Hydroracers: The Schneider Trophy Epic Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Race Phase
  • Set Up
  • How the Game Is Played
  • Playing a Card
  • Throttle Back
  • Air Resistance
  • Drafting
  • Curve and Overspeed
  • Dangerous Overtaking
  • Basic Cockpit
  • The Bets
  • The Pilots
  • End of a Lap
  • End of the Race (Fin de Course)
  • Expert Cockpit
    • Aircraft Component Symbols
    • Cross Symbol
    • MALUS Symbols
• Development Phase
  • Campaign Mode - Example of Game Duration
  • Schneider Trophy - Campaign Mode
  • How the DEVELOPMENT Phase Works
  • Development Phase Set Up
  • Repair
  • Improvement
  • Development Token Placements
  • Industrial Spying
  • Airshow
  • Movement Cards
  • Reliability Cards
  • Permanent Cards
  • End of the Development Phase
• Autopilots
  • Game With Autopilots
  • Set Up
  • How Does an Autopilot Turn Work?
  • AUTOPILOTS and Betting
  • AUTOPILOTS in Development Phase
  • National Autopilot Profiles

Race Phase

Set Up

1. Each player plays as a nation and receives the corresponding game material: an airplane, a pilot card, a deck of 10 MOVEMENT cards, a COCKPIT, a score marker and an individual bag of his color. For your first games, play with pilots and airplanes of the same nationality, afterwards you can choose as you wish.
2. Players choose a course and place it in the center of the table.
3. Place the scoreboard next to the board.
4. Players draw their starting positions at random and position themselves on the grid.
5. Each player shuffles their move cards, forms a deck in front of them and draws the first 3 cards.
6. Each player takes an individual DANGER bag and places 12 yellow tokens (DAMAGE) and 6 black tokens (ALERT). These two types of tokens are collectively called "Danger tokens."
7. Place the betting board on its place.
8. Place the AIRCOINS next to the game board.

How the Game Is Played

Each race takes place in 3 successive RUNS on the same circuit. Each RUN represents 1 lap of the circuit.

The players play in the order of the position of the planes on the circuit, from the first to the last. This order can change at each turn. On his turn, a player can: play one of his cards in hand or Throttle back. Whichever option he chooses, he calculates his speed (taking into account air resistance and suction) and moves his plane accordingly. The move must be completed in its entirety.

Playing a Card

Each card indicates the base speed of the plane. The played cards are placed on a personal discard pile, so that only the last one is visible. Each card can only be used once during the game. The player finishes by drawing a new card so that he has 3 cards in his hand again.

Throttle Back

You will quickly realize that racing requires a lot of energy. Your deck of Move cards will have to last long enough to complete the three successive Laps. So sometimes it makes sense to save your strength and choose throttle back rather than play a card. Throttle back yields a move of 2 squares, and you still apply the possible modifier (Air Resistance or Drafting), then discard a card from your hand by placing it under your deck and complete your hand.

Air Resistance

Any aircraft that moves through the air experiences resistance that slows its movement.

In this game, air resistance is simulated by reducing the movement of the lead seaplane by 1. At the beginning of each game turn, place the Leading Player marker next to this plane. The other planes are not affected.

In this example, only the black plane will suffer the -1 air resistance penalty.

Drafting

A bit like the flight of wild geese, by taking advantage of the turbulence created by an aircraft immediately in front of it, a seaplane can take advantage of an effect that eases movement, which in this game will be called "DRAFTING." This phenomenon is simulated by adding 1 to the movement of seaplanes that are, at the beginning of the turn, immediately behind another plane. At the beginning of each turn, place a DRAFTING marker on each seaplane concerned, so as not to forget the +1 bonus it receives. This bonus is always applied.

In this example, the red plane benefits from Drafting, represented by a token. The next time it moves, it will receive a +1 bonus. The blue plane does not benefit from Drafting because it is one square away.

Curve and Overspeed

Each curve of the circuit is marked by a line and a number. When an aircraft crosses this virtual line, if its total speed (card + modifier) is greater than the indicated number, the aircraft is "Overspeeding," and the pilot has taken a risk: he must draw a token from the DANGER bag.

If the token is an ALERT (black), it was a warning without consequence and the token is discarded (it is not put back in the bag).

If it is a DAMAGE token (yellow), the aircraft did not take the risk well and the token is added to the DAMAGE gauge on the COCKPIT. When a seaplane registers a 4th DAMAGE, it crashes.

Be careful, the Damage tokens are not discarded between the different Laps, so it is wise to take care of your aircraft.

In case of a crash, the seaplane is immediately ranked last among the aircraft still in the race for this Lap. The "crash" is considered minor and repairable. If there are Laps remaining, the player puts two Damage tokens back into his bag and prepares to be part of the next Lap (starting in last place).

The black plane plays a 7 card, it is in the lead, so the air resistance increases its speed to 6. It passes through a turn limited to 5, so it must draw a token from the DANGER bag.

Dangerous Overtaking

There can only be one seaplane per square. If a player ends his move on an occupied square, he continues to advance to the next free square. As a consequence of this DANGEROUS Overtaking, he draws a Danger token from the bag in the same way as for an Overspeed turn.

In this example, the blue plane ends its move on the same square as the red plane. It moves to the first available square in front of it and draws a token from the bag. Yes, "first available" means that if there is another plane in front of the red plane, the blue plane moves in front of both of them, but draws only one Danger token.

Basic Cockpit

Each time you draw a DAMAGE token (yellow), place it on the first available space on your COCKPIT. If you draw a fourth DAMAGE Chit, the plane crashes. If you draw an ALERT (black), set it aside, do not put it back in the bag.

The Bets

Betting allows players to obtain winnings in the form of AIRCOINS (the game's currency) and some bonus victory points that will be added to the points obtained in the race. Once per RUN, at the beginning of one of his turns, a player can make a bet on the plane of his choice. To do so, he places one of his bet chips, face down, on one of the available slots.

Three of the slots are paid (15, 10 and 5 aircoins) and can only hold one bet chip. The 4th slot is free and can be used by more than one player.

At the end of the round, each player's bet is revealed. Players earn VPs and AIRCOINS according to the ranking of the plane they bet on.

The Pilots

At the beginning of the game, each player chooses a pilot who grants him a particular flying skill.

• Joseph Sadi-Lecointe (Captain, Armée de l'Air, France) loves to lead. He does not suffer the -1 penalty when he is in the lead, whenever he plays a card of value 5 or higher.
• David d'Arcy Greig (Flight Lieutenant, Royal Air Force) follows turbulance unusually well and has a +1 drafting bonus, even when he is one square away from the opponent in front of him.
• Mario de Bernardi (Maggiore, Aeronautica Militare Italiana) knows how to better exploit the phenomenon of drafting. He gets a +2 bonus (instead of +1) when he is immediately behind an opponent. Use the back of the Drafting chip with the +2 indication.
• James Harold Doolittle (First Lieutenant, US Army Air Service) an intellectual pilot, has 4 cards in his hand instead of 3, to better adapt to all situations.

End of a Lap

When at the end of a round, one or more aircraft have crossed the finish line, the LAP ends. Players earn prestige points according to their position on the track.

Players move their checkers accordingly on the score track. It is not necessary to have crossed the finish line to be ranked.

Even if in the game, each player takes his turn, in reality, the moves are simultaneous, which is why it is the plane that has gone the furthest beyond the finish line that is declared the winner and not necessarily the one that moved its plane first. All players will have played the same number of rounds. Players also reveal their bets at this time and earn AIRCOINS accordingly. After the first LAP, players proceed to a second and third LAP: the planes are returned to the starting grid in the order of arrival from the previous LAP. Players keep their DANGER tokens, cards in hand, and their deck and discard pile.

In this example, the Italian player won the first round of betting, during the second round he finished last and won second place during the third round of betting. He also earned 3 bonus points during his betting. The Italian player finished the race with a total of 21 victory points!

End of the Race (Fin de Course)

The race ends after 3 LAPS. The player with the most points wins.

Expert Cockpit

To immerse yourself even more in the experiences of the time, you can turn the COCKPIT over to use them on their EXPERT side. During your flight, you will have to deal with different damages of your aircraft. In the Advanced game, the mix of Damage and Alert will vary. For the Intermediate game, continue to use 12 Damage and 6 Alert.

In the same way as for the basic game, when a player takes an Overspeed curve or makes a Dangerous Overtaking, he draws a token from his bag. But now, instead of putting the Alert tokens away and marking a simple Damage spot, the player must choose which part of his seaplane is affected (Cooling system, Propulsion, Controls, or Structure). He places EITHER token (Alert or Damage) on the first empty square of the affected part (from left to right and from top to bottom).

If the token is an ALERT (black), the aircraft damage has no serious consequences and the effect on the covered square is ignored.

If it is a DAMAGE token (yellow), the device is more severely affected and the player applies the effect of the square. Worse, if there is a symbol shown, this Damage also affects another part of the airplane. The player takes a token from the bag and places it on the first empty square of the additionally affected part. (Players choose where the initial Damage token goes, but if a symbol is shown, the continued effect is mandatory.)

Aircraft Component Symbols

The player now applies the indicated damage, which may cause other effects on the plane. The player stops drawing DANGER tokens from the bag.

Cross Symbol

The seaplane crashes (but not catastrophically). The player is ranked last of the players still in the race. If there is another Lap in the race, the player can start the next LAP by removing this marker and a second one of his choice. (He starts the next Lap in last place.)

Note: if the CROSS symbol has been covered by an ALERT token, the plane does not crash! (You will soon see how using the Alert tokens is a key strategy of keeping your plane flying.)

MALUS Symbols

The player now applies the indicated malus. The player stops drawing DANGER Chits from the bag.

• From now on, when you cross a curve you draw a risk token even with a speed equal to the limit of the curve (and not only higher).
• From now on, your plane reduces each of its moves by 1 square.
• From now on, you no longer benefit from your pilot's flying skill.
• You now play with one less card in your hand.

Each player has his own individual bag to manage his DANGERS. For each player: 12 Damage tokens, 6 Alert tokens, placed in the INDIVIDUAL BAG.

When setting up, each player places 12 DANGER tokens and 6 ALERT tokens in his individual bag. Each player places his plane card in the center of his COCKPIT and places the 4 element tiles of the level indicated on his plane card.

In this example, the light blue player faces 2 hazards after an overspeed turn followed by a dangerous overtake.

1. He draws a first DAMAGE token which the player chooses to place on the first square of his cooling system.
2. The damage affects the propulsion system and a new DANGER token is drawn which must be placed on the first "propulsion" square.
3. It is again a DANGER token! The overheated engine causes a new damage to the cooling system. A malus square is covered by a transparent DAMAGE token. The malus will now be active. The story ends here for the first risk.
4. For the second hazard draw, the player is luckier and draws an ALERT token which he places on the first square of his "structure." The DANGER draw ends here.

Development Phase

Between each Race, the competitors have one year to develop and improve the aircraft. The representation of the year is symbolized by 12 TIME markers. When the 12 TIME markers are positioned on the calendar, the DEVELOPMENT phase ends immediately!

Campaign Mode - Example of Game Duration

• DEV phase + RACE Phase
• RACE Phase + DEV phase + RACE Phase
• RACE Phase + DEV phase + RACE Phase + DEV phase + RACE Phase
• RACE Phase + DEV phase + RACE Phase + DEV phase + RACE Phase (continuing to alternate)

Schneider Trophy - Campaign Mode

In this game mode, players will go from race phase to DEVELOPMENT phase and the winner will be the player who wins the most race phases. The most passionate players will be able to play the historical trophy awarded to the first player to win 3 race phases.

At the end of each race phase, a gold, silver and bronze cup will be awarded to the first 3 players. The winner of the trophy will be the one who has obtained the most gold cups (then the most silver cups in case of a tie and so on). The winner of a race phase chooses the circuit for the next race.

How the DEVELOPMENT Phase Works

The DEVELOPMENT phase begins as soon as the RACE phase ends, after the players have scored their points and pocketed their betting money. It is important to keep track of the DAMAGES received by the planes and not to mix up the cards played in that Race and any cards that the players still have in their hand. Players will first repair their planes before upgrading them for the next RACE.

Development Phase Set Up

If the DEVELOPMENT phase occurs after a RACE phase, it is important to keep the ALERT tokens received by the planes and not to mix up the cards played and those that the players still have in their deck or in their hand. Players will first repair their planes before upgrading them for the next RACE.

1. Shuffle the DEVELOPMENT cards and place the deck in its place.
2. Place the first 6 cards on the 6 slots of the DEVELOPMENT track.
3. Place the 12 TIME markers (white) in the bag. Place the individual Development tokens per each player into the same bag.

Repair

4. The players each have 16 DEVELOPMENT markers. For each (black) ALERT token received during the race, players discard one DEVELOPMENT marker. They may then return all DANGER (DAMAGE and ALERT) markers received during the race to their individual bags.

In addition, each card shows the amount of time it takes to restore it to its original state (between 0 and 2) in the upper left corner. Players add up the recovery time of all the cards they played during the race and discard the corresponding DEVELOPMENT markers (rounded down). They may then reform their deck of cards. Place the remaining Development Markers in the bag.

If you start a campaign with a preparation phase, place 10 Development Markers per player.

Improvement

The face-up Development cards are available for purchase. Each card requires a certain amount of Development time (between 2 and 4 tokens), you can only get it after spending this TIME. The player who is the least advanced on the score track picks one token at a time from the canvas bag.

1. If it is a TIME marker, he places it on the calendar at the top of the game board. TIME runs out, the next race approaches, the players must hurry to complete their research. When the 12th TIME token is drawn, the DEVELOPMENT phase ends immediately. Research in progress cannot be completed until the next race.
2. If it is a DEVELOPMENT token, the corresponding player chooses where to place it.
   • Place it on a DEVELOPMENT card
   • Place it on the INDUSTRIAL SPYING track
   • Place it on the AIRSHOW board
3. When a player places the second to last token needed to obtain a card, he can decide to pay 5 AIRCOINS to speed up the research and take the card immediately, otherwise he will have to wait for a new token of his color to come out, with the risk that another player will take the card before him, or that the year will end in the meantime.

Development Token Placements

Upgrade Cards (2, 3 or 4 tokens): When a card is acquired by a player, any tokens placed by other players on that same card are returned to the bag.

In this example, the blue player has just drawn a second chip of his color. He chooses not to wait for a third chip to be drawn by spending 5 AIRCOINS. He takes the Improved Goggles card, discards his two used blue chips, and returns the red chip to the bag.

If it is a Technology card, he simply places it in front of him (and eventually applies its effects).

If it is a Move card, he adds it to his deck and must exchange (recycle) another card in order to keep a deck of 10 cards:

• This costs him nothing if the recycled card is of equal or greater value (number indicated by a small arrow in case of choice).
• Otherwise it is 10 AIRCOINS per value difference (ex: I buy a 10 card, I discard an 8, I must pay 10 x 2 = 20 AIRCOINS).

The recycled cards go back to the INDUSTRIAL SPYING track, they become available to all players. There are only 3 slots on the Industrial Spying track, each new card pushes the others out. When a 4th card arrives, the oldest card is discarded.

Industrial Spying

Players do not have to single out specific Industrial Spying cards for their tokens. Placing a token on the Black Market track allows you to work toward any of the recycled cards. It is possible to place a token here, even if no card has been recycled yet, in anticipation of the next action. All cards here cost the same -- 2 tokens or 1 token + 5 AIRCOINS. When one card is purchased this way, any tokens from the other players remain in place on the track and can be used to acquire another card (but tokens still here when the Development phase ends are not left behind for the next Development).

Move cards purchased in the Black Market must follow the same procedure as in ordinary development. The player must always recycle a card in exchange for the newly acquired card, paying any possible difference at the same 5 Aircoins per point value (ex: I buy the 8 previously recycled, I exchange it for a 6, I pay 10 Aircoins).

Airshow

When one of his tokens is drawn, a player may decide to send it to the AIRSHOW board to get AIRCOINS. This can be useful in preparing for an upcoming expensive action or if you feel you will not have TIME to get a card before the end of the development phase.

In this example, the Blue player uses one of these tokens to perform an exhibition and earns 10 AIRCOINS. He places himself in his reserved space. Later he can use the public slots if they are still available to perform an AIRSHOW action again.

Movement Cards

The travel cards replace the 10 basic cards in your plane. Each time you pick one up, recycle a card from your hand and place it on the INDUSTRIAL SPYING board, so that you always have a total of 10 cards.

Each Movement card shows: Movement value, Development time, and Special ability. Special abilities found on Movement cards include:

• Remove 1 or 2 DANGER tokens from your COCKPIT.
• Ignore 1 or 2 DANGER tokens as you move.
• Earn bonus victory points or AIRCOINS.
• Choose the movement value of your choice. The exchange value is indicated by the arrow.
• When you refill your hand, draw 3 cards, choose 1, and place the other 2 under your deck.
• As long as this card is not covered, passing your turn allows you to move 3 spaces.
• You do not count the squares of the planes you pass while moving.

Reliability Cards

RELIABILITY CARDS are not part of your 10-card move hand.

When a player picks up one of their cards, they apply its effects and then reshuffle the card back into the DEVELOPMENT deck.

Each Reliability card shows a Reliability symbol, Development time, and Special ability.

If you are playing with the basic cockpit: If you are using the advanced COCKPITS, apply their power and immediately return the card to the deck before reshuffling the deck.

If you are playing with the basic cockpit, Reliability card special abilities include:

• Increase your aircraft component by 1 level. Place a higher level tile in your cockpit.
• Increase the component of your choice by 1 level.
• Remove a damage token from your individual bag.
• Add one alert token to your individual bag.
• Add a damage token from the reserve to an opponent's bag.

Permanent Cards

Permanent cards are not part of your 10-card move hand. They are placed next to your COCKPIT and represent permanent advantages.

Each Permanent card shows a Permanent symbol, Development time, and Special ability. Permanent card special abilities include:

• You hold 1 additional card in your hand.
• Your opponents do not get the drafting bonus when they are immediately behind you.
• When an opponent finishes his move immediately behind you, you can choose to reposition yourself behind him.
• Gain a +2 Drafting bonus (instead of +1) when immediately behind an opponent.
• When you make a dangerous overtaking, you do not draw a DANGER token.
• Allows you to reduce your movement by 1 square. This power is optional.
• When you refill your hand, draw 2 cards, keep 1 and place the remaining card under your deck.
• You do not suffer the -1 penalty when you are in the lead if you play a card of value 5 or higher.

End of the Development Phase

As soon as the 12th TIME token has been drawn the phase ends immediately. The cards present on the Industrial Spying track are discarded. Any tokens present there are returned to their owner. The empty improvement cards are also discarded. Only those Upgrade cards with at least one token remain (and the tokens remain as well.) The players can try to complete their research in the next preparation phase. A new Race phase can begin.

Autopilots

Game With Autopilots

Whatever the number of players around the table, you can choose to include the dreaded AUTOPILOTS in your games.

Set Up

Choose the autopilot(s) you want to face: each plane has particular flight characteristics in autopilot, assign a pilot to it, so the autopilot will also have the flight skill of that pilot. Take the set of cards for the selected aircraft and add its specific autopilot cards, shuffle the deck and place it face down near its COCKPIT. All normal rules apply.

Use the "classic" side of the COCKPIT to represent the AUTOPILOTS.

How Does an Autopilot Turn Work?

At the beginning of the game, draw 2 cards face up for each autopilot, place them at the bottom of his game sheet.

When it is the autopilot's turn, draw a third card and apply the following rules:

• If the autopilot can cross the finish line, or if another plane has already crossed the finish line, it is the sprint: play the highest movement card.
• Otherwise, play an AUTOPILOT card first,
• Otherwise choose the move card according to the autopilot criteria.
• In the case of cards of identical value, choose first the one that allows you to repair a damage if there is a damage to repair.
• In case of options on the route (short or long route), the AUTOPILOT chooses according to the characteristics defined on his card.
• An AUTOPILOT uses throttle back if he has no more cards.

AUTOPILOTS earn victory points and draw DANGER tokens from the cloth bag like the other players.

AUTOPILOTS and Betting

AUTOPILOTS always bet on themselves when they pass the second turn. They always take the highest available slot on the betting board.

Ignore any winnings or expenses in AIRCOINS with AUTOPILOTS.

AUTOPILOTS in Development Phase

Before revealing the 6 development cards, draw the cards one by one. As soon as one of the cards matches the autopilot's preferences, he takes it. As soon as his request is complete, move on to the next AUTOPILOT.

National Autopilot Profiles

Supermarine S.6B (1931) — The English driver is naturally cautious: Always play the lowest card. Always use the shortest route on a circuit. Development: use the first permanent card and replace with 2 move cards with a value of +1.

Macchi-Castoldi M.C.72 (1931) — The Italian pilot is a hothead: First play the highest odd card or, failing that, the lowest even card. Always use the longest route on a circuit. Development: replace with a move card with a +1 value and another with a +3 value.

Bernard H.V. 40 (1931) — The French pilot is calculating: Always play the second highest card. Use the shortest route if your card is greater than or equal to 5 on a circuit. Development: use the first permanent card and replace with a move card with a +2 value.

Curtiss R3C-2 (1925) — The American pilot is bold: Play the highest even card first, or alternatively the lowest odd card. Use the shortest route if your card is odd on a circuit. Development: replace with a move card with a value of +4.