Leader 1: Hell of the North Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Preparing the Race
  • 1. Race Configuration
  • 2. The Riders
  • 3. The Peloton
  • 4. Energy and Number of Pursuits
  • 5. Cyclists' Quality
  • 6. Peloton's Organization
• Aim of the Game
• Game Turns
  • 1. Movement of the Cyclists Who Have Broken Away
  • 2. Breaking Away
  • 3. Moving in the Peloton
  • 4. Notification of the Peloton's Pursuit and Peloton's Movement
  • 5. Movement of the Cyclists Dropped by the Peloton
• Events
  • 1. Slipstreaming
  • 2. Run Risks: Crack and Fall
  • 3. Puncture
  • 4. Cobblestone
  • 5. Weather
• Remarks on the Races
  • 1. One Day Race
  • 2. Stage Races
• Components

Preparing the Race

1. Race Configuration

According to the altimetry, there are 4 different types of routes: Flatland (green edged route), Hills (orange edged route), Mountains (red edged route) and Downhill (black edged route).

Furthermore there are 3 types of asphalt: Normal asphalt (light grey), Treacherous asphalt (dark grey) and Cobbled Paving (cobbles).

Choose and place the route hexagons one after the other in order to form a race. The hexagons permit to make different races each time. Any type of route can be placed before a mountain hexagonal tile.

1. Place a "start line" token at the beginning of the race and a "finish line" token at the end.
2. When playing a stage race, place one or two "bonus time" tokens on the race.
3. Place one "sprint zone start" token before the finish line on one of the two last hexagons. Place one other token on the hexagon before the "bonus time" token. However no "sprint zone start" token can be placed when the "bonus time" token or the finish line are on a mountain hexagon.
4. Place only one "mountain climb category" token at the beginning of each mountain (values from 1 to 4). The token determines the difficulty and the "crack" risk for that mountain climb.
5. Place one or more "feed zone" tokens.
6. Shuffle the 36 "feed zone" tiles and place them on the table face down in 3 piles (green, yellow, red).
7. If you want to play with the weather conditions, refer to the rules further on.

2. The Riders

The 12 cyclists in the box are members of 4 different teams.

Each team is made up of:

• 3 cyclists with the same coloured jersey. The cyclists' different coloured bases determine each cyclist's characteristic: rouleur (green base), leader (yellow base), and climber (red base).
• 1 token (of the same colour). The token represents the team's support riders.

Players decide the same number of cyclists they have. If players play with only 1 cyclist each, the race is rich of agreements and disagreements around the table. If players play with 2 or 3 cyclists, individual tactics are predominant over alliances.

3. The Peloton

The peloton is represented by a token on its card stand and a tile.

• The token is moved by the result of a die roll.
• The tile is placed on the table. The riders considered in the peloton will be placed on it. The support riders tokens always stay on the tile.
• The tile is divided in 2 areas: back of the peloton and front of the peloton.
• All cyclists can stay in the back or in the front of the peloton. The support riders can only stay in the peloton's front area.

4. Energy and Number of Pursuits

All cyclists begin the race with the same amount of energy and all the teams (support riders' token) begin the race with the same number of available pursuits.

• The cyclists' starting energy is given by adding the values on the mile stones of the hexagons used in the race.
• The teams' starting available pursuits are 6.
• Every player places in front of him his rider/s (and his support riders' token) and an "energy table". He writes the total energy given by the race to his cyclist/s, the number of pursuits given to his support riders and the name of his rider/s.
• The energy table must remain visible to all players during the game.

5. Cyclists' Quality

Each player decides which of his cyclists has a further quality: descender, sprinter and fighter (cross the corresponding squares on the energy table).

• The same cyclist cannot have more than one quality. Two cyclists of the same team cannot have the same quality. All the chosen:
  • descenders will receive an extra free square for every movement starting downhill.
  • fighters will run the risk of fall only from the second blackened square they pass during their paying portion of movement.
  • sprinters will receive an extra free square for every movement starting in the sprint zone (area placed between the "sprint zone start" token and the finish line or "bonus time" token).

6. Peloton's Organization

Place the peloton token in its card stand on the starting line.

• At the beginning of the race, all riders are considered as being in the peloton and are placed on the peloton tile.

The first to place is:

• the leading team in the general classification if you are playing a stage race;
• the team of the player who last went cycling if you are playing a classic.

Placement of the support riders

Players place their support riders' token first.

The first player places it in first position on the peloton tile (near to the arrow). The other players will place their token downward.

• The support riders' tokens determine the playing order for the actions related to the peloton.
• The player whose team is leading takes the die.

Placement of the cyclists

According to the order given by the support riders, players then choose to place their cyclists at the back or at the front of the peloton tile. The first to choose is the player whose team is in the lead (the nearest to the arrow), then the player whose team is second, etc...

Aim of the Game

You are now ready to start. The aim is to be the first cyclist to cross the finish line with a part of the bicycle. The cyclist is declared winner of the race.

Game Turns

A game turn is made up of the following 5 actions, in order:

1. Movement of the cyclists that broke away
2. Breaking away
3. Movement of the riders inside the peloton
4. Notification of the peloton's pursuit and peloton's movement
5. Movement of the cyclists dropped by the peloton

1. Movement of the Cyclists Who Have Broken Away

The cyclists move on the route's squares. There can never be more than one cyclist on a square. Cyclists cannot go through a square occupied by another cyclist unless they do not have other choice.

• Once a cyclist has broken away, he will be moved (1st action of every game turn) according to the classification order.
• Once a cyclist has opened a gap ahead of the peloton, the player must place him on the board. From this moment he moves him according to his characteristics and qualities. Every cyclist receives a free base movement which varies according to his speciality (leader, rouleur, and climber), his quality (descender, sprinter or fighter) and according to his position at the beginning of his movement (plain, hills, mountains or downhill).
• After this base movement, a cyclist may choose any paying movement. This paying movement is immediately subtracted on the energy table.
• Cyclists can only move straight ahead or diagonally. It is forbidden to stay still or move to the side unless the lateral square finishes ahead.

"Free" squares (fig.11)

	Plain	Mountain	Downhill	Hill
Rouleur	3	1	4	2
Leader	2	2	4	2
Climber	1	3	4	2

Downhill always grants 4 free squares and Hill always grants 2 free squares, regardless of speciality.

Cost of "paying" squares (fig.12)

Paying movements	1	2	3	4	5	6
Spent Energy	1	3	5	8	11	15

Example (fig.13): a Rouleur (green base) moving 4 squares in total spends 3 energy; a Leader (yellow base) moving 4 squares in total spends 5 energy; a Climber (red base) moving 4 squares in total spends 8 energy.

Particular case

A cyclist may pass through squares occupied by other cyclists only when the width of the route is completely occupied. However, he must:

• choose the longest path

• pay 1 additional energy point for each occupied square he goes through.

• If a cyclist reaches another cyclist after a movement, he will move first on the next turn. We suggest to place the overtaking cyclist slightly ahead to determine the turnover. This rule is vital during the sprints.

• If the peloton:

  • gets next to a broken away cyclist*, the cyclist will be absorbed in the front of the peloton.
  • overtakes a broken away cyclist*, the cyclist will be absorbed in the back into the peloton.

* consider the front of the peloton and the front of the cyclist

Energy Recovery

Due to feed zone

When a cyclist passes the "feed zone" tile (both broken away and in the peloton), his player draws a "feed zone" tile.

• The player draws a green card if the cyclist is a rouleur; he draws a yellow card if the cyclist is a leader and a red card if he is a climber.
• This card gives additional energy to the cyclist (from 2 to 5 points).
• This energy can immediately be added to the cyclist's energy, or it can also be secretly kept and added later on during the race (suggested solution).

Attention! If a player forgot to draw the feed zone tile for one of his cyclists, he loses it if the cyclist that follows has already moved. That happens also if the following cyclist is one of his.

Due to a move

Cyclists that move less than their total number of free moves (basic movement + possible slipstreaming + quality) immediately get 1 energy point back for each unused free square. The recovered energy is added to the cyclist's total energy on its "energy table".

2. Breaking Away

Starting from the player whose support riders' token is in 2nd place (see support riders' token order), and then the 3rd, the 4th and finally the 1st, each player may get one or more of his cyclists out of the peloton.

• Only the cyclists on the front of the peloton can break away: cyclists in the back of the peloton can never break away.
• To break away, a cyclist must make a move of 4 squares at least.
• After leaving the peloton, the cyclist acquires his characteristics and qualities. His allowed movements are those shown in fig.17 A, B and C: first allowed squares for a breaking-away movement ahead, on a bend, and — for a cyclist who breaks away from a plain — the corresponding free squares (3 for a rouleur, 2 for a leader, 1 for a climber).

3. Moving in the Peloton

It is now the turn of the cyclists in the peloton to decide if they want to change place in the peloton.

• According to their position, they are allowed to do certain movements. If they are in the:
  • back of the peloton, they are allowed to stay in the back, to move to the front of the peloton or to be dropped willingly by the peloton in order to help team mates in difficulty getting back into the peloton;
  • front of the peloton, they are allowed to stay in the front or move to the back of the peloton.

4. Notification of the Peloton's Pursuit and Peloton's Movement

Pursuit

• At the beginning of the race, each team's support riders have 6 pursuits (right column on the energy table). These pursuits allow the support riders to accelerate the peloton.
• Starting from the first support riders' token players decide if they want to accelerate the peloton. As soon as a player declares to speed the peloton up, his support riders' token is placed in 1st position. In this way, a new order is determined by the 4 tokens.
• If a player chooses to accelerate the peloton, he subtracts 1 pursuit from his support riders' column on the energy table. All the 4 support riders begin the race with 6 pursuits; therefore, they will be able to accelerate maximum 6 times during the race.
• A player cannot accelerate more than 2 times in a row.
• If no player accelerates, the support riders' tokens position does not change.

Peloton's Movement

The peloton occupies 2 squares lengthways. The peloton moves on the dotted squares, if present.

• The player whose team is leading the peloton rolls the die. The peloton is moved by the result of the die value.
• If the peloton's pursuit is announced the peloton's movement will be increased by 1 square.
• When the peloton's movement is over, all cyclists in the peloton must pay according to their position in the peloton.

If the peloton's movement is 3 or 4, all cyclists:

• in the back of the peloton do not pay energy points;
• in the front of the peloton pay 1 energy point*.

If the peloton's movement is 5 or more, all cyclists:

• in the back of the peloton pay 1 energy point*;
• in the front of the peloton pay 2 energy points*.

* to be subtracted on the energy table

Notes

• If the peloton's movement starts from a mountain square, all the rouleurs in the peloton pay 1 extra energy point.
• If the peloton's movement is on a blacked square, all cyclists in the peloton do not risk.
• If there are no cyclists left in the peloton, the peloton's movement will be increased by 1 square.

5. Movement of the Cyclists Dropped by the Peloton

A cyclist is left behind if he cannot pay after the peloton's movement, if he punctures or if he willingly wants to get dropped.

• After the peloton's movement, the cyclist will be placed on the square immediately behind the peloton. As from the following turn, he will play after the peloton and according to his characteristics as for the breakaway cyclists.
• Cyclists who have been left behind (5th action of every game turn) will be moved in classification order.
• Cyclists left behind can never benefit from the peloton's slipstreaming.

Events

1. Slipstreaming

A cyclist that ends its move exactly behind another one, before the latter's movement, will enjoy the benefit of one free movement in his following turn.

• This occurs after the front cyclist has moved. If this cyclist should stay still after a fall or a puncture, the back cyclist would lose the slipstreaming.
• Slipstream is also lost if the cyclist ahead makes a move of at least 6 squares starting from a square on plain, hill or mountains, of at least of 5 squares starting from a cobblestone square and of at least 8 squares starting from a downhill square.

2. Run Risks: Crack and Fall

A player may decide to make a cyclist run a risk (crack or fall) where this can occur.

• The risk is resolved by throwing the die.
• The more a cyclist risks (crack or fall) the more his chances diminish. At every new risk the cyclist takes the required die results rise:
  • 1st risk (crack or fall): the die results must be higher than 3. Regardless of the die result, the player must cross the 1st square of the cyclist's run risk line.
  • 2nd risk (crack or fall): the die results must be higher than 4. Regardless the die result, the player must cross the 2nd square of the cyclist's run risk line.
  • 3rd risk and more (crack or fall): the die result must be the 4 orange or the 4 blue.
• A cyclist can risk a crack only if he has enough energy to pay for it.

Crack

When, after a movement on mountains, a cyclist exceeds the token's value, he risks crack.

• At the beginning of each mountain, a "mountain climb category" token is placed. This number indicates the maximum number of paying squares on a mountain a cyclist can move without risk of crack.
• If a cyclist exceeds the token's value, after his move, the player rolls the die.
• If a cyclist cracks, he must pay two times the cost of his placement.

Example (fig.21): a climber moves 7 squares (2 free + 5 paying, cost 11); moving only 2 paying squares up the mountain respects a fixed value of 2 and does not risk crack. A leader moves 4 squares (2 free + 2 paying, cost 3); moving 2 paying squares up the mountain respects the fixed value and does not risk crack. A rouleur moves 4 squares (1 free + 3 paying, cost 5); moving 3 paying squares up the mountain exceeds the fixed value and risks crack.

Example: move cost = 5. If a cyclist has a crack the move cost is 10. Before running this risk, this cyclist must have at least 10 energy points.

Exception: If a climber breaks away from the peloton on a mountain square, he will not risk a crack for this movement.

Fall

When a cyclist ends its movement or passes on treacherous asphalt during his "paying" portion of movement, he risks a fall. A cyclist can only risk once during his movement.

• The blackened squares are "fall" areas (treacherous asphalt).
• Cyclists do not risk a fall if they pass on the blackened square during their free portion of movement (base placement + possible slipstreaming + quality).
• If a cyclist risks a fall, after his movement, he rolls the die. The die value to reach depends on the number of taken risks on the energy table.
• If a cyclist falls, he is placed next to the square where he finished his movement. He pays his movement and skips a turn.
• After a fall, the cyclist starts again from the square where he finished his placement and fell. He follows the classification order. If his square is occupied, he moves after the cyclist occupying his square has moved.

Remind! The fighter will risk a fall from the 2nd blackened square he crosses during his "paying" portion of movement.

Example (fig.22): a leader moves 5 squares (4 free + 1 "paying" square, 1 energy point). He risks a fall, because he crosses the blackened portion with his paying move. A climber moves 8 squares (4 free + 4 "paying" squares, 8 energy points). Although he goes across the blackened squares, he does not risk a fall, because he passed over them when he was in the free portion of his movement. Notice: the green rouleur loses the slipstreaming, because the climber moved 8 squares starting downhill.

Example: move cost = 5. If he falls, the movement cost is 5 but he skips a turn. Before running this risk, the cyclist must have 5 energy points at least.

3. Puncture

When the peloton die is rolled and it falls on the red face, all cyclists (those who have broken away, those still in the peloton and those left behind) risk a puncture.

1. First, the peloton is moved according to the die value or more.
2. Then, all cyclists roll the die again according to their classification order. If the 4 red is rolled, the cyclist punctures.
3. The player of the cyclist classified 1st rolls first. Then it is the turn of the player of the 2nd classified cyclist to roll the die and so on for all cyclists in the race. For the cyclists in the peloton, the order is the support riders' order.

• If a cyclist punctures, in the following turn, the cyclist will not play following his classification order, but last, after the peloton (see also the left cyclists if there are any).
• The cyclist that has punctured will stay on his square. Any slipstreaming is lost (both for the cyclist who has punctured and the cyclist that was following him).
• The cyclists in the peloton that puncture are placed one square behind the peloton. On the next turn, they will play after the peloton.
• The other cyclists are not allowed to stop on the punctured cyclist's square, but they are allowed to cross it without paying additional energy.

4. Cobblestone

When a cyclist passes on cobblestone, players apply the same rules as in normal asphalt. However, if he passes on treacherous asphalt during his "paying" portion of movement, he risks a fall or a puncture.

• If a cyclist risks, after his movement, he must roll the die. If he fails (see the table), he suffers the fall or puncture effects, but does not mark the risk on the risk line of the energy table.
• On cobblestone slipstream is lost if the cyclist ahead makes a move of at least 5 squares starting from a cobblestone square.
• The fighter keeps his quality.

Risks on cobblestone (fig.23)

Die result	Effects
4 orange - 4 blue	fall
4 red	puncture

5. Weather

When preparing the race, players decide the number of weather tokens they want to play with and place them face down along the race. There can never be more than 1 weather token on each hexagon.

• A weather token is turned face up as soon as the first (cyclist or peloton) enters the second last hexagon before the one with the token. The weather condition shown on the token is applied to the entire hexagon with the token.
• The peloton is not affected by the weather conditions.

Rain: cyclists risk a fall if they pass on the blackened squares of a rainy hexagon during the free or the "paying" portion of their movement. The fighter keeps his quality.

Heat: if a cyclist moves* of 6 or more squares on a heat hexagon, he suffers from the heat. The player must reveal to all the other players one of his feed zone tile. This energy must be immediately added on his energy table. If the cyclist does not have a feed zone tile, nothing happens.

Contrary wind: if a cyclist moves* on a contrary wind hexagon without slipstreaming, he pays 1 or 2 (according to the token) extra energy points for his movement.

Favourable wind: if a cyclist moves* on a favourable wind hexagon, he subtracts 1 or 2 (according to the token) energy points from his movement.

* The moves of the cyclists can be: partial, complete or totally crossing the hexagon.

Remarks on the Races

1. One Day Race

If you play a one day race (classic), remember to draw a "feed zone" tile for each cyclist at the beginning of the game. It can be immediately added to the energy or it can be secretly kept and added later on during the race. It represents your cyclist's form on that particular day.

2. Stage Races

If you play a stage race, you will have to build a long term strategy.

The general classification is set by counting the number of delay turns compared to the stage winner. The winner gains a bonus of 2 turns; the second of 1 turn.

Eliminations

If a cyclist exceeds 22 turns of delay from the general classification leader, he is definitively eliminated.

Bonus time

Remember to place one or more bonus time tokens on the hexagons at the beginning of the race. The first cyclist to cross the line corresponding to the "Bonus time" token gains 1 turn.

Remaining energy and remaining pursuits

If cyclists have remaining energy at the end of each stage, the energy is kept and added to that of the following stage. However, the addition will never be more than 15 points.

From the second stage on, the starting number of pursuits for the support riders is 4. If support riders have remaining pursuits at the end of each stage, the pursuits are kept and added to those of the following stage. However, the addition will never be more than 2 so as to have a maximum of 6 starting pursuits in each stage.

Components

• 20 "route" hexagons
• 12 cyclists (4 teams of 3)
• 4 "support riders" tokens
• 1 peloton (to be placed on the card stand)
• 1 peloton tile
• 36 "feed zone" tiles (12 yellow, 12 red, 12 green)
• 1 "energy table" block
• 23 tokens:
  • 2 "feed zone"
  • 2 "bonus time"
  • 1 "start line"
  • 1 "finish line"
  • 8 "mountain climb category"
  • 3 "sprint zone" start
  • 6 "weather"
• 1 twelve-sided "peloton" die (with 3, 4 and 5 values)
• 12 reminding cards
• 1 booklet

Specifications and support: Find more details and extra rules for increasing the simulation on www.ghenosgames.com and www.blackrockeditions.com

Ghenos games would also like to thank Daniel Kazaniecki, Andreas Ervald, Tonni Jensen, Claudio Crivelli and Luca Viero for their ideas on the hexagons.