Blocky Mountains
Blocky Mountains Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Materials of the Basic Game
1 route map (double-sided gameboard); 30 route cards (8 cards for route A, 10 cards for route B, 12 cards for route C); 9 owl tiles (3 tiles with the letters A, B, C on the front; all the backs show number values); 4 route markers (in the player colors white, black, orange, violet); 1 team route marker; 12 blocks (8 gray blocks, 1 green starting block, 1 yellow block, 1 red block, 1 blue destination block); 1 trapper (playing figure); 1 grizzly (playing figure); 1 provisions (wooden disk); 2 rods (with climbing hooks); 1 mountain rope; and 24 squirrels.
Set-up
- Unfold the route map and place it on the table so that you have enough space in front of it to build the route(s).
- Sort the route cards into A, B and C, shuffle each of them separately face down and put them in piles below the route map.
- Lay out the owl tiles below this, assigning the tile with the appropriate letter to each route card pile. Then shuffle the other 6 owl tiles face down and place them on the route map (draw pile). Draw 3 tiles from this pile and lay one face down next to each of the letter tiles.
- Now each player chooses a route marker in one of the player colors and places it in the campground (next to space 1). The team route marker is only used in the team variant (see Team Variant).
- Put out the blocks, the trapper and the grizzly, the provisions, the rods and the mountain rope ready for play.
- Each player starts with 3 squirrels. Put your squirrels on the squirrel places next to the color you have chosen. The remaining squirrels "frolic" next to the route map.
- The chosen player color determines the starting player and the order of play per round: With 4 players, white begins, followed by black, orange and purple (squirrel places). With fewer players, the player who is on the top in the color row is the starting player, followed by the next chosen player color, etc.
Note: It's best if all players always build their individual routes from the same place. You should comfortably stand, sit or (for those who are smaller) even kneel on a chair there. As soon as a player finishes his turn, the next player should move into his place.
Board areas: spaces, campground, discard space for owl tiles, draw pile for owl tiles, squirrel places, frolicking area of the squirrels, route cards (pile for route A), laid-out owl tiles (allocated to the letter of the route and added from the draw pile).
How the Game Plays
- The starting player reveals the top route card of a pile of his choice (A, B or C) and builds the route using the blocks (consider possible additional task). In general, the player whose turn it is can choose freely if all piles are face down.
- Now the player tries to move the playing figure(s) and, depending on the card, the provisions from the starting block or the starting position over the route to the destination block (consider squirrels). On his way, he follows the specifications on the card.
- If the player succeeds in building the route, he selects one of the owl tiles lying below the route card and turns it over. The big value indicates how many spaces he is allowed to advance his route marker on the route map (e.g., "3" = 3 spaces forward). If he fails, he also turns over a tile. The small value (e.g., "1") indicates how many spaces he has to move backwards. After that, it's the next player's turn.
- This player can either take the built route (a.) or change to another route (b.): a. If he takes the built route and succeeds, he turns over the second tile and moves the indicated number of spaces forward. (If he fails, he does as in 3.) The route card is removed from the game. He turns the owl letter tile back over; the other tile is put face up on the discard space. He adds a tile from the draw pile to the display. Next player. b. If he changes to another route, the previous route card is immediately removed from the game. He turns over the owl letter tile, if applicable, or adds the other one. He puts the squirrels required on the frolicking area (route change to A = -1 squirrel / B = -2 squirrels / C = -3 squirrels). Then he reveals the top route card from a pile of his choice, etc. (as in 1.).
Attention: If the draw pile of owl tiles has been used up, shuffle the discarded tiles face down and form a new pile.
- Play proceeds in rounds until someone reaches the peak. On the way, you can take a shortcut (see Shortcuts).
Route Cards, Additional Tasks and Squirrels
The game materials required for the normal route are always shown at the top of the route card.
Additional task: If you have a route card with an additional task, you first have to decide whether you want to build the normal or the difficult route (continue as in 2.). If you can master the difficult route on the first attempt, you choose one owl tile (as in 3.), move the respective number of spaces ahead and receive the squirrels indicated, which you may put on your squirrel place. (If you fail, do as in 3.)
Note: A subsequent player may also choose the normal route (or the other way around) and rebuild the route.
Additional tasks are explained in the red box; after the "+", you see the game material required for the difficult route in addition to the normal route. There are additional tasks for which you can get 1 or 2 squirrels.
Squirrels: If an attempt fails, you can get help from your squirrels: For each squirrel that you put on the frolicking area, you have one more attempt, starting from the starting block or the starting position. Squirrels help you with additional attempts, route changes and shortcuts.
Important: While doing additional tasks, you can't have any further attempts!
Route change: The number of squirrels needed for this are indicated on the route map (above the route card piles). If you are standing on a compass space at the beginning of your turn, any kind of route change (A, B or C) is possible; for this, you do not have to put any squirrels on the frolicking area. On the compass spaces 4 and 9, you may change to a route of your choice.
Shortcuts: You can take a shortcut from the backpack spaces. If you are standing on such a space at the beginning of your turn and put the squirrels required on the frolicking area (-2 squirrels / -3 squirrels), you may advance your route marker along the dotted line (e.g., to space 5). After that, you carry out your regular turn. On the backpack spaces 3 and 8, you can take a shortcut to the peak.
End of the Game
As soon as one player reaches the peak (space 17) with his route marker, the round is still completed (consider squirrel places). The peak doesn't have to be reached by the exact number; i.e., surplus spaces go to waste.
If one route card pile (A, B or C) has been used up before the peak has been reached, the adventure ends immediately.
The player who is the only one to have reached the peak or who is standing on the highest space in the end wins the game.
Important: If several players have reached the peak or are at the same height, the player with the most squirrels wins.
All Route Cards
- Route A (easy): Treetop; Ice Bridge; Narrow Point; Rock Crevice; Boulder; Glacier; Climbing Ladder; Stone Gate
- Route B (moderate): Bear's Den; Ice Curve; Cliff; Ice Crevice; Ridge Walk; Chimney; Tightrope Walk; Stone Window; Overhang; Pinnacles
- Route C (difficult): Eagle's Nest; Tree Trunks; Narrow Pass; Rock Wall; Difficult Path; Gorge; Climbing Path; Shaft; Snake Path; Steep Slope; Shelter; Waterfall
Here's How It Goes - A Few Rules for Adventurers
- You move the playing figures only with the rods (the number is shown at the top of each card). On routes with 1 rod, you hold the rod in either hand (your choice). On routes with 2 rods, you hold one rod in each hand at the same time, moving (one after another) one playing figure with your left hand and the other with your right hand. When the playing figures are hooked up, they dangle in the air and can be moved freely (consider mountain rope / ice crystal); when they are unhooked, they stay firmly on the path.
Attention: The playing figures always need to be unhooked at the end of the path (destination block).
Examples: Hooking up the trapper on a route with one rod and unhooking after the destination block. "Freely movable" playing figures on a route with 2 rods. The trapper is unhooked for the first time at the "Climbing Ladder"; after that, you hook up the grizzly and "climb" upward; then move the trapper and finally the grizzly to the destination block.
- The provisions can be carefully shoved along the path or also be pushed with a little momentum. On the way, you are allowed to shove (or push) the provisions forward and/or back.
Note: In "Stone Gate" (route A), only the provisions must be moved through the gate; the trapper may pass around. The same applies to "Bear's Den" (route B), "Shelter" and "Gorge" (both route C).
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The arrows on the route cards indicate the moving direction, and the numbers determine the movement order of your playing figures, as well as where they need to be hooked up and unhooked along the way, and how often you have to change between trapper and grizzly.
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Depending on the route card, the mountain rope is used for:
- climbing with the playing figures (e.g., in "Shaft"),
- sliding with the grizzly (consider ice crystal),
- swinging (e.g., in "Chimney" or "Tightrope Walk"),
and also to push the provisions.
Attention: When the grizzly is sliding, he must not lose contact with the ground under his paws. He is drawn over the path (e.g., using the mountain rope, the grizzly is drawn from the starting block over the "Ice Bridge" to the destination block); consider with all route cards with ice crystal.
Mastered or Failed
Watch out, bold adventurers! An attempt or, that is to say, the route is considered mastered if you reach the destination block without mistakes. If something collapses while you are building, this is not a mistake. Before the attempt, you may fix blocks that are askew. If the mountain rope comes loose or a playing figure comes off the climbing hook, this is not a mistake as long as the figure doesn't stray from the path or fall over and the destination block can still be reached. (And don't forget: You can have further attempts with the help of the squirrels!)
In contrast to this, an attempt is considered unsuccessful or the route is considered failed:
- if you don't observe the rules (e.g., the route specifications or the unhooking at the end of the path).
- if, during the attempt, a block topples over or is displaced so much that you can no longer move the playing figures along the path or solve the task.
- if the provisions fall down on the way before you reach the destination block.
- if you cause a playing figure to fall over, you wind up off the path or don't reach the destination block.
Team Variant (for Beginners as well as for Advanced Players)
Up to 7 adventurers can try to reach the peak of the "Blocky Mountains" as a team. To this end, set up on the team route map (back of the board) and put out the game materials ready to use (see Materials) - you don't need the owl tiles. Place the team route marker on the campground (next to the arrow space). In the variant for beginners, the team gets as many squirrels as there are adventurers participating; the advanced players start without squirrels. Determine the starting player.
Note: When the team reaches the intermediate destinations A and B, it additionally gets the number of squirrels indicated on the team route map (A = 1 squirrel / B = 2 squirrels). In a later game, you can start the game from one of the intermediate destinations instead.
Course of the Game for the Team Variant
The starting player turns over the top route card of the route A pile and builds this route (consider additional task). If he masters the route, you may move your route marker to the arrow space; the card is removed from the game. (If the player fails in building a route, the applicable card is removed from the game also!) After that, it's the next player's turn (next card).
For each route you have completed, you advance your route marker 1 space on the route map. If an attempt is unsuccessful, you can get help (squirrels).
After reaching an intermediate destination, you may turn over a card from the next pile. Each pile represents a section on the path to the peak (first, route A, then B, then C).
Attention: In case you fail, you don't have to move backwards any spaces. In the team variant, routes with 2 rods can also be executed by 2 team members at the same time (with each player holding 1 rod).
Fox: If your route marker is standing on a fox space, you can put one of your squirrels on the frolicking area before the attempt; in return, you immediately move 1 space forward. Beware of the fox! On a fox space, you have to master route cards always on the first attempt; you are not allowed to try again.
Major shortcut: From one of the spaces, you can take a shortcut on your way to the peak; at the beginning of your turn, you have to put the squirrels required on the frolicking area (-5 squirrels); then you are allowed to advance along the dotted line. The squirrels help also with the major shortcut.
End of the Game for the Team Variant
The team wins as soon as it reaches the peak (C). You lose the game if one of the team members turns over the last route card of a pile and cannot reach the intermediate destination or the peak anymore with this card.
Solo Training
You can also train alone in the "Blocky Mountains." For this, you don't need any route map; you choose a route (A, B or C) and try to master all route cards of that pile. You start the training with 3 squirrels. Will you succeed in mastering all the cards of the pile? And how many squirrels will you have left at the end of the training?
Note: You can get a maximum of 24 squirrels for all routes together (3 / start + 5 / route A + 7 / route B + 9 / route C).