice. Clarice forms two pairs. She loudly announces 5 and 7 to the other players.

2. Activate Gang Members

In this phase, players activate gang members to gain rewards. Then, they may RECRUIT, COMPLETE TASKS and COMPLETE HEISTS (all of which are described in the following pages).

Players may perform this phase simultaneously. However, if a player's decision depends on that of another player, they may insist that players carry out their actions in turn order starting with the boss and continuing clockwise.

The value of each pair of dice corresponds to one specific gang member (numbered 2–12) on your gang board.

In the order of their choice, the boss activates both gang members corresponding to the two pairs of dice they formed in phase 1.

Each of the other players activates a single gang member corresponding to either of the pairs of dice formed in phase 1.

Important: If the two pairs of dice have the same value, the boss activates the corresponding gang member twice.

When activating a gang member, take all the rewards shown on the gang member. When the game begins, each gang member has only one reward symbol. Gang members gain more reward symbols when you buy upgrade cards (see RECRUIT).

As boss, Clarice activates gang members 5 and 7 while all other players choose to activate either 5 or 7 on their own gang boards.

Rewards for Common Gang Members (3-11)

• Coin ($2): Take $2 from the supply.
• Steering wheel: Move your car one space on the road (see THE CAR CHASE).
• Mask / flashlight / lock / hand: Gain a marker.

General rule: Whenever you are instructed to gain a marker, take a marker from the supply and place it on a symbol on your heists or tasks that matches the symbol shown.

Adam activates gang member 5. He has two upgrade cards on this gang member and receives rewards for all 3 symbols: 2 markers (for lock and mask) and $2. He chooses to place one marker on a mask on one of his active heists, and the other marker on the lock task.

Note: Points in the top left corner of the upgrade cards are scored at the end of the game.

Rewards for Special Gang Members (2 & 12)

THE FIXER (2): Choose one of the three symbols shown, and gain markers equal to the number of matching reward symbols on all your gang members. Note that you must choose lock, hand or mask. You cannot choose flashlight.

THE CHAFFEUR (12): Move your car two spaces on the road (see THE CAR CHASE).

Thomas activates THE FIXER (2). He chooses to activate all hand symbols. He takes 3 markers from the supply and places each of them on hand symbols on heists and/or tasks.

The Car Chase

Whenever your car passes a checkpoint, you receive the bonus shown if the police car has not already passed it.

Bonuses for checkpoints:

• Coin ($2): Take $2 from the supply.
• Loot: Draw a loot card from the deck, look at it, and place it face down in your play area (see ABILITIES AND EFFECTS).
• Points: Gain the number of points equal to the value shown.

Shortcuts: When moving your car, you may choose to take a shortcut. When taking a shortcut, move to the next space after the arrow. Since each shortcut bypasses a checkpoint, you lose the opportunity to gain that bonus.

Thomas moves 2 spaces. Since the police car has already passed this checkpoint, Thomas does not get the bonus.

Clarice moves 1 space and chooses to take a shortcut. She is now in front of the police car. However, she does not get the bonus from the checkpoint she bypassed.

After having activated gang members and gained rewards, players resolve any completed heists and tasks (see details below). Players may also upgrade their gang members for the next turn (see RECRUIT below). Each player may recruit and resolve completed heists and tasks in the order of their choice.

Recruit

Pay the value shown in coins to advance your recruiter to the next space on the recruit track on the score board. You may pay to advance as many times as you can afford during the same turn.

Each time you advance your recruiter to the next space, draw the top 3 upgrade cards from the deck and choose one to keep. Place it on the gang member with the matching number on your gang board.

Place unused upgrade cards in a discard pile.

If any upgrade cards are already present on the matching gang member, place the new upgrade card on top of them so that all previous reward symbols remain visible.

Notes:

• If the deck is exhausted, shuffle the discarded cards to form a new deck.
• If you upgrade a gang member who holds a necklace (see COMPLETE HEISTS), place that necklace onto that gang member's topmost upgrade card.
• There is no limit to the number of upgrade cards a gang member can have

Once you reach the end of the recruit track, you can no longer move your recruiter or take upgrade cards. Instead, you may spend $5 to get 3 points, as many times as you can afford.

Thomas pays $4 to advance on the recruit track. He draws 3 upgrade cards, looks at them and keeps the "9" card. This card is placed on gang member 9. The other two cards are discarded.

Clarice is on the last space of the recruit track. She pays $5 to score 3 points.

Complete Tasks

Whenever you have two markers on any of the four tasks on your gang board, you may remove the markers and return them to the supply to gain the bonus shown.

Bonuses for tasks:

• Mask task (two masks): Gain and place a marker on any symbol (even a task symbol).
• Hand task (two hands): Take $2 from the supply.
• Lock task (two locks): Move your car one space.
• Flashlight task (two flashlights): Draw a loot card from the deck, look at it, and place it face down in your play area (see ABILITIES AND EFFECTS).

Note: You may complete several tasks on the same turn, even the same task multiple times.

Adam has two markers on the "mask task". He removes the two markers to place a marker on a heist.

Complete Heists

A heist is complete when all symbol spaces are covered with markers. After completing a heist, take any immediate bonus shown at the bottom of the heist, return all markers from the heist to the supply, flip the heist face down, and place it below your gang board.

Immediate bonuses for heists:

• Coin ($2): Gain $2 from the supply.
• Loot: Draw a loot card from the deck, look at it, and place it face down in your play area (see ABILITIES AND EFFECTS).

Important: Points from completed heists are scored during final scoring.

Note: You may complete both active heists during the same turn.

Thomas has completed a heist. He takes $2 for its immediate bonus, returns the markers to the supply, flips the heist, and places it below his gang board.

Distribute Necklaces

The back of all completed heists shows one or more mission symbols (diamond, gold bar, art, or coin bag).

When all players have finished completing heists this turn, the player with the most mission symbols of a given type on all their completed heists takes the corresponding necklace (from the supply or the player who holds it) and places it onto one of their gang members. Each gang member can have only one necklace. In case of a tie, the tied player with the highest single number on a completed heist with this type of mission symbol gains the necklace.

When you gain a necklace (from the supply or from another player), immediately score 1 point. Each time you activate a gang member with a necklace, you also score 1 point.

Maria and Thomas both have 3 gold bars on completed heists. Since Thomas has the highest single number (8), he takes the gold bar necklace from Maria, placing it onto one of his gang members. This scores Thomas 1 point.

Abilities and Effects

• Heist abilities: Some heists have abilities (red box). After you have completed the heist, you have this permanent ability for the remainder of the game. See the reference sheet for details.
• Heist scoring: Some heists have final scoring effects (purple box). See the reference sheet for details.
• Loot effects: You may discard loot cards at any time (unless indicated otherwise) in order to apply their one-time effect. See the reference sheet for details. If the deck of loot cards is exhausted, shuffle the discarded cards to form a new draw deck.

3. End of Turn

When all players announce that they have completed phase 2, complete the END OF TURN steps in the order shown:

1. Move the Police Car

The boss moves the police car a number of spaces equal to the value of the police die (0, 1 or 2 spaces) that was rolled in phase 1. The police car never takes shortcuts.

Tip: To make sure you do not forget this step, place the police die onto the city board to indicate that you have advanced the police car.

The police die shows 1, so Clarice (the boss) places the police die on the city board and advances the police car 1 space.

2. Take New Heists

In turn order, starting with the boss and continuing clockwise, each player with fewer than 2 active heists takes new heists from the heist display until they have 2 active heists.

Any time the heist display has fewer than 5 heists showing, immediately replenish the heist display (there must always be 5 heists in the display, including the top card in the deck).

Rare case: If there are not enough heists in the display and deck for each player to have two active heists, each player that completed heists this turn takes only one heist.

Maria completed 1 heist this turn and has 1 remaining active heist. She chooses one new heist from the display and places it above her gang board. Then, she replenishes the heist display with one heist from the deck.

3. Check if the End of the Game Is Triggered

The end of the game is triggered if any of the following has occured:

• At least one player has completed 6 or more heists.
• or Any car (player or police) has entered the red zone on the road.

If the end of the game is triggered, the next turn will be the final turn of the game and follows the rules in THE END OF THE GAME. If the end of the game is not triggered, play continues normally with a new turn by passing all dice (including the police die) to the player to the left of the current boss.

Clarice moves her car into the red zone, triggering the end of the game. (She also scores 2 points for the checkpoint).

The order sequence of phases 2 and 3 does not always make a difference. Once all players know the game well, phases 2 and 3 may be handled simultaneously. This is ok as long as all players know what they are doing and handle things in the correct order when it matters.

The End of the Game

Final Turn

The player to the left of the previous boss rolls the 4 golden dice (not the police die). For the final turn, the following rules apply:

• No dice can be rerolled.
• Each player uses the 4 golden dice to form two pairs, independently of each other.
• Each player activates two gang members based on the pairs of dice they have chosen.
• This final turn ends after phase 2.

Final Scoring and Declaring the Winner

After the final turn, all players flip their completed heists face up and proceed to final scoring. Add the following points to your score:

• Any points on completed heists.
• Any points from final scoring effects on completed heists (see the reference sheet).
• Any points on collected loot cards.
• Visible points on upgrade cards (only the top card on each gang member).
• 2 points for each necklace you possess.
• 1 point for every 2 markers (on active heists/tasks/storage), rounded down.
• Lose 3 points if your car is behind the police car (you don't lose points if your car is on the same space as the police car).

The player with the most points wins the game. In case of a tie, the tied player with the highest remaining value in coins wins. If this does not break the tie, players share the victory.

Note: If your scoring disc advances beyond 49 points, add 50 points to your score.

Take a photo of the winning gang and post it with the tag #BADCOMPANY

Reference Sheet

Refer to this page or the reference cards if you have questions about abilities or effects during the game.

Heist Abilities

Permanent abilities on completed heists:

• Glove and die: Each time you are boss, you may reroll any number of dice once for free (during phase 1).
• Recruiter, −$1: Get a $1 discount each time you move the recruiter to the next space. This does not apply if your recruiter is already on the last space of the recruit track.
• Recruiter, 5 cards: Draw 5 upgrade cards (instead of 3) each time you move the recruiter to the next space.
• Storage crate: Storage: When gaining a marker, you may place it on the corresponding storage symbol (instead of a heist or task). At any time, you may move markers from this storage to any matching symbol on heists or tasks. You can only store one marker on each of the storage symbols.
• Plus a heist card: Immediately take a new heist from the heist display. For the remainder of game, you may have 3 active heists. In phase 3 of each turn, replenish your active heists to 3.
• $3 → marker: At any time, pay $3 to gain and place a marker on any symbol on a heist, task or storage (see Storage above).
• $1 → move a marker: At any time, pay $1 to move a placed marker to any symbol on a heist, task or storage (see Storage above). The symbol you move to may be different from the one it was moved from.
• New heist: mask: Every time you take a new heist from the heist display, gain and place a marker on a mask symbol on this new heist (if possible).
• Police die 2: steering wheel: When the police die shows 2 after all rerolls in phase 1, advance your player car 1 space. Solo game: This also applies to solo games, even though the police car moves 3 spaces.
• Police die 0: $1: When the police die shows 0 after all rerolls in phase 1, take $1 from the supply. Solo game: This also applies to solo games, even though the police car moves 1 space.

Heist Scoring

Final scoring effects on completed heists:

• 1 × mission symbol: 1 point for each mission symbol of the type shown on your completed heists.
• 2 × upgraded gang member: 2 points for each of your gang members that has 2 or more upgrade cards.
• Player car ahead of police car: 5: 5 points if your player car is ahead of the police car at the end of the game (0 points if they are on the same space).
• All four mission symbols: 5: 5 points if you have at least 1 mission symbol of each of the four types on your completed heists.
• 7+ upgrade cards: 5: 5 points if you have 7 or more upgrade cards on your gang members.

Loot Effects

One-time effects on loot cards when discarded:

• Points (?): Score points equal to the value shown (2 or 3 points). This card is discarded during final scoring.
• Coin (3): Take $3 from the supply.
• Marker: Gain and place a marker on any symbol on a heist, task or storage (see Storage under HEIST ABILITIES).
• Two hands: Gain and place 2 markers on heists, task and/or storage (see Storage under HEIST ABILITIES) that match the symbols shown.
• Two gang members: During phase 2, when another player is boss, activate both gang members (instead of 1). Note: You may use this card in the same turn as you gain it. Solo game: Choose one of the gang members to activate twice.
• Gang member with arrows: Activate an adjacent gang member instead of the one indicated by one pair of dice. Note: This may be used together with the card that activates both gang members (see above).

Credits

We would like to thank everyone who helped play test this game, in particular Kjetil Svendsen, Marianne Ringås, Maria B. Østby, Aleksander B. Østby, Helge Meissner, Anna Wermlund, Ove Wahl, Sturla Naas Johansen, Helene Forberg, Helge Rege Gårdsvoll, Tor Helge Huse, Kristian Brustad, Aleksander Dye, Aleksander Castberg, Elias Minde, Emilie Minde, Liv Minde, Mats Kranmo Smedstad, Kjetil Ødegårdstuen, Jarle Havnes, Andreas Fyrileiv, Vidar Olav Jupskås, Espen Skovdahl, Jakob Høglund, Johanne Von Heesch, Kanutte Huse, Jørgen Kjøge Brunborg Næss, Carl Gustav Lind, Paul Christoffer Hansen, Tore Sæther and Lars Sandvold Schee.

Game Design: Kristian A. Østby, Kenneth Minde, Eilif Svensson

Artwork & Graphic Design: Gjermund Mørkved Bohne

Proofreading: Van Willis

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