Heave Ho!
Heave Ho! Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object of the Game
Whoever is first to win three whisky barrels across several rounds wins the game.
Components
- 1 game board
- 55 playing cards (45 of them Scot cards, 10 action cards)
- 5 whisky barrels
Setup
- Place the game board crosswise between the two players, so that each player sits facing one team.
- Place the five whisky barrels next to the board as a supply.
- Shuffle the 55 cards and deal 20 cards face down to each player. Each player places these as a stack in front of them. You may not look at the cards yet. The remaining 15 cards are set aside unseen.
The board shows, on each side of the rope: a start space, three colored placement spaces (matched to the card colors by decorative borders), a goal space, and a score track running between the two players' start and goal spaces.
Sequence of Play
The game is played over several rounds. In each round, the two players first form their teams. The teams then measure their strength in a tug-of-war.
Tip: For an easy introduction, you can skip forming teams. The younger player places a whisky barrel on their start space of the score track, and the older player begins. Continue reading straight from "The Tug-of-War" below. After the first round, however, you should definitely form teams as described below.
Forming the Teams
First the teams are formed, which also determines the starting player. Each player has a stack of 20 cards lying in front of them. This stack is referred to below as the "preparation stack." The younger player gives the command "How Ruck!" and both players simultaneously begin sorting the cards of their preparation stack into two new stacks: one team stack for themselves and one for their opponent.
To do this, players take the top two cards of their preparation stack, look at them, and decide which card to keep and which card to give to their opponent. In this way, each player builds two team stacks: one for themselves and one for their opponent.
It's best to place the cards face down to the left and right of your preparation stack — left for your opponent, right for yourself.
As soon as the cards are placed, two more cards are immediately drawn, looked at, and distributed. Since both players do this at the same time, speed is essential.
Whoever finishes sorting all twenty of their cards first calls "Stop!" The other player may only distribute the two cards they are currently holding in hand. The rest of their preparation stack remains as is for now.
The player who finished first now gets the following advantages:
- If any cards remain, they may distribute the rest of the opponent's preparation stack as they see fit. They always take two cards at a time and assign one to themselves and one to their opponent.
- They take a whisky barrel from the supply and place it on their start space of the board's score track.
- They become the starting player and begin the tug-of-war.
Finally, each player takes their two team stacks — the one they built for themselves and the one their opponent built for them. They shuffle these two stacks thoroughly together and place the cards face down in front of them as their complete team stack (= draw stack).
Note: If, in the rare case, both players call "Stop!" at the same time, the winner is determined as follows: each player draws one card from the 15 cards that were not dealt at the start and reveals it. The player with the higher value wins. Action cards count as zero. In case of a tie in value, the order of precedence is white, red, blue, green. If there is still a tie, both players draw another card, and so on. The drawn cards are then set aside again.
The Tug-of-War
Each player takes six cards from their team stack into their hand. The player whose turn it is chooses a card from their hand and places it on a space of the board. Then it is the other player's turn, and they also play a card. Play continues alternately in this way. Depending on the type of card, the following rules for placing cards apply:
1. Lanky Lads — cards with colored strength numbers (red, blue, green): On the board, each side of the rope has three colored placement spaces, matched to the card colors by decorative borders. Cards of one color may only be placed on spaces of the same color — so red cards on red spaces, and so on. Cards already in place are simply covered. This also applies to cards with a white strength number.
2. Robust Ladies — cards with white strength numbers: These neutral cards may be played on any of the six placement spaces, or on top of any Scot card (regardless of whether it has a colored or white strength number). Nessie, with a strength number of 6, is an especially robust lady and also counts among the neutral cards.
3. Wild Actions — special cards with text: Action cards are placed beside the board, forming a discard pile. Read the text aloud and carry out the action. It is allowed to play an action card and decline its action.
After playing a card, draw a new one from your own team stack. Once the stack is used up, no more cards are drawn, and play continues with only the remaining cards in hand.
The Contest of Strength
When a card bearing the words "How Ruck" is played, play is briefly interrupted. A contest of strength takes place.
Now the strength of both teams is determined. The values of the topmost cards on each side are added up, and the difference between the two teams is calculated. If a placement space is empty at the time of a contest of strength, the Scot printed on the board counts as a Scot card with a strength value of 2.
The team with the higher value pulls the whisky barrel toward their own side by the amount of the difference.
Example: Player A has the values 2 + 1 + 3 (= 6) in play. Player B currently has the cards 3 + 2 + 4 (= 9) in play. Player B may pull the barrel (9 − 6 =) 3 spaces toward their own side.
After the contest of strength, the tug-of-war continues. The cards remain in place on the board.
End of a Round
As soon as a player pulls the barrel onto or past their goal space, the round ends immediately. That player receives the whisky barrel and sets it in front of them as their prize.
It can also happen that neither player pulls the barrel onto or past their goal space. In that case, play continues until neither player has any cards left in hand. Whoever has moved the barrel to their side of the score track by the end wins the barrel.
Because of certain action cards, it can happen that players end up with a different number of cards in hand, or that one player runs out of playable cards before the other. In such a case, the player who can still play cards continues to play alone.
A new round begins immediately after the previous one ends. All 55 cards are shuffled again, 20 are dealt to each player, and teams are formed as described above.
End of Game
Whoever wins three whisky barrels first is the winner of this muscle game.
Action Card Reference
Consult this section if questions come up about the action cards during play.
Adrenaline Rush If this causes the barrel to be pulled onto or past the goal space, the player wins the round and thus the whisky barrel.
Dirty Trick The player from whom a card is drawn does not draw a replacement card for it. They therefore continue play with one fewer card. The card taken must be played immediately. If the player who drew it cannot play it, it is placed on the discard pile instead.
How Ruck This card immediately triggers a contest of strength. A Scot card printed with "How Ruck" does not need to be played to trigger one.
Macho Man This card really only applies to the Scot women with a white strength number. Nessie, although she has a white strength number, is not affected by this macho behavior.
Weak Wins As with a normal "How Ruck," a contest of strength takes place. This time, however, the player with the lower total strength pulls the barrel toward their side by the difference between the two totals.
Broken Rope The round does not start over. Only the barrel is reset to the start space. Players continue playing with their remaining hand cards and team stacks.
Change Sides You may either take a card from your opponent's side over to your own side, or move a card from your own side over to your opponent's side.
Bye-bye The cards on both sides of the rope with the chosen strength value are placed on the discard pile.
Monstrous This is the strongest countermeasure against Nessie's special pulling power, and the biggest risk for the player using Nessie.
Reinforcement The player who plays this card immediately has 3 more cards in hand. If only one or two cards remain in their team stack, they simply take fewer cards.
About the Designer
American designer Richard Borg lives in Orlando, Florida. Together with his wife Sandy, he is a full-time game designer. Following his successful game of gods, "Blitz und Donner" ("Thunder and Lightning"), this is now his second game in the "Games for Two" series.
Editorial development: TM Spiele. Graphics: Franz Vohwinkel. The designer and publisher thank all playtesters and rules readers.