Simply Suspects
Simply Suspects Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- Game Board
- Evidence Board
- 6 Game Tokens
- 7 Evidence Pegs
- Get-Away Cards
- 6 Suspect Cards
- 1 Die
Set Up
Open the game board and place it on the table. Each player picks a colored token and places it on the "start triangle." The evidence board is placed in the center of the playing board. The evidence pegs are placed in the holes under each number (1-7) at the top of the evidence board. Three get-away cards are dealt to each player and must be kept face up so that everyone can see them. One suspect card is dealt to each player face down so that no other player may see it. Any left over suspect cards are kept face down and no player may look at them. The players assume the identity on their suspect card. (Important: Try to keep your identity a secret for as long as you can.) The get-away card deck is placed face down along one side of the playing board.
To Play
Each player rolls the die and the player rolling the highest number starts the game. The other players take their turns in a clockwise manner. On any given turn, a player may either roll the die or use a get-away card to advance their token clockwise around the board. If they use a "0" get-away card, they will not move their token but they will act as if they had just landed on the space that they are on. Players may choose either path when they come to where the path splits into two paths.
Object of the Game
To arrange the evidence pegs on the evidence board so that there are two or more pegs in the row of your opponent's identity, while keeping the evidence out of your identity. If a player lands on the "Grand Jury" space with two or more evidence pegs in their suspect's row, they are eliminated from the game. The last player remaining in the game is the winner.
Board Spaces
Get-Away Card
A player landing on these spaces may draw one get-away card from the get-away deck. These cards are saved face up and used instead of rolling the die. Once a player rolls the die they may not use a get-away card on that turn. Used get-away cards are returned to the bottom of the deck.
Take a Get-Away Card From Any Player
A player landing on this space may take one get-away card from any player. You may not take a card if all the other players are out of cards.
Your Choice
A player landing on these spaces must move any evidence peg from the beginning position into play in one of the suspects' colored rows. If all pegs are in play, the player must move any peg from one suspect's colored row into another suspect's colored row. (Any peg moved must stay within the same numbered column.)
Numbered Evidence
A player landing on one of the 7 numbered evidence spaces must move an evidence peg in the column corresponding to the evidence space that they landed on. (Example: If a player lands on "#1 tire tracks" space, they must move the evidence peg in the #1 column.) There may not be more than 1 peg per numbered column.
Photo of Suspects
Players landing on these spaces must remove two pieces of evidence from the suspect they landed on and place them in the row of any of the other suspects. They do not have to put both pegs in the same row. (Any peg moved must stay within the same numbered column.) If there are not two pieces of evidence to remove, they must remove whatever is there.
Trading Places With Any Player
A player landing on this space must trade places with any opponent. The player whose turn it is, must then do whatever the new space indicates. If a player trades places with a player already on the trading places space, their turn is over.
Move Any Opponent Forward One Space
A player landing on this space must move any opponent forward one space. The opponent must then do what the new space indicates.
Move Any Opponent Back One Space
A player landing on this space must move any opponent back one space. The opponent must then do what the new space indicates.
Move Forward (2, 3 or 6) Spaces
A player landing on any one of these three spaces must advance to the "Grand Jury" space.
Grand Jury
(Hint: Try to avoid this space unless you want to guess another player's identity.) The Grand Jury is looking for any suspect that has two or more evidence pegs in their colored row. When a player lands on this space, they must look at the evidence board. If the player landing on the "Grand Jury" Space is holding a suspect card that has 2 or more pieces of evidence in it's row, that player is eliminated from the game and must reveal their suspect card. It is important to note that any evidence added to a suspect's row will have no affect on a player already sitting on the "Grand Jury" space.
Guessing a Player's Identity
(Hint: Don't guess an opponent's identity unless you are very sure you are correct.) Any player that lands on the "Grand Jury" space and is not eliminated on that turn may guess another player's identity. If the guess is correct, the guessed player is eliminated and the player making the guess acquires the eliminated player's get-away cards. The player may continue to guess any remaining opponents until he guesses one wrong. If the guess is incorrect, the player making the guess is eliminated and the player being guessed acquires the eliminated player's get-away cards. Keep all eliminated suspect cards face-up for all players to see.
Special Note
There may not be more than one evidence peg per column. There is no limit on the number of evidence pegs that may be in any one colored row.