RoboRama Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• Short Gameplay
• Game Concept
• Program 1: Basic Program
  • Preparation
  • Gameplay
  • Playing robot cards
    • A. Playing a Movement Card
    • B. Playing the Chip Card
  • Example of a turn
  • End of the game
• Program 2: TerraByte
  • Preparation
  • Gameplay
• Program 3: YottaByte
  • Preparation
  • Gameplay
  • ChaosBot Card Legend
  • Description of the ChaosBot Cards
    • ChaosBot Movement
    • ChaosBot Laser
    • ChaosBot Spiral Spring
    • ChaosBot Pusher
    • ChaosBot Mind Control
    • ChaosBot Reset
• Robot Blocks (2 players only)
• Variations
  • Special Control (2-4 players)
  • Special Infinity (2-4 players)
  • Chaos Control (2-3 players)

Contents

• 1 game board
• 24 double sided (basic and special) robot cards, including 20 movement cards and 4 chip cards
• 16 robots
• 24 ChaosBot cards
• 1 ChaosBot robot
• 4 instruction manuals: English, German, French, Dutch

Short Gameplay

RoboRama can be played in three different ways. You start with the basic program. When you have mastered this, the second program will offer new tactical challenges with the special robot cards on the backside of the cards. The third program allows for more interaction by the introduction of the ChaosBot. Are you looking for even more variety, aside from these three exciting programs? Then you can always experiment with the variations at the end of this instruction manual.

Game Concept

Each player controls four robots of one color that race against each other in the RoboRama arena. You move your robots to the finish fields of your own color. These finish fields are positioned diagonally opposite from the starting position of your robots. When your four robots are the first to finish, you are the winner of the race.

Program 1: Basic Program

Preparation

Each player receives four robots of the same color. Place the game board on the table. The game board has a finish zone in every corner, with four finish fields in the color of a player. Your finish zone coincides with the color of your robots. Your start fields are the finish fields of the diagonally opposite color. Place your robots on the four start fields. Your robots will begin the race there.

Each player receives a set of six robot cards, 5 of which are movement cards and 1 is a chip card. Place the cards in a row with the basic side face up in front of you (in the order chip, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

Gameplay

The player who last saw a movie about robots will begin the game. He starts the race by being the first to play a movement card and move a robot. Then the game continues with the next player in a clockwise manner. After the first round the chip card can also be played.

The active player always has to play one of his cards:

A. With the movement cards 1-5 you move one of your robots 1-5 fields;

B. With the chip card you get back one movement card that has been played. That turn you do not move a robot.

When you cannot perform any of these action options, you lose immediately. You will be disqualified and all your robots will immediately be removed from the board.

Because you have to slide your played cards forward, a second row with inactive cards will be created during the game. The inactive cards from this row cannot be used.

Example: Inactive cards: 2, 3 and 5. Active cards: Chip, 1 and 4.

Mandatory movement: as soon as an opponent places his first robot in your start zone (his finish zone), while you still have one or more of your robots there, you are required to play a movement card in the following turn(s) until you have moved out all of your robots from your start zone.

When you cannot perform this mandatory movement, you are disqualified and your robots will immediately be removed from the board.

Playing robot cards

Players may only play one robot card each turn. They can choose between a movement card and the chip card.

A. Playing a Movement Card

Choose a movement card with 1-5 gear wheels, and slide it forward to show that the card has been played.

• You must move your robot the exact number of fields as the number of gear wheels displayed on the card.
• Your robot can only move horizontally or vertically. Taking left or right turns is not permitted.
• Your robot is only allowed to jump over your own robots. A jumped field counts for one movement. Jumping over robots of other colors is not allowed.
• Every field can contain only one robot.
• Your robots are allowed to enter and leave their finish fields (of the same color).
• Your robots are not allowed to enter the finish fields of other colors.
• Your robots are not allowed to return to their starting fields after departure, because these fields are the finish fields of another color.
• Your robot is not allowed to move off the game board.

B. Playing the Chip Card

When you play your chip card, you can slide one inactive movement card to your active row. However you are only allowed to choose a movement card with a number equal to the number on one of the fields that contains one of your robots. Robots on a question mark or a chip field are excluded from this process.

Example: Louise has her green robots on the fields 1, 3, 5 and a question mark. So, she can slide an inactive card with a 1, 3 or 5 to her active row. The robot on the question mark field is ignored. (Robots that are still on the starting fields and on the finish fields are included.)

What other options do you have to regain your played robot cards?

• When your robot ends its move on a field with the same number as a movement card played in a previous round, you will regain this inactive card. Slide the card back in its place in the active row. Please note: the movement card that has been played this turn cannot be regained this way.
• When your robot ends up on a question mark field, you may slide one movement card of your choice from the inactive row to the active row. Please note: the movement card that has been played this turn cannot be regained this way.
• When your robot ends up on a chip field, you can slide the chip card from the inactive row to the active row. When your chip card is already in the active row, nothing happens.

Example of a turn

Suppose a player has the following cards lined out: (Chip, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 with movement cards 1 and 4 in the inactive row.)

The player wants to move two fields with his robot. This is possible because his movement card with a 2 is in the active row. Only movement cards 1 and 4 are in the inactive row and cannot be played this turn.

The robot ends its move on a field with the number 1. Because of this, the player can slide movement card 1 back into the active row. At the end of the turn movement cards 2 and 4 are in the inactive row and all other cards are in the active row.

End of the game

As soon as a player has placed all four of his robots on the four fields of the finish zone with the same color, this player has won and the game is immediately over.

Example: Blue won, all robots are on the four blue finish fields.

Program 2: TerraByte

Preparation

The preparation is the same as for program 1, with the following exception: you now start with the backside of the robot cards with the special moves and the special chip card action. Place the cards in a row in front of you.

Gameplay

The gameplay is equal to the basic program, but now you have five special moves and a special chip action at the beginning of the game.

As long as you use your robot cards for basic movements or a basic chip action, they function just like the cards from program 1. After using a card, you slide it to the inactive row. You can get the robot cards you played, back into the active row, in the same manner as explained in program 1.

When you have used a special move or chip action of a card, this card must not only be slid to the inactive row, but the card must also be turned over to the basic side. This card will remain on the basic side for the remainder of the game. Every special move or chip action can thus only be used once per game.

The special chip action When using this special action, you do not have to look on which fields your robots are placed, you can slide any movement card of your choice back to your active row.

The special 1 move This special move allows you to move your robot one field diagonally.

The special 2 move This special move allows your robot to jump over an opponent's robot.

The special 3 move This special move allows your robot to take one left or right turn during movement. So you can move one and two fields or two and one fields (not diagonally). Your robot is even allowed to move through the finish field, even of another color, but of course it is not allowed to end there.

The special 4 move This special move allows you to move two robots in the same turn. These robots have to move a total of four fields. Your options: one robot one field and your other robot three fields, or both robots two fields. After the move, you can only slide back one card to your active row, but you get to choose between the two fields your robots ended up on.

The special 5 move This special move allows your robot to move less than 5 fields horizontally or vertically. You choose how many fields your robot moves: 1, 2, 3 or 4.

Program 3: YottaByte

Preparation

The preparation is the same as for program 2, but now the ChaosBot enters the game. Each player receives a number of ChaosBot cards to control this neutral robot.

In program 3 you also use the backside of your robot cards, with the special moves and the special chip action. Place the cards in a row in front of you as usual.

The starting player shuffles the ChaosBot cards and deals:

• Two players: 6 ChaosBot cards each.
• Three players: 4 ChaosBot cards each.
• Four players: 3 ChaosBot cards each.

Players keep their ChaosBot cards separate from their robot cards and do not show their cards to their opponents.

In turn 1 the last player places the ChaosBot on the game board at the start of his turn. The ChaosBot has to be placed on one of the four red fields at the center of the game board.

Important:

• The ChaosBot is never allowed to enter robot start or finish fields!
• The ChaosBot may never perform an action on robots that are placed on start or finish fields!
• Every field can contain only one robot or ChaosBot.
• The ChaosBot is not allowed to move off the game board.

Gameplay

The gameplay is equal to program 2, with the following addition: after playing a basic movement, you can play one of your ChaosBot cards to activate the ChaosBot. Limitation: after a special move or a chip action, you cannot activate the ChaosBot.

In your turn you have to play one movement card or chip card, just as in program 2:

A. The movement cards 1-5 allow you to move one of your robots 1-5 fields.

B. The chip card will give you back one of the inactive movement cards. You cannot move a robot in this turn.

If you played a basic movement, you may play a ChaosBot card at the end of your turn:

C. Activate the ChaosBot by executing the action depicted on the ChaosBot card. Place the used ChaosBot card on a discard pile. This card is no longer in the game.

ChaosBot Card Legend

• A: The action or movement symbol of the ChaosBot.
• B: The basic movement used for this ChaosBot card.
• C: Details of the movement and/or action of the ChaosBot.

Description of the ChaosBot Cards

ChaosBot Movement

You can move the ChaosBot after you have played and executed a basic movement card with 1-5 gear wheels. You have to move the ChaosBot for as many as gear wheels on the basic movement card you played. The normal rules apply to this move. The ChaosBot moves in a straight line. The ChaosBot is not allowed to jump over your opponent's robots, but it can jump over your robots. If you cannot comply with these rules, you cannot play this ChaosBot card.

ChaosBot Laser

You can play this card after you have played and executed a basic movement card with 1-4 gear wheels. The ChaosBot will shoot at other robots in a horizontal or vertical line. The ChaosBot's laser can shoot outside of the borders of the game board; this has no added effect. This also applies to shooting robots on start and finish fields: this too has no effect on the robots positioned on these fields.

• If movement card 1 was played, the ChaosBot will shoot with a reach of 1 field in 4 directions.
• If movement card 2 was played, the ChaosBot will shoot with a reach of 2 fields in 2 directions determined by you.
• If movement card 3 was played, the ChaosBot will shoot in 2 directions determined by you; one with a reach of 1 field, and one with a reach of 3 fields.
• If movement card 4 was played, the ChaosBot will shoot with a reach of 4 fields in one direction determined by you.

The ChaosBot's laser beam hits every robot within its reach. This can also be a robot of your own. Every robot that has been hit will be placed on its side and will be temporarily inactive. Players are temporarily not allowed to use these robots. Inactive robots will be reactivated and put back up at the end of the owner's turn.

Special rules for inactive robots:

• Robots are not allowed to jump over their opponent's inactive robots (with the exception of playing the special 2 move robot card).
• When playing a basic chip card, inactive robots are not included.
• Shooting inactive robots has no effect.

ChaosBot Spiral Spring

You can play this card after you have played and executed a basic movement card with 1-5 gear wheels. The ChaosBot can then jump on or over other robots in a straight line. You have to move the ChaosBot exactly the same amount of fields as the number of gear wheels displayed on the basic movement card you played. If the ChaosBot lands on another robot, the latter is bumped and placed on its side on an unoccupied field horizontally or vertically adjacent to the ChaosBot. This can also be a robot of your own. The pounced robot is, just as with the laser, inactive until the end of the owner's next turn.

Special rules:

• The ChaosBot can also pound inactive robots, but will not change the inactiveness.
• The ChaosBot can never bump robots off the game board.
• The ChaosBot can never bump robots to start or finish fields.
• This card cannot be played when the ChaosBot lands on a robot that has no free adjacent field to put it.

Example: the green player jumps three fields with the ChaosBot onto the white robot. The white robot cannot be placed on the field with the number 1 because this is a finish field. Not to the field with the number 2 because there already is a robot on this field. The white robot can only be placed on the field with the number 3. The green player makes this action and then puts the white robot on its side. This robot is now inactive.

ChaosBot Pusher

You can play this card after you have played and executed a basic movement card with 1-3 gear wheels. You can then move the ChaosBot horizontally or vertically and in doing so push other robots in the same straight line. You are always allowed to push aside fewer robots than displayed on the card, but never more.

• If you played movement card 1, the ChaosBot has to move exactly one field and can push a maximum of three robots in the same straight line (example 1).
• If you played movement card 2, the ChaosBot has to move exactly two fields and can push a maximum of two robots in the same straight line.
• If you played movement card 3, the ChaosBot has to move exactly 3 fields and can push a maximum of one robot in the same straight line (example 2).

Special rules:

• The ChaosBot can never push robots off the game board.
• The ChaosBot can never push robots to start or finish fields.
• The ChaosBot also pushes inactive robots.

If you cannot comply with these rules, you are not allowed to play this ChaosBot card.

ChaosBot Pusher examples:

Example 1: if you played movement card 1. In this example the ChaosBot pushes the maximum of three robots downwards, making the mandatory move of exactly one field. The ChaosBot starts pushing in a) and finishes in b), having pushed a green, an orange and another green robot with its power. This is possible because the robots are three in a row causing a chain reaction.

Example 2: if you played movement card 3. In this example the ChaosBot pushes the maximum of one robot downwards, making the mandatory move of exactly three fields. The ChaosBot starts pushing in c) and finishes in d), having pushed a green robot three fields with its power.

Example 3: you played movement card 3, but you cannot use the ChaosBot Pusher card. In this example you also played movement card 3, but in this case you cannot use this ChaosBot card because you are only allowed to push one robot, instead of three as shown in e).

ChaosBot Mind Control

You can play this card after you have played and executed a basic movement card with 1-3 gear wheels. You can then use the ChaosBot to move one of your opponent's active robots. This robot has to be in the same quadrant as the ChaosBot. You have to move this robot in a straight line the exact number of fields as the number of gear wheels displayed on the basic movement card you played. This robot can only jump over robots of the same color. This robot cannot end up in a start or finish field. After the move, this robot still has to be in the same quadrant as the ChaosBot. If you cannot comply with these rules, you are not allowed to play this ChaosBot card.

ChaosBot Reset

You can play this card after you have played and executed any basic movement card. This ChaosBot card resets the ChaosBot. Take the ChaosBot from the game board. Put it on its side on one of the four red ChaosBot fields at the center of the game board. You have to pick a free red ChaosBot field. If you cannot comply with these rules, you cannot play this ChaosBot card.

The player with the color of the finish field in the corresponding quadrant re-activates the ChaosBot by putting it back up at the beginning of his next turn. He may then use the ChaosBot at the end of his turn if wanted.

Robot Blocks (2 players only)

Placing 4 neutral robots to block your opponent for program 1, 2 and 3. When playing with two players, it is less crowded on the board. Give every player an extra set of 4 robots of a different color. These neutral robots will be placed on the board during the game as immobile obstacles. At the beginning of your first turn, you place one of these robots on an empty field in one of the four quadrants. This cannot be a robot start or finish field. The next three robots are placed in the same manner, but only after your opponent has placed one of his own robots in his finish field. In case your opponent places two robots in the same turn with the special 4 move robot card, you place two of your neutral robots.

Limitations:

• Each of your neutral robots has to be placed in a different quadrant!
• In program 3, you cannot place them on the red ChaosBot fields!

Variations

Special Control (2-4 players)

Picking a lower number of special robot cards for program 2 and 3. Players agree in advance how many (max 4) special robot cards they can use. Then there are two options:

1. Every player chooses in secret which special cards he is going to use. When all players have made their choice, the game can begin and all players put the robot cards in front of them at the same time.
2. Players take turns choosing a card and turn them over to the special side. In this case the starting player begins turning them over. After every player turned over their first special card, the player to the left of the starting player turns over his second special card, and so on. When all agreed upon special cards are turned over, the game can begin.

Special Infinity (2-4 players)

Using unlimited number of special robot cards for program 2 and 3. Players agree in advance how many special robot cards they can use: 1, 2, or 3. Then there are two options:

1. Every time a special robot card is used, you can turn over a card that is on its basic side to its special side.
2. This variation is the same as 1, but now you can only turn over a basic card when it is in the active row. So, it is possible that you cannot turn over a special robot card and thus end up with less special robot cards.

Chaos Control (2-3 players)

Each player picking exact same ChaosBot cards for program 3. Give every player the same set of ChaosBot cards. Players determine in advance with which set they will play.