Gun It Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Game Setup
  • Full Setup
  • The Crew
  • The Scenario
  • The Setting
  • The Hostiles
• Game Overview
• How to Play
  • Lookout Phase
  • Planning Phase
  • Action Phase
  • Aftermath Phase
• Earning XP
• Winning & Losing
• Shot Modifiers
• Moments & Settings
• Advanced Equipment
• Accessories
• Smaller Crews
• Clarifications
• Round Sequence
• Vehicle Attributes

Components

Road Tiles

• Crew Car (1)
• Basic Hostiles (24)
• Advanced Hostiles (8)
• Obstacles (4)
• Damage Tokens (18)

Action Cards

• Orders (4)
• Directions (4)
• Basic Equipment (4)
• Advanced Equipment (6)

Constraint Cards

• Moments (25)
• Settings (14)
• Accessories (10)

Additional Pieces

• Round and XP Counter (and Markers)
• Key Tokens (12)
• Coin (1)
• Sand Timer (1)
• Notepad (1)
• Scenario Cards (7)
• Player Aids (5)
• Feature Setup Cards (4)

Source note: the component list prints "Scenario Cards (7)", but the Scenario setup step below reads "Sort the 8 scenario cards". The source is inconsistent on this count; both are transcribed as printed.

Game Setup

New players: do not use the full setup. Instead, refer to the onramp booklet, which provides a simpler setup and reveals the first challenge. (Video setup and gameplay guides are published at learn.gunit.gg.)

Full Setup

1. Shuffle the 4 feature setup cards and deal 1 to each player.

   Note: With 2–3 players, continue dealing the feature cards until all have been dealt. For solo play, refer to page 13 (One Player).

2. The players now review the complexity levels on their feature setup cards. They each secretly choose a complexity level for their feature or features, but this must be done without any discussion amongst themselves.

3. The players now reveal their choices, simultaneously, by holding out as many fingers as their chosen complexity level: 1, 2, or 3. This works even better if the whole group counts down before a dramatic reveal.

4. Perform the setup for each feature (see the setup sections below). This can even be done simultaneously, with each player handling the setup for a feature:

   • The Crew
   • The Scenario
   • The Setting
   • The Hostiles

5. Place the damage tokens and key tokens in piles nearby, set the round counter to "1" and XP counter to "0," and prepare the timer.

The Crew

• Choose a player who will start as the driver of the crew car.
• Place the crew car tile in the center of the table, with its front left corner facing the driver.
• Give each player a player aid that matches their seat within the car.
• Give each player 1 random order (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) and direction (forward, back, left, right).
• Give the driver the Steering Wheel equipment and 1 random accessory. Give each passenger 1 random basic equipment.
• See the sidebar for changes based on the complexity level.

Note: With 3 players, place the remaining basic order, direction, and equipment on the table, face up. With 2 players, each player receives 2 player aids and 2 orders, 2 directions, and 2 equipment, kept as separate "hands" of 3 cards each.

Complexity Levels (The Crew)

1. Use the basic equipment.
2. –AND– Add 1 advanced equipment to the table, face up. You may choose the advanced equipment, or you may draw it randomly.
3. –AND– Give each passenger 1 random accessory.

The Scenario

• Sort the 8 scenario cards by type: basic, intermediate, and advanced.
• Choose a scenario card and read it. This will set the stage thematically and list the goal, duration, and score chart for the scenario.
• Observe any changes to setup and gameplay in the unique rules for the chosen scenario.
• See the sidebar for any additional rules to observe based on the complexity level.

Source note: see the count discrepancy noted under Components.

Complexity Levels (The Scenario)

1. Play a scenario of your choice.
2. –AND– While the crew car has 3 damage, the bonus XP for causing multiple pileups during a single round is doubled.
3. –AND– Use 1 continuous timer for the entire game. Set it to 1 minute less than [maximum rounds] × [time limit]. Pause the timer at any time to end the Planning Phase.

The Setting

• Shuffle the 25 moment cards together to create a single face-down deck and place it within reach of all players.
• Shuffle the 14 setting cards together to create a single face-down deck and place it within reach of all players.
• See the sidebar for details on if and how the moments deck and the settings deck will be used based on the complexity level.

Note: With 2 players, remove all moments marked with the communication icon (a speech bubble).

Note: For new players, use only the moments marked with the new player icon (a star).

Complexity Levels (The Setting)

1. Use either the moments deck –OR– the settings deck.
2. Use both the moments deck –AND– the settings deck.
3. Use both decks. Draw and reveal 4 settings at setup, then play them in the order drawn. After 4 rounds, keep the final setting in play and add another random setting that changes each round; if the scenario is ≤4 rounds, do this in the final round instead.

The Hostiles

• Sort the 36 other road tiles by type: basic hostiles, advanced hostiles, and obstacles. See the sidebar for details on how many road tiles of each type to use.
• Shuffle these tiles to create the hostile deck and place it within reach of all players.
• Fill the 8 grid spaces around the crew car with road tiles from the hostile deck. Leave them face down for now.
• See the sidebar for any additional rules to observe based on the complexity level.

Complexity Levels (The Hostiles)

1. Use 24 basic hostiles. Add 1 advanced hostile and 1 obstacle. You may choose the advanced hostile and obstacle, or you may draw them randomly.
2. –AND– All conditional attributes of basic hostiles are now in effect.
3. –AND– Any hostile car with 1 damage becomes armed, any hostile truck with 2 damage becomes heavy, and obstacles no longer contribute to pileups.

Game Overview

In Gun It, the crew works together to form a plan while precious seconds tick by. Once time is up each round, your planned moves play out in cinematic fashion, as gunfire erupts and vehicles careen wildly on the roadway.

The only way out of your current predicament is to wreck enough of the hostile vehicles around you… without wrecking your own car in the process! Rack up XP by carving out space around your car and creating wreckage pileups.

If you survive the final round with your car intact, compare your performance against the scenario requirements to see if you won or lost!

How to Play

The game is played over a set number of rounds, determined by the chosen scenario. Each round has 4 sequential phases:

1. Lookout Phase
2. Planning Phase
3. Action Phase
4. Aftermath Phase

Lookout Phase

1. Refill the Grid

Check the 8 grid spaces that surround the crew car. Fill each surrounding empty space with a face-down road tile from the hostile deck. Go in clockwise order, starting with the space directly in front of the crew car.

If the hostile deck runs out, reshuffle the discard pile.

2. Draw Constraints (if applicable)

One player draws the top card of the appropriate deck and secretly looks at it.

• Moments: In the first round, the player in the right front seat draws. In every other round, the next player clockwise draws. This player secretly chooses 1 of 2 options from the card. Do not reveal it yet.
• Settings: The player who holds the last order draws. This player secretly chooses whether to keep this card or discard it and instead draw the next card blindly. Do not reveal it yet.

For your first game, follow the rules in the onramp booklet for using these constraints.

3. Set the Timer

The included sand timer represents the "normal" time limit. You may choose a different time limit.

• Relaxed: (3:00 timer)
• Normal: (2:00 timer)
• Thrilling: (1:30 timer)

Digital timer: To adjust the time limit, plus add tense music, use the browser-based, enhanced audio-visual timer at http://timer.gunit.gg.

When ready, advance to the Planning Phase.

Planning Phase

1. Reveal Constraints (if applicable)

Each player who drew a moment card or setting card in the Lookout Phase now reads it aloud and places it face up next to the appropriate deck.

2. Reveal the Grid

Reveal all face-down road tiles in the vehicle grid by flipping them face up.

3. Trade Action Cards

Now it's time to start the timer!

While the timer runs, players may talk about their action cards and trade them with each other. The goal is for each player to end up with the best combination for their seating position and the current situation outside the crew car.

Follow these important guidelines when trading action cards:

• Each player must hold 1 order, 1 direction, and 1 equipment at all times.
• The Steering Wheel can only be held by a player in the front seat.
• All trades must be 1:1 and agreed upon by both players.

When the timer expires, no more trades are allowed. Make sure that each player has a legal combination of action cards, then advance to the Action Phase.

Note: With 3 players, the crew may freely trade with the remaining action cards on the table, which form a non-player 4th "hand."

Action Phase

In this phase, players take turns, one at a time, based on the order cards they hold: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. Each player will either drive the car or use a weapon. When all turns are complete, earn XP for any openings around the crew car (see Earning XP), then advance to the Aftermath Phase.

Drive the Car

If you hold the Steering Wheel, the crew car moves 1 space in the direction shown on your direction card: forward, back, left, or right. Remember: You must be in 1 of the 2 front seats to legally hold the Steering Wheel!

The crew car pushes any vehicle in its path, moving it in the same direction. If this pushes another vehicle, that vehicle gets pushed too. This chain reaction continues until a pushed vehicle reaches an empty space.

Pushing does not deal damage to vehicles.

Use a Weapon

If you hold the Shotgun, Pistol, or Uzi, fire it in the direction indicated by your direction card: forward, back, left, or right.

The weapon deals damage to the closest vehicle in that direction. Each weapon's damage value is printed in the top left corner of the card itself.

Use damage tokens to track damage dealt to vehicles.

Wrecked Vehicles

When a vehicle has taken damage equal to its HP, it is wrecked.

The wrecked vehicle then deals 1 collateral damage to adjacent vehicles in the directions shown by arrows on the tile. Wrecked vehicles go in the discard pile.

If multiple vehicles wreck at once, you earn XP for a pileup. For more on pileups, see Earning XP.

Shot Modifiers

Some circumstances modify the normal rules for using weapons. Shot modifiers might require a coin flip for success (long shot), risk damage to the crew car (risky shot), or allow unusual angles (diagonal shot). Even non-ballistic weapons are affected by these. For more on shot modifiers, see Shot Modifiers below.

Example (Action Phase)

Angela is in the left front seat, Mike is in the right front seat, Vincent is in the left rear seat, and Dani is in the right rear seat.

1. Pistol + 2. Uzi: First, Vincent shoots left with the Pistol, dealing 1 damage to a truck. Second, Dani shoots backward with the Uzi, dealing 1 damage each to 2 trucks.
2. 3. Steering Wheel: Third, Angela drives the crew car forward 1 space with the Steering Wheel, pushing the motorcycle that is in front of the crew car forward, too.
3. 4A. Shotgun (damage): Fourth, Mike shoots right with the Shotgun, dealing 2 damage to a car. Cars only have 2 HP, so the car Mike just hit with the Shotgun is now wrecked.
4. 4B. Shotgun (wreck): The wreck deals 1 collateral damage forward (no vehicle), and backward (motorcycle). The motorcycle wrecks and deals 1 collateral damage to the left (no vehicle).

Aftermath Phase

1. Collapse the Grid

Collapse the grid from 1 direction at a time: front, right, back, left.

As each collapse occurs, all vehicles move toward the crew car until parallel with the crew car or prevented from moving closer by other vehicles.

Any vehicles already parallel with or past the crew car do not move.

2. Remove Distant Vehicles

Remove distant vehicles from the grid and place them in the discard pile.

Distant vehicles are any vehicles more than 2 spaces away from the crew car when counting orthogonally, not diagonally.

When complete, advance the round counter.

Example: This graphic shows vehicles collapsing toward the crew car in sequence. The "X" marks a distant vehicle that is removed from the vehicle grid after.

1. Collapse (Front)
2. Collapse (Right)
3. Collapse (Back)
4. Collapse (Left)
5. Remove Vehicle
6. Final Positions

Earning XP

Excitement Points (XP) can be earned in several ways. Some scenarios score you based on XP, while others let you spend XP for helpful bonuses.

• When multiple vehicles are wrecked during a single turn, a pileup occurs. For each vehicle involved in the pileup, the crew earns 1 XP. Wrecking a single vehicle does not count as a pileup.
• When multiple pileups occur during a single round, the crew earns bonus XP. For each pileup after the first one of the round, the crew earns bonus XP equal to how many pileups have now occurred (e.g., a 2nd pileup earns +2 XP, a 3rd pileup earns +3 XP, and so on).
• If there are openings around the crew car after the final action of a round, the crew earns XP. An opening is an empty space adjacent to the crew car forward, back, left, right. For each opening, the crew earns 1 XP.

Winning & Losing

Different scenarios have different goals: earning XP, causing pileups, finishing within a certain timeframe, and more.

Each scenario has a score chart with 3 ranks to evaluate how well you met the goal. When the final round of the game is over, check this score chart. If you achieved the lowest rank or better, you win! Otherwise, you lose.

If the crew car is ever dealt enough damage that it is wrecked, the game ends prematurely in an automatic loss.

Double Features and Marathons

You can play 2–3 scenarios in a row using all of the same components and variables, but crew car damage is persistent. Between scenarios, you may add 1 advanced equipment or repair 1 crew car damage.

Customizable Challenges

You can record the details of a memorable session using the included pad of challenge sheets. Share the details with your friends and challenge them to notch a better score than you did!

Shot Modifiers

Long Shots

When firing a weapon at a target more than 1 space away from the crew car, flip a coin. If heads, your shot hits the target and deals damage normally. If tails, your shot misses the target and deals no damage.

Example: Angela shoots left with the Pistol from the left front seat. In that direction, the closest vehicle to the crew car is 2 spaces away, so she must flip a coin to see if the shot hits the target or misses entirely.

Risky Shots

When firing a weapon past another crew member, flip a coin. If heads, your shot hits the target and deals damage normally. If tails, your shot hits the crew car for 1 damage instead.

Example: Dani shoots forward with the Shotgun from the right rear seat. She is firing past another crew member, so she must flip a coin to see if the shot hits the target or hits the crew car instead.

Diagonal Shots

Some effects, like the Uzi, allow you to fire a weapon at a diagonal. The Uzi's diagonal 2nd shot only occurs if its 1st shot is non-risky. The long shot modifier may still apply to diagonal shots.

Example: Vincent shoots backward with the Uzi from the left rear seat. His shot is not risky, so he fires a second shot diagonally back left.

Moments & Settings

Moments are dynamic events that offer a choice. Each moment card describes 2 different effects. The one you choose will modify crew plans (in the Planning Phase) or crew actions (in the Action Phase).

Settings are world environments that change the rules of the road in unique ways. Each setting card describes a single effect. This effect will modify crew actions (in the Action Phase).

When settings are in play, a new setting is drawn every round in the Lookout Phase. At the highest complexity, there are some additional rules that can cause 2 settings to be in play at the same time.

Advanced Equipment

Advanced equipment are additional weapons with limited uses.

For most complexity levels, 1 advanced equipment is chosen during setup and is the only advanced equipment available for the whole game.

During the Planning Phase, anyone may decide to use the advanced equipment. You must discard your basic equipment in order to take it. The advanced equipment can be traded between players like any other action card.

Most advanced equipment are discarded after use. Return it to the game box at the end of the round and replace it with the discarded basic equipment.

Accessories

Accessories are extra items with situational effects.

The driver usually gets a random accessory during setup. At some complexity levels, each passenger gets a random accessory during setup, too.

You must keep your own accessory hidden until revealed. While your accessory is still hidden, you may not state any effects or consequences that your accessory has or will have once it is revealed.

When the listed criteria of an accessory is met, reveal it and resolve any effects or consequences as described.

Smaller Crews

Three Players

The crew may freely trade with the remaining action cards on the table, which form a non-player 4th "hand."

The rule requiring 1:1 trades is ignored, allowing players to give/take cards and hold up to 4 action cards at a time.

Some equipment cards have text that describes a modified effect at this player count, making them more powerful or flexible:

• With the Shotgun, you may hold 2 directions to fire diagonally between them.
• With the Pistol, you must hold a 4th action card, which allows you to shoot in 2 directions, shoot in 1 direction twice, or shoot then drive.
• With the Uzi, on backward shots from the back seat, you may fire an extra shot diagonally into both quadrants instead of just 1.

Two Players

Each player controls 2 crew members. For gameplay purposes, each crew member is treated as a separate "player" with their own hand of cards.

Remove all cards with the communication icon from the moments deck.

If using a digital timer, you may increase the time limit by up to 30 seconds while staying within the intended categories.

One Player

The sole player controls 4 crew members. For gameplay purposes, each crew member is treated as a separate "player" with their own hand of cards.

Remove all cards with the communication icon from the moments deck.

After each trade between crew members, choose 1 of the traded cards to lock, turning it sideways to indicate its locked state. Locked cards cannot be traded again for the rest of the round.

The driver gets no accessory by default. To use accessories, shuffle into a deck, then reveal and assign 2 to separate crew members. After each round, if you did not trigger 1, discard 1, then reveal and assign 1. If you have not triggered 2 accessories by the final round, the 2 in play automatically trigger.

All accessories contribute to and access a single pool of keys.

Clarifications

• If you realize during a round that you made rules errors that you cannot walk back or reset, deal 1 damage to the crew car.
• Vehicles that are fully damaged when the Action Phase begins are wrecked immediately. Resolve these wrecks before any crew actions occur.
• Pileups caused by the effects of a hostile vehicle, independent of crew actions, still award XP normally but do not count toward the XP bonus for causing multiple pileups during a single round.
• All road tiles, whether face up or face down, should be facing the same direction in the vehicle grid when placed. When certain effects cause road tiles to rotate, do not rotate them back unless instructed to.
• Keys are used to track certain details during gameplay. If the keys run out, find a suitable substitute to use instead.
• Advanced: You may drive the crew car from the back seat, but doing so becomes risky. Flip a coin to see if the action succeeds or if it fails and deals 1 damage to the crew car instead.

Round Sequence

1. Lookout Phase: Refill the grid, draw constraints, set the timer.
2. Planning Phase: Reveal constraints, reveal grid, start timer, trade action cards.
3. Action Phase: Resolve crew actions, earn XP for pileups and openings.
4. Aftermath Phase: Collapse the grid, remove distant vehicles.

Vehicle Attributes

Some vehicles have special attributes, indicated by icons and explained below.

• Armored: This vehicle ignores the first damage it would be dealt each round.
• Evasive: This vehicle can only be damaged by collateral damage.
• Friendly: If this vehicle is wrecked, the crew car is dealt 1 damage.
• Resilient: This vehicle repairs 1 damage to itself after the final action of each round.
• Conditional: Attributes with dotted outlines apply only when stated by the rules or the scenario.
• Armed: After the final action of each round, this vehicle shoots 1 space toward the crew car, dealing 1 damage. If diagonal from the crew car, it shoots down the nearest row.
• Flying: This vehicle cannot be moved or pushed. When it would be pushed, the other vehicle moves under it. Vehicles ignore all effects while under it.
• Heavy: This vehicle cannot be pushed. When it pushes or would be pushed by another vehicle, both vehicles are dealt 1 damage.
• Linked: When the timer starts each round, flip a coin. If heads, this vehicle mimics any crew car movement. If tails, it mirrors any crew car movement.
• Speedy: This vehicle moves into empty adjacent spaces left by the crew car when possible.