End Of Line Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• About This Rulebook
• Components
• The Cards
• Game Setup
• The Game Area
  • Lateral Limits
• The Round
  • Game Setup (First Round Turn Order)
  • Turn Order
  • Draw Phase
  • Action Phase
• Energy Consumption
  • Boost
  • Break
  • Turnaround
• End of Game
• Game Modes
  • Competitive Versus / Battle Royale (2-8 players)
  • Solo / Puzzle
  • Cooperative / Coosolitaire
  • Team Competitive
• Annex: Setups by Number of Players
• Version note

About This Rulebook

END OF LINE is a game for 1-8 players*

We will now describe a "versus" game of 2 players to show the general game rules. If you already know the rules, check the ANNEX where all different setups for each game mode and number of players are displayed.

*Each EOL game box contains cards for 2 players, but there are game modes for up to 8 lines.

Components

54 cards.

The Cards

LINE CARDS: these cards represent the different paths your line will take during the game. There are 5 different types of line cards.

• Way Out: These arrows show WHICH directions your line CAN take.
• Initiative: This number is used to determine the turn order each round.
• Start of Line: This card represents the beginning of your line. Place it on the game area, along with the other players', in their corresponding locations according to the ANNEX.
• Energy Pool: This card represents your energy, and its orientation determines how much energy you have left.
• Way In: These arrows show FROM which direction you will continue your line.

Game Setup

Each player picks a color and all its cards. Place ENERGY POOL and START OF LINE cards aside, and makes a deck with the remaining line cards.

Place the deck facing down nearby and the Energy Pool card next to it, rotated to have number 3 on top. At last, place the Start of Line card as follows:

The printed setup diagram shows the two players' Start of Line cards in the top row with an empty dashed space between them. Each player's Line Cards deck and Energy Pool card sit in the lower row, beside each other on that player's side.

The Game Area

In the 2-players "VERSUS" mode, the game area is limited by a 7x7 LINE CARDS grid, whose borders are orthogonally connected. END OF LINE lacks a former board; instead of this, players will determine the board as the game develops by placing their line cards, without exceeding these 7x7 limits, as follows.

Lateral Limits

Lateral Limits are orthogonally connected (Top-Down & Left-Right). These limits are determined with each player's LINE CARD placement.

The printed example shows the following. The yellow line player has already placed 7 line cards vertically, making the two lateral limits (top and bottom) connected when the yellow player places his next line card. The pink player has placed 5 cards horizontally, added to the yellow column and the space between the two start of line cards. The board is also limited horizontally, as the distance of 7 (left to right) has also been reached.

The Round

Game Setup (First Round Turn Order)

To determine the turn order for the first round, each player reveals a card from their deck and initiative values on these cards are compared. The player with the lowest initiative plays first this round. In case of a tie, repeat this process until it is solved.

The round is described below. During the game setup, the turn order for the first round has been decided. Each round has 3 phases:

• Determine the TURN ORDER
• DRAW phase
• ACTION phase

(The printed heading reads "3 PHASESS".)

Turn Order

During the game setup, the turn order for the first round has been decided. In the next rounds, do as follows: check the initiative from each player's last LINE CARD placed; the lowest initiative goes first. In case of a tie, check the next card in place on each player's line until the tie is broken. If you reach the START OF LINE CARDS, the first round's turn order will be applied.

Draw Phase

Each player draws to a total hand of 5 cards.

Action Phase

During this phase, players place LINE CARDS in the board from their hand, following the turn order determined for this round. LINE CARD(S) must be placed by matching its WAY IN to any of the available WAY OUTs on the last LINE CARDS placed by the player.

In the first round, each player will only place 1 LINE CARD following their START OF LINE CARD.

In the following rounds, players must place 2 LINE CARDS following their respective lines.

After each player has placed their LINE CARDS, the round ends and the next round begins.

The printed Round 1 and Round 2 diagrams show each player's line in its own colour: Round 1 placements are shown in one colour (green) and Round 2 placements in another (yellow).

Energy Consumption

Each game, players have 3 energy points, represented by the ENERGY POOL CARD. Only 1 energy can be consumed per player and round, starting from the 3rd round of game. This energy consumption will trigger an additional effect during the ACTION PHASE:

Boost

Consume 1 energy point to place 3 LINE CARDS (instead of 2) during this ACTION PHASE.

The printed example legend lists R.1 (green), R.2 (yellow), R.3 (red) and BOOST (cyan), with the Boost placements shown in the figure.

Break

Consume 1 energy point to place only 1 LINE CARD (instead of 2) during this ACTION PHASE.

Note: the printed heading for this effect is "BREAK", but the label beside its example reads "BRAKE". The rule text is the same under either name. The Spanish v0.5 rulebook calls this effect "FRENAZO" ("brake") and describes it as placing 1 LINE CARD less.

Turnaround

Consume 1 energy point to continue your line through one of the available WAY OUTS in the LINE CARD which is previous to your last LINE CARD placed during this ACTION PHASE.

Note on the printed example: the example legend lists "R.3 ROUNDAB." (cyan) and "NOT ALLOWED" (purple hatched space). The Spanish v0.5 rulebook labels the matching legend "R.3 M. ATRÁS NO PERMITIDO" (Round 3 reverse not allowed), which suggests "ROUNDAB." is an abbreviation of a turnaround/reverse move. The English v0.6 text does not state this explicitly, so the purple space is only labelled "NOT ALLOWED" here. Check against the final v1.9 rulebook.

In order to activate any of these effects, turn your ENERGY POOL card 90º to the right to reflect the energy consumption. ¡Administer your energy wisely, it is not unlimited!

The printed figure shows the Energy Pool card in its three orientations for reference.

End of Game

When a player, at the end of the ACTION PHASE, ends in a space without available WAY OUTS, the line ends and this player loses the game. Last player who can follow the line will be the winner of END OF LINE.

Game Modes

END OF LINE has different game modes:

Competitive Versus / Battle Royale (2-8 players)

This is END OF LINE basic game, and the one described, until now, in this rulebook. The goal in this game mode is to cut the other players' lines before they cut yours. The game area will vary depending on the number of players (see ANNEX).

Solo / Puzzle

The goal in this game mode is to fill a 5x5 game area, respecting the LINE CARD placement rules of EOL VERSUS. The sum of your remaining initiative plus any spent energy points and empty spots in the 5x5 grid will determine your score.

The optimal score for this first basic puzzle is 0 points.

Note: the v0.6 text includes "empty spots in the 5x5 grid" in the score. The Spanish v0.5 scoring text lists only the remaining initiative of your unused card(s) plus the energy points spent, and does not mention empty spots. The English v0.6 wording is kept here. Check against the final v1.9 rulebook.

Cooperative / Coosolitaire

The goal in this 2 players mode is the same as in the SOLO mode, but this time we fill up a 7X7 grid, with the same scoring rules as the SOLO / PUZZLE mode. Although, now you must coordinate to make it!

The optimal score for this basic puzzle is 2 points.

Team Competitive

This game mode takes the challenge of END OF LINE to the next level. The game rules are the same, but players from the same team can cross each other's lines. But only cross, they cannot follow their partners line. The game area is 9x9 for 4 players.

Note: the v0.6 text does not state any energy cost for crossing a teammate's line. The Spanish v0.5 rulebook says a player may cross a teammate's line by spending 1 energy point. This is a difference between the two drafts. The English v0.6 wording is kept here. Check against the final v1.9 rulebook.

Annex: Setups by Number of Players

Here you will find the different setups for each GAME MODE based on the number of players.

The printed ANNEX gives these game area sizes:

• 2 players: VERSUS, game area 7x7. The two Start of Line cards are placed with one empty dashed space between them.
• 3 players: game area 7x7.
• 4 players: game area 9x9.
• 5 players: game area 9x9.
• 6 players: game area 11x11.
• 7 players: game area 11x11.
• 8 players: game area 13x13.

The printed diagrams for 3 to 8 players show each player's Start of Line card in its own colour, with dashed squares marking the empty spaces of the game area. The exact card positions are as drawn in the ANNEX and are not restated here. The Spanish v0.5 ANNEX lists the same game area sizes for each player count.

Version note

This transcription is of the English v0.6 "NOT FINAL RULES" rulebook. The final v1.9 Spanish rulebook may differ. The points flagged above are: the Break/Brake label, the Turnaround example legend ("ROUNDAB."), the Solo/Puzzle scoring (empty spots), and the Team Competitive energy cost for crossing a teammate's line. Each point should be checked against the final v1.9 rulebook before any change is made.