L'Empereur
L'Empereur Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents of the Box
The game contains:
- 32 ice tiles (showing the ice on the front and a color on the back). These tiles will constitute 8 rows of 4 piles. The 4 colors are represented in each row. An eye appears on the back of some tiles.
- 6 weather tokens: 3 good weather (white), 3 bad weather (black)
- 4 penguins of 4 different colors
Purpose of the Game
The penguins are in the colony and have to go to the ocean to feed themselves. The first one who crosses the ice to reach the ocean and returns to the colony is the winner of the race!
Set-Up
Place (without looking) the game tiles as well as the weather tokens as on the example. The colors on the backs of the 4 tiles of a row will always be different, thus the 4 colors will be represented each once per row.
Each player chooses his penguin and places it in front of the first row of tiles: they are in the colony. If you are playing with two players, each chooses two penguins. If there are three players, one penguin stays in the box.
Playing the Game
The player who last saw a penguin (could also be in a film or book) begins the game. Then, play in turn in a clockwise direction.
On your turn, you must do two successive actions:
- You move your penguin
- You move a weather chip
1. Moving Your Penguin
On your turn, you must move your penguin to one of the adjacent tiles (top, bottom, right, left, or diagonal) of the one you're in. This action reveals this tile (unless a weather chip is on it, or another penguin as it will already have been revealed): If the color of the tile is not that of the penguin, the placement is completed.
If the color corresponds to the penguin's color, then it can move again to an adjacent tile, and so on, until it reaches a tile of a color that is not its own (or on a tile with a bad weather token).
At the beginning of the game, one of the 4 tiles in the first row is revealed to go on.
Once the penguin's placement is complete, the revealed tiles on which no penguins are found are flipped back over. A single color can only be seen if a penguin is on the tile.
Example: the green penguin found its color in the first revealed tile. He can then play again on an adjacent tile. He revealed the red tile of the 2nd row. As this is not his color, his movement stops here.
You can move your penguin on any adjacent tile, even occupied by other penguins or weather tokens (see below).
A penguin arrives at the ocean when he has crossed the last row of tiles. He then stops his movement for this turn and starts the return path on the next turn, revealing the tile of his choice among the four of the last row (example below).
Example: in his turn, the green penguin leaves the yellow tile and arrives at the ocean. Its movement stops, it flips the yellow tile back to its ice side (because no other penguins are on it). On his next turn, he can reveal the tile of his choice among the 4 of this last range to go on (and possibly replay if it finds its color).
The eye of the penguin appears on the back of certain tiles. The player has the right to secretly consult the reverse side of any tile in the game. If the eye is of its color, it can move again.
2. Moving a Weather Chip
After completing your movement, you move a weather chip (good or bad weather) from an adjacent tile at the top, bottom, left, right, or diagonal. You can move a weather chip onto a tile where penguins are: this tile is then put on the ice pack to make the color disappear. You cannot place a weather chip on another weather chip, or move the one that the previous player has moved.
When a penguin arrives on a tile with a weather token, he does not return it.
The Effects of the Weather Chips
Bad weather chips: A penguin who arrives on a tile with a bad weather token must stop his movement.
Good weather chips: A penguin who arrives on a tile with a good weather token may move again!
Important Rule: Together, We Are More!
In the extreme conditions of Antarctica, the penguins are stronger when they are together.
When the active player's penguin moves from a tile of its color or a tile with a good weather chip, it takes with it all the penguins that are on its tile. Note, however, that this only works for penguins going in the same direction: a penguin on the outward path that crosses a penguin on the return path does not take him with him, and vice versa.
Example: the green penguin makes his first move onto the green tile (on which the blue penguin already is), and can move again. As the green is not alone on his tile, he must take the blue with him for this next move, again on a green tile! The green penguin then takes them both to the good weather tile, which allows him to play again. This time they arrive on a blue tile. The movement then stops, because the active player (green) has arrived on a tile that is not his color. He must now move a weather chip. In his turn, the blue will already be on a blue tile, accompanied by a green penguin. This time it will be the blue penguin who takes the green with him during his movement.
Ending the Game
The first player whose penguin has made a round trip wins the game.
If several penguins arrive together in the colony, only the active player will be the winner.
When playing with two players, the winner is the first to bring his two penguins back to the colony.
Variants
The Juvenile Penguin (+ 5 years): You play the same way, but without the weather chips. In your turn, you perform the move action. You can also shrink the course by removing some rows of tiles. Finally, do not use the 'together we are stronger' rule.
Ice Flow: For an extra challenge, you take into account the flow of the ice. The rules are the same, but you have an extra choice for your second action: the ice slide. Instead of moving a weather tile, you can swap two adjacent tiles of the same row, even if penguins or weather chips are on it.