RoboRally: Crash and Burn Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Idea
• Game Components
• Game Setup
  • Game Boards and Checkpoints
  • Programming Cards
  • Option Cards
  • Damage Points
  • Player Material
  • Overview Boards
  • Factory Elements as Tokens
• Game Sequence
  • I. Deal Programming Cards
    • Extra Memory (Zusätzlicher Speicherplatz)
    • Replacement Program (Ersatz-Programm)
  • II. Programming the Robots
    • Reserve Command (Befehl in Reserve)
    • Flywheel (Schwungrad)
  • III. Program Sequence
    • a) Execute Commands
    • Emergency Switch (Notschalter)
    • Shield (Schutzschirm)
    • Turntable (Drehscheibe)
• End of the Game
• Suggested Race Tracks (Vorschläge für Rennstrecken)

Game Idea

Crash & Burn is an expansion to RoboRally and can only be played with the base game. With Crash & Burn it is now possible to play RoboRally with up to eight people. In addition, the 26 option cards allow the robots to be individually modified. This expansion also contains four new robots with corresponding programming aids and backup copies, as well as four new game boards with new variable factory elements.

Game Components

The Crash & Burn expansion contains:

• 26 option cards
• 8 checkpoints
• 4 robots
• 4 programming aids
• 4 backup copies (Sicherheitskopien)
• 4 game boards (the boards represent factory halls)
• 10 factory elements
• 24 damage points
• 20 life points
• 8 overview boards (Übersichtstafeln)

The partial overview panel printed at the foot of page 2 of the German rulebook is cropped in the scan and is not transcribed.

Game Setup

Game Boards and Checkpoints

A race track with boards and checkpoints is laid out as in the base game. Crash & Burn also includes the following new options: Crash & Burn contains four new game boards, E, F, G and H. It is possible to combine the boards of the base game with the new boards in any combination. The players may use any number of boards for a race track. Page 12 gives some suggestions for race tracks.

The boards consist of the already known floor spaces and new factory elements. From page 7 onward, the effects of the new spaces are described.

Crash & Burn contains eight new checkpoints as replacements for the checkpoints from the base game. The new checkpoints show a wrench. This makes it easier to recognise that damage can be repaired on checkpoints.

Programming Cards

The programming cards from the base game are needed.

Option Cards

Option cards improve the properties of the robots and their lasers. Some option cards also influence the sequence of programming and change the effects of individual factory elements. When option cards are used, all variants of the base game must be used as well (see page 12 of the base rules).

At the start of the game, the option cards are shuffled and placed face down as a draw pile next to the game board. During the game, an open discard pile forms beside it when option cards are put back.

The texts on the option cards are shortened for lack of space. The full meaning of each option card is described in detail in this rulebook.

Option cards only come into play when a player's robot stands on a repair space with two wrenches (see also Conclusion of the Round, page 11).

Damage Points

Together with the damage points from the base game there are now 60 damage points in play. They are placed next to the game board as a supply, ready to hand.

Player Material

Each player receives a robot, a programming aid and a backup copy in the same colour, an overview board from the Crash & Burn expansion, and life points.

The number of life points a player receives depends on the number of players and the number of game boards used. The more players take part, the more game boards are used, and the more life points a player has available, the longer a game of RoboRally lasts.

With 2 to 4 players and 1 to 4 boards, each player receives three life points.

• A player receives one additional life point with five or more players.
• A player receives one additional life point with five or more game boards.

For example, if five players play on six boards, each player starts with five life points.

Overview Boards

The overview boards serve for quick reference to the most important rules and the meaning of all spaces on the different game boards.

Factory Elements as Tokens

The expansion contains two blue portals, two presses, two burners and four swinging doors. These tokens may be placed before the game on empty floor spaces of a game board. In this way, the game boards can be individually modified. The floor space on which a token is placed takes on the function of the token lying on it.

Factory element tokens may only be placed on empty floor spaces.

Game Sequence

Unless described otherwise on the following pages of this rulebook, the rules of the base game apply. The sequence of a round of RoboRally does not change:

1. Deal programming cards
2. Program the robots
3. Program sequence
4. Conclusion of the round

I. Deal Programming Cards

This section is played exactly as in the base game. At the start of every round, all programming cards are shuffled and each player is dealt as many cards as their robot's damage allows. The remaining programming cards form a draw pile next to the game board.

Only if players own the following option cards can something change for them.

Extra Memory (Zusätzlicher Speicherplatz)

At the start of each round you are dealt one additional programming card. As owner of an undamaged robot you therefore receive ten programming cards instead of nine. This option card does not prevent your robot from being destroyed if you receive the 10th damage point.

Replacement Program (Ersatz-Programm)

Once per round, before programming, you may return the programming cards you have been dealt and receive the same number of cards as replacement. For this you receive one damage point.

II. Programming the Robots

This section is played exactly as in the base game. In addition, something may change for players who own the following option cards.

Reserve Command (Befehl in Reserve)

After all five commands of the program have been programmed, a sixth command may be placed face down on this option card. A command from the current program can be replaced with this reserve command. The exchange must be carried out before the card to be replaced is turned face up. At the end of a round, the programming card with the reserve command is placed on the discard pile.

Flywheel (Schwungrad)

After you have set your program, you may place one of the unused programming cards in your hand face down on the flywheel. In the next round, this programming card may be used for programming in addition to the dealt cards. The owner of an undamaged robot can thereby choose their program from ten programming cards. At most one card may lie on the flywheel.

III. Program Sequence

As before, the program is run in five steps. In each program step the robots are moved by the programming cards and influenced by factory elements.

a) Execute Commands

If the following three option cards are owned by players, the players must announce before the start of a program step how they want to use their option card.

Emergency Switch (Notschalter)

Instead of turning over the current programming card, you may remove it from the program and replace it with the top card of the stack of undealt programming cards. However, once the emergency switch has been activated, all further programming cards of the current program must also be replaced, each by the top card of the stack. The emergency switch is automatically deactivated after the fifth program step.

Shield (Schutzschirm)

Your robot is equipped with a shield that protects it from damage from a certain direction in every program step. Before each new program step, a turned damage point must be placed on the edge of this option card, on the right, left, top or bottom, to make clear from which side your robot is protected. If the turned damage point is not on the option card, the shield is not functioning.

Examples: a robot with the damage point on the left edge is protected from the left; with the damage point on the bottom edge it is protected from behind; on the top edge it is protected from the front; on the right edge it is protected from the right.

Turntable (Drehscheibe)

Your robot is equipped with a turntable. The turntable allows you to use your laser in all four directions. This also applies to the Turbo Blaster, the High-Pressure Jet (Hochdruckstrahl), the Remote Control (Fernsteuerung), the Random Generator (Zufallsgenerator) or the Tractor Beam (Traktorstrahl), if these belong to the same player. Before each new program step, a turned damage point must be placed on the edge of this option card, on the right, left, top or bottom, to make clear to which side the turntable is turned. If the turned damage point is not on the option card, the turntable, with the laser, the Turbo Blaster, the High-Pressure Jet, the Remote Control, the Random Generator or the Tractor Beam, is directed forward.

Examples: with the damage point on the left edge, your robot shoots with its laser to the left; on the bottom edge, to the rear; on the right edge, to the right.

The following option cards only take effect when the programming cards for a program step have been turned face up.

Brakes (Bremsen)

You may choose whether your robot moves one space forward or stays where it is when you have programmed the command "Move forward: 1 space". This option card has no effect on the program number of the corresponding programming card.

Fourth Gear (Vierter Gang)

You may choose whether your robot moves three or four spaces forward when you have programmed the command "Move forward: 3 spaces". This option card has no effect on the program number of the corresponding programming card.

Example: without Fourth Gear, the robot moves three spaces forward; with Fourth Gear, it may move four spaces forward instead.

Reverse Acceleration (Rückwärtsbeschleunigung)

You may choose whether your robot moves one or two spaces backward when you have programmed the command "Move backward: 1 space". This option card has no effect on the program number of the corresponding programming card.

Example: without Reverse Acceleration, the robot moves one space backward; with Reverse Acceleration, it may move two spaces backward instead.

Mechanical Arm (Mechanischer Arm)

When a program step is finished and your robot stands on one of the four adjacent spaces of a checkpoint, it may use its mechanical arm to touch this checkpoint and thereby fulfil a RoboRally sub-goal. Diagonal spaces do not count as adjacent. A wall blocks the arm; a robot standing on the checkpoint does not. The mechanical arm can only reach the checkpoint in its function as a RoboRally sub-goal; it cannot be used for repair or for taking an option card. If the mechanical arm reaches the last checkpoint, the robot has successfully completed RoboRally.

Battering Ram (Rammbock)

When your robot pushes another robot, it simultaneously inflicts one damage point on it, even if the affected robot cannot be moved. The battering ram is always active.

New Spaces: Robot Moves onto an Oil Slick (Öllache)

If a robot ends its movement on a space with an oil slick, it slides on in its direction of movement until it reaches a space without oil, or stops in front of a wall or in front of another robot that is not on an oil slick. An oil slick causes no damage.

• Example 1: A robot moves over an oil slick. No effect.
• Example 2a: A robot stops on an oil slick. It slides on across the oil slick until it comes to rest on a space without oil.
• Example 2b: A robot stops on an oil slick. It slides on across the oil slick until it is blocked by another robot.

A sliding robot can push another robot if both are on the same oil slick. Both slide along the oil slick until the front robot comes to rest on a space without oil, in front of a wall, or in front of another robot.

• Example 3a: The orange robot wants to move 3 spaces forward (program number 840). However, it is blocked by the white robot.
• Example 3b: The white robot moves one space forward (program number 640).
• Example 3c: The purple robot moves one space forward (program number 490) and stays on the oil slick. It slides on and at the same time pushes the orange robot.

Caution: A robot does not slide while it is in motion. Only when it ends its movement (brakes) does it start sliding on an oil slick.

If a robot begins its movement on an oil slick, it moves one space less far than stated on its programming card. A robot that was given the command "Move forward: 3 spaces" moves only two spaces further. A robot that was given the command "Move forward: 1 space" or "Move backward: 1 space" stays where it is. A robot can turn normally on oil slicks. Oil slicks have no effect on turn commands.

New Spaces: Robot Moves onto a Portal

Portals send robots from one portal space to another portal space of the same colour. A robot that moves over a portal space during a movement continues its movement from the other portal space of the same colour. Both portal spaces count as one space. As soon as a robot enters a portal space, it immediately switches to the other portal space of the same colour.

Example: The orange robot moves over the violet portal. It immediately switches to the second violet portal and continues its movement there.

There are:

• Violet portals (on board G)
• Green portals (on board G)
• Blue portals (as new factory elements)

If a robot ends its movement on a portal space, it switches to the other portal space of the same colour. If a robot stands on a portal space, both portals of that colour are switched off immediately. Switched-off portals are normal spaces. Other robots may move over such a portal space or turn on it as if it were a normal space.

Example: The second violet portal is switched off by the orange robot.

New Spaces: Robot Moves into a Burner (Brenner)

Burners are factory elements. They can inflict damage on a robot during its movement and in the phase in which factory elements come into action. Burners inflict damage on robots only in certain program steps, which are indicated by numbers on them. If a robot moves onto a space with an active burner, or moves over a space with an active burner, the robot receives one damage point.

Examples:

• a) During the 3rd program step, the burner is active. The purple robot receives one damage point.
• b) During the 3rd program step, the burner is active. The orange robot receives one damage point.

A robot also receives damage if it does not leave a space of an active burner.

Examples:

• a) During the 2nd program step, the burner is inactive. The purple robot receives no damage.
• b) During the 3rd program step, the burner is active. The purple robot turns around on the space. It receives one damage point.

Caution: A burner can inflict damage on a robot both during its movement and in the phase in which factory elements come into action.

New Spaces: Robot Moves through a Swinging Door (Schwingtür)

Swinging doors can only let robots through in certain program steps. Doors are open only in the program steps indicated by numbers on them. Robots can move through open doors or be pushed through them. Laser beams also pass through open doors. If a swinging door is closed, it behaves like a wall.

Examples:

• a) During the 2nd program step, the swinging door is closed. The purple robot is blocked by it.
• b) During the 3rd program step, the swinging door is open. The way is clear for the purple robot.

b) Factory Elements Come into Action

The order in which factory elements come into action remains as in the base game, with one exception: burners come into action directly after the lasers.

Presses (Pressen)

If a robot stands on a space with a press, it is destroyed if the press is active. The press is active in the program steps indicated by numbers on it. If no number is given on the press, the press is always active.

Burners (Brenner)

If a burner is active and a robot stands on a space of a burner, the robot receives one damage point when the factory elements come into action. This means that a burner can inflict two damage points on a robot in one program step (see also the previous pages).

Option cards change the effects of certain factory elements and of the robot laser.

Express Belts, Conveyor Belts and Gears (Expressbänder, Förderbänder und Zahnräder)

Gyro Stabilizer (Kreiselstabilisator)

Whenever you wish, your robot is not turned on the curves of express and conveyor belts and on gears. However, the robot is still transported by express and conveyor belts.

Changes to the Robot Laser (Veränderungen am Laser der Roboter)

There are option cards that change the effects of the robot laser. Players who own the following option cards must also use them.

Double Laser (Doppellaser)

From now on, the laser of your robot inflicts two damage points on another robot instead of one. This card can also be used together with the card Fire Control (Feuer Kontrolle) and/or with the card High-Performance Laser (Hochleistungslaser).

Target Control (Zielkontrolle)

When you inflict damage on a robot, you must decide whether you block a specific programming card of the other player, or destroy an option card from his possession, which he must immediately place on the discard pile. This card can also be used together with the card Double Laser and/or with the card High-Performance Laser.

High-Performance Laser (Hochleistungslaser)

The laser of your robot can shoot through one wall and through one robot in order to hit a target. If the laser shoots through a robot, that robot also receives one damage point. This card can also be used together with the card Fire Control and/or with the card Double Laser.

Rear Laser (Hecklaser)

In addition to your normal laser, your robot also has a rear laser. From now on your robot shoots forward and backward at the same time. If, for example, your robot can shoot at robots standing directly in front of it as well as directly behind it, both robots receive one damage point.

Additional Modules

The following option cards give the robots additional modules with which they can influence other robots or inflict damage. These new modules are active in the phase "Factory elements come into action", in which the robots' lasers can also be used. A player must use either the laser of his robot or the new module.

Turbo Blaster

You may use either your laser or the Turbo Blaster. The Turbo Blaster inflicts one damage point on the robot hit and additionally pushes it one space further in the direction of fire. When you receive this card, you must additionally place five damage points on the card. Each time the Turbo Blaster is used, one damage point is taken from the card and handed to the player of the robot hit. When no damage point is left on the card, it is discarded.

High-Pressure Jet (Hochdruckstrahl)

You may use either your laser or the High-Pressure Jet. The High-Pressure Jet pushes a robot that is hit one space in the direction of the beam, but causes no damage.

Remote Control (Fernsteuerung)

You may use either your laser or the Remote Control. Within one program sequence, the Remote Control can only reach one robot that stands at most six spaces straight ahead of your robot. This ability keeps its effect also through walls and through other robots.

Example: The normal laser of the violet robot could not damage the orange robot. However, through the Remote Control, the original commands of the orange robot are put out of operation. The white robot could also have been put out of operation, but the player of the violet robot has decided on the orange robot.

From the moment of the Remote Control, until the end of the round, the commands of your program also apply to the other robot. Despite the same program numbers, the commands apply first to your robot and then to the remote-controlled robot.

Random Generator (Zufallsgenerator)

You may use either your laser or the Random Generator. The Random Generator allows you to exchange the next command of a robot that you would have hit with your laser with the top card of the programming card stack. The Random Generator cannot be used in the fifth program step.

Tractor Beam (Traktorstrahl)

You may use either your laser or the Tractor Beam. The Tractor Beam pulls a robot that is hit one space in the direction of your robot, without damaging it. The Tractor Beam must not be used if the affected robot stands on one of the four adjacent spaces.

Damage (Schaden)

A player can prevent receiving a damage point by immediately handing in any option card from his possession. If he were to receive several damage points at once, he may also hand in several option cards. The player concerned must make this decision at the moment his robot receives the damage.

The following option cards can prevent damage without the player having to hand them in.

Protective Skin (Schutzhaut)

Your robot is equipped with a protective skin that prevents three damage points. When your robot is damaged, the damage points you receive are placed on this card. You must hand this card in again when it has three damage points on it. The damage points on this option card do not count as a deduction when programming cards are dealt.

Shield Generators (Schutzschilde)

While you have your robot switched off, it is protected on all four sides by one shield each. Each of the four shields prevents one damage per program step on its side. If the robot is switched on again, the shields disappear.

IV. Conclusion of the Round

Repair or Option Card?

If a robot stands at the end of the round on a repair space with two wrenches, the player concerned must decide: either hand in up to two damage points, or draw the top option card of the stack.

If he draws an option card, he must read it aloud and lay it face up in front of him. A player may own at most three option cards at a time. If he receives a fourth card, he must immediately decide which option card he places on the discard pile.

If a robot is destroyed, the player must hand in an option card of his choice.

Checkpoint Reached

If a robot crosses the next higher checkpoint, or stays standing on it, it has reached a sub-goal. In addition, the player must move his backup copy (Sicherheitskopie). If he has stayed on the checkpoint, he may also repair one damage point.

Deploying a Robot Duplicate (Einsetzen eines Roboterduplikats)

If a player deploys a robot duplicate, he immediately receives two damage points, unless he owns the following option card:

Duplikat de Luxe

If your robot was destroyed, you do not receive the two damage points for your new robot duplicate if you hand in this option card.

Switching Off a Robot (Abschalten eines Roboters)

A player must switch off his robot sooner if he owns the following option card:

Power Circuit Breaker (Stromkreisunterbrecher)

Each time you have three or more damage points at the end of a round, you must immediately switch off your robot for the following round. The announcement of switching off the robot is omitted through this option card. While the robot is switched off, it is protected from damage.

End of the Game

RoboRally ends when the first robot reaches the space with the last checkpoint.

Suggested Race Tracks (Vorschläge für Rennstrecken)

This chapter contains six race track suggestions for beginners and experts. Each track gives the recommended number of players, the difficulty level and the approximate playing time. The track diagrams show the boards laid out with start and finish (Ziel) spaces and checkpoints. They are not reproduced in this text.

1. Players: 2 to 4. Difficulty: easy. Playing time: approx. 60 minutes.
2. Players: 2 to 4. Difficulty: medium. Playing time: approx. 60 minutes.
3. Players: 2 to 4. Difficulty: medium. Playing time: approx. 90 minutes.
4. Players: 2 to 4. Difficulty: hard. Playing time: approx. 90 minutes.
5. Players: 4 to 8. Difficulty: medium. Playing time: approx. 120 minutes.
6. Players: 4 to 8. Difficulty: hard. Playing time: approx. 120 minutes.