Caracho
Caracho Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
This is in the box:
- 1 game board
- 1 winners' podium
- 5 cars
- 15 cards
- 16 dice
Before the Very First Game
Carefully punch out the winners' podium, the five cars and the corresponding stands. Each car consists of two parts: the car body and the stand. Fit the two pieces together, matching the colours. These are your cars.
Set-Up
Place the game board on the table and the winners' podium next to it. Each car is placed on any random space before the first river and on colour-matching tyre tracks (red car on the red tracks, etc.). See the example starting position in the rulebook's set-up diagram. Place all the dice beside the game board. That is the general supply. Shuffle the cards and deal three cards face down to each player.
Secret Bets
Before you set off, you must use your cards to place two secret bets. Take a look at your three cards first. Each card shows you two things:
- the possible position of a particular car, and
- how many points you score, assuming that your car reaches one of the two positions of your bet.
Example: If the green car reaches second place at the end of the game, you receive 4 points. However, if it reaches third place, you "only" get 2 points.
Choose two cards and place them face down before you. These are your two bets. You may not change them any more during the game. Remove the remaining cards face down from the game and return them to the box.
Turn Structure
Take turns in a clockwise direction. The youngest player begins. Your turn always consists of 2 phases:
- Which racing team shall I choose?
- Brumm, when may the cars drive?
Phase 1: Which Racing Team Shall I Choose?
Is it your turn? Then take three dice from the general supply and roll them. Then choose two of them. Place each of the dice on a racing team of your choice. These are the coloured spaces behind the finish line (chequered space). You may choose freely which symbol you place on which racing team. There may be several symbols placed on one racing team. But beware: You may never place both dice on the same racing team.
Phase 2: Brumm, When Can the Cars Drive?
Have you distributed the dice? Then return the unused die to the general supply. Next, check whether you can drive with one car or two. The symbols on the dice will help you. Are there two identical symbols in one racing team?
- No? Then the player on your left takes their turn.
- Yes? Then step on it. You must drive forwards with the car whose colour matches the racing team. Are you able to drive forwards with two cars? Then you may choose which car you let drive first.
The number of spaces the car may drive forwards depends on which position the car is currently standing in:
- Position 1 – In the lead: Move the car 1 space forwards.
- Position 2 – The chaser: Move the car 2 spaces forwards.
- Position 3 – There's still hope: Move the car 3 spaces forwards.
- Position 4 – The pressure's slowly mounting: Move the car 4 spaces forwards.
- Position 5 – Time to give full throttle: Move the car 5 spaces forwards.
Important: During the course of the game, several cars might be on the same level. These cars share the same position. The next car then takes the next possible position following the others.
Example: Both the green and yellow cars share position 1. The red car is standing on position 2. And the black and blue cars are both on position 3. In this case, there are no cars on positions 4 and 5. Daniel places a matching die on the red racing team and may now race with the red car. He moves it 2 spaces forwards.
Have you moved forwards with one or two cars? Then remove all dice from the corresponding racing team(s) and return them to the general supply. Then the player on your left takes their turn. They take three dice from the general supply, roll them, choose two of them, place each one of them on a racing team, and so forth.
The Car's Stuck Fast in the River – What Now?
Have one or more cars got stuck fast in the river? Then they're bogged down. You need lots of power to tug them free. Thus, you must have at least three identical symbols lying on the matching racing team. Only then can the cars move forwards again.
Note: You only get stuck fast in the river when you land exactly on the river space. Driving over the river has no consequences.
Are There Less Than Three Dice in the General Supply?
In that case, you may take one or two dice from the racing teams of your choice, thereby enabling you to roll three dice again. After that, you must move forwards with at least one car. You haven't rolled a matching symbol? Then you must continue to roll the dice until you have one or more matching symbols.
Have You Reached the Finish Line?
Have you moved one car onto the finish line (chequered space)? Then remove it from the game board and stand it on the corresponding place on the winners' podium:
- 1st position – When the car is the first one to reach the finish line.
- 2nd position – When the car is the second to reach the finish line.
- 3rd position – When the car is the third to reach the finish line.
- 4th position – When the car is the fourth to reach the finish line.
- 5th position – When the car is the last one and remains behind on the game board.
As soon as a car reaches the finish line, it is out of the race. Are there still dice lying on this car's racing team? Then return them immediately to the general supply. From now on, you may not place any more dice on this racing team.
Note: Do you want to drive with the cars on the game board? Then the cars on the winners' podium are not counted.
End of the Game
The game ends as soon as you have moved the fourth car over the finish line. The last car has lost the race and is left behind.
Then turn over both your cards. Now check which cards correspond to the actual position the cars reached. Add up your points.
The player with the most points wins. In the event of a tie, there is more than one winner.