MOOGH (2016) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Making the Tribe Teams
• Components
• Setup
• Victory Conditions
• Turn Phases
• A. Cavemen Action Selection (1/3)
• B. Cavemen Action Resolution (1/3)
  • Injuries
• C. Scoring Points
• D. The Moogh Card
• E. Moogh Rage
• F. Moogh Action (2/4)
• G. Cavemen Action Overview
  • Move One
  • Move Two
  • Stab
  • Double Stab
  • Aim
  • Grab (and Climb)
  • Climb
  • Throw
  • Sedate
  • Attract & Scare
• H. Moogh Action Overview
  • Save Rolls
  • Move One, Move Two, Move Three
  • Back One
  • Attack One Time, Attack Two Times
  • Shake
  • Mini Shake
  • Turn
  • Turn on Attacker
• Additional Rules
  • Secret Actions
  • Protolanguage
  • PvP
  • Moogh Control

Making the Tribe Teams

The game is always played with two teams. The chiefs of the teams are always the same: Red Fang versus Brown Arrow Tip. The actions of these chiefs always resolve before the other cavemen. Shuffle the Red and Brown cavemen chiefs and make teams as described below.

• Solo game: Take the Red and the Green and put the other two aside for the remainder of the game.
• 2 player game: Deal each player one chief randomly. Each player then chooses their second tribesman.
• 4 players: Deal each player 1 card. The game is played in two teams - or decide up front who is playing together.
• 3 or 5 players: You could optionally let one player keep track on the Moogh movements. (see Moogh control)

The manual's team diagram labels the players by colour: Red player or orange team 1; Green player or blue team 1; Brown player or black team 2; White player or purple team 2.

Components

The manual's component key lists 9 game cards, 4 colored small player tokens, and 4 tokens for cavemen actions. The board is formed from two scenery cards. Also used: the big "Moogh die" (which also shows the Moogh's health), the Moogh action card with its small red "rage die", the point card and the point die, and one cube per player representing the cavemen.

Setup

Everyone places the Cavemen they control in front of themselves with the uninjured side up. Place the two scenery cards next to each other, forming the gameboard, and place the big "Moogh die" overlapping the 4 spaces with footsteps in the center. Each player places a cube of their color, representing the cavemen, on the designated space with the icon.

Next to the game board you should place the Moogh action card, and place a small red "rage die" on top of the red square visible in the top left.

Also place the point card somewhere central and place the point die in the center space in the bottom row.

Victory Conditions

The game ends immediately when the players successfully kill the Moogh. Then the team with the most Savage points wins. If all tribesmen die OR Moogh runs fully off the board - the players lose.

Turn Phases

Continue until Moogh is dead, runs off the board, or eliminates all the players.

1. Cavemen action - Red & White. Select actions for the active tribesmen and resolve them. Red is first. Points are scored instantly.
2. Moogh actions. Moogh executes 1, 2 or 3 actions depending on its rage level.
3. Cavemen action - Brown & Green. Repeat phase 1. Brown is resolved first.
4. Moogh actions. Repeat phase 2.

A. Cavemen Action Selection (1/3)

The players controlling the cavemen that are active in this phase take one action cube and place it on top of any orange arrow on their character card. The symbols that are connected by the arrow you choose are the two actions you may take in this turn.

B. Cavemen Action Resolution (1/3)

The tribesmen chiefs go first, and their two actions are resolved before you may resolve the other caveman. All actions are optional and may be played in any order you wish. To see how to play the different actions see G. Cavemen action overview.

Placing the action cube on the highlighted arrow will let the Caveman move and climb in any order you choose.

Injuries

The first time a caveman is injured you flip his card. The second time he is dead and out of the game. Both times the team score 1 SP. See scoring below.

C. Scoring Points

There are 5 ways to score Savage points (SP) during the game. SP are tracked for the teams and not the individual tribesmen. Whenever a caveman on a team scores a SP - the point die is modified immediately to reflect the current point status.

You score when:

• If you injure the Moogh you score 1 SP.
• If that hit was made while sitting on top of the Moogh you score an additional 1 SP.
• If the hit was made while standing in one of the two spaces directly in front of Moogh you score an additional 1 SP.
• If one of your tribesmen get injured or die you immediately score 1 SP. (Yes! Getting injured shows bravery)
• If you deal the lethal blow you score 3 SP (don't add 1 SP for the hit - but front or top can add 1 SP).

When the game starts the Point die is placed in the middle square at the bottom of the score card. When one team scores a point the die is moved to that team's space and the pips on the die should match the score. When the opposing team scores you deduct the score from the leading team. If the score results in 0 the die is moved back to the middle or if the result is negative the die is moved to the opposing square and turned to show the new score balance.

Scoring die movement example, as printed in the manual:

1. The teams are equal in score.
2. The Green caveman lands a hit on the Moogh and scores a point for the red team (+1).
3. The Red chief scores a hit which gains the team an extra SP to a total of 2 SP (+1).
4. The White caveman gets a hit that kills the Moogh and scores 3 SP - which gives the Brown team a win with one SP (+3).

D. The Moogh Card

On the game board the position of the Moogh is tracked with the Big Moogh Die covering 4 spaces. The pips on the die represent Moogh's health points left and it starts with 6 pips up.

The direction of Moogh is tracked by turning the Moogh card accordingly.

Here are the meanings of the card icons:

• Corner spaces: You can not grab OR climb from the corners around Moogh.
• Angle modifier: The angle modifier number indicates how difficult it is to get close enough to attack. Deduct the number from your roll when trying to hit.
• Turn icon on a stab space: Successful stabs from this space immediately turn Moogh 90° left (or right).
• Attack dice: When the Moogh attacks a die is rolled. The white dice matching the roll defines which spaces are hit.

E. Moogh Rage

The red rage die on the Moogh action card starts with 1 pip up. This rage die tracks what actions the Moogh will perform next and how angry it is.

The rage die is immediately increased by 1 every time a caveman attempts to deal damage to the Moogh.

The rage die is always on the row matching the red die icon on the left of the card. Therefore when rage goes up 1 the die is moved down vertically one space. And when rage is lowered by 1 the rage die is moved up one space. When the rage die moves vertically the action on the new space is not executed.

The rage level can never be higher than 6 or lower than 1. Rage lowers when no one attacks the Moogh or when players play the sedate action.

F. Moogh Action (2/4)

When entering the Moogh action phase, you first need to lower the Moogh rage die one point but only if there were no attempts to attack it (even unsuccessful) in the preceding caveman phase.

The Moogh rage die moves horizontally to the right and executes the action(s) on each space it moves onto. Indicated by red arrows the Moogh moves:

• 1 space when on rage level 1 & 2
• 2 spaces on rage level 3 & 4
• 3 spaces on rage level 5 & 6

When moving more than one space, each action is executed before the next. Refer to Moogh action overview to resolve the different actions.

When the die moves further than the right-most space, the card is flipped and the die is placed on the first space on the left side in the same row.

Examples printed in the manual: when entering the Moogh action phase the rage level is 3. Since there are two red arrows the Moogh gets two consecutive actions. First action is "TURNING" and after that is performed the card is flipped over to see the next action. On the new side of the Moogh action card the die enters from the left and in this case the action is "SHAKE".

G. Cavemen Action Overview

These are the actions your cavemen can perform - always two actions per turn.

Move One

You may move the caveman to any adjacent space that is not occupied by environment, other cavemen or the Moogh.

Move Two

Move two spaces.

Stab

When positioned on one of the 9 adjacent spaces to the Moogh you may try to stab it. To successfully hit you must roll equal or higher than the rage level subtracting the angle modifier on the Moogh card. On a successful roll you score SP, the Big Moogh die is deducted 1 health and the rage level increased by 1. If you miss - the rage still goes up one.

Double Stab

Roll two dice instead of one. It's possible to do score double SP and then get double rage and deal double damage.

Aim

This is a stab action with +2 to the die roll.

Grab (and Climb)

Not allowed from the diagonal spaces.

Roll 4 or higher to successfully hold on to the Moogh's fur until the caveman's next turn. Move your caveman token over to the corresponding space on the Moogh card. When the Moogh moves, everyone holding on to it or on top of it will move and turn with the Moogh. You do not need to use the action again next turn to continue holding on to it. If you discontinue and let go and there is another player on the space you should enter - this player is pushed away one space in his choice of direction. If you grabbed the Moogh last turn and perform a second successful grab roll the following turn you may climb on top of the Moogh. (see climbing)

Climb

From an adjacent position you may roll 3 or more to climb directly to the top of the Moogh. When on top of the Moogh you get +2 to hit rolls and you do not need to use any action to stay on top. Later use a move action to jump down to any surrounding space.

Throw

No further away from Moogh than 2 spaces you may attack in a straight line with a roll modifier of -1, disregarding the angle modifier on the Moogh card.

Sedate

No further away from Moogh than 2 spaces you, 4 or more to reduce rage by 2 points.

Attract & Scare

No further away from Moogh than 2 spaces, your attract or scare action may try to turn Moogh. On a successful roll of 4 or higher you may turn Moogh away from (scare) or towards you (attract) depending on your position relative to Moogh's centerline (from back to front).

The manual's diagram shows the scare roll of 4 turning Moogh to face east from the maximum allowed distance; the green arrow shows that this position can also use Throw.

H. Moogh Action Overview

To not be defeated by Moogh you might want to learn its moves.

Save Rolls

In each row beneath the red die icon there is a number. This is that rage level's save roll and you need to roll the indicated value or higher to be safe.

Move One, Move Two, Move Three

Moogh tramples forward the number of spaces indicated. If the path is blocked the movement stops. Any tribesmen in Moogh's path will be pushed orthogonally to the side and must succeed at a save roll to not get injured.

Back One

Same rules as above but now Moogh tramples backwards.

Attack One Time, Attack Two Times

Roll a die or two dice to see on the Moogh card where it attacks. The white dice on the card show what spaces around Moogh on the board are hit. Tribesmen who are hit must make a successful save roll to not get injured.

The manual's example: Red is the only player hit on a roll of one. He must make a save roll to not get injured.

Shake

All players on top of the Moogh are sent flying. Roll a die and choose from the matching white dice icon on the Moogh card what direction you want to go off. Roll again and halve the result rounded down, to determine the distance you are thrown. Make a save roll to avoid injury. Tribesmen that are grabbing Moogh will just let go and drop to the corresponding space on the board, where they are.

Mini Shake

All actions with this icon in the corner force any grabbing tribesmen to perform a save roll to avoid letting go. Tribesmen on top of Moogh freely choose what space to drop down to if they fail.

Turn

Moogh turns 90° to find a way out to freedom. Moogh only turns if one of the left or right sides have a free path to the edge of the board. If both sides have this Moogh will turn towards the one with obstacles furthest away (not counting tribesmen). Moogh never turns towards the wall side of the board. And Moogh does not turn if it is facing the best direction.

The manual's example: Moogh is facing east. There is a free path south but it is blocked closer than the current path. North is the wall so in this case Moogh would not turn.

Turn on Attacker

Moogh turns (360) towards the last attacker in the previous phase. If this is not an option it turns towards the nearest tribesman clockwise.

Additional Rules

Secret Actions

In turn phases 1 and 3 players may only speak in protolanguage (common understood caveman). Players also select their actions secretly (covering with a hand). When both players are ready they lift their hands and show their choice of actions.

Protolanguage

Meaning	Protolanguage
Moogh	Moogh
Stab	Tsak
Move	Chu Chu
There	KoK
Turn	Baah
Sedate	Kaashak
Stay still	Mah

PvP

Attacking other players may be allowed. Players make a successful hit on a roll of 4+.

The attacked tribesman make a save roll of 5+ or 3+ if they are already injured (turned).

Moogh Control

With an odd number of players (3 or 5) you may let one player control the Moogh. To make that more fun the player may, in the Moogh phase, choose which direction (left or right) to move the rage die.

Also the Moogh player may chose which way to rotate when turning Moogh.