Het Grote Ronde van Vlaanderen Spel Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Object of the Game
• Contents
• The Board
• The Dice
• Game Level 1: The Basic Game
  • Setup
  • Acceleration Cards (Red)
  • Misfortune Cards (Brown)
  • The Dice Results
  • Playing the Game
  • Transition From Flat to Hill (Orange Line to Red Line)
  • Cobblestone Strips (Paddestraat, Kerkgate and Haaghoek)
  • Supply Zone (Bevoorrading)
  • The Red Triangle
• Game Level 2: With the Peloton
  • Setup
  • Peloton Cards (Yellow)
  • The Dice Results
  • Playing the Game
  • Peloton Cards in the Discard and Draw Piles
• Game Level 3: With Tactical Cards
  • Setup
  • Tactical Cards (Green)

Object of the Game

Win the Tour of Flanders!

Contents

1. The rulebook.
2. The game board.
3. 8 miniature riders: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown and white.
4. 6 dice: D4 (black), D6 (black), D8 (grey), D10 (red), D12 (orange) and D16 (yellow).
5. 50 acceleration cards.
6. 8 misfortune cards.
7. 10 peloton cards.
8. 32 tactical cards.
9. 3 black miniature riders.
10. A plastic plate to attach the 3 black riders in a row (the peloton).

The Board

• 180 spaces in total: a start (Bruges) and a finish (Ninove-Meerbeke).
• 120 flat spaces, marked with an orange line.
• 60 uphill spaces on 8 hills, marked with a red line. Each uphill space carries either a white triangle (= a D4 space) or a white square (= a D6 space).
• 3 flat cobblestone strips, marked with an orange line and a number.
• 1 round draw pile "1-6" for acceleration, misfortune and tactical cards. Cards are placed here face down.
• 1 round discard pile "8-12" for played acceleration, misfortune and tactical cards. Cards are placed here face up.
• 1 round draw pile "4" for peloton cards. Cards are placed here face down.
• 1 round discard pile "10" for played peloton cards. Cards are placed here face up.

The Dice

• D4 (black), D6 (black) and D8 (grey) are the basic dice for flat spaces. A player may choose which of these three dice to roll.
• D4 (black) and D6 (black) are the basic dice for hills. Depending on the hill profile of the space your rider stands on, you must roll the dice shown: D4 spaces (with a white triangle) are the steepest strips, D6 spaces (with a white square) are less steep.
• D10 (red), D12 (orange) and D16 (yellow) are the acceleration dice. They are used when playing acceleration cards, peloton cards (level 2) and tactical cards (level 3) on flat strips (orange line) or on hills (red line).
• D8 (grey) is also used uphill as an acceleration die.

Note: on the D4 (pyramid-shaped), the readable number at the bottom (on the base) is the number rolled. On all other dice, the number on the top face is the number rolled.

Game Level 1: The Basic Game

From age 8. 2 to 8 players.

Setup

• Each player takes one miniature rider and places it on the start (Bruges). Players may give their rider the name of their top favourite.
• Each player receives 3 acceleration cards, looks at them, and places them face down in front of himself (back side up).
• Shuffle the remaining acceleration cards and the misfortune cards together and place them face down (back side up) on the draw pile "1-6".

Acceleration Cards (Red)

Acceleration cards let a rider start off on flat strips or on hills. They can be played during your turn, before you roll a die. You choose yourself when during the race you play such a card.

• Flat card (played on a flat space): roll the red D10 die instead of a basic die.
• White triangle card (played on a hill space with a white triangle, a D4 space): roll the grey D8 die instead of the black D4 die.
• White square card (played on a hill space with a white square, a D6 space): roll the yellow D16 die instead of the black D6 die.

Note: a card with a white triangle may not be played on a hill space with a white square, or the other way round.

On flat spaces (orange line), cards may only be used by a rider on a flat strip. On spaces with a red line, cards may only be used by a rider climbing.

• On a D4 space (white triangle), an acceleration card with a white triangle is played using the acceleration die shown on it.
• On a D6 space (white square), an acceleration card with a white square is played using the acceleration die shown on it.

Misfortune Cards (Brown)

A player who draws a misfortune card must place it face up in front of himself and carry it out immediately. The rider affected is laid horizontally until it has skipped all the turns imposed. Only after that is the misfortune card placed on the discard pile "8-12".

If a player rolls 13 or more with the yellow D16 die, a misfortune card on top of the draw pile "1-6" has no effect. The card may then immediately be placed on the discard pile "8-12".

The eight misfortune cards are:

• Slow legs (slechte benen): skip 1 turn.
• Flat tyre (lekke band): skip 1 turn.
• Comfort break (plaspauze): skip 1 turn.
• Broken handlebar (stuurbreuk): skip 2 turns.
• Fall (valpartij): skip 2 turns.
• Very bad legs (zeer slechte benen): skip 2 turns.
• Man with the hammer (man met de hamer): skip 3 turns.
• Severe fall (zware valpartij): roll the D4 die and skip the number rolled.

The Dice Results

• Whoever rolls 1 or 6 must take the top card (acceleration or misfortune card) from the draw pile "1-6".
• Whoever rolls 8 or 12 must take the top card (acceleration or misfortune card) from the discard pile "8-12": every played card can come back into the game this way, including a misfortune card.
• When the draw pile "1-6" runs out, the cards of the discard pile "8-12" are shuffled well and placed face down (back side up) on the draw pile "1-6".

Playing the Game

The player who rolls the highest number with the yellow D16 die begins. Play then continues clockwise.

A player who does not play an acceleration card must:

• on flat strips (orange line), roll one of the black D4, black D6 or grey D8 dice;
• on hills (red line), roll the die shown in white on the space: a white triangle stands for the black D4 die, a white square stands for the black D6 die.

Instead of rolling a basic die, a player may play one of his acceleration cards:

• On spaces with an orange line, the cards may only be used by a rider on a flat strip.
• On spaces with a red line, the cards may only be used by a rider climbing.

When 3 riders stand side by side (= on the same space), another rider cannot pass them. Your rider must stop on the space just behind this group. The remaining number of points is forfeited.

When there are 3 riders just in front of you and it is your turn, you cannot pass them. The turn goes to the next rider.

Transition From Flat to Hill (Orange Line to Red Line)

A player who reaches the first space of a hill with exactly the right number of points gets an extra turn.

A player who rolls more must also stop on the first hill space. The remaining number of points is forfeited, and the next player takes his turn.

When moving from a hill to a flat strip (red line to orange line), a rider does not have to stop and may use all the points rolled to move.

Cobblestone Strips (Paddestraat, Kerkgate and Haaghoek)

There are 3 cobblestone strips on the board, and special rules apply to them.

If a player rolls the black D4 or the black D6 die and rolls at least the number shown on the cobblestone space he lands on, he rides too fast over the cobbles and comes off. He must skip 1 turn.

• If this happens with the grey D8 or the red D10 die, he rides more heavily over the cobbles and must skip 2 turns.
• If this happens with the orange D12 die, he must skip 3 turns.
• If this happens with the yellow D16 die, he must skip the number of turns determined by an extra roll of the D4 die.

When a player comes off on a cobblestone strip, he may not take any play cards from either pile. This can happen, for example, when a player has rolled 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12.

Supply Zone (Bevoorrading)

When a player lands on a supply space, he receives 3 extra cards from the draw pile "1-6".

If there is a misfortune card among them, he must carry it out immediately. If he draws 2 or 3 misfortune cards, he may place them all on the discard pile "8-12" without carrying them out. He then receives no extra play cards.

The Red Triangle

When a player reaches the space below the red triangle (= the last kilometre), he may take an acceleration card from someone (possibly a tactical card, at level 3).

Game Level 2: With the Peloton

From age 10. 3 to 8 players.

Read the rules of level 1 first.

Setup

Stick the 3 black riders in one line, one behind the other, on the plastic plate, which has a self-adhesive strip on one side. Place the peloton on the start (Bruges).

Peloton Cards (Yellow)

Shuffle the 10 peloton cards and place them face down on the peloton draw pile "4".

The Dice Results

• If a player rolls a 4, he must take a peloton card from the draw pile "4".
• If a player rolls a 10, he must take a peloton card from the discard pile "10".

Playing the Game

The peloton rides in three ways:

1. The peloton automatically follows the last rider(s) in the race.
2. The peloton can accelerate when a player plays a peloton card. This can be interesting when that player is not at the front of the race.
3. The peloton no longer follows the last rider(s) when one or more riders are behind the peloton.

We go through the three options:

1. The peloton follows the last rider. As a rule, the peloton follows the last rider in the race. When the last rider is on turn and moves forward a number of points, he takes along the peloton on the space directly behind him. If that rider overtakes other riders in doing so, the peloton stays behind the new last rider(s) in the race.

2. Accelerating the peloton. When a player is on turn, he may play a peloton card. He does this before he plays his individual turn. When playing a peloton card, it matters which space the front of the peloton is on: this is the space on which the first black rider stands.

If the first rider of the peloton stands on a space with an orange or red line, the player may only play the corresponding peloton card.

• Peloton card for a flat strip: with this card, you may let the peloton accelerate on a flat strip with the orange D12 die.
• Peloton card for a hill: with this card, you may let the peloton accelerate on any space of a hill with the red D10 die.
• There is also a peloton card (of which there are two in the game) that may be played both on a flat road and on a hill. With this card, you may let the peloton accelerate on a flat strip with the yellow D16 die, or on a hill with the red D10 die.

When the peloton accelerates (when a peloton card is played), each overtaken rider is placed one space in front of the peloton. The overtaken riders thus move forward with the accelerating peloton.

• Note: only 3 riders may stand next to each other. So the fourth, fifth and sixth overtaken riders stand on two places in front of the peloton, and so on.
• Note: after playing with the peloton, the player plays his own rider within the same turn.

3. The peloton stops following the last rider. When one or more riders are behind the peloton, the peloton no longer follows the last rider in the race.

When the peloton is just behind a rider who has to skip turns (and is therefore lying horizontally), that rider is placed on the space behind the peloton. From this moment on, the peloton no longer follows the last rider(s) in the race.

• When the misfortune rider behind the peloton is on turn, he may not play for himself until he has "sat out" the number of turns he must skip. But he does play with the peloton every turn. He always does this with the black D4 die (also on D6 spaces). The peloton moves forward the number of points rolled. The misfortune rider(s) behind the peloton move forward the same number of points.
• A horizontal rider who is overtaken by the peloton is also placed on the space behind the peloton. He sits out the turns he must skip there too, but he plays with the peloton every turn.
• When a misfortune rider behind the peloton has finished sitting out his turns, he again plays with the peloton first.
• Within the same turn, he then plays again with his individual rider. He does this with the grey D8 die. If he rolls 7 or more, he may take the space directly in front of the peloton, and he plays along again from the next turn.

Depending on the space on which the first black rider of the peloton stands (a flat road, a hill space with a white triangle, or a hill space with a white square), one may play a corresponding acceleration card in order to roll 7 or more with the die shown on it.

• Note: a player who is behind the peloton can never receive play cards.

When the last misfortune rider is again in front of the peloton, the peloton will again follow the last rider in the race.

Transition from flat to hill. When playing a peloton card, the peloton must also stop on the first space of the hill. If the peloton reaches the first space of the hill with exactly the right number of points, it gets an extra turn. One must always roll the D4 die, regardless of which hill space the first black rider of the peloton stands on. When your rider is overtaken by the peloton during a transition from flat to hill, your rider ends up on the second space of the hill.

Cobblestone strips. An accelerating peloton can, regardless of the roll, never fall on any of the cobblestone strips. The same applies to the riders overtaken by the peloton.

Supply zone. It is possible that, through an accelerating peloton, 1, 2 or 3 riders end up on a supply space. They then each receive 3 play cards, in clockwise order.

Peloton Cards in the Discard and Draw Piles

• Played peloton cards are placed on the discard pile "10".
• When the peloton draw pile "4" is exhausted, one can only receive peloton cards via the discard pile "10".
• Note: when the peloton has arrived on the first hill space of the Muur - Kapelmuur, no peloton cards may be played or taken from the piles any more.
• Unplayed peloton cards are all placed on the discard pile "10".

Game Level 3: With Tactical Cards

From age 12. 3 to 8 players.

Read the rules of levels 1 and 2 first.

Note: level 3 may also be played with level 1 only (so without the peloton). In that case, the two tactical cards with which you can take a peloton card from someone are removed from the game.

Setup

At the start of the game, each player receives 3 acceleration cards and one tactical card. Shuffle the other tactical cards in among the stack of acceleration and misfortune cards "1-6".

Tactical Cards (Green)

A player may have at most 2 tactical cards in his possession. When taking a third tactical card, the player has one round of turns to place one of them on the discard pile "8-12". The tactical cards are described below.

Cards played on your turn against other riders. The following tactical cards may be played during your turn against other riders:

• Slow legs (slechte benen): skip 1 turn.
• Flat tyre (lekke band): skip 1 turn.
• Comfort break (plaspauze): skip 1 turn.
• Broken handlebar (stuurbreuk): skip 2 turns.
• Man with the hammer (man met de hamer): skip 3 turns.

A player who receives such a tactical card must place it face up in front of himself and carry it out immediately. The rider struck by misfortune is laid horizontally until he has skipped all the turns imposed. Only then is the tactical card placed on the discard pile "8-12".

The player who played the tactical card must still roll a basic die during his turn.

Card to take cards from opponents. With this card, during your turn, you may blindly take the number of cards shown (acceleration, peloton and/or tactical cards) from opponent(s). The card reads: take 2 acceleration cards and a peloton card from one or more opponents of your choice. After playing this card, you may still roll a basic die during your turn.

Hill card (Koppenberg / Muur - Kapelmuur). With this card, during your turn, you may roll the dice shown on the named hills. It does not matter on which hill space (D4 or D6 space) you stand. The card reads: roll twice with the red D10 die on the Koppenberg or the Muur - Kapelmuur. If your first roll takes you over the named hill (back onto the flat spaces), you may also carry out the second roll.

Hill card (Berendries). With this card, during your turn, you may roll with the die shown on the named hill, or with the grey D8 die on a hill of your own choice that is not named. It does not matter on which hill space (D4 or D6 space) you stand. The card reads: roll with the yellow D16 die on the Berendries, or with the grey D8 die on a hill of your own choice.

Cards that may also be played outside your turn. The following cards have a purple circle border and may also be played outside your turn.

• Counter card (counterkaart): with this card you may cancel any played card (acceleration, misfortune, peloton or tactical card) of an opponent or of yourself. Note: a counter card may also be cancelled with another counter card, and so on. The rider or peloton that is countered loses its turn as a result.
• Spring-along card ("spring mee"-kaart): with this card you may move forward as many points as the rider who is on turn and starts level with you or is somewhere in front of you. You must play this card before the dice are rolled.
  • Note: the rider who springs along must not stop at the transition from flat to hill, and may therefore use all the points rolled in this case.
  • Note: when the rider who is on turn passes you, you may play the spring-along card to profit from the remaining number of points. In this way you may, for example, cross the finish line with two or more points. A roll with the yellow D16 die is then decisive for determining the winner.
• Kwakkaart (kwakkaart): with this card you may at any time knock down anyone next to you (= on the same space). The fallen rider must skip 2 turns (the card is placed with the misfortune rider).
• Stevige kwakkaart (stevige kwakkaart): with this card you may at any time knock down anyone next to you (= on the same space) heavily. The fallen rider determines with the black D4 die the number of turns he must skip because of his fall (the card is placed with the misfortune rider).

Note: all played tactical cards are placed face up on the discard pile "8-12".