Tunhell Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Components
• Introductory Rules
  • Setup
  • Example setup for 4 players
  • Game Turn
    • A - Recruit a Dwarf
    • B - Play a Dwarf
      • Playing a Warrior
      • Playing a Digger
      • Playing a Scout
      • Playing a Dynamiter
  • In the Mine!
    • Dirt
    • Treasures
    • Encounters
  • End of the Game
• Full Game
  • Setup
  • Game Turn
  • In the Mine!
    • The Finds
    • The Bonuses
    • The Special Treasures
  • At the End of the Mine...
  • End of the Game
• Tips
• Example of Game Turns with 2 Players

Introduction

Tunhell is a game for 2 to 4 players. Each player leads a team of dwarves and tries to amass more riches than their opponents. On your turn, you can recruit new Dwarves and then send them to dig in the mine to find treasures and fight enemies that will earn you victory points. The player who obtains the most is declared the winner!

The rules are divided into two parts: an introductory game that lets you start playing quickly and become familiar with the game system; and the full game. The rules of the full game are identical, but introduce new elements. It is the real game!

Components

• 44 "Dwarf" cards
• 60 "Mine" cards
• 4 "End of Mine" cards
• 2 "Trophy" cards
• These rules

Introductory Rules

Setup

1. Start by setting aside the "End of Mine" cards, the "Trophy" cards and all the other "Mine" cards bearing the (+) symbol at the bottom left. These cards are put back in the box and will not be used in the introductory rules.
2. Randomly set aside 7 additional "Mine" cards and also put them in the box. This gives different configurations in each game.
3. Form 3 equal face-down piles of "Mine" cards in the middle of the table. Arrange them so that each player can place cards on each side of the piles. These piles represent the 3 mines you can explore (see example below).
4. Shuffle the "Dwarf" cards and deal 4 face down to each player.
5. Place the rest of the deck to one side, face up, and reveal the first 5 cards, forming a line. These 5 cards represent the "recruitment center".
6. Provide a discard pile for the "Dwarf" cards and another for the "Mine" cards. The discard pile is where cards played during the game are placed. We advise discarding cards face down so as to distinguish them from cards in play.

The player with the longest beard starts, then players take turns clockwise.

Example setup for 4 players

Each side of the "Mine" cards belongs to a player. Leave enough space to be able to place cards between each mine. With 3 players, one side remains neutral. With 2 players, the players play face to face.

(Diagram: the Mines in the middle; Players 1 to 4 around them; the recruitment center and the discard piles to one side.)

Game Turn

On their turn, a player must take one action out of the 2 possible:

A - recruit a Dwarf

OR

B - play a Dwarf and apply its effect.

Only cards bearing the symbol shown here (a stop hand) are an exception and must be played at the moment they are recruited.

Once the action is done, it is the next player's turn.

A - Recruit a Dwarf

A player may choose to recruit a Dwarf. They choose among the 5 "Dwarf" cards available in the recruitment center and add it to their hand. The chosen card is replaced by the first card of the pile so that there are always 5 cards available on the table.

A player may have at most 6 cards in hand. They therefore cannot take this action if they have already reached this maximum.

When the pile is empty, the discarded "Dwarf" cards are shuffled again to form a new one.

Warning: The player can never take the first card of the "Dwarf" card pile.

B - Play a Dwarf

A player may play one and only one "Dwarf" card face up on their turn. There are 4 types of "Dwarf": Warrior, Digger, Scout or Dynamiter. They are distinguished by their color and the symbol at the top of the card. Each has a particular effect.

Playing a Warrior

(Card layout: Warrior symbol; combat value. Distribution of the cards: x7, x5, x4, x1, x1.)

A Warrior allows you:

• to fight enemies;
• and to make access to a mine more difficult for your opponents.

When a player plays a Warrior, they place it face up on their side (see example setup), in front of the mine of their choice. Its combat value is added to those of their other Warriors already in front of that same mine, if any.

Warriors bearing the stop-hand symbol are proud, they need nobody! If the player who plays one of these cards had other Warriors in front of this mine, they are immediately discarded. The player cannot add other Warriors to this mine as long as this card is present.

Playing a Digger

(Card layout: Digger symbol; digging capacity; combat bonus. Distribution of the cards: top row x4, x4, x1; bottom row x5, x4, x1.)

The Digger allows you to dig in a mine. A player can place a Digger in a mine only if the combat value of their Warriors present at that mine is at least equal to that of each opposing player's Warriors present at that same mine. Each other player is compared individually. A Digger can of course be placed at a mine where there is no Warrior.

Warning: Here, the Digger's combat bonus is not added to that of the Warriors. (See example.)

(Illustration: The Digger cannot go into the middle mine even if its combat bonus is 5. The left player's Warrior prevents it.)

The Digger may then draw from this mine as many cards as its digging capacity allows, as long as nothing stops it (see next chapter: "In the mine!"). The cards are revealed one by one face up to all players and the events are resolved as they come.

The Digger is always discarded at the end of the turn.

Playing a Scout

(Card layout: Scout symbol; exploration value. Distribution of the cards: x2, x3.)

A Scout allows you to look - according to its exploration value - at the first 3 or 5 cards of one of the 3 mines, without revealing them to your opponents. A player may choose any mine without having to take the Warriors present into account. The cards are then put back in the same order, face down, in their original place. If there are fewer cards left in the mine than the Scout's exploration value, the difference is lost and is not carried over to another mine. The Scout is discarded at the end of the turn.

Playing a Dynamiter

(Card layout: Dynamiter symbol. Distribution of the cards: x2.)

The Dynamiter makes all the Warriors placed around the mine of your choice flee. They are all discarded.

Warning: All Warriors are discarded, even those of the player who played the Dynamiter.

The Dynamiter is discarded at the end of the turn.

In the Mine!

When a Digger digs, it may find treasures, enemies, or may simply pick up dirt!

Dirt

(x18 cards.) When a Digger turns over a "Dirt" card, nothing happens... The player takes the card and places it in front of them. The cards collected this way make up the player's loot. The player continues to draw if their Digger's capacity still allows it.

Treasures

(x10 cards.) When a Digger discovers a treasure, the player takes it and places it in front of them in their loot. A treasure is worth 1 victory point at the end of the game. The player continues to draw if their Digger's capacity still allows it.

Encounters

(Encounter symbol. Rat x7, Goblin x4, Orc x4, Troll x3, Dragon x3. Each card shows a combat value and victory points.)

When a Digger encounters an enemy, there is necessarily a fight. To defeat an enemy, a player must discard, among their Warriors placed in front of this mine, cards whose combat values at least equal the enemy's combat value (for a Dragon, which is worth 6 in combat, you will have to discard, for example, 2 Warriors worth 3).

They may also use the Digger's combat bonus. But in that case, the Digger is discarded and can no longer continue to draw.

The player is obliged to fight an enemy they encounter and to defeat it if they can.

• If the enemy cannot be defeated, the active player must discard all their "Dwarf" cards (Warriors and Diggers) placed in front of this mine and the enemy is put back in its place face down. It is the next player's turn.
• If the enemy is defeated, the player takes the card and places it in front of them in their loot. Some encounters give victory points. If the Digger was not discarded during the encounter, it continues to draw if its digging capacity still allows it.

Warning: If, after drawing the last card of one of the mines, Warriors remain in front of this now empty location, they are discarded.

End of the Game

The game ends immediately when 2 of the 3 piles of "Mine" cards are empty.

Each player then totals the victory points of the cards in their loot. The one with the most victory points is declared the grand winner. At last, grand...

Full Game

The full game is played in exactly the same way as the introductory version. The main difference is the addition of cards that players can pick up by drawing in the mines. Among these "Finds" there are bonuses that will help players in their explorations, special treasures, but also the ghost of King Grödur who will not make you any gifts!

Moreover, at the bottom of each mine there is now a special card which may be a terrifying monster, a haunted room, or a little door well hidden in the shadows...

Setup

1. Shuffle all the "Mine" cards and set 9 aside at random. Shuffle the "End of Mine" cards and set 1 aside. These cards will not be used for this game and are put back in the box.
2. Form 3 equal piles of cards in the middle of the table by distributing the "Mine" cards on top of each of the "End of Mine" cards. These piles represent the 3 mines in which players can engage their Dwarves.
3. Place the 2 "Trophy" cards to the side of the play area.

The rest of the setup is identical to the introductory rules.

Game Turn

The game turn is identical to the introductory rules in every respect, with two exceptions:

• The first player to pick up dirt obtains the "Employee of the Month" trophy (they worked well). They keep it in front of them as long as they have more "Dirt" cards in their loot than the other players. As soon as another player obtains as many or more "Dirt" cards, that player takes the trophy.
• The first player to slay a Rat obtains the "Exterminator" trophy. They keep it in front of them as long as they have more "Rat" cards in their loot than the other players. As soon as another player obtains as many or more "Rat" cards, that player takes the trophy.

In the Mine!

"Dirt", "Treasure" and "Encounter" cards are resolved as in the introductory rules, but from now on players can also make finds in the mines and pick up items that will join their hand.

(Symbol: hand.) This symbol means that once drawn, the card joins the player's hand. If this player already has 6 cards in hand, the Find is given to the next player in turn order, and so on. If all players already have 6 cards in hand, the Find is discarded.

The Finds

Machin (x1) It is in fact a reunion! Machin was lost in Tunhell for so long that we forgot his name... But now he knows the mines like the back of his pick! He is so happy to see you again that he is ready to help you! He joins your hand and can be played later like any other Digger.

Dwouarf the Dog (x1) You find a stray dog. He is friendly, you decide to call him Dwouarf. He will easily rid you of Rats! He joins your hand and can be played later like any other Warrior. He has no combat value but gives a penalty (-1) in combat to "Encounter" cards. Thus Rats are worth 0 and are eliminated directly, Goblins are worth 1, etc... He is never discarded when an encounter is won, but he is discarded like the other Warriors in case of defeat. The Dynamiter also makes him flee.

The Bonuses

The following 3 cards must be played at the same time as a Digger and will give it a bonus. These are the only cases where several cards can be played at the same time. The Finds and their advantages are cumulative.

Nawak, the Sword of Bravery (x1) This sacred sword gives a combat bonus (+2) to the Dwarf who carries it.

The Old Pickaxe (x1) Nothing sacred, but always effective! It gives a digging bonus (+2) to the Dwarf who carries it.

The Beer of Courage (x2) This divine drink multiplies the abilities of the Digger who drinks it (x2 to its digging capacity and x2 to its combat bonus).

Example: This Dwarf with the beer will have a digging capacity of 4 and a combat bonus of 2.

If the Beer of Courage is played at the same time as another bonus, it only doubles the Digger's value.

These 3 cards must always be played at the same time as a Digger and are always discarded with it.

The Special Treasures

The 2 Unique Rings (x2) This relic is so rare that we preferred to forge 2 of them just in case... The Rings bring 2 victory points at the end of the game but they are treacherous: they necessarily join your hand and not your loot!

Warning: Your hand limit is still a maximum of 6 cards.

The Golden Heart (x1) King Grödur may have been cruel and greedy, but he had a heart of gold. Moreover, he kept it jealously at the center of the mine... It is a treasure worth 3 victory points, but it is heavy. To bring it back you must discard another Digger from your hand. The Golden Heart is then placed on your loot. If you cannot, it is put back in its place face down and your turn stops immediately.

The Ghost of Grödur (x2) An apparition of the Ghost frightens your Dwarves! The player to your left discards a "Dwarf" card drawn at random from your hand. If you have no "Dwarf" card, then one is discarded from the hand of the next player, and so on. If nobody has a "Dwarf" card in hand (already, that is suspicious...) nothing happens. The Ghost is then discarded.

At the End of the Mine...

The last card of each pile is a special "End of Mine" card.

THE BACK DOOR You find a hidden door that lets you enter a mine discreetly! The player who discovers it immediately places this card facing a new mine. From that moment on they can play their Diggers at this mine without taking the value of the opposing Warriors into account.

Warning: If the player who discovers the back door still has cards left to draw, they take them immediately from the mine in front of which they placed the door.

The door can no longer be moved.

The door brings 1 victory point to the player who discovered it.

THE THRONE ROOM The skeleton of King Grödur, his crown and his scepter are found here. The card joins the loot of the player who discovers it and brings 3 victory points. But this room is cursed! The player must discard all the cards in their hand.

THE BIG HAIRY SPIDER With its 8 hairy legs, it waits for you crouched in the shadows. It is an "Encounter" card whose combat value is 5 and which brings 5 victory points.

THE DEMON OF THE DEPTHS Born from the meeting of a lizard and a cow, this evil creature hides at the very bottom of the mine. It is an "Encounter" card whose combat value is 7 and which brings 7 victory points.

End of the Game

As in the introductory rules, the game ends immediately when 2 of the 3 piles of "Mine" cards are empty. Each player then totals the victory points of the cards in their loot, possibly the trophies, the Rings in their hand and the Back Door they obtained. The one with the most victory points is declared the winner.

Tips

• The setup example is indicative but you can place the mines as you like on the table provided that everyone has room to place their cards.
• Try to manage your combat values correctly! Discarding a "3" Warrior to defeat a simple rat is often not profitable!
• You can leave your loot face down to maintain suspense until the end of the game, but the "Dirt" and "Rat" cards must remain visible so that everyone can check who has the most.
• You can shorten the length of the game by removing a few more "Mine" cards at the start of the game. Just make sure that each pile contains the same number of "Mine" cards. Depending on your wishes, you will have to remove 3, 6 or 9 more than the number indicated in the setup.

Example of Game Turns with 2 Players

1. A - The first player (at the bottom) plays a Digger with a digging capacity of 2 on a mine. B - The first card they reveal is a Goblin which has a combat value of 2. The player chooses to discard their Warrior of value 3 to defeat the Goblin (they could have chosen their Warrior 1 and their Digger). The Goblin joins the player's loot. C - The Digger can still draw one last card and reveals the Sword. It joins the player's hand. The Digger is now discarded and it is the next player's turn.

2. The second player in turn plays a Digger with a digging capacity of 2 and reveals an Orc which has a combat value of 3. They are then obliged to use their Warrior of value 2, and to add the combat bonus of their Digger to obtain a sufficient combat value. These cards are discarded, and the Orc joins the player's loot. Since the Digger was discarded, it cannot continue to dig. It is the next player's turn.

3. A - It is the first player's turn again. This time they recruit and immediately play a Digger bearing the stop-hand symbol with a digging capacity of 2 and reveal a Dragon which has a combat value of 6. B - Ouch! They cannot defeat it. Their Dwarves are therefore all discarded and the Dragon is put back face down on its pile. It is the next player's turn.