Targui Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents of the Box
• The Board
• The Territorial Cards
  • Settlements (4)
  • The Central Salt-mine (1)
  • Gueltas, or Oases (6)
  • A Reg, or Gravel Bank (12)
  • An Erg (12)
  • Fesh-Fesh (8)
  • The Mountains (6)
  • The Chotts, or Salt-Lakes (4)
• Object of the Game
• Cash in Treasury
• The Players
• Starting the Game
• Progress of the Game
• Turn
• Rounds
• Loss of Settlement
• The End of the Game
• The (Mis)fortune Cards
• The Game for Three Players
• Duration of the Game

Contents of the Box

• Playing board
• Territorial markers in four colors
• Tribal cards with a Touareg device in four colors
• 16 (mis)fortune cards
• 2 six-sided dice
• Pieces of silver (1 piece = 1 silver piece)
• Pieces of gold (1 gold piece = 5 silver pieces)
• Light brown camels (1 = 1 camel)
• Dark brown camels (1 = 5 camels)
• 53 Territorial Cards (economic value, strategic value):
  • 4 Settlements (4, 4)
  • 1 Central salt mine (5, 5)
  • 6 Guelta (Oases) (3, 3)
  • 12 Reg (Gravel banks) (2, 0)
  • 12 Erg (Sand dunes) (1, 0)
  • 8 Fesh-Fesh (Sand plain) (0, 2)
  • 6 Mountains (0, 1)
  • 4 Chotts (Salt lakes) (0, 0)

The Board

For each game the board is set up by shuffling and dealing the 49 territorial cards (see below) and is different every time.

The Territorial Cards

There are 8 different territories, each with its own strategic and/or economic value (the number of cards of each type is shown in brackets).

• The economic value of the territory, if any, is indicated on the cards by a black figure in a white square.
• The strategic value, if any, is indicated by a white figure in a black triangle.

Settlements (4)

There is one for each tribe (player) with its own colored Touareg device (red, blue, yellow and green). Starting from these settlements, the tribes undertake their expeditions.

The Central Salt-mine (1)

The round salt-pans contain saline water which evaporates, leaving the salt which is of vital importance to both men and animals. It is very scarce in the desert and therefore has a high economic and strategic value. You cannot add camels to the salt-mine; however it is possible to move camels from an adjacent area to the salt-mine. If you conquer, for instance, an adjacent area you can add some camels and in the next turn move them to the salt-mine.

Gueltas, or Oases (6)

These are marked by luxuriant vegetation and trees along a watercourse.

A Reg, or Gravel Bank (12)

Is shown by a grey-blue bank, strewn with small yellowish stones.

An Erg (12)

Is an area of sand dunes stretching to the horizon.

Fesh-Fesh (8)

Is a sandy plain. The sand looks firm enough but has in fact only a hard crust which will not bear a camel's weight. Once through, the camel cannot extricate itself and this is of course fatal in the desert. Only those who know the area well can cross it with impunity and it therefore has great strategic value for the owners.

The Mountains (6)

Are no gentle Alpine pastures but wild, inhospitable rocky outcrops where few dare to venture. For many Touareg they are the end of the world: the climate alone is virtually fatal.

The Chotts, or Salt-Lakes (4)

Are areas which cannot be penetrated by any living creature, not even camels. These areas cannot therefore be taken into possession in the game. Camels can only pass round them.

Object of the Game

The object of the game is to take possession of the board and drive all the other players out of the territory. The winning condition of the game is "cash in treasury."

Cash in Treasury

This works as follows: during each movement phase a player may transfer cash in hand to its own treasury. This is a secret pot of money (using a mug is easiest) in which a player can deposit, but not withdraw.

Also, at the end of each round, just before players get paid out the economic value (levy) of their area, all players lose all cash in hand. At the end of the game (i.e. after the final payment of the 8th round), all players count the money in treasury plus the money in hand. Whoever has the most wins the game.

The rule means that each turn a player needs to decide what to do with his money: buy camels or deposit in treasury. In the end, camels do not win the game, so everyone deposits as much as possible in the treasury, but deposit too much and your board position becomes too vulnerable, as you can never withdraw. Saving should start early; the secret treasury means that the winning player may not be the one that you suspect.

The Players

2, 3 or 4 players (Touareg tribes) can take part. Each tribe (Kel) has its own color:

• Kel Ahaggar = green
• Kel Ajjer = yellow
• Kel Ilbakan = red
• Kel Ress = blue

The rules below apply for 2 or 4 players. For 3 players, see The Game for Three Players.

Starting the Game

1. Before setting up the board, the players choose the sector in which they subsequently will place their settlement.
2. The cards indicating the 4 settlements and the salt-mine are removed from the pack and the salt-mine (strategic value 5, economic value 5) is placed in the centre of the board.
3. The remaining 48 cards are thoroughly shuffled and placed face upwards on the board with the slot on all cards in the same position.
4. Each player chooses a tribe and receives the settlement card in the appropriate color and 3 tribal cards in the same color.
5. Each player is given 10 camels, 5 silver pieces and 1 gold piece, while the rest of the camels and coins, plus the territorial markers, remain in the box.
6. The (mis)fortune cards are carefully shuffled and stacked face down next to the board.
7. The players subsequently take a territorial card from the sector of the board they have chosen and replace this with their settlement card. Considerations of safety, strategy and economic value will determine which card the player wishes to replace. Each player then takes one of his territorial markers and places it in the slot of his settlement card. The unused cards are returned to the box.
8. Each player then places his 10 camels on his settlement card on the board.

Progress of the Game

The game proceeds by rounds, each consisting of a certain number of turns, determined by the throw of one of the dice. Each player then hands in as many tribal cards as the number obtained in the throw, unless a 4, 5 or 6 is thrown, in which case each player hands in only 1 card. This forms the round "stack."

Two (mis)fortune cards are added to the resulting stack which is shuffled and laid face down on the table. This limits the game to 8 rounds (for 2 hours max.). The order of play is determined by the order in which the tribal cards are turned. Each player thus has the same number of turns per round but in a random order.

If a 4, 5 or 6 is thrown when determining the number of turns, each player has a double turn in that round (i.e. he may consecutively make a move, add camels, make a second move and a second addition).

The tribal cards are put aside after use but players may always look at them to see which cards have already been used.

Turn

Each turn may consist of two actions: Moving camels (or attacking) AND Adding camels.

Neither action is compulsory but if both are taken it must be in that order. Only one move may be made per turn (except in the case of a double turn, see above), and additions may be made in only one territory at a time.

"Moving" means that a player moves one or more of his camels from one of his territories to an adjacent area (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally). However, no camels may be placed on the salt-lakes. If a player takes possession of a territory in this way it must be indicated immediately with one of his colored markers. A player may leave one of his territories with all his camels and it will remain in his possession until another player conquers it.

During each movement phase a player may transfer cash in hand to its own treasury.

An "attack" occurs when another tribe already occupies a territory to which a player wishes to transfer his camels. An attack counts as a move. Consequently, only one attack or one move may take place per turn. Attacks are carried out as follows. Both attack and defence are conducted by throwing the dice, each player taking one dice and the attacker throwing first. The attacker indicates which area he is attacking, throws, and adds the number thrown to the strategic value, if any, of the territory from which he is attacking.

The result is divided by 2 (in the case of an uneven total, subtract one and then divide). This figure indicates the number of camels the defender loses and these are returned to the box.

Example: Tommy has 8 camels on an oasis (strategic value 3), and attacks a fesh-fesh (strategic value 2) harbouring 5 camels. He throws 4. This, together with the strategic value of an oasis, makes 7. 7 minus 1, divided by 2 = 3 and the defender Willem must therefore remove 3 camels from the fesh-fesh. It is now Willem's turn and he throws a 6. This, together with the strategic value of his territory, makes 8. This total divided by 2 costs Tommy 4 camels. At this point, Tommy still has 4 camels and Willem 2. Tommy now throws a 3, totalling 6. Willem loses 6 divided by 2 = 3 camels, but as he only has two left, he has now lost them all, may not throw again, and must remove his territorial marker. Tommy enters the territory with at least one of his 4 remaining camels and marks his new territory with one of his own markers.

An attack ends if:

• The defender no longer has any camels. The attacker takes possession of the territory with a number of the camels from his territory at his discretion, but at least one camel must be transferred.
• The attacker no longer has any camels (and he retains his own territory).
• The attacker gives up. He can do this only after the defender has had his throw.

Adding means that the player may purchase camels with the money he has at that point, placing them on a territory he already controls. He may add to only one territory per turn. (1 camel costs 1 piece of silver.) When there are no more camels in the box and a player wishes to purchase camels, he may attempt an attack so that camels again become available (see above).

Rounds

At the end of each round (i.e. when all the tribal cards and the (mis)fortune card have been played), just before players get paid out the economic value (levy) of their area, all players lose all cash in hand. Then each player receives the levy due to him. This levy consists of the total economic value of the territories marked by a tribe token. However, a player who has lost control of his own settlement receives no levy, not even if he has gained possession of another player's settlement!

Loss of Settlement

A player who has lost control of his own settlement receives no levy, not even if he has gained possession of another player's settlement.

If a player has lost control of his own settlement and is due to receive a number of camels there according to the (mis)fortune cards, he will receive nothing! The new owner will not receive these camels either. Similarly, if a (mis)fortune card indicates that a player is to receive money, this can only be collected if he still controls his own settlement.

A player who has lost his own settlement cannot win the game!

The End of the Game

The game ends when:

• Only one player remains. He is the winner.
• At the end of the game, after the final payment of the 8th round, all players count the "money in treasury" plus the money in hand. Whoever has most wins the game. The number of camels decides draws.

A player who has lost his own settlement cannot win!

The (Mis)fortune Cards

There are 16 different (mis)fortune cards, whose significance is listed below. The instructions on the cards must be carried out immediately. After use, the card is put aside.

In a number of cases the instructions indicate that a number of camels must be removed from a territory. If there are fewer camels than the number indicated, only these camels should be removed. The territorial marker may remain.

1. The Haussa, a foreign enemy tribe, attacks the central salt-mine and steals all the camels. These must therefore be returned to the box.
2. This Kel receives important visitors and a gift: 10 camels on the settlement. (cards 2-5)
3. This Kel receives important visitors and a gift: 10 camels on the settlement. (cards 2-5)
4. This Kel receives important visitors and a gift: 10 camels on the settlement. (cards 2-5)
5. This Kel receives important visitors and a gift: 10 camels on the settlement. (cards 2-5)
6. Heavy sandstorms sweep the Sahara. Three camels from each "erg" get lost and must be returned to the box.
7. There is drought in the Sahara. There is only enough water in each "guelta" for 15 camels. If there are more than 15 camels in a "guelta" these must be returned to the box.
8. A large caravan is attacked jointly by all the tribes. Each tribe receives 10 pieces of silver.
9. Camel plague breaks out. Half of all the camels in the settlements die (subtract 1 before dividing uneven numbers).
10. An enemy tribe attacks the entire area. In each territory one camel is killed and must be returned to the box.
11. Following heavy rainfall, 5 camels drown in each "reg." Return to box.
12. It is spring. 5 camels are born in each "guelta."
13. Under influence of climatic conditions the characteristics of an "erg" have changed. The strategic value of each "erg" for the remaining turns of this round is equal to 3.
14. The water in the "gueltas" is poisoned. Of all the camels in each "guelta," 10 die and are returned to the box.
15. An enemy tribe attacks all the settlements and steals the gold and silver. (Tribes without settlements retain their money.)
16. Silver has been discovered in the mountains. The levy at the end of this round is therefore 3 for each mountain territory.

The Game for Three Players

When playing with three players, the players do not select a sector of the board at the start of the game, but each is allotted three boxes, in one of which he replaces the territorial card by his settlement card.

Player no. 1 may use boxes 47, 48 or 49. Player no. 2 may use boxes 31, 32 or 33. Player no. 3 may use boxes 39, 40 or 41. Otherwise the rules of the game remain the same.

Duration of the Game

To shorten the duration of the game, the players must agree on the (mis)fortune cards to be used, but:

• Number 1 must always be included.
• First remove numbers 2, 3, 4 and/or 5.