Волк идёт! (The Wolf is Coming!)
Волк идёт! (The Wolf is Coming!) Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 4 parts of the game board
- 30 forest tokens of three types
- 5 animal figures with stands
- 4 hero cards
- 30 task cards
Forest tokens
- 10 holiday tokens (blue background): gifts and treats that must be found and brought to the Wolf's house.
- 5 help tokens (pink background): these tokens help you by giving additional abilities.
- 15 terrain tokens (white background): various obstacles may be met in the forest. Go around places that are dangerous for your hero.
The game board is made up of separate cells on which the forest tokens lie. You can place your hero's figure on closed or open tokens, as well as on empty cells of the board.
Before the first game, insert all the figures into the plastic stands.
The setup diagram on page 3 of the rulebook labels the Wolf's house, the task cards, the forest tokens, the two forest sections, the starting forest section, the hero figures, the Wolf's figure and the hero card.
Setup
- Assemble the game board. It consists of the starting forest section (marked А), two forest sections (marked Б and В), and the Wolf's house.
- Shuffle all the forest tokens. Lay them face down on the cells of the game board.
- Place the Wolf's figure on the starting cell of his path.
- Choose a hero (an animal figure) to play as, and place that hero's card in front of you. Place the hero figures on their starting cells. When playing with 2–3 participants, return the remaining figures to the box.
- Shuffle the task cards and place them face down in a stack next to the game board.
- The first player is the one whose birthday was most recent.
Hero Cards
There are 5 heroes in the game: the Wolf and his friends Little Squirrel, Magpie, Little Badger and Little Fawn. The Wolf's figure is moved by all players in turn, so he has no card of his own. The cards of the other heroes are dealt to the players.
The hero card shows:
- Your hero: the hero's illustration.
- Impassable obstacles: the terrain tokens (marked with a red circle) that can stop this hero.
- Turn order of the player: the icons at the bottom of the card.
- Number of steps: the number of steps the hero can take in a move (the footprints).
- Number of presents: the number of presents the hero can carry. Only 1 present can be placed in each basket.
Task Cards
If a hero's figure ends up on a cell with an impassable obstacle, the player draws a task card and carries out the task. That is how the hero gets past the obstacle.
- Task text: the text of the task.
- Green frame: the task is performed only by the player who drew the card.
- Orange frame: the task is intended for the whole team.
We advise looking through the task cards before the game and setting aside those that don't suit the current game (for example, if there is no way to walk around the table or to move on all fours).
Goal of the Game
This is a cooperative game in which all players are united by one goal: to prepare a celebration for the birthday Wolf. You move the forest animal figures across the game board and open forest tokens to find presents and treats. They must be brought to the Wolf's house before the birthday boy himself gets there. During each player's turn, the Wolf takes one step toward the house.
The game ends when the Wolf reaches the house. If everything is ready for the celebration, the team of players wins. If the birthday does not take place, the Wolf is upset, and unfortunately in that case the team of players loses.
Turn Order
Players act in turn, passing the turn clockwise.
On your turn, perform the following in order:
- Move your hero's figure.
- Perform actions with the forest tokens.
- Move the Wolf's figure (a mandatory action).
You may skip actions 1 and 2. In that case, take the top card from the task deck and carry out its condition (see the section "Performing Tasks"). Action 3 is mandatory: the Wolf moves closer to the house on every player's turn.
After moving the Wolf's figure, pass the turn to the next player.
Step 1: Move Your Hero's Figure
During one turn, the hero may take as many steps as there are footprints drawn on its card. You may move the figure a smaller number of steps.
At the start of the game, all heroes step onto any cell of the first row of the game board (this counts as their first step).
Steps may be made onto any adjacent cell, including diagonally or backwards.
The hero passes freely through:
- all closed tokens;
- empty cells of the board;
- open holiday and help tokens;
- open terrain tokens, if they are not impassable obstacles for that hero.
The hero cannot pass:
- through a cell occupied by another hero (except the Wolf's house, where all the friends may be together);
- open terrain tokens that are impassable obstacles for that hero.
If the hero's figure moves over closed terrain tokens, they stay face down. The token on which the hero's move ends is turned face up immediately.
Special case. If your hero cannot get around an impassable obstacle (for example, the whole row is filled with such tokens and there is no way around), then before the hero starts moving you may take a task card, carry out its task (see the section "Performing Tasks"), and then remove any one of the blocking tokens from the board back into the box.
Step 2: Perform Actions with Forest Tokens
The hero finished its turn on a holiday token. You may take the token by placing it on a free basket on your hero card. If there are no free baskets on the card, the token stays face up on the game board.
The hero finished its turn on a help token. You may also take it, and use it immediately or on any of your subsequent turns. Help tokens are not placed in baskets; they are kept next to the hero card. A player's number of help tokens is not limited.
The help tokens are:
- Sleeping Wolf: If the player plays this token during their turn, the Wolf falls asleep and does not move at the end of that turn.
- Basket: Place the token next to the other baskets on your card. Now your hero can carry one more present.
- Scooter: This token lets your hero make an extra move. The Wolf does not move during the extra move.
The hero finished its turn on a terrain token. Look at whether the hero can overcome this obstacle.
- Impassable obstacle: If an open terrain token is revealed that is marked with a red sign on this hero's card, the hero is in danger. To deal with the obstacle, take one card from the task deck and carry out its condition (see the section "Performing Tasks").
- Path is clear: If the open obstacle does not hold the hero back, nothing happens.
When the hero leaves this cell on its next turn, the open terrain token remains in place. Other heroes can see it, and it is easier for them to plan their route so as not to end up in danger.
The hero finished its turn at the Wolf's house. Place all the brought holiday tokens on the cells of the house. The number of empty cells shows how many more holiday tokens can still be found on the game board.
Exchanging Items
Players may exchange the tokens carried by heroes (holiday or help tokens). For this, their figures must stand on adjacent cells of the board (horizontally, vertically or diagonally). Tokens may be passed at any moment of a hero's movement, including when one hero passes another.
Step 3: Move the Wolf's Figure
After you have moved your hero and performed actions with the forest tokens, move the Wolf's figure one step along the special path toward the house. This action is mandatory!
To avoid forgetting to move the Wolf's figure, after each player's turn announce aloud how many steps the Wolf still has left to reach the house.
Performing Tasks
To carry out a task and overcome an impassable obstacle, you need to:
- take the top card from the task deck;
- read the task;
- carry out the task.
On cards with an orange frame, all players take part in carrying out the task. Task cards with a green frame are intended for one participant. If a player cannot or does not want to carry out a task, their friends can always help them.
- Task not completed: The Wolf makes two additional steps forward along his path.
- Task completed: The Wolf's figure does not move additionally.
In both cases the terrain token stays face up, and your next turn starts under the usual rules, beginning the movement of your hero from this token.
End of the Game
The game ends in one of two cases:
- All heroes have gathered in the house, having prepared 10 presents. In this case, the Wolf's figure is immediately moved there too.
- As soon as the Wolf enters his house (makes a step from the last footprint on his path into the house).
Victory Conditions
- Best birthday ever: If the friends were able to gather all 10 presents in the house and all the heroes are in the house, the Wolf recognises this holiday as the best of his life. Each of the players becomes his best friend forever. Don't forget to shout in chorus: "Happy birthday, Wolf!"
- Surprise succeeded: If all the Wolf's friends gathered in the house and prepared at least 5 presents (5 holiday tokens), the surprise succeeded. The Wolf is very happy and delighted. Say together: "Happy birthday, Wolf!"
- Defeat: If there are fewer than 5 holiday tokens in the house, or not all the heroes managed to reach the house, the Wolf is very upset and thinks his friends have forgotten him. Try to throw the party again!
Have a good celebration!