Schaben jagen
Schaben jagen Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
What's It All About?
Cockroaches in the kitchen? For heaven's sake! Thankfully, you're an ingenious vermin exterminator. Plan how to use the movement cards cleverly and make sure that none gets away. Solve all the 80 tasks one after the other.
How to Set Up the Game
Place your game board on the table and take all the games materials out of the box.
Is this your first game? Then begin with the test task 0A. Place it next to the game board and read the next card.
You've played the game before and know the rules? Then have the task cards in a pile ready and choose one of them.
Note: The task cards are numbered and pre-sorted according to their level of difficulty. It's best to play them one after the other in ascending order.
What Does the Task Card Show You?
- The number of the task from 0 to 40: the front of each one has the letter A, the reverse of each one shows the letter B.
- The movement cards that are available to you for this task.
- Starting line-up: Here you can see which figures stand where at the start. (Vermin exterminator = green, cockroach = orange, box = red)
- The background colour indicates the level of difficulty of the task (green = easy, orange = medium, red = difficult).
- The solution to your current task can always be found on the reverse of the task card.
- Special targets only apply to the test tasks 0A and 0B. Later on, your target is always: catch all cockroaches!
Positioning Your Game Pieces
Set up the starting line-up. Pay attention to the direction the vermin exterminator points in. You can see his viewing direction by the white arrow on the game piece.
Take all available movement cards as indicated on your task card.
Return any surplus movement cards and game pieces to the box. Off you go!
How to Play
Always move the vermin exterminator first. To do so, use a movement card and then remove it immediately from the game. To solve the task, you need each movement card exactly once only.
How to Move the Vermin Exterminator
Always align the movement card in keeping with the current viewing direction of the exterminator. The coloured arrows are always valid from the perspective of the vermin exterminator!
Tip: The vacuum cleaner on the movement card helps to understand the current viewing direction of the exterminator.
With these arrows (forwards, backwards, left, right), you may move the exterminator any number of spaces in the corresponding direction. This does not alter his viewing direction.
Dos and Don'ts
- Never move the vermin exterminator onto boxes or over the top of them.
- Never move the vermin exterminator over the edge of the game board.
- The vermin exterminator may move to a space occupied by one or more cockroaches but may not move over them. Thus, at the latest, his move ends on a space with a cockroach.
Take note: Is the vermin exterminator's direction blocked because, for example, a box or the edge of the game board is in the way? Then – and only then – can you still play a movement card with an arrow pointing in that direction instead! The vermin exterminator simply remains standing on his space. He advances 0 spaces. But his "movement" is still completed.
Tip: That can be useful, if the vermin exterminator has to remain on their space and simply "bide their time".
Now you're ready for the test task 0A. There aren't any cockroaches in this test yet. Your target is quite simple: Move the vermin exterminator to space F5. Then read the next card.
Now It's Time for the Cockroaches
Just like the vermin exterminator, the cockroaches also have a viewing direction. Take care to align them correctly when you set up the starting line-up.
Now turn over the task card 0A and position the game pieces ready for test task 0B. Then continue reading here.
How to Move the Cockroaches
After each movement card played, all the cockroaches move. Pay attention to the viewing direction of the cockroaches:
- If the next space in the viewing direction is free, the cockroach moves one step forwards.
- If the next space in the viewing direction is occupied by a box or the vermin exterminator, then the cockroach makes a 180 degree turn, without advancing (thus, it "just" turns around). The same applies to the edge of the game board.
Cockroaches do not get in each other's way – that means, you may move several cockroaches to the same space. Stack them on top of each other without altering their viewing directions.
Have you moved all the cockroaches? Then play the next movement card.
Try it out now with test task 0B. Your target: Move the vermin exterminator to E3. Don't forget to move all the cockroaches after each movement card played.
Hunting Cockroaches – Made Easy
This is how to hunt cockroaches:
- Squash them with a roar: If you move your vermin exterminator to a space already occupied by one or more cockroaches, you squash them with your feet.
- Yippee-ya-yay, you skunk of a cockroach: The vermin exterminator has got a special vacuum cleaner. He uses it to suck in all the cockroaches before him, in his direct line of vision (viewing direction). It makes no difference how far away the cockroach is. It also doesn't matter whether the cockroach is already in the vermin exterminator's line of vision or whether it is moving toward that direction itself. The special vacuum cleaner mercilessly devours them all. Only the cockroaches hiding behind boxes are safe.
Important: The vermin exterminator can only operate the vacuum cleaner when standing still. While he himself is moving, the vacuum cleaner is switched off. Thus, the vermin exterminator doesn't vacuum up any cockroaches "while passing by".
Remove all the cockroaches you have caught from the game board.
Examples
- The vermin exterminator is standing on A1. He sucks up the cockroaches on A2 and A5. The cockroach on A7 is protected by the box.
- The vermin exterminator moves from A2 to C2. He squashes the cockroach on C2 and sucks up the cockroach on C5. This time, he doesn't catch the cockroach on B3 because he can't suck it up while passing by. Then the remaining cockroaches move. The cockroaches on C3 and C6 disappear into the special vacuum cleaner. The cockroach on C1 makes a 180 degree turn. The vermin exterminator takes a step backwards and squashes it.
Now you are ready for the first real task. From now on, your target is always: Catch all cockroaches! Try your luck with task card 1A. Good luck! Afterwards, read the next card.
Have You Successfully Completed the Task?
After you have played the last movement card, all the cockroaches move one last time (if there are any left, that is). Have you caught all the cockroaches now? Then you have completed the task. Are there still some cockroaches left on the game board? Then you have failed. Try again and set up the starting line-up now.
Solution, Where Are You?
You can always find the solution on the reverse of the current task card, along the bottom edge. The correct order of the movement cards and which spaces the vermin exterminator must move to are shown there.
Now you are ready for the next tasks. Try task 1B next. Good luck!
More Vermin Exterminator Tricks
Up to now, you have only moved the vermin exterminator in a straight line to the right, left, forwards or backwards. With the aid of the following movement cards, you can also alter his viewing direction:
With these arrows, the vermin exterminator remains on his space and alters only his viewing direction. He makes an exact 90 degree turn to the left (green arrow), a 90 degree turn to the right (orange arrow) or a 180 degree turn (grey arrow).
You must carry out the turning movement shown on these cards. Don't forget to move all the cockroaches afterwards.
Even More Vermin Exterminator Tricks
With the aid of the following movement cards (box cards), you have even more options:
With these movement cards, the vermin exterminator does not move. Instead, you may either remove any random box from the game board. This box does not have be adjacent to the space that the vermin exterminator is standing on.
Or you may place a box on any empty space. You may not place a box on a space already occupied. If you don't have a box handy, then take one from the supply in the game box.
After placing or removing a box, all the cockroaches must move, too.
Now you know all you that's necessary to complete the remaining tasks. Good luck!