Count Down

Count Down Rulebook

Table of Contents

Introduction and Game Overview
Rules of the Game

Introduction and Game Overview

Number of players: 2 to 6 players. For adults and young people from 9 years old.

The game in a few words: The aim is to establish and carry out a space programme that makes it possible to go to the Moon and return. To do this we need rockets, astronauts and space probes; we must know the technique of space rendezvous and several other preliminary manoeuvres.

The game is not played with dice: the ball is rolled, which prolongs the suspense. The pieces that move along the track according to the whims of the ball are small coloured rockets. The final phase of the game, and the most interesting, is the COUNTDOWN: the player who first carries it out successfully is declared the winner.

Rules of the Game

It is best to start by playing with four or five players. The section "Particularities" on page 4 explains how to play afterwards with two, three or six players.

Game Leader, Starting Capital and Space Centres

A game leader is chosen. This player manages the bank, checks the transactions of the various cards and rockets, and also acts as referee. Depending on the number of players, the game leader may or may not play as well.

Each player rolls the ball once along their rail and receives one hundred million multiplied by the number they rolled (100 million for a 1, 1200 million for a 12, and so on). The player who rolled the highest number places their figure, a small coloured rocket, on space centre no. 1, the next player on launch ramp no. 2, and so on.

Control Cards

The control cards are numbered 1 to 4. The game leader gives each player the card corresponding to the number of their space centre. The game is valid only if each player fulfils the 9 conditions required by their own control card (successful launch, astronauts, exploration of the Moon, and so on) and ticks them in the column OK. (Marks written in ballpoint pen rub off easily with a damp cloth.)

Attention! The preparatory manoeuvres (photo cards) are not the same on the four control cards: for example, player no. 1 must transport the rockets while player no. 2 looks after the radar.

When playing with two, three or six players, a player who receives a photo card that nobody needs may play once more.

The Game

Player no. 1 rolls the ball and moves their rocket in the direction of the arrow by the number rolled. The squares offer five possibilities: buy a photo card (at the price shown on the card), receive free a part of the plastic rocket, receive a surprise card, receive an agent card, or receive a sum of money.

When player no. 1 has settled their affairs, it is the turn of the player on their left to play. When a player has fully built their rocket and fulfilled all the conditions required by their control card, they are ready for the countdown (COUNTDOWN). The first to finish their COUNTDOWN is declared the winner.

Meaning of the Squares

The three stages of the rocket and the capsule. A player who lands on one of these squares receives free, until the stock runs out, the part of the rocket corresponding to the drawing, and places it on their space centre; that is where they will build their rocket.

Saturn V. Landing on the Saturn V square allows the player to buy the complete rocket, with the capsule, for the flat price of 500 million. If there is no complete rocket left in stock, they may buy the remaining stages at the fixed prices:

first stage: 200 million
third stage: 100 million
second stage: 100 million
capsule: 300 million

Preliminary manoeuvre squares. For each of the conditions required by the control card there is a corresponding square and card (for example "launch tower" or "in space"). The player may buy the card at the price noted on it; they then place it face up in front of them, and tick the corresponding title on their control card. It is of course possible to buy cards that one does not need at all, for future exchanges or sales (up to double their value). A player who lands on a square whose cards are all already sold may play once more.

Surprise squares. The player takes the first surprise card from the pile; once they have followed its instructions, they put it back under the pile.

Funding squares. A player who stops on such a square receives from the game leader a subsidy equal to the sum shown on the square.

Exhausted stock. When a player lands on a square whose cards or rocket parts are exhausted, they may play once more.

Espionage and surprise cards. If one of these cards entitles you to a photo card, you may obtain it as long as it is still available from the game leader. Otherwise there is no compensation.

Purchases, Sales and Exchanges

Rockets and photo cards, and in some cases surprise cards, may be traded between players. For a transaction to take place, either:

the two players must be together on the same square, or
one of the players must arrive in the "forbidden zone" of the player to whom they have a deal to propose.

Under these conditions, if a player has a photo card they do not need, they are obliged to sell it to the player who lacks it; the sale price is fixed by mutual agreement between the indicated value and double that value. Boycotting is forbidden.

Exchanges between players are allowed; only the agreement of the parties is needed.

Note: in all circumstances, rockets may be sold only at their original price.

Auction

As soon as the game leader holds only ten photo cards, they may put five of them up for auction. They then propose as the base price half of their real value. It is up to the game leader to choose these five cards.

Astronaut cards cannot be sold at auction.

Forbidden Zones

Each control centre has a "forbidden zone" square. With the exception of the owner of the launch ramp, any player who stops on this square must justify their presence:

if they come as a friend, they propose to the owner buying, selling or exchanging cards; if the owner refuses to deal, the player is sent back to their starting square.
if they hold an espionage or sabotage card, they carry out their mission.

Astronaut Training

The astronauts' physical condition must be perfect; as training, the player must therefore do ten correct squats. If they refuse, they must pay 10 million, a fine for insufficient fitness.

Agent Squares

If a player stops on an "espionage" or "sabotage" square, they take a corresponding card whose text tells them an action to carry out. Green card = espionage; red card = sabotage.

They return their card to the game leader only once their mission is accomplished.

Secret Service

If an agent is "arrested" in an opponent's "forbidden zone", they must either let three turns pass without playing, or pay a ransom of 300 million to the owner of the centre where they are, in order to continue the game. (These cards must not be read aloud, since they are a secret.)

And Now, Who Wins? (The Countdown)

A player who has fully built their rocket and fulfilled all the conditions required by their control card may begin the COUNTDOWN. This consists in reaching a total of at least 25 points in three consecutive rolls of the ball.

However, they may choose to start counting only from the moment the ball stops on a high number, but at the latest on the fourth roll. If they succeed, they are declared the winner. If they do not reach 25 points, they wait for their next turn to try again, and during this time remain subject to all the rules of the game (for example, an opponent may sabotage their rocket!).

Particularities

When the ball stops on 10, 11 or 12, the player may choose to move their rocket forward or backward.

Rocket Stages and Capsule

We have seen that certain squares give the right to receive free the different parts of the rocket. But the piece to which one is entitled may no longer be in the game master's stock; a player may own the same part two or more times. Whoever needs it then buys it from them, and the owner of the duplicate must sell it at the fixed price.

From Earth to the Moon in 14 Steps (NASA Apollo Programme)

Launch of the three-stage Saturn V rocket. At its tip, the Apollo spacecraft with its three astronauts.
The first stage is exhausted after 2½ minutes, the second after 6½ minutes, at 160 km altitude. Once burnt out, they are jettisoned.
The third stage takes the Apollo spacecraft into a waiting orbit around the Earth. It accelerates and enters the lunar corridor.
The command module and its engine section separate from the third stage, turn on themselves and come to weld onto the lunar spacecraft, the LEM.
In the vicinity of the Moon, the astronauts slip into the lunar module, the LEM, and separate from the main body of the rocket.
The LEM lands on the Moon.
The astronauts explore the lunar surface.
The LEM takes off from the lunar ground, abandoning its landing gear.
Rendezvous manoeuvre of the LEM with the main vehicle.
The three astronauts are back in the main body of the rocket. The LEM is jettisoned.
Return to Earth.
The engine section is jettisoned.
Command module and heat shield forward, re-entry into the atmosphere.
Landing with parachutes.

Number of Players: Variants

2 or 3 players: Each player occupies a centre and receives a control card. Unoccupied centres remain out of service. The rockets, photo cards and control cards relating to these centres (launch ramp) are also removed from the game.

4 players: Each player occupies a centre; one of the players additionally acts as game leader.

5 players: There will be 4 players and one game leader.

6 players: Launch ramp no. 4 remains free. Two players are associated on each of the other three centres. Each moves their own piece, but associated players fill only one control card, have only one rocket to build, and therefore make only one COUNTDOWN. One of them acts as game leader.