Sakkara Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Aim
• Contents
• Preparation
  • Further preparation: Placing the workers
• Overview of the game's events
• Turn actions
  • Moving a worker
  • Using tiles
• Building the pyramid
• Returning used tiles
  • Example of a turn
• End of the game
• The special tiles
• The magic spells

Aim

The winner is the player who is first to place the crowning apex on to his pyramid.

Contents

• 1 board
• 75 hieroglyph tiles
• 4 workers
• 2 tile racks (snap off from box insert)

Preparation

• The players sit opposite each other; the board arranged so that the sides showing the spells are facing the players.
• Shuffle up the hieroglyph tiles and put them, face up, on to the spaces of the board in any arrangement.
• First put one tile on every space. Then, with the remaining tiles, add a second one on to some of the spaces. At the start of the game, none of the stacks may be more than 2 tiles high.
• Although the tiles can be placed in any arrangement, there must be at least two ship tiles visible.
• Each player gets a tile rack and the 2 workers of one colour.
• The older player is the start player.

Further preparation: Placing the workers

• The start player puts a worker on any space, takes the top tile from that space and puts it on his rack.
• In the same way, the other player puts his first worker on any other space of the board.
• The start player then puts his second worker on an available space and again takes the uppermost tile.
• Finally, the other player puts his second worker on a space and takes the top tile.
• Once each player has placed both his workers and has two tiles on his rack, the start player begins the actual game.

Overview of the game's events

• The pyramids to be built are made up of three steps. The first step is built with nine blue tiles; four red tiles will be built on these for the second step; and finally, one golden tile is needed for the third step. The exact tiles required are shown in the pictures on the edge of the board to each player's right. The players use their workers to collect the necessary tiles.
• Certain tiles with a green background are needed before you can start to build; namely a ship and from one to three grain tiles, depending on the step being built.
• The grey tiles and the blue staircases are special tiles (indicated by a small feather on them) which can be used for certain actions (see 'The special tiles').
• By combining certain tiles, you can create magic spells, which will either help you get more tiles or hinder your opponent's building work. Three specific tiles are needed for each spell (these are outlined on the edge of the board facing each player and are explained in 'The magic spells').

Turn actions

Moving a worker

• On your turn, you must move one of your workers, horizontally or vertically, one space. If there is at least one tile on the space which the worker moves to, take the top one and put it on your rack.
• A worker cannot move to a space already occupied by another worker.
• A worker can only move on to a stack of tiles if it is no more than two tiles higher than the space or stack from which he is moving. If a worker is descending, he may drop any distance. (In the example, white cannot move on to the right-hand stack as this is three tiles higher.)

Using tiles

• During your turn, both before and after moving, you can use any number of your tiles.
• Aside from the tiles you build in your pyramid, you can use any number of special tiles or tiles for magic spells (see below).
• Tiles can be used in the same turn in which they are obtained.
• You cannot keep more than 10 tiles on your rack at the end of your turn. You must discard any extra but you choose which ones to discard.

Building the pyramid

• Each player uses his workers to collect hieroglyph tiles with which he can build his pyramid.
• In order to be able to start building your pyramid, you must first place one ship and one grain tile (green background) in front of you.
• You can then start (even in the same turn) to build the lowest step, which is made up of the nine blue tiles pictured on the board.
• The second step first requires a second grain tile and then the four red tiles pictured on the board.
• The third step requires a third grain tile, before the golden apex of the pyramid can be put in place.

Further building rules:

• A step of the pyramid must be completed, before the next step is started. You cannot start a new step until the turn after you finished the previous step. So you can only ever build on one step in a turn.
• Likewise, the grain tile required for the next step cannot be placed until the turn after completing a step.
• You must use one special 'helping hand' tile for each of the four corner-stones with blue squares on them.
• Two 'helping hand' tiles must be used in order to place the apex of the pyramid.
• If your ship or grain tiles are destroyed by a spell, you cannot continue building until you have replaced the necessary tiles for the current step.

Returning used tiles

• Used special tiles and tiles used in spells, as well as excess ones from your rack, are put back, as a stack, on the board.
• The tiles must be arranged in the stack in the order in which they were used. The tile which was used first goes on the bottom.
• If you cast a spell, you can choose in which order you put the three tiles used for it.
• The other player then chooses a space and places the stack on it.

Rules for placing the stack:

1. The player placing the stack cannot place it horizontally or vertically adjacent to one of his own workers.
2. The space must be empty. If there are no empty spaces, then the stack must go on a space which has the fewest tiles. If there are several such spaces, the player chooses one of them.
3. A stack cannot have more than 9 tiles in it. If there are more tiles to place, the surplus are placed as another stack.
4. With 6 or more tiles, the player placing the stack can split it into 2 or more smaller stacks, but each stack must have at least 3 tiles.

Example of a turn

A player moves one of his workers to a neighbouring stack of tiles, using a staircase to do so as the stack is three tiles higher than his current space. After moving, he casts the spell 'Firestorm' by using a pyramid apex, a cross and a plait. This enables him to take a further six tiles. From these, he uses a double line and a circle, along with a moon from his rack, to cast a 'Shipwreck' spell and destroy his opponent's ship. The player now discards the staircase next to the board. He puts the pyramid apex, cross and plait on top of it, and the moon, double line and circle on top of them. Finally, the (destroyed) ship tile is put on the top of the stack. The other player now puts the stack of eight tiles on an empty space. The space cannot be horizontally or vertically adjacent to either of his workers.

End of the game

The winner is the player who is first to complete his pyramid.

The special tiles

• Staircase: Two are needed for the first step. A staircase can also be used to enable a worker to climb any height when he is moving to a neighbouring space.
• Helping hand: These are needed for the first and third steps. For each of the four corner-stones on the first step, you must use a 'helping hand' tile at the same time. You need to use two of these tiles when you place the pyramid apex.
• Snake: Steal a tile from your opponent. Your opponent must turn his rack around so you can see it and you may take a tile of your choice. Your opponent then turns his rack back to face him.
• Horse: After moving your worker, you can use this to move the same worker, in the same direction, a further one or two spaces. Take each uppermost tile that you land on. In this way, you can get up to three tiles whilst moving during the turn.
• Bird: Before or after moving one of your workers, you pick up either worker and place him on a space of your choice, taking the uppermost tile from where he lands. In this way, you get two tiles whilst moving during the turn.
• Ox: You can push one or more tiles, from a stack in front of one of your workers, on to the next space. You cannot push any tiles upwards. (In the example, White can push across 1 to 4 tiles.)

The magic spells

• Firestorm: Take every uppermost tile from all the spaces horizontally or vertically in line with one of your workers. If there is a worker stood on a tile, you cannot take it. In this way, you can get up to six tiles.
• Whirlwind: Take every uppermost tile from all the spaces around one of your workers. If there is a worker stood on a tile, you cannot take it. In this way, you can get up to eight tiles.
• Drought: Remove one of the grain tiles laid out in front of your opponent. The tile will be returned to the board with the tiles used in the spell (and any other tiles used in the turn). The grain tile must be placed at the top of the stack unless a ship tile is also being replaced, in which case the grain tile becomes the second tile from the top.
• Shipwreck: Remove a ship tile laid out in front of your opponent. The tile will be returned to the board with the tiles used in the spell (and any other tiles used in the turn). The ship tile must be placed at the top of the stack.