Zoo Break Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Setup
  • 1. Board & Animals
  • 2. Initial Escapes
  • 3. Card Decks
  • 4. Keepers
  • 5. Begin!
  • Game Components
  • Board Info
• Keepers' Special Skills
• Play
  • 1. Roll the Die
  • 2. Use Your Actions
  • 3. Flip One Escape Card
  • 4. Flip One Move Card
  • Where To From Here?
• Keepers Beware!
  • Dangerous Animals
  • Recovering From Injuries
  • Other Risks to Keepers
• Actions & Tasks
  • Moving on Foot
  • Riding the Train
  • Drawing Supply Cards
  • Trading Supply Cards
  • Managing Supplies
  • Capturing Loose Animals
  • Searching Out Snakes
  • Locking Enclosures
  • Using the Barricade
• Escapes & Moves
  • Escape Cards
  • Move Cards
  • Shortest Path
  • Sneaky Snakes
  • Special Move Cards
• Final Notes
  • Keys to the Game
  • Variations
  • Credits

Setup

1. Board & Animals

Lay out the board in the center of the play area and place all the animals in their enclosures. Make sure snake tokens are shuffled and piled face-down.

2. Initial Escapes

The game begins with animals already on the run! Move one of each animal (except the rhino) to the first square outside its enclosure.

3. Card Decks

Set the difficulty of the game by adjusting the number of PHEW! cards in the Escape deck, as follows:

Difficulty	PHEW! cards
Easier	4 PHEW! cards
Standard	2 PHEW! cards
Harder	0 PHEW! cards

Shuffle ESCAPE cards and set them face-down near the board.

Shuffle MOVE cards and set them face-down near the board.

Shuffle SUPPLY cards and set them face-down in the Supply Shed.

4. Keepers

Distribute one keeper mat to each player. NOTE: Keeper's each have special skills to aid them in saving the zoo (see Keepers' Special Skills). Players can pick keeper mats randomly to try out different skills, or else choose according to preference.

Place the corresponding pawns on the starting square, below the zoo gate.

5. Begin!

Decide who will go first (the youngest player, for instance). Play then proceeds clockwise around the table. For gameplay instructions, see Play.

Game Components

• Keeper Mats (5)
• Pandas (4)
• Meerkats (12)
• Tigers (4)
• Rhino (1)
• Escape Cards (26)
• Move Cards (39)
• Capuchins (5)
• Snake Tokens (14)
• Elephants (4)
• Keeper Pawns (5)
• Action Die (1)
• Supply Cards (24)
• Reference Cards (4)

Board Info

The board features a Fountain, a Hedge Square, an Animal Enclosure, a Train Station, a Starting Square, and Path Squares.

Keepers' Special Skills

In their lives outside the zoo, the keepers have hobbies that have bestowed upon them specialized skills that are extremely useful as they help to save the zoo. Applied to gameplay, their abilities override the standard rules.

Gardener Special Skill: Shortcuts Rule Revision: Can move through and remain in hedges.

Track Star Special Skill: Speed Rule Revision: Can move up to 2 squares per action and leap over barricades.

Lucky Duck Special Skill: Extra Chances Rule Revision: Can re-roll up to two times per turn.

Black Belt Special Skill: Dodging Injury Rule Revision: Never gets injured by animals.

Angler Special Skill: Long Reach Rule Revision: Can flip snakes and capture animals on adjacent squares (but not diagonally).

Play

Each player's turn consists of four steps.

1. Roll the Die

...to determine how many actions you will have available.

2. Use Your Actions

...to avoid danger and complete tasks such as acquiring supplies, capturing animals, locking enclosures, etc.

3. Flip One Escape Card

...to determine the next animals to escape their enclosures.

4. Flip One Move Card

...to dictate animal movements, as well as other events that may affect play.

Where To From Here?

Details are in the remainder of this booklet, organized as follows:

• Keepers Beware! What threats are posed by the different animals, and what happens when keepers get injured.
• Actions & Tasks What actions and tasks keepers can complete during their turn, and how to do each.
• Escapes & Moves How animals escape and move through the zoo, and other events triggered by Escape and Move cards.

Keepers Beware!

Dangerous Animals

Some animals – tigers, elephants, the rhino, and harmful snakes (once revealed) – pose a danger to keepers.

An animal attack occurs when:

• A dangerous animal moves onto or through a keeper's space.
• A keeper ends their turn on the same space as a dangerous animal.
• A harmful snake is revealed on the same space as a keeper.
• A keeper is on the same space as a sedated tiger when a "Tigers Wake Up!" Move card is drawn.

All keepers on a given space are effected when an attack occurs there (unless they are protected by a special keeper ability, like Black Belt, or a supply, such as antivenom). Dangerous snakes are harmless until revealed (i.e. their tokens are flipped over). For more information, see Searching Out Snakes.

When attacked by an animal, a keeper is injured and immediately moved to the Medic Tent to recover.

Example: A tiger moves onto a square occupied by a keeper. The keeper is injured and moves to the medic tent to recover.

ZOO FACT: Animals in Zoo Break never attack one another. They're too busy evading capture! So, for example, while a tiger will attack a keeper sharing its square, it won't ever attack any of its fellow zoo animals. Similarly, the charging rhino will topple the barricade and injure any keepers its path, but it won't effect any zoo animals.

Recovering From Injuries

Injured keepers recover by moving to the Medic Tent and skipping their next turn. Although the recovering keeper may not roll or take any actions, Escape and Move cards are still drawn as part of the skipped turn. After this, the keeper is fully recovered and may leave the Medic Tent on their next turn.

VARIATION: "Miracle Cure" Sometimes – for example, when you have younger players – you may wish to observe the Miracle Cure rule. In this case, injured keepers are moved to the Medic Tent but DO NOT lose their next turn.

Other Risks to Keepers

Although not dangerous, certain other animals – namely pandas and capuchins – can create additional problems for the keepers. Capuchins are mischievous and may attempt to steal keepers' supplies. Pandas get lonely and may temporarily immobilize keepers with hugs. For more information, see Special Move Cards.

Actions & Tasks

Keepers use actions earned from their roll to complete tasks such as moving around the zoo, capturing animals, and locking enclosures. Tasks can be made up of one or more actions and you may perform the same task more than once in a given turn. Any unused actions are forfeited at the end of your turn.

Options for how to use your actions include:

• Moving on Foot
• Riding the Train
• Drawing Supply Cards
• Trading Supply Cards
• Capturing Loose Animals
• Locking Animal Enclosures
• Placing or Removing the Barricade

The following sections provide details on each task. They are also summarized on the included reference cards. NOTE: Other tasks may become possible as the result of special Move cards; getting free from a panda hug, for example. Any necessary details will be found on the relevant Move card or under Special Move Cards.

Moving on Foot

Moving takes 1 action per square. You CAN move onto and through path squares, the Supply Shed, the Medic Tent, the Snack Bar, or train stations (using doorways indicated by dotted lines). You CANNOT:

• Move diagonally;
• Enter animal enclosures or the fountain square; or,
• Move through barricades.

Riding the Train

Using 2 actions, you may ride the train between any two stations. You may not interact with any keepers or animals along the route and you cannot travel on a route that is blocked by the barricade.

Drawing Supply Cards

Using 1 action, a keeper in the Supply Shed may draw the top card from the Supply card pile OR any card from the Supply stockpile. To keep a supply, place its card in one of the spaces on your keeper mat. Once your inventory is full, you may not acquire another Supply card without first discarding one to make space. See also Managing Supplies.

Trading Supply Cards

Using 1 action, you may trade a supply with any keeper who occupies the same square as you. Each trade – which can be either giving, receiving, or exchanging one-for-one – counts as 1 action and you may trade as many times as the current player has available actions. See also Managing Supplies.

Managing Supplies

The zookeeper's supplies are vital, especially in emergencies – which, we admit, occur with alarming frequency at the Bedlam Zoo! Here are some tips to help you and your fellow keepers manage them effectively.

The Supply Stockpile Keepers initially find supplies in the pile inside the Supply Shed. However, as supplies are discarded – like when a keeper doesn't wish to add one to their inventory, or wishes to make room for something else – they become part of the Supply stockpile. When in the Supply Shed, keepers may choose any card they like from the Supply stockpile in lieu of drawing a new card from the face-down pile.

For ease of play, the stockpile should be formed alongside the game board, adjacent to the Supply Shed, as shown.

Repeat Use vs. Placement Most supplies – nets, leashes, tranquilizers, etc. – are held in inventory and used repeatedly throughout the game. However, two types – enclosure keys and the barricade – are used by placing them directly on the board (as seen in the upper-left corner of the photo above).

Repeat Use	Placement
Net	Barricade
Leash	Enclosure Keys
Snake Tongs
Tranq Darts
Stretcher
Antivenom

Capturing Loose Animals

With the appropriate tools and number of actions, a keeper may capture a loose animal. The keeper must be on the same square as the animal and have the required supply(ies). Some animals require two distinct steps to capture; others, only one. The guide below summarizes the required steps, equipment, and actions for each type of animal.

Animal	Capture requirements
Meerkat	Capture with net – 1 action
Capuchin	Capture with net – 2 actions
Panda	Capture with leash – 2 actions
Elephant	Capture with leash – 3 actions
Snake (2 steps)	Reveal by flipping snake token – 1 action; capture with tongs – 1 to 3 actions
Tiger (2 steps)	Sedate with tranquilizer – 2 actions; capture with stretcher – 2 actions
Rhino	No direct capture; trap in enclosure – 3 actions

ZOO FACT: Captured animals are miraculously returned directly to their enclosures. They do not need to be physically delivered there.

Searching Out Snakes

Snake tokens emerge from their enclosure face-down because the snakes are slithering sneakily toward the zoo exit. Before they can be captured, keepers must 'search' for them, by flipping over their tokens. This costs 1 action per token and the keeper must be on the same square as the token being flipped.

WATCH OUT! Some snakes are dangerous, so revealing them may lead to injuries to you or your fellow keepers. For details, see Dangerous Animals.

Tranqing Tigers Before tigers can be loaded on a stretcher and returned to their enclosure, they must be tranquilized. Unlike other capture tools, tranq darts can be used from a distance, provided there's a clear line of sight.

Use Tranq Darts to sedate loose tigers (2 actions ea.). Must have straight line of sight.

You CANNOT shoot around corners or through hedges or the fountain. You CAN shoot over the barricade or from within the Snack Bar, Supply Shed, Medic Tent, train stations, or (if you're the Gardener) a hedge. Shooting a tranq dart uses 2 actions, regardless of the distance to the tiger. Tranqs do not affect keepers or other animals.

Once tranquilized, a tiger is laid on its side. It remains sleeping on its square until it is stretchered or a "Tigers Wake Up!" Move card is drawn.

Rounding Up the Rhino Because of its size and aggressive behavior, the rhino cannot be directly captured by the keepers. Instead, the team must lock its enclosure when it happens to be inside. For details, see Rhino Charges.

Locking Enclosures

Locking an enclosure requires 3 actions and the designated key, obtained from the Supply Shed. The keeper must be on the square directly outside the enclosure and may only lock it when none of its animals are loose in the zoo. (Animals that have already exited the zoo are exempt.)

Once a given enclosure is locked, no more of the animals in that enclosure may escape (i.e. Escape cards no longer have any effect on that type of animal).

REMEMBER: When using a key, the keeper removes it from their inventory and places it over the entrance to the enclosure.

Using the Barricade

With 1 action, you may place or remove the barricade (from) between any two path squares. When in place, the barricade blocks or re-routes animals' paths to the zoo exit. The keeper must be on one of the two adjacent path squares when placing or removing the barricade.

When placing the barricade, remove it from your inventory and place it on the board, as pictured. When removing the barricade, you may either add it to your inventory (if you have room) or to the Supply stockpile.

Additional notes for barricade use:

• A barricade must always go between two path squares – i.e. you CANNOT use it to directly block the entrance to an enclosure, nor the edge of the board at the zoo exit.
• A barricade blocks animals and keepers alike. The only exceptions are the rhino, which can charge straight through a barricade (immediately returning it to the Supply stockpile) and Track Star, who can leap over it like a hurdle.
• When the barricade blocks an animal's shortest route to the exit, the animal will then shift to the shortest unblocked route. For details, see Shortest Path.
• If the barricade is placed across the train tracks, that set of tracks is disabled until the barricade is removed.

Escapes & Moves

A keeper's turn is completed by flipping over one Escape card and one Move card. (To ease play, it is helpful to designate one person to handle each pile throughout the game.)

Escape Cards

Escape cards determine the order and rate of animals escaping from their enclosures.

All animals (except the rhino) escape by moving to the first open space outside their enclosure, following the shortest available route to the exit. The box below explains in more detail. See also Shortest Path.

When you reach the end of the Escape card pile, reshuffle the deck. On the next turn, begin again with the top card. Any animals that have been returned to their enclosures via capture may escape again, until their enclosures are locked. The deck may reset as many times as needed until the game ends.

Beware Danger! If, in the process of escaping, a tiger or an elephant lands on a keeper's square, that keeper is injured and immediately moves to the Medic Tent to recover. For more information, see Dangerous Animals.

Rhino Charges Unlike other animals, the rhino never attempts to exit the zoo. Instead, when directed by a "RHINO CHARGE!" Escape card, it charges straight across the zoo and remains in the open space beneath the train station. When another "RHINO CHARGE!" card is drawn, it charges back into its enclosure (and so on and so forth), as pictured. WATCH OUT! A charging rhino takes out any keepers or barricades in its path.

How Animals Escape

When escaping, the animals prefer to find space not already occupied by other animals, so: An escaping animal (except for the rhino) moves to the first open space outside its enclosure, following its shortest available route to the exit.

An open space is one not occupied by another animal (including a sleeping tiger); it may be occupied by one or more keepers, and an animal's arriving there may cause the keeper(s) to be injured.

Animals can occupy the same space as the result of subsequent moves.

If the barricade is blocking all of the escaping animals' routes to the exit and all spaces behind the barricade are already occupied, then new escapees pile up on the square immediately behind the barricade.

Move Cards

Move cards determine the pace at which different animals move toward the zoo exit, as well as other events which may affect play. Only animals that have escaped from their enclosures follow the directions on Move cards.

When you reach the end of the Move card pile, reshuffle the deck. On the next turn, begin again with the top card. Reset as many times as needed until the game ends.

Shortest Path

When moving, animals always follow the shortest available route – first moving up or down, then left or right – to the zoo exit. If no routes are barricaded, then the shortest routes for each animal are as shown on the board diagram (meerkats, pandas, tigers, and elephants each have their own most direct route toward the zoo gate).

When the barricade is on the board, it can change the shortest route to the exit for a given animal. For example, when a barricade is placed in the center path below the fountain, some animals (such as the snake and meerkat nearest the barricade) must backtrack before taking a new route; others (such as the meerkat near the top of the board) must take a totally different route; and for some (such as the panda), it means no change at all.

When moving left or right involves the same number of squares to the exit, the animal will move toward the side of the board where its enclosure is. So pandas, meerkats, and tigers will break to the left-hand side of the board, while snakes, elephants, and capuchins will break to the right-hand side.

Sneaky Snakes

Remember, snake tokens emerge from their enclosure face-down. Until a token is flipped, its snake(s) cannot be captured nor do any harm. See Searching Out Snakes.

Place captured snakes face-up in their own pile in the snake enclosure. When all other snakes have left the enclosure, reshuffle and place the captured tokens face-down. They may then escape again until the enclosure is locked.

Special Move Cards

Special Move cards trigger other events which may, depending on circumstances, help either the keepers or the animals. Details on each are included below.

Broken Barricade! The barricade falls, allowing animals to pass.

• Place the barricade card in the Supply stockpile.
• The barricade card may be retrieved from the Supply Shed and used again.

Buddy System! One keeper may join another anywhere on the board.

• Buddy System may be used to pull an injured keeper out of the Medic Tent, but unless playing the Miracle Cure variation, they must still skip a turn.
• The Gardener can pull other keepers into hedge squares.

Capuchin Raid! Each loose capuchin moves to and steals a supply from the keeper on a path square nearest the Supply Shed.

• The raided keeper chooses which of their supplies are stolen.
• If two or more keepers are the same distance from the Supply Shed, players decide which is raided.

Energy Boost! The next player to roll receives three additional actions on their turn.

• Unused actions are forfeited at the end of the turn, as normal.

Lonely Pandas! Each loose panda finds and hugs the nearest keeper, immobilizing them both.

• A panda can only be removed by the keeper it is hugging.
• Once removed, a panda may be captured. Otherwise it resumes moving toward the exit from the square where the hug occured.

Meerkat Fountain Party! All loose meerkats proceed to the fountain to cool off.

• Only the Angler, using the skill of long reach, may capture meerkats while they remain on the fountain square.
• Meerkats proceed from there as soon as a new Move card directs them.

Scaredy Cat! If loose, the tiger closest to the zoo exit returns immediately to its enclosure.

• Aaawww, poor kitty.
• Does not apply to sedated tigers.

Snake Flip! All loose snake tokens are immediately flipped.

• Super helpful sometimes but watch out! Dangerous snakes will immediately attack any keepers on their squares.

Snake Flute! A mysterious melody floats by and the three snake tokens nearest the zoo exit return to their enclosure.

• Applies to both flipped and unflipped snake tokens.
• Players may flip the tokens and see which snakes have been returned to the enclosure.

Spilled Peanuts! Hot roasted peanuts have spilled outside the Snack Bar; all loose elephants stampede there to gobble up the mess.

• Elephants first move up or down, then over, to take the shortest path to the Snack Bar, injuring any keepers (other than Black Belt) along the way.

Supply on Path! The keepers discover an extra supply lying on the path.

• Keepers may draw from the face-down pile or select from stockpile.
• The keeper receiving the supply must either have free space in their inventory or discard something else in order to keep it.

Tigers Wake Up! Sleeping tigers wake up.

• Jeez... why won't they stay ASLEEP?!
• Any keepers on their squares (other than Black Belt) are injured and sent to the Medic Tent.

Final Notes

Keys to the Game

• React and anticipate. You will be reacting to events as they unfold, and you'll undoubtedly need to adapt your strategy as the emergency evolves. Try to anticipate potential problems – for example, certain animals escaping or moving faster than others – in order to manage the chaos.
• Consider the options, then decide. You must work together with your fellow keepers, so be ready to share ideas and debate the best way to proceed. But each player gets to make the final decision for how their keeper acts on their turn.
• Lock ye cages. Rounding up animals, especially dangerous ones, is critical. But don't focus so much on it that you forget to lock the cages too, or else the animals will just keep coming!
• Duck and cover. Remember you can use places like the Supply Shed, Snack Bar, Medic Tent, and train stations as hiding places, preventing injuries and other calamities that might befall you on the zoo path.

Variations

• Remember, you can dial the difficulty of the game up or down by adjusting the number of PHEW! cards in the Escape deck and/or by playing with the Miracle Cure rule.
• It's a collaborative game, so naturally the label says two players and up. But it's actually possible to play solo, either with a single keeper or by playing two or more of them yourself. (Or expand the game with multiple players playing multiple keepers, if that's what suits you.)
• All that teamwork takes a lot of talking. Try doing accents!
• Amend the rules in any other way that makes the game more rewarding for you and your team! We'd love to hear what you come up with.

Credits

Design & Artwork: Alexa Forrester & Chris Guenther Box Artwork: Thomas James

Special thanks to Eben & Cameron Guenther, Melissa Wenzel, Tim McGraw, our extended families, and all our playtesters.

© 2018 Sunday Club Games