Wo war's?
Wo war's? Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Contents
- Preparation Before the First Game
- Get-to-Know Round (Kennenlernrunde)
- Basic Rules for All Variants
- Cooperative Introductory Game (Kooperatives Einsteigerspiel)
- Game for the Shrewd (Spiel für Gewiefte)
- Expert Game (Spiel für Experten)
- Further Game Variants
- Operating the Dragon Rock (All Games)
Contents
- 25 dragon thalers (Drachentaler)
- 1 electronic dragon rock (Drachenfelsen) and 1 dragon (in two pieces)
- 1 game board (Spielplan)
- 1 thief (Dieb)
- 5 game pieces (Spielfiguren)
- 5 player chips (Spielerchips)
The dragon rock has a speaker, a display, a star button (start/pause), a magic button (for choosing a game and for the electronic die), and an on/off switch on its underside. These rules refer to the two buttons as the "star button" and the "magic button."
Preparation Before the First Game
- Carefully punch the chips out of the punch sheet.
- Assemble the dragon.
- Open the underside of the dragon rock and insert 3 batteries of type AA/LR6, 1.5 volt, into the battery compartment. This should be done by an adult. To open the battery compartment you need a Phillips (cross-slot) screwdriver. Please also note the instructions on page 8.
- Switch the dragon rock on at the underside and place it next to the game board so that everyone can see it well.
- Place the dragon on the rock.
Note for parents: Besides the Get-to-Know Round, the game offers three game variants of increasing difficulty. We recommend playing the Get-to-Know Round first, so that all players become familiar with the sounds, the corresponding motifs, and their position on the game board. The operation of the dragon rock is explained in the yellow box at the start of each game variant.
If no input is made for three minutes, the electronics switch to sleep mode. The display goes out even though the device is still switched on, and it can be "woken" with any button. The current game cannot then be continued, and a new game must be started.
Get-to-Know Round (Kennenlernrunde)
Learn the sounds and the motifs that belong to them, on the game board.
Look at the game board closely. You will find 22 motifs, each of which is assigned a particular sound. Listen to the individual sounds and try to find the matching motif on the board. For each sound, the display shows a letter. The table below shows all the sounds and motifs at a glance.
| Sound | Motif |
|---|---|
| Fanfare | A new game begins |
| Sea and gulls | Sea (Meer und Möwen) |
| River | River (Fluss) |
| Forest, birdsong | Forest (Wald, Vogelgezwitscher) |
| Road with cows | Road with cows (Straße mit Kühen) |
| Witch | Witch (Hexe) |
| Sheep | Sheep (Schafe) |
| Rooster and hens | Rooster and hens (Hahn und Hühner) |
| Crow | Crow (Krähe) |
| Horse | Horse (Pferd) |
| Children | Children () |
Get-to-know round: how to operate the dragon rock
| Action | How? | Display shows |
|---|---|---|
| Switch on | On/off switch | Game selection |
| Choose game | Magic button, 1 press | — |
| Start | Star button | The first sound plays; the display shows its letter |
| Next sound | Magic button | The display shows the letter of the next sound |
| Repeat sound | Star button | The display shows the letter of the sound being repeated |
| Abort | Star button, long press | — |
| End of game | Automatic | Game selection |
Once you have heard and recognized all the sounds, the game can begin!
Basic Rules for All Variants
During the whole game, the dragon gives you hints about the field the thief is currently on. To do this he always imitates the sounds of the living creatures or things on the fields. Your task is to listen carefully to the dragon and recognize the thief's path from the order of the sounds.
How the thief moves:
- The thief always moves exactly one field further.
- The thief moves only horizontally or vertically, never diagonally.
- The thief never goes back to the field it has just come from.
Between the sounds there are pauses, during which you hear nothing. This tells you when the thief enters a new field. After a few sounds you will be able to tell where the thief must be. If you combine the trail of sounds, you can work out the thief's location.
A game runs over several rounds. The electronics control the length of each round, which can be between 10 and 24 sounds long.
Important: The thief cannot be caught during a round, only at the end of a round. Whoever catches the thief at the end of a round wins a dragon thaler.
Cooperative Introductory Game (Kooperatives Einsteigerspiel)
Together you try to find the thief. You all play with one shared game piece.
Setup
- Place the game board in the middle of the table. It is best to sit in a semicircle in front of it.
- Choose one game piece. Place this piece on any field of the game board. You all play with this one piece.
- Place the thief and the dragon thalers ready next to the game board.
- Return the remaining game pieces and the five player chips to the box.
- Place the switched-on dragon rock with the dragon next to the game board.
Goal of the game
... is to combine the sounds of the dragon correctly and stay on the thief's trail. You play together against the thief. If at the end of the round you reach the same field the thief is on, you receive one dragon thaler. If you cannot reach that field, the thief receives one dragon thaler. The game is played over several rounds. Whoever first collects three dragon thalers, you or the thief, wins.
How to play
The youngest player begins and carries out their turn. Play then continues clockwise. Whoever is on turn does the following:
1. Roll the die
The active player presses the magic button. The die starts. Everyone listens to the sound.
Notes:
- While a sound plays for 10 seconds and the die shows the result, no input is possible on the magic button.
- The sound cannot be interrupted.
2. Move the piece
The glowing lamp on the die shows how many fields you must move:
- You move horizontally or vertically from field to field. Diagonal moves are not allowed.
- Movement points must not be forfeited.
- Within a single move you may not enter the same field more than once, i.e. you may not go forward and then back again.
- If you roll a four (the die face showing four pips), you may go around in a circle and re-enter your starting field.
- You may enter every field, including the sea, the river, or climb over walls.
Dragon field: If the dragon field lights up, you may jump with the game piece to any field of your choice, and the dragon takes you along. You may also fly back to your starting field. Consult together about where the thief could now be, so that you do not lose its trail. The active player moves the piece.
Special rule, the witch: The witch helps the thief escape and sometimes takes it along on her broom. If you hear the witch:
- 1x The thief has moved onto one of the three witch fields.
- 2x The witch has taken the thief to one of the two other witch fields.
- 3x The witch has taken the thief to one more witch field.
Note: The witch never flies back to the witch field from which she has just started.
End of a round
A round ends when you hear the drumroll. For 20 seconds the display now shows the field on which the thief is located. It shows the coordinates of the game board, alternating between a number and a letter. For example, if you see "E" and "4", the thief is on the field with those coordinates. Place the thief on this field. If your game piece is also on this field, you have caught the thief and receive one dragon thaler. If not, the thief receives one dragon thaler.
Note: The display cannot be aborted.
End of the game
The game ends as soon as you or the thief have collected three dragon thalers. Whoever first achieves this has won the game.
Game for the Shrewd (Spiel für Gewiefte)
The game is played like the Introductory Game, with the following differences:
- Each player plays with their own game piece, and each player plays against the others.
- The sounds now run automatically, one after another.
- You are under time pressure: you must get ready with your roll of the die and your move of your game piece!
- Different scoring rules apply.
Setup
- Prepare the game board and the dragon rock as in the Introductory Game.
- Each player takes one game piece and the matching player chip. Place your game piece on any field of the game board. The chip in your colour is placed in front of you.
- If fewer than five players are playing, return the surplus game pieces and player chips to the box.
- Place the 25 dragon thalers and the thief ready next to the game board.
Goal of the game
... is to combine the sounds of the dragon correctly and to stay on the thief's trail. Whoever has managed, at the end of the round, to get closest to the thief wins dragon thalers. The game is played over several rounds. The player who first collects five dragon thalers wins.
How to play
The eldest player begins and carries out their turn. Play then continues in turn order. Whoever is on turn does the following:
1. Roll the die
Press the magic button once and start the die. Everyone listens to the sound.
Notes:
- You hear each sound for 10 seconds.
- Pay attention to the pauses between the sounds. They tell you when the thief enters a new field.
- The sounds now run automatically and independently of the die. Roll and move quickly, so that you are soon back on turn!
2. Move the piece
The movement rules are the same as in the Introductory Game. The witch may also get in your way in this variant.
Note: More than one game piece may stand on a field.
End of a round
A round ends when the drumroll sounds. The display now shows, for 20 seconds, the field on which the thief is located. Place the thief on this field.
Note: The display cannot be aborted.
Scoring
Case 1: One player has reached the thief. If your game piece stands on the same field as the thief, you have caught the thief and receive two dragon thalers. The player or players who could come second closest to the thief also receive one more thaler. All other players receive nothing.
Example:
- Red receives two thalers.
- Yellow and Blue each receive one thaler, because both are the same distance from the thief (diagonals do not count!).
- All other players receive nothing.
Case 2: Several players have reached the thief. If several players stand on the same field, every player standing on it receives one dragon thaler. All others go empty-handed.
Example:
- Yellow, Red and Purple each receive one thaler.
- All other players receive nothing.
Case 3: No player has reached the thief. If no player could catch the thief, the player or players standing closest to the thief receive one thaler.
Example:
- Yellow receives one thaler, because he stands directly next to the thief.
- All other players receive nothing, including Red and Purple, because both stand two fields away.
End of the game
The game is played over several rounds. The player who first collects five dragon thalers wins.
Expert Game (Spiel für Experten)
The game is played like the Game for the Shrewd, with the following differences:
- Each player plays with hidden identities. That means each player knows only their own player colour, not that of the other players. Try to keep your colour secret for as long as possible, because every player may move any game piece.
- You hear the sounds for only five seconds, half as long as in the other variants!
Setup
- Prepare the game board and the dragon rock as in the Game for the Shrewd.
- Place all five game pieces together on any field of the game board, no matter how many are playing.
- One player takes the player chips and distributes them face down to the other players. If fewer than five players are playing, set the surplus chip(s) aside face down.
- Remember to redistribute the player colours before each new round!
- Place your player chip face down in front of you, and keep your player colour secret.
- Place the 25 dragon thalers and the thief ready next to the game board.
Goal of the game
As in the Game for the Shrewd.
How to play
The player with the longest hair begins and carries out their turn. Play then continues in turn order. Whoever is on turn does the following:
1. Roll the die
Press the magic button and start the die. You hear each sound for only five seconds. Roll and move quickly, so that you are soon back on turn!
2. Move the piece
The movement rules are the same as in the Introductory Game. However, you may move any game piece according to the result of the die. Try to keep your identity hidden for as long as possible, so that your fellow players do not recognise you straight away and steer you in a direction that is unfavourable for you. Then the next player in turn order takes their turn and presses the magic button.
Special rule, the witch: the witch may also get in your way in this variant.
End of a round
A round ends when the drumroll sounds. The display shows the field on which the thief is located. Place the thief on this field. The players turn over their player chips and reveal their player colours. The dragon thalers are distributed according to the scoring rules of the Game for the Shrewd.
End of the game
The game is played over several rounds. The player who first collects five dragon thalers wins.
Dragon rock operation for the Expert Game
Choosing this game takes four presses of the magic button, instead of one press for the Get-to-Know Round, two for the Introductory Game, and three for the Game for the Shrewd. The rest of the operation is identical to that of the Game for the Shrewd. The full operating table is given at the end of this rulebook.
Further Game Variants
- The Introductory Game can also be played with one game piece for each player.
- The Game for the Shrewd can also be played with hidden identities.
- The Expert Game can also be played without hidden identities.
- All game variants can also be played alone. In this case the rules of the Introductory Game apply.
Operating the Dragon Rock (All Games)
Remember to switch the dragon rock off on its underside after the game.
| Game | Action | How? | Display shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1, 2, 3, 4 | Switch on | On/off switch | Game selection |
| 1, 2, 3, 4 | Choose game | Magic button | Game-selection symbols, one after the other |
| 1 | Start | Star button | The first sound plays; the display shows its letter |
| 2, 3, 4 | Start | Star button | The first sound plays; the display shows its letter |
| 1, 2 | Next sound | Magic button | The display shows the letter of the next sound |
| 1 | Repeat sound | Star button |
Note on the table: the display symbols in the original are shown as icons; where the original shows a letter or a symbol, this table describes it in words.
Notes on use (translated from the booklet)
- If no button is pressed for more than 3 minutes, the device switches into sleep mode to save power. Even in this mode, batteries can gradually run down over time. To continue playing afterwards, any button must be pressed.
- Switch the electronic dragon rock off on its underside after playing.
- Do not take the device apart. Do not expose it to direct sunlight or any other heat source.
- Keep liquids out of the device.
- Clean the surface with a dry or slightly damp cloth. Do not use chemical solvents.
Safety notes (translated from the booklet)
- Non-rechargeable batteries must never be recharged!
- Rechargeable batteries may only be charged under adult supervision.
- Rechargeable batteries must be removed from the toy before being charged!
- Different battery types, and new and used batteries, must not be used together!
- Insert batteries according to the polarity signs "+" and "−" correctly.
- When the batteries are flat, or if the toy will not be used for a longer time, the batteries must be removed!
- The connection terminals must not be short-circuited!
- We recommend using alkaline batteries.
- Use only batteries of the specified type or an equivalent type.
- Always replace all batteries at the same time, never just single ones.
The publisher's copyright and address block and the disposal notice for electrical waste were omitted as boilerplate.