Voltage Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• Set Up
• Object
• Overview
• How to Play
• The Cards
  • Number Cards
  • Bypass Card (Swap)
  • Blown Fuse Card (Remove)
  • Transformers (Card Back)
• Winning a Set
• Winning the Game

Contents

• 1 Game Board
• 4 Terminal Tokens (Orange, Green, Blue, Purple)
• 2 Score Markers (Red, Yellow)
• Rules
• 56 Cards
  • 12 Orange cards - numbered 1 to 3
  • 12 Green cards - numbered 1 to 3
  • 12 Blue cards - numbered 1 to 3
  • 12 Purple cards - numbered 1 to 3
  • 4 Swap cards
  • 4 Blown Fuse cards

Set Up

1. Place the game board in the middle of the playing area.
2. The Terminal Blocks are double-sided, with a + on one side and a - on the other. Place the Terminal Blocks on the game board's 4 terminals, matching their colors, in this order: + - - +.
3. Choose a yellow or red Score Marker and place it on the first empty space of your score track.
4. Shuffle the deck. Deal four cards to both players, then set the deck beside the game board as a draw pile. Discarded cards will be placed face-up in a discard pile next to it.
5. The oldest player goes first.

Object

Be the first player to collect four sets of five cards each.

Overview

Players take turns placing cards on either side of the board. Once there are five cards on any given color, the Terminal Token (high or low) will determine the winner of that point. But, of course, it's not that easy. Special cards giving you the power to flip the token, swap and eliminate cards mean a single move can be a game changer!

How to Play

On your turn, you must do one of three things:

1. Play a card and draw a card, in that order.

OR

2. Play two cards on two different colors.

OR

3. Draw two cards.

Number cards must be played on their matching color terminal; Bypass and Blown Fuse cards can be played on any color (see The Cards).

You may play cards on your side or on your opponent's side of a terminal.

You may have no more than six cards in your hand at any time during your turn.

You should always have an even number of cards in your hand at the end of your turn. Make sure you keep the draw pile tidy so you can't see anything beneath the top card. If you run out of cards in the draw pile, reshuffle the discard pile.

The Cards

Number Cards

These cards are numbered 1-3, and their colors match one of the four terminals on the game board.

Bypass Card (Swap)

Bypass cards can be played on any color, but you can only play them on your opponent's side of a terminal. A Bypass card allows you to take any Number card from your opponent's side of that terminal and move it to your side. Bypass cards stay on the table after being played and count toward that terminal's five-card set.

You may not use the Bypass card to move a card from your side of a terminal to your opponent's. Bypass cards have a value of 0 when totaling the value of your cards.

Blown Fuse Card (Remove)

Blown Fuse cards can be played on any color, but you can only play them on your opponent's side of a terminal. When played, you can take any card from your opponent's side of that terminal and place it in the discard pile. The Blown Fuse card takes the discarded card's place and counts toward that terminal's five-card set.

You may not use the Blown Fuse card to remove a card from your own side. Blown Fuse cards have a value of 0 when totaling the value of your cards.

Transformers (Card Back)

The backs of 18 cards show the "V" image fully lit. These card backs are Transformers (the front of the card will be a Number, Bypass, or Blown Fuse). If a player draws a card with a Transformer on the back, that player adds the card to their hand, then must flip any one of the Terminal Blocks, reversing its polarity (from + to - or vice versa).

Transformers only flip Terminal Blocks when they are drawn into your hand, not when you play them on a terminal. If a player is dealt a Transformer at the beginning of the game, treat it as a normal card and do not reverse any Terminal Blocks. If a player draws two Transformers in the same turn, they must flip over two Terminal Blocks; they may flip the same Terminal Block twice.

Winning a Set

As soon as five cards have been played on a single color terminal in any combination, e.g., three cards on your side and two on your opponent's, a set is declared immediately, and no further action can be taken until that set is scored.

Players add up the card numbers on their side of the terminal (NOTE: Bypass and Blown Fuse cards have a value of 0; see The Cards). If the Terminal Block is turned to the + side, the player whose cards have the highest total numeric value wins the set. If the Terminal Block is turned to the - side, the player whose cards have the lowest total numeric value wins the set.

In the case of a tie (even if the totals on each side of the terminal are 0-0) the player who played the fifth card loses the set.

The player who wins the set moves their Score Marker ahead one spot on the scoring track. The completed set is then placed in the discard pile and play resumes.

Winning the Game

The first player to take four sets and advance their Score Marker to the end of their score track wins the game.