Ballonrennen
Ballonrennen Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 board
- 5 balloons
- 3 wind direction markers
- 20 gas canisters
- 15 sandbags
- 5 mail sacks
- 60 wind cards
- For 2-5 players
Setup
- Choose a referee who manages the gas canisters and sandbags.
- Shuffle the wind cards and place them face down in a deck near the game board. These cards affect the wind conditions and the flight altitude.
- Each player takes a balloon. A balloon can be set to four different altitudes: landed, and altitudes 1, 2 and 3.
- Each player takes 4 gas canisters, 3 sandbags and 1 yellow mail sack. The sandbags and the mail sack serve as ballast, and the gas canisters represent the balloon's gas reserve. Because ballast and gas must be kept in balance, each player must place the sandbags and the mail sack in front of them, paired with gas canisters. (See the diagram in the original.)
- The three wind direction markers differ in size. The smallest is for altitude 1, the middle one for altitude 2, and the largest for altitude 3. Place them as shown in the illustration at the bottom of the third side of the original (1 - west, 2 - southeast, 3 - east). (The compass abbreviations in the source are "dny" = west, "dk" = southeast, "k" = east.)
Turn Sequence
Play proceeds clockwise, starting with the first player. On their turn, each player carries out the following steps in this order:
- Choose a flight altitude. The player selects the flight altitude for their balloon for this turn. The balloon may land, or it may take off. Release ballast and gas canisters as needed.
- Turn over the top wind card. Follow the instructions on the card, then place it face up beside the deck.
- Move the balloon. The balloon must be moved with the strength and direction of the wind at the selected flight altitude. If the player has chosen landed as the flight altitude, the balloon stays where it is.
Departure
A player examines the wind at all three altitudes to decide whether to take off. Note that you must turn over a wind card after choosing an altitude, but before moving the balloon. This may change the wind direction at the chosen altitude. If no altitude seems suitable, the player may delay departure for as long as they like.
If a player does not take off, they keep the balloon on the ground and, in accordance with step 2 of the turn sequence, draw a wind card and carry out the instruction on it. The balloon does not move.
When a player wants to start the race, they place their balloon on one of the three take-off spaces and determine its flight altitude for this turn.
Flight Altitude
The gas and the ballast must be kept in balance according to the chosen altitude. The difference between the gas and the ballast determines the flight altitude. Every gas canister that is not balanced by ballast raises the balloon one level higher.
- To reach altitude 1 from the start, one sack must be dropped.
- To reach altitude 2, two sacks must be dropped.
- To reach altitude 3, three sacks must be dropped.
The balloon settles at the correct altitude; this is always the number of gas canisters that are not balanced by a sack.
The mail sack, or the gas canister paired with it, may not be dropped until the player has passed over a space marked with the mail horn.
A player who is already in the air may also release ballast and gas. To climb, the player releases ballast (sacks). To descend, the player releases gas. For example, a balloon at altitude 3 can drop to altitude 1 by releasing two gas canisters. The combinations for each altitude are shown in the diagram in the original. In summary:
- Altitude 1: 1 gas / 2 gas + 1 sack / 3 gas + 2 sacks
- Altitude 2: 2 gas / 3 gas + 1 sack
- Altitude 3: 3 gas
The flight altitude does not have to change every turn, but in that case gas canisters and sacks may still be released.
Wind Strength and Direction
At altitude 1, the balloon moves one space in the direction of the wind. At altitude 2 it moves two spaces, and at altitude 3 it moves three spaces.
The wind cards that have been turned face up determine which altitude's wind changes direction.
Each wind card works as follows, from the top of the sixth side of the original:
- The wind turns at altitude 1 (2, 3). Rotate the wind direction marker for the stated altitude by 60 degrees (one side) clockwise.
- Every wind turns! Rotate all three wind direction markers by 60 degrees (one side) clockwise.
- Favourable wind! Rotate one chosen wind direction marker in the direction the player chooses. The following cards do not affect the wind direction markers.
- Calm! There is no wind at any altitude this turn. The player who drew the card may not move their balloon this turn.
- Weak wind! In the chosen altitude, the balloon travels one space less than normal this turn. At altitude 1 it does not move.
- Rising wind! In the chosen altitude, the balloon travels one space more than normal this turn.
- Updraught! The player's balloon moves up one altitude this turn. The altitude and ballast settings do not change. If the balloon is at altitude 3, the card has no effect.
- Downdraught! The player's balloon moves down one altitude this turn. The altitude and ballast settings do not change. If the balloon is at altitude 1, the card has no effect.
Moving Balloons
Only one balloon may occupy a space at a time. Balloons that lie in the path are passed through as if they were not there. If a balloon ends its movement on a space occupied by another balloon, it must be placed on any neighbouring space of that other balloon. (The source adds, in brackets: "Agree in advance how to handle chain bounces. :)")
On the route, players must drop the mail sack over one of the designated spaces. This may happen by flying over the space or by landing on it. Depending on the wind direction, it is worth choosing the drop area carefully. After the mail sack has been dropped, the goal space must be reached.
Intermediate Landings
A landing may be chosen out of necessity, or when selecting the flight altitude. In this case, set the balloon to the lowest level and draw a wind card, carrying out the instruction on it, but do not move the balloon.
At the start of the player's next turn, the gas canisters and sandbags (except the mail sack and its paired gas canister) are replenished: 3 each, and if the mail sack is still in the player's possession, then 3 + mail sack - 4 gas canisters. (Translator's note: this parenthetical is terse in the source. It is transcribed as printed. The source's mail sack section says that after the mail sack is dropped, the player receives only three gas canisters and three sandbags, because the fourth gas canister is used to balance the mail sack.)
Obstacles
Spaces bordered by a dashed line on all six sides mark rocks. They may only be flown over at altitude 2 or 3.
If, through an unfavourable wind or a collision, a balloon at altitude 1 ends up over such a space, it crashes into the mountain and makes a forced landing.
A forced landing also occurs if the balloon lands on a lake, or if it has to leave the game board.
In these cases, remove the balloon from the board and take off again from the start space in the player's next turn. If the mail sack has already been delivered, the player does not receive a new one.
Playing spaces of which more than half is missing count as leaving the board.
The Mail Sack
As soon as a player lands on, or flies over, a space marked with the mail horn, they drop the mail sack (returning it to the referee). This lightens the balloon, so it gains altitude. At the end of the turn, the balloon's altitude must be raised by one level. If the balloon is at altitude 3, the player must release one gas canister, because it is not possible to rise above altitude 3.
When a player makes an intermediate landing after dropping the mail sack, they receive only three gas canisters and three sandbags, because the fourth gas canister is used to balance the mail sack.
The mail sack must be delivered at exactly the designated place.
Landing at the Goal
The goal must be reached exactly: the turn must end on the goal space. Flight altitude does not matter, but the balloon may not fly over the goal space without stopping on it.
(Translator's note: the source does not contain a separate section on how the winner is determined. The source's "Game Objective" section describes the aim of the race as bringing the balloon from the start to the goal as quickly as possible while dropping the mail sack, and no further scoring or ranking rule is printed in the text.)