Geisterwäldchen
Geisterwäldchen Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Information
- Players: 2-6
- Age: 5-99 years
- Playing time: 10-15 minutes
Contents
- Game board, 51 x 51 cm
- 6 magnetic wooden figures "children"
- 1 magnetic wooden figure "giant dwarf"
- 2 wooden figures "ghost apprentices"
- 6 coloured wooden "joker discs"
- 1 special die
- Rulebook
Board features: the round tower (starting space of the children), the starting space of the giant dwarf, the ghost apprentices' corner, the tree trunk over the river, the yellow sun space, and the goal space.
Game Setup
With four, five or six players, each player chooses one coloured game piece (child) and the matching coloured wooden disc (joker disc). The pieces are placed in the round tower at the start. Each player lays his "joker disc" in front of himself (so that during the game everyone knows which piece belongs to whom; they are also needed for the finale).
Pieces and joker discs that are not needed go back in the box.
With only two or three players, four pieces are always used. Pieces that belong to nobody are automatically included in the game and can even win (along with the others). Of course, no joker disc is needed for neutral pieces.
The two small wooden ghosts, here called the "ghost apprentices", go in the top left corner of the board, behind the round tower.
The "giant dwarf" is placed on the first space in front of the tower.
Rules for 4, 5 or 6 Players
The die is rolled and pieces are moved in turn, clockwise. The youngest player begins.
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He rolls a number of pips. Any child (that is, his own or any other player's piece) must be moved forward according to the number of points rolled.
If during his move the child meets the giant dwarf, it stays attached to him through magnetic force and the two move on together.
For example, if a 3 is rolled and the child meets the giant dwarf on the 2nd space, it first moves two spaces alone, then - click - it moves together with the giant dwarf onto the last space of its move.
It makes no difference whether the dwarf is already carrying other children with him ... in that case they always all move on together.
Important: The dwarf alone may not be moved.
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If the player rolls a ghost, he places one of the two ghost apprentices over any child - it may also be his own. This child is now caught and may not move, even if it was previously hanging on the dwarf and the dwarf moves on with the others on the next turn.
(Tip: At the beginning of the game - before the river crossing - you can protect yourself in this way from being taken along by the giant dwarf!)
If both ghost apprentices are in play and a ghost is rolled again, one of the two must be moved. A caught child is freed in the process, but a free child is caught.
Important: You should always remember well which child is under which ghost, because the rule applies: "Touched, moved!" That is, if the ghost is already half lifted and it is visible that you were mistaken about the colour, this action must be completed. In that case you can no longer decide in favour of the other ghost.
Also during the whole game nobody is allowed to "just peek under the skirt" of a ghost to see who is caught underneath!
The Tree Trunk over the River
The tree trunk that leads over the river can only be crossed singly. So if the giant dwarf moves together with one or more children over the trunk, all attached children fall into the water. They swim quickly back to the tower (starting space) and have to walk the way once more from there. The giant dwarf waits on the first space on the other bank of the river; surplus pips are forfeited for him.
The tree trunk itself does not count as a space!
Later, a single child can cross the river without any pips being forfeited.
The Yellow Sun Space
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If the giant dwarf (with all the children hanging on him) reaches the yellow sun space, he stops there - any surplus pips are forfeited for him and the child(ren).
At this moment the two cheeky ghosts are "blinded" by the sun. They flee behind the tower, that is, both ghosts are put back in the corner. Now, for a short time, all children are free - until the next ghost is rolled. Here too the following applies: only when the second ghost is back in play may a further ghost roll free one child and catch another.
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As soon as the giant dwarf has left the sun space, every player can use his joker disc as a one-time joker when it is his turn (of course only once the ghost apprentices have caught children again). Instead of rolling, he lays his disc on the sun space and may then free any child from its ghost and catch another one.
(Tip: With smaller children it is easier to play the first games without using the "joker discs".)
End of the Game
The game ends as soon as at least one child together with the dwarf reaches the goal space (surplus pips are forfeited).
Several children can also be there together ... all the nicer, they have won together!
Rules for 2 or 3 Players
With 2 or 3 players the game is always played with four child pieces. That is, one or two pieces are neutral. Otherwise the game is played exactly as in the rules for 4 to 6 players.
Attention: If the dwarf reaches the goal with only one neutral piece, play continues until the next game piece arrives. If this too is a neutral piece, the ghosts have won the game, because the children are caught.
Have fun in the Ghost Grove!