Centipede (Milton Bradley) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• How to Set Up the Game
• Game Play Summary
• How to Play the Game
• How to Win the Game

Contents

• 1 gameboard
• 2 plastic Centipedes
• 1 plastic Spider pawn
• 1 plastic Scorpion pawn
• 20 plastic Plug-in Mushrooms
• 2 plastic Guns
• 10 cardboard Poison Mushrooms
• 1 spinner
• 1 instruction booklet
• 1 label sheet

How to Set Up the Game

1. Open the gameboard and carefully punch out the 20 mushroom holes.
2. Preparation of plastic parts: carefully break off all the plastic parts from the runners. Make sure no plastic remnants remain on them. Refer to Figure 1 to identify the various plastic game parts.

Figure 1 (parts identification): A Plug-In Mushroom, B Spider Pawn, C Scorpion Pawn, D Gun, E Centipede Head Segment, F Centipede Body Segment (joined by a Connector), G Centipede Assembly (Top marked), H Centipede Labeling.

3. Plug-in Mushrooms: peel off the 20 mushroom labels from the label sheet and apply them to the recessed area on the top of each plug-in mushroom as shown in Figure 1A. Then insert the 20 labeled mushrooms through the bottom of the gameboard into the mushroom holes. Refer to Figure 2 on page 3 to see gameboard locations.
4. Place the gameboard on a flat surface so it's easily accessible to both players.
5. The Guns: Place the Guns on opposite edges of the board. At the start of the game, both Guns must be facing the row of six mushrooms in the center of the board as shown in Figure 2.
6. Spider and Scorpion: peel off the 2 spider labels from the label sheet and apply them to both sides of one pawn as shown in Figure 1B and place the labeled pawn in the spider's den on the board. Peel off the 2 scorpion labels from the label sheet and apply them to both sides of the other pawn as shown in Figure 1C and place the labeled pawn in the scorpion's hollow on the board.
7. Centipede assembly and labeling: now you'll assemble and label the 2 Centipede pawns. It is very important that this is done correctly so follow the instructions very carefully. Each Centipede contains a total of 6 segments: 1 head segment (see Figure 1E) and 5 body segments (see Figure 1F). Notice that each body segment has a connector but the head segment has none. Put together one Centipede by connecting these 6 segments as shown in Figure 1G. First, connect each segment to one another using the connectors. Then, press a top onto each segment. Peel off the green head label and apply it to the recessed area on the top of the head segment. Peel off the 5 green body labels from the sheet and apply them to the recessed area on the top of the 5 body segments. Refer to Figure 1H to see proper label application. Assemble the other Centipede in the same way. Attach the red head label to the recessed area on the top of the head segment. Attach the 5 red body labels to the recessed area on the top of the 5 body segments. Place the green-labeled Centipede on the green home base and the red-labeled Centipede on the red home base. All 6 segments of both Centipedes should be label-side up. When a segment is label-side up, it's alive; when it's label-side down, it's dead.

Figure 2 (game setup) labels: Gun, Firing Line, Plug-In Mushrooms (20), Spider's Den, Scorpion's Hollow, Green Home Base, Red Home Base, Poison Mushroom Spaces (10 on gamepath), and the Poison Mushrooms set to the side of the gameboard.

Game Play Summary

Your objective is to move your Centipede from your home base to your opponent's home base. What you do on your turn depends on what you spin on the spinner. Spin CENTIPEDE and you can move your Centipede along the twisting path toward your opponent's home base. Spin SPIDER/SCORPION and you can move the Scorpion to plant Poison Mushrooms on the path OR you can move the Spider to remove Poison Mushrooms from the path or attack your opponent's Gun. If your Centipede runs into a Poison Mushroom it can take a shortcut. Spin GUN and you can move and shoot your own Gun. Spin FREE CHOICE and you can pick the move you want to make. Reach your opponent's home base before he or she reaches yours and you'll win the game.

How to Play the Game

1. Choose a player to go first. Then players alternate turns.

2. Using the spinner: on your turn, spin the spinner which will direct you to do one of the following: A, B, C, or D:

   A. Move Gun and Shoot: if you spin the GUN, you must do two things in the following order: FIRST, slide your Gun along the edge of the board to any space on the Firing Line (see Figure 2 for location). SECOND, shoot your Gun. Remember, you must move your Gun before you shoot. You cannot shoot through the four spaces marked with a red line in each curve. Your shot travels in a straight line until it either hits the first object in its path or goes off the opposite side of the board.

   (1) If you shoot your opponent's Centipede, turn the segment over (label-side down) so it is a "DEAD" segment. ALSO, you can turn up (label-side up) any one segment of YOUR Centipede to make it "LIVE" again, if it's "DEAD."

   (2) If you shoot a Poison Mushroom, remove it from the board.

   (3) If you shoot the Spider, return it to the Spider's Den. If the Spider is standing on a Poison Mushroom, the mushroom remains on the board because the Spider did not have a chance to remove it.

   (4) If you shoot the Scorpion, return it to the Scorpion's Hollow. If the Scorpion is standing on a Poison Mushroom, also remove the mushroom from the board because the Scorpion did not have a chance to plant it.

   (5) If you shoot a Plug-in Mushroom, your opponent's Gun, or a segment ("Live" or "Dead") of your own Centipede, nothing happens and your turn is over.

   B. Move Centipede: if you spin CENTIPEDE, move your Centipede forward one space for EACH segment that is "Live" (label-side up). For example, if all six segments of your Centipede are "Live," then move ahead six spaces. if your head segment is not "Live," you cannot move your Centipede. However, you can turn up (label-side up) the head segment to make it "Live" again. You cannot move until you spin again on a subsequent turn.

Figure 3 (Poison Mushroom shortcut) labels: Plug-in Mushroom, Poison Mushroom.

4. How to remove Poison Mushrooms: use the Spider to remove Poison Mushrooms from the path so your opponent can't use them for shortcuts. The Spider removes a Poison Mushroom in two steps. FIRST, move the Spider on top of a Poison Mushroom and your turn is over. THEN, the next time the Spider is moved by you or your opponent, the Poison Mushroom is removed from the board. PLEASE NOTE: if the Spider is shot while on a Poison Mushroom, the Spider is moved back to the Spider's Den but the mushroom remains on the board.

5. How to attack your opponent's Gun: use the Spider to attack your opponent's Gun so it cannot be used against you. The Spider attacks a Gun in two steps. FIRST, move the Spider onto the Spider Space (see Figure 4 for location) on the same side of the Firing Line as your opponent's Gun and your turn is over. THEN, the next time you spin Scorpion/Spider or Free Choice on the spinner, you can move the Spider from the Spider Space onto the barrels of your opponent's Gun. Remember, your opponent's Gun must be on the same side of the Firing Line as the Spider when you attack. As a reward, you can spin the spinner again and take an extra turn. Your opponent cannot move and shoot the Gun again until he or she spins Scorpion/Spider or Free Choice and moves the Spider off the Gun. PLEASE NOTE: the Spider cannot attack a Gun on the center space of the Firing Line. This is a safety space for the Gun. Refer to Figure 4 for location.

Figure 4 caption (as printed): "The Spider can jump from a Spider Space to any of the five adjacent spaces to attack the gun as shown by the arrows." Labels: Spider Space, Safety Space, Firing Line.

6. How to make your Centipede segments "Live" again: if your opponent shoots a segment of your Centipede and turns it label-side down, that segment is "dead." Remember, there are two ways to make a "dead" segment of your Centipede "live" again.

   A. If you shoot your opponent's Centipede, you can immediately turn any "dead" segment of YOUR Centipede label-side up to make it "live" again.

   B. If you spin CENTIPEDE on the spinner, you can immediately turn the HEAD segment of YOUR Centipede label-side up to make it "live" again if it is "dead," then your turn is over. You CANNOT turn a body segment of your Centipede label-side up to make it "live" again when you spin CENTIPEDE.

7. When Centipedes meet: if your Centipede runs into your opponent's Centipede on the path, place your Centipede on the six spaces immediately behind your opponent's Centipede as shown in Figure 5 and your turn is over.

Figure 5 caption: "When Centipedes meet, the one in motion jumps over the other one."

Any Poison Mushroom, Spider or Scorpion on these six spaces is removed from the board. If only part of your opponent's Centipede is in your path because it's turning around a Plug-in Mushroom, just jump over the segments that are on the path directly in front of your Centipede as shown in Figure 6 and your turn is over.

Figure 6 (no caption printed).

If your Centipede is turning around a Plug-in Mushroom and runs into your opponent's Centipede, as shown in Figure 7, place your Centipede on the six spaces immediately behind your opponent's Centipede and your turn is over.

Figure 7 (no caption printed).

8. You must move all six segments of your Centipede into your opponent's home base to win. Exact count is not needed.

How to Win the Game

Be the first player to move your Centipede into your opponent's home base.