Das Störrische Muli
Das Störrische Muli Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Overview
DAS STÖRRISCHES MULI (The Intractable Mules)
The Mad Mule Running Game for 3 – 5 Players from Age 8 years
The last will not be the first one - or, will they? In this mad Mule race nothing is normal. All mules race madly across the desert. But when the first mule reaches the goal, all of the mules turn around and head back! Whichever mule arrives first back at home wins, but only if there is a human runner left on the track once all mules cross the finish line. If all human runners exit the track, then the mule who reaches home LAST is the winner!
Game Components
- 1 Game Board
- 5 Mules
- 3 Human Runners
- 5 Mule blankets
- 2 Color dice
- 8 plastic stands
Game Preparations
Before the first game, all parts are carefully removed from the frame. The Mules and Human Mule Runners are put into the plastic stands of the same color.
The game board is placed in the middle of the table.
Every player chooses a Mule and the matching Mule blanket. With less than five players, the remaining Mules and blankets remain in the box.
However, as many Human Mule Runners are still required so that there are always six pieces are in the game. The colors the Human Mule Runners must be selected so that all six colors are represented in the game.
The Mules and Human Mule Runners are placed on the start field (indicated by the signpost), which is also the Finish Line.
Every player places his Mule blanket in front of him so that every player can always tell which player is represented by which color.
The youngest player gets both dice and begins the game.
Game Play
The active player throws both dice.
If the dice show two different colors, both pieces of these colors are moved one field further along the track. It doesn't make any difference to whom the figure belongs or whether it is a Mule or a Human Mule Runner. The player who has thrown dice, decides which figure is moved first.
If both cubes, however, show the same color, the affected piece matching this color is moved one field BACKWARDS (only as far back as the start space or, in the later course of the game, back up to turning point on the track).
Then, the next player in clockwise order takes his turn.
On his turn, a player may, if he desires, leave one of the two dice intact and roll only the other dice. By doing so, one of the colors is already fixed. However, the same rule applies: if two same colors arise, the matching figure must a be moved one field backwards. In the later course of the game, no dice can be left un-rolled which depicts the color of a figure which has already reached the finish line.
The game continues in this fashion until a figure reaches the turning space (the end of the track).
The Turning Field
As soon as a figure (Mule or Human Mule Runner) reaches the turning point (end of the track) and after moving any second figure rolled, ALL figures are turned around so that they are now facing in the direction of the Start space, which is now the Finish line!
Now the running goes in the other direction (towards the start/finish line). All rules for dice rolling remain in effect.
Finish
When the first mule crosses the finish line, it is set on the city pictured on the game board. This mule is now out of the rest of the race. Its owner may nevertheless continue to take his turn and throw the dice as long as there is at least one Human Mule Runner still in the race, since the player can still win the game.
All subsequent Mules which cross the finish line are put back into the box and are out of the game. Their owners are also out of the game and no longer take a turn (roll the dice).
Game End and Winners
The game ends when there is only a single Mule or Human Mule Runner on the track. If it there is only a single Mule, the owner of this mule is the winner.
OR
As long as only one or several Human Mule Runners are remain on the track (no mules), the winner is the player Mule was the first to cross the finish line.