Cro-Magnon

Cro-Magnon Rulebook

Table of Contents

128 "Koassa ?" cards
13 illustrated "Tribe" cards
2 "primary language" cards
1 spinning top
6 pebble pawns
1 block of modelling clay
1 block of charcoal
1 rulebook

Goal of the Game

Discover the talents of the caveman sleeping inside you! Mime, modelling, primary language and charcoal drawings will allow your tribe to reach the end of prehistory first.

Setup

Each player draws one "Tribe" card at random (close your eyes while drawing it, as the tribe name is written on both sides).
In turn, the players call out aloud the "Kitoi ?" of their tribe, then its "Toifair" and its "Powa !". They then place the card in front of them so that they can see their individual track (around the card). Finally, they take a pebble pawn (Mother Nature makes lots of beautiful and useful things...) and place it on the Start square of their track.
Shuffle the "Koassa ?" cards and place them as a face-down pile in the centre of the table.
Place the accessories for the different trials to one side of the table (the modelling clay, the 2 "primary language" cards, the charcoal block and a few blank sheets of paper).
Impatient? The game can start now. You will evolve... or not!

Sequence of Play

The oldest player (the one closest to our ancestors, after all!) begins. This player becomes the active player. The active player performs the "Toifair" attitude shown on their "Tribe" card and draws a "Koassa ?" card from the pile. They spin the top, then try to make all the other players guess the first word of the card by miming it.

As soon as a player has guessed that word, the active player immediately draws a new card so as to make the others guess another word (always the first word of the card). Their goal is to have the other players guess as many words as possible before the top stops.

When the top has come to a complete stop, the active player performs their "Toifair" attitude again, then moves their pawn forward by as many spaces as words they guessed. The players who guessed words each move their own pebble pawn forward by as many spaces as the number of words they guessed on their individual track. The "Koassa ?" cards used are returned to the pile, and the next player (clockwise) becomes the active player: the one who makes the others guess words.

Spinning the Top

The players may take two attempts to spin the top properly.
The average spin time of the top is 1 minute. If you are not very good at it, use a stopwatch!

The "Toifair" Attitude

Each tribe has its own "Toifair" attitude.

This attitude must be performed twice by the active player:
- once before spinning the top;
- once when the top has come to a complete stop.
If this player forgets to perform the "Toifair" attitude of their tribe at least once, another player may shout "Toipa !" to penalise them: one word is deducted from their total of guessed words.
Example: if the active player made 3 words guessed but forgot their attitude, they only advance their pawn by 2 spaces.

Additional Rules

A pawn may not advance more than 5 spaces per turn, even if more than 5 words were guessed.
The active player may pass one "Koassa ?" card per turn if the word does not suit them. In that case, they draw a new "Koassa ?" card.

The "Kitoi ?" Attitude

The "Kitoi ?" allows you to get to know your tribe, its particularities and its customs.

The "Powa !" Power

The "Powa !" is the power each tribe possesses. It allows you to distract your opponents and/or gain an advantage.

It is an optional rule: at the start of the game the players decide together whether they will use the "Powa !" during the game.

If the "Powa !" is used, there are several cases:

Not used: the "Powa !" cards are not used, because it is your first game or you have decided so. Skip the rest of this section.
Last player only: only the player who is the least advanced on their track may use their "Powa !". As soon as this player is no longer last, they can no longer use their "Powa !". If several players are tied for last, they may use their "Powa !" at the same time. This is the configuration we recommend so that the game keeps a semblance of decency...
Any time: all players may use their "Powa !" at any moment of the game. Are you sure of your choice? In that case, we no longer answer for anything! :)

Note: unless a "Tribe" card says otherwise, the "Powa !" is used while the active player is making the others guess.

The "Toipa !" Penalty

Shouted by another player when the active player forgets the "Toifair" attitude of their tribe (see "The 'Toifair' Attitude" above). One word is deducted from the active player's total of guessed words.

The Tribe Card: Example (Politicos-Véros)

The "Tribe" card has the following parts:

illustration;
tribe name (here: Politicos-Véros);
"Kitoi ?" (the tribe's introduction);
"Toifair" (the tribe's attitude, performed twice by the active player);
"Powa !" (the tribe's power);
the individual track (the starting square is the "Départ du parcours individuel").

On the example card, the "Toifair" attitude is: "La main sur le cœur, faire aux autres joueurs une promesse impossible à tenir" (hand on heart, make the other players an impossible promise). The "Powa !" is: "Détourner la moitié de la pâte à modeler et laisser seulement l'autre moitié au joueur actif. Dans les autres épreuves, voler un point gagné au joueur actif" (divert half of the modelling clay and leave only the other half to the active player. In the other trials, steal one point won by the active player).

The 4 Communication Modes

The individual track of each tribe is divided into 4 zones (ages), each symbolising a major phase of prehistoric man's evolution.

When a player reaches a new zone, they must make the other players guess the words using the communication mode corresponding to their new stage of evolution.

1st Age (Australopithecus)

Use only mimes, onomatopoeia, animal cries, noises and touch to make the other players guess the first word of the "Koassa ?" cards. "Ça trop facile, non ?" (That's too easy, isn't it?)

This age corresponds to the "australopithecine" period, during which our ancestors developed the very first forms of communication.

2nd Age (Homo habilis)

Use only modelling clay to make the other players guess the second word of the "Koassa ?" cards. Noises and mimes are not allowed. On the other hand, you may animate the objects you create with the modelling clay.

This age corresponds to the "Homo habilis" period, during which our ancestors invented the first tools.

3rd Age (Homo erectus)

Use only the words of the "primary language" card to make the other players guess the third word of the "Koassa ?" cards. Yes, yes, you can do it!

Example: to make the other players guess the word "Escargot" (snail), you may say the following words: "petit-animal-pas-rapide" (small-animal-not-fast). To make them guess "rêver" (to dream), you may say: "dans-repos-nuit-moi-voir-chose-dans-tête" (in-rest-night-me-see-thing-in-head).

The first time you play, we advise you to take a little time to read the words of the "primary language" cards together.

This age corresponds to the "Homo erectus" period, during which the first forms of articulated language were certainly appearing.

4th Age (Homo sapiens)

Using the charcoal block and a sheet of paper, make the other players guess the fourth word of the "Koassa ?" cards by drawing. Speaking, miming or writing is not allowed.

This age corresponds to the "Homo sapiens" period, during which the first artistic representations appear.

Helping Hints

At any moment of the game, the player who is making the others guess a word may help the other players by saying:

"Naga !" when they are on a wrong track;
"Ouaga !" when they are close to the right answer;
"Binga !" when they have found the right answer.

End of the Game

The winner is the first player to reach their Arrival square. As a tribute to the winner, all the tribes must perform the "Toifair" attitude of the winning tribe!

Team Play (from 6 players)

Teams of two players may play Cro-Magnon. The flow of the game stays the same. The two players of a team may make the others guess the words at the same time or in turns.

Example: in the 1st Age, the mimes may be done side by side or in turns. In the 2nd Age, the modelling clay may be split between the two players. In the 3rd Age, one player may take over from their teammate when they lack inspiration. In the 4th Age, you may make the guesses in turns, or procure another charcoal block at your next barbecue.

Costume Variant (if you are a little crazy!)

Before starting a game, we invite you to dress up with all the accessories you can find. Choose the most outlandish caveman or cavewoman. This person starts the game one space ahead of the others.

After the Game

The modelling clay is made of vegetable elements and wax. It is pigmented with natural ochre from Roussillon and does not dry out. It is not necessary to put it back in its packaging; you can store it directly in the box.

Modelling clay batch number: H0404.

We hope you have fun playing with your prehistoric toy!

Prehistoric Background (publisher's sidebars)

These pages of the rulebook give the publisher's general background information on each stage of human evolution. They are reproduced here in condensed form.

Australopithecus (4.2 to 2.3 million years ago). Height: 1.05 to 1.40 m. Cranial capacity: 450 cm³. At least 5 australopithecine species spread across East and South Africa. They shared a degree of upright walking, a largely vegetarian diet and a preference for wooded, humid environments.

About 3,000,000 years ago: appearance of bipedalism; first stones used as tools.

Homo habilis (2.5 to 1.5 million years ago). Height: 1.10 to 1.40 m. Cranial capacity: 550 to 750 cm³. Lived in groups in wooded savannahs near lakes and rivers. Made tools from stone and wood.

About 2,500,000 years ago: manufacture of the first tools (choppers).

Homo ergaster (2 to 1 million years ago). Height: 1.55 to 1.70 m. Cranial capacity: 900 cm³. Lived in clans, on the ground only, and was an excellent walker. Established camps following game migrations and travelled long distances to feed. Possibly the precursor of Homo erectus, or a separate species.

About 1,500,000 years ago: construction of branch shelters.
About 500,000 years ago: manufacture of tools with knapped flint (axes, scrapers...).

Homo erectus (1.7 to 0.1 million years ago). Height: 1.50 to 1.65 m. Cranial capacity: 850 to 1100 cm³. Omnivore, feeding on game and gathered food. Improved tool-making for hunting, cutting or crushing. The first hominid to master fire; the consumption of meat is thought to have contributed to brain development. Scientific studies suggest a lowered larynx and areas needed for language and comprehension (Broca's and Wernicke's areas) were present.

About 400,000 years ago: domestication of fire.
About 100,000 years ago: appearance of the premises of articulated language.

Homo neanderthalensis (112,000 to 30,000 years ago). Height: 1.55 to 1.65 m. Cranial capacity: 1500 to 1750 cm³. Originally thought to be one of our ancestors; it is now known that it has no direct kinship with Homo sapiens. Probably less resistant to climate variations and less able to adapt technically to these changes, the line gradually died out, for reasons that are not precisely known.

About 100,000 years ago: funeral rites, first burials and religious thoughts.

Homo sapiens (300,000 years ago to the present). Height: 1.55 to 2.00 m. Cranial capacity: 1650 cm³. Opened the way to technical and cultural innovation. Learned to use new materials to make or improve tools, weapons, clothing and everyday objects. The first bone needles and jewellery appear in this period. Homo sapiens is at the origin of the arts; many traces have been left, including bone flutes found in Central Europe and many cave paintings in numerous regions of the world.

About 30,000 years ago: appearance of art.
About 20,000 years ago: first bone tools (needles).
About 17,000 years ago: paintings at Lascaux.