Die Kutschfahrt zur Teufelsburg Rulebook

Table of Contents

Contents
Traveling Preparations (Setup)
Traveling Information
The Trip Begins (Course of the Game)
Guide to the Occupations
Guide to the Objects
Guide for the Cards "The Drink of Power" (only for rounds with an odd number of players)
Guide for the First Ride (for Beginners)
Variations
Credits

10 character cards (both sides can be used)
10 occupation cards
10 association cards (5 each of the Order / of the Brotherhood)
21 objects for the traveling luggage
29 "The Drink of Power" cards
10 playing instructions

Traveling Preparations (Setup)

Each player chooses a character card and takes it on his hand. The remaining character cards are put back into the box.
All of the occupation cards are shuffled. Each player receives one card and puts it down face-down in front of himself. The remaining occupation cards are put down face-down as a pick-up pile on the table.
The association cards are prepared as follows depending on the number of players:
- In rounds with an even number of players: with 4 players, 2 "Order" (OR) cards and 2 "Brotherhood" (BR) cards; with 6 players, 3x OR and 3x BR; with 8 players, 4x OR and 4x BR; with 10 players, 5x OR and 5x BR. The chosen association cards are shuffled and one card is put down face-down next to each player's occupation. The remaining association cards and "The Drink of Power" cards are not needed for this game and put back into the box.
- In rounds with an odd number of players: with 3 players, 2x OR and 2x BR; with 5 players, 3x OR and 3x BR; with 7 players, 4x OR and 4x BR; with 9 players, 5x OR and 5x BR. The chosen association cards are shuffled and put down face-down next to each player's occupation. "The Drink of Power" cards:
  - Each player receives one of these in rounds with an odd number of players and puts it down face-up in front of himself. The rest are put back into the box.
Traveling luggage / Objects:
- Tip for the first trip: To start the game easier, you only need the objects with the seal (on the left lower part of the cards). The remaining object cards are put back into the box. During later rounds you may add the objects without a seal of your own choice and as many as you wish. This changes the duration of the game and assures a varied course of the game.
- First of all the two bags are picked from the objects. The other cards with the seals are shuffled and two cards less than the number of players are counted face-down. These cards and the two bags are shuffled. Each player receives one of them face-down and takes it on his hand as his traveling luggage. The remaining cards with the seals are shuffled and put down face-down as a pick-up pile. If cards without a seal are also in the game, they are added to the cards with a seal, are shuffled and are put down as the pick-up pile.
- Notice: When playing with three players, each player receives 2 objects for his traveling luggage. Both of the bags and 4 other objects (see above) are passed out to the players. The "Black Pearl" card is completely removed from the game when playing with three players. When playing with ten players the "Coat" card is removed from the game.
The players may look at all of their own cards at any time.

Traveling Information

Character cards

These cards are used to show your support for the attacker or for the defender during a struggle. Character cards are taken on your hand but do not belong to your traveling luggage.

Associations

During the course of the game the players try to find out who is an ally of their own association by trading and collecting objects and information. With the help of the gathered information, they must collect three objects of their own association in order to proclaim the victory. Therefore, "The Order of Open Secrets" needs 3 keys in order to be victorious and "The Brotherhood of True Lies" needs 3 goblets in order to be victorious.

Important: Should a player at any time have too much luggage, he must immediately give away as many objects of his own choice as is necessary to reach the maximum number of cards allowed on his hand. The objects may not be given away for any other reason.

If a player would like to use an object, he can play that card at the time given on the card. He shows the card, reads the text out loud, follows it and puts the object back on his hand.
The guide to the objects (see below) is helpful if any further questions should arise during the game.

"The Drink of Power" cards (only with an odd number of players)

In rounds with an odd number of players, these cards serve as support to the inferior (by number) association because they count as one goblet or one key for them.

Important: Most of the occupations, objects and "The Drink of Power" cards influence the fundamental rules or even contradict these. In these cases the rules on the cards have priority.

The Trip Begins (Course of the Game)

The most farthest traveled player begins.
On a player's turn, he has one of four possibilities:
- A. Pass and therefore take no action, or
- B. Trade-in an object, or
- C. Attack another player, or
- D. Proclaim the victory.
Afterwards the player to his left takes his turn.

A. Pass

A player may pass his turn if he does not want to choose any of the other possibilities.

B. Trade-in an object

On a player's turn, he offers to trade-in one of his objects face-down with any one of the other players.
The other player looks at the card and decides whether or not he wants to trade it in. He must refuse to trade if his only traveling luggage is one of the bags and he is offered to trade-in the other bag.
If he accepts the trade-in, he keeps the object and in return gives back a different object from his cards face-down. This player may not refuse the trade-in now and takes the new object on his hand.
Many objects allow the player who gives them away certain privileges (these cards begin with "Trade it in and you may…"). In this case the player who accepted the trade-in must name his object first. He reads the text on the card out loud and the player who gave it away must immediately carry out the action. Then the player who began the trade also names the object on the card he received if it allows the player a certain privilege and the old owner immediately carries out the corresponding action. Exception: Whenever the "Broken Mirror" card is traded, both cards are not named and switch owners with no further word.
Objects with abilities that do not come into effect when they are traded-in always switch owners without being named (e.g. key, dagger, …).
If a player turns down a trade-in, he returns the object without a word and possible abilities do not come into effect.
After a trade-in (even if it was turned down) the left neighbor takes his turn.

C. Attacking another player

You may attack another player in order to gain secret information. To do so you must point to another player and say out loud "I attack you!" The attacking player is called attacker and the attacked player is called defender.
The attacker puts down his character card with the sword symbol face-up in front of himself. The defender puts down his character card with the shield symbol face-up in front of himself.
Beginning with the attacker's left neighbor all of the other players decide clockwise on whom they wish to support. A player who supports the attacker puts down his character card with the sword symbol face-up and a player who supports the defender puts down his character card with the shield symbol face-up in front of himself. If a player decides to abstain himself, he keeps his character card on his hand.
Afterwards, the players may in any order use the abilities of their occupations and / or their objects. Occupational cards used for this purpose are turned face-up and stay face-up in front of the players. If a player uses objects he must put these down face-up in front of himself.
As soon as none of the players wishes to put down any more cards, the results of all of the cards involved in the struggle are determined: The attacker receives one point for every sword laying face-up, the defender receives as many points as he has shields laying face-up. If any single cards are laying face-up on which a sword and a shield is pictured, the owner of that card decides on which symbol counts.
The player (attacker or defender) with the highest score wins the struggle and decides on the fate of the defeated:
- He either demands the truth about occupation and association, which means he may look at the corresponding cards, or
- He may look at his traveling luggage. To do so the defeated player must give all of his objects to the winner to look at. The winner may pick out an object and add it to his own traveling luggage face-down on his hand. If it was the loser's last object, he must give back any one of his own objects. In this case, the privileges of the objects do not come into effect.
If the struggle between the attacker and defender ends in a stand-off, the attacker picks-up an object from the pick-up pile. This possibility is dropped if it has been used up.
After use, the objects are picked-up and taken in the owners' hand and may be used again at any time. The occupational cards that were used remain face-up in front of the respective players.
The attacker's turn ends now and his left neighbor takes his turn.

D. To proclaim the victory (end of game)

If a player thinks that his association owns the necessary objects and he owns at least one of them himself, he may proclaim the victory. His association needs either:

3 keys or 3 goblets, or
2 keys + a bag with the key, respectively, 2 goblets + a bag with the goblet.

When playing with an odd number of players the inferior (by number) association may also win with the following combinations:

2 keys + 1 "The Drink of Power" card, respectively, 2 goblets + 1 "The Drink of Power" card, or
1 key + the bag with the key + "The Drink of Power" card, respectively, 1 goblet + the bag with the goblet + "The Drink of Power" card.
The player stands up and as a member of the Order proclaims: "The Order of Open Secrets owns the three keys of power and we demand absolute subjection of the Brotherhood".
Or as a member of the Brotherhood he proclaims: "The Brotherhood of True Lies owns the three goblets of the intrigue and we demand the absolute subjection of the Order".
He turns over his association cards, his occupation card and all of his other object cards.
Then the player names all of the other allies of his own association who own the objects that are necessary for victory. They turn over their cards and show their association and the objects they have. All of the members of this association win if the statement is correct. The players of the other association win if the victory was falsely proclaimed.

Notice: A player can also win on his own when using "The Coat of Armor of the Loge" object (see guide to the objects).

Now the ride may begin. The following guides only explain the special abilities of all of the cards and answer detailed questions that might come up during the game if necessary. An advanced 3-player-variation can be found in the Variations section below.

The authors wish all of the travelers an exciting coach ride and lots of fun.

Guide to the Occupations

Diplomat: "Only once in the game, you may demand that another player trade a certain object of your choice. You may only do so on your turn. Your turn ends if the player does not have the object." Notice: This privilege may additionally be used on a normal turn and allows a specified trade. If an opponent claims that he does not have the object demanded, he must show his objects to the player who played the occupation card.

Doctor: "Only once in the game, you may prevent the effects of a struggle immediately after the struggle." Notice: The doctor does not have to have been involved in the struggle. By using this privilege the winner does not receive any information about the loser (occupation, order) and may not look into his travel bag. The winner's turn ends after that.

Duelist: "Only once in the game, you as the attacker or defender may designate that nobody may support this struggle. During this struggle you may add +1 to your result." Notice: This privilege may also be used even after the other players have already indicated their support and/or played their objects or occupations.

Poison Mixer: "Only once in the game, you may appoint the winner of a struggle. But not if you are the attacker or the defender in this struggle." Notice: This privilege may also be used even after the other players have already indicated their support and/or played their objects or occupations.

Hypnotist: "If you are the attacker you may appoint someone to abstain from supporting someone else even after he has already announced his support." Notice: This privilege is used immediately after the players have announced their support and may not occur later (that means before objects and occupations). The player that is affected is not allowed to use an occupation or an object during this struggle.

Grand Master: "You may add +1 to your result if you are the defender in a struggle." Notice: This privilege may also be used even after the other players have already indicated their support and/or played their objects or occupations.

Bodyguard: "When you support someone in a struggle he may add +1 to his result." Notice: This privilege does not count for himself but only when he supports another player.

Clairvoyant: "Only once in the game, you may look at the pile of objects and pick out two of them during your turn. Afterwards shuffle the pile and put down the chosen objects in any order face down on top of the pile." Notice: This privilege may be used anytime on your turn and should not be used too late during the game since the objects come into the game very quickly. The clairvoyant can be played very well together with the "Secret Bag" in order to be able to pick a certain object.

Priest: "Only once in the game, you may prevent a struggle before the other players announce their support. If the attacker owns at least two objects, he must give one object of his own choice to you. The attacker's turn ends." Notice: The priest may only use this privilege before the players announce their support. He himself does not have to be involved in the fight. The choice of the object is made by the attacker.

Thug: "You may add +1 to your result if you are the attacker in a struggle." Notice: This privilege does not count while the thug is defending or supporting.

Guide to the Objects

Dagger: "You may add +1 to your result if you are the attacker. This does not count when you are supporting another player."

Tome: "Trade it in and you may exchange the occupation with your trading partner. Occupations that are face-up are turned face-down again." Notice: Occupations that are only usable once per game may be used again after they have been traded by the tome. They are put back into the game face-down and may be used again.

Privilege: "Trade it in and you may look at all of your trading partners'-objects."

Secret Bag (Key): "Trade it in and you may pick up an object from the pick-up pile. May not be traded-in for another bag. The bag turns into a key as soon as all objects have been picked."

Secret Bag (Goblet): "Trade it in and you may pick-up an object from the pick-up pile. May not be traded-in for another bag. The bag turns into a goblet as soon as all objects have been picked."

Notice: When trading the bag you must only read the specific feature out loud which says that an object may be picked-up. Do not read out loud whether this bag will turn into a key or a goblet later on. When a player owns only one bag and is asked to trade it in for another bag he must refuse to trade them. As soon as all of the objects have been picked-up and the bags turn into either a key or a goblet these must also be declared as such out loud. This is important when the diplomat asks for a certain object and in the case of a forbidden bag-trade because the "key" may now be traded-in for the "goblet".

Poison Ring: "You win in a stand-off struggle if you are either the attacker or the defender."

Gloves: "You may add +1 to your result if you are the defender. This does not count if you are supporting another player."

Goblet: "The Brotherhood may proclaim the victory if it owns at least 3 goblets." Notice: Pay attention to the card "Secret Bag (Goblet)". It turns into a goblet as soon as all of the objects have been picked-up.

Sextant: "Trade it in and you may assign a direction. All players must then pass on an object of their own choice to their neighbor in the given direction." Notice: Passing on does not count as a trade. Specified features of the objects are not activated. The card traded-in for the sextant is even activated if the player concerned passed the card to his neighbor because of the action caused by the trade-in.

The Coat of Armor of the Loge: "You may proclaim your sole victory if you own the coat of armor and as many as 3 of the goblets or the keys (e.g. 2 keys + 1 goblet)." Notice: In this case, the player solely wins without the allies of his association which do not even have to be named. "Secret Bags" count too, as soon as they turn into keys or goblets. "The Drink of Power" cards do not count!

Casting Knives: "If you are supporting an attacker in a struggle, he may add +1 to his result."

Broken Mirror: "This card must be accepted in a trade-in. The object that you receive in exchange does not come into effect." Notice: Both cards are not named and switch owners without a word when traded.

Whip: "If you are supporting a defender during a struggle, he may add +1 to his result."

Key: "The Order may proclaim the victory if it owns at least 3 keys." Notice: Pay attention to the card "Secret Bag (Key)": It turns into a key as soon as all of the objects have been picked-up.

Black Pearl (use only when playing with 4-10 players): "Must always be accepted if offered during a trade. Whoever owns it may not proclaim the victory of his association."

Coat (use only when playing with 3 - 9 players): "Trade it in and you may pick a new occupation from those left over and put it face-down in front of yourself. Put your old occupation down in the middle." Notice: Using the coat allows you to pick up a card from the pile of the left over occupations. The old occupation is put back on the occupation pile. Occupations that may only be used once in a game are brought back into the game even if they have been used already.

Monocle: "Trade it in and you may take a look at your trading partners'-association."

Guide for the Cards "The Drink of Power" (only for rounds with an odd number of players)

The Drink of Power: "This card counts as a key or a goblet if your association is outnumbered. It does not count for a victory through 'The Coat of Arms of the Loge'." Notice: This card counts as a key or a goblet only for the player who is proclaiming the victory and only when he is in the outnumbered association.

Guide for the First Ride (for Beginners)

Don't try to memorize everything as it is not necessary to win the game.
At the start of a game do not try doggedly to keep your objects. Trade them instead, even if you think they have a good effect. You will get cards with other good effects.
Don't refuse an object just because its effect grants a benefit to your opponent. In the next trade it will be you who benefits from this object.
Both "Secret Bags" are in the game from the beginning, because they bring new object cards into play. Therefore it is necessary to trade them and not to keep them.
If you find out that someone is in your association try to let him know, e.g. by supporting him in a struggle or by trading helpful objects with him.
Do you have an object at the start of the game that nobody wants to trade? Then attack someone! If you win the struggle you get important information about your opponent, in case of a stand-off you may draw an additional object card and even to lose the struggle is not a disadvantage, because then your opponent may look at your association card and you can guess if he is in your team or not, depending on his further reactions (e.g. supporting you in a struggle or not).

More hints, variations and answers to frequently asked questions can be found on: http://www.Ludocreatix.com/kutschfahrt

Variations

Smuggling

Whenever the text of an object card begins with the words: "Trade it in...", the player trading in the object decides whether or not the privilege of the object comes into effect. The card is not read out loud if the privilege of the object should not come into effect and the card switches owners remaining unknown.

Fortune-telling

During this variation, you can also win whenever you know that the opposing association has already collected all 3 objects in order to be victorious. To do so, the player must chose the action "proclaim the victory". He then turns all of his cards face-up. Then he only names the players of the opposing association which own the three necessary objects. If the players named have the objects, the player has fortune-telling skills and his association wins. Otherwise the opposing association wins.

Advanced 3-player-variation

Shuffle 10 instead of 4 association cards at the start of the game. Every player gets 3 of them. Put the remaining card unseen back into the box.

Now every player looks at his 3 cards. From one association you will have 2 or 3 cards. That's your association for the whole game. After that, all players put their 3 cards face-down in front of them in a row and the game starts as usual. If someone wins a struggle he may look at the loser's occupation and one of the 3 association cards (with the "Monocle" you may also look only at one card).

Notice: Neither you nor other players are allowed to change the order of the association card row in front of a player. The 3 cards must be at their original position during the whole game!

Credits

We would like to thank the great number of Coach Ride-testers and rule-writers, especially C. and B. Naegele, S. and K. Adlung, Andree, Anita, Daniel, Lars, Philipp, Thomas and all of the testing players of the "Seetroll". Our special thanks goes to Michael Andersch, whose dedication, test results and ideas set it up for a new and speedy Coach Ride.

Similarities with existing towns or public figures is pure coincidence.