Game by ?.
Published by ?.
Translation by Emanuel Soeding
(esoeding@geomar.de).
For every main topic in the rules, I will write a short summary about its contents.
Drive your chariot 3 complete rounds through the ≥circus maximus . Who crosses the finish line first, scores the most points. Who won the most points after an agreed number of races (we recommend 4) shall be the overall winner.
3-4 players use side A of the gameboard (see illustration in the german rules). The racetrack leads clockwise over the white course. 5-6 players use side B of the gameboard. Use the yellow course clockwise.
Every race takes 3 rounds, with every player passing the cesars lane once.
Each player gets a chariot and the coin and cards in the matching color. Racing cards contain the limited amount of points, which are necessary to move the chariots for the 3 rounds of the race.
Every player shuffles his racecards and turns over the top card. The one with the highest card puts his chariot on the starting position labeled 1. The others proceed clockwise. Shuffle all your cards again including the one turned over.
The one who takes the shortest line on the track uses up the least points. 3 or 4 players have only 4 points in excess, 5 and 6 players have 6 points in excess, so stay close to the shortest possible line. Don t waste race points.
Each player piles his racecards in front of him/her, and draws the 3 first cards. (S)he may look at them secretly. The chariot on position 1 starts the race, by playing one card, and moving his chariot the respective number of spaces as written on the race card. Then (s)he draws a new card. All other players follow in clockwise order.
1. The chariots have to be moved forward, never backwards. They can change the lane at every dashed line by moving diagonaly to the next line. They can not jump over walls (what a wonder).
2. Each player has to play a race card and move in his turn even if (s)he has to take a longer outer lane in corners. If a chariot is completely blocked, a player doesn t have to play a card, and of course doesn t move this turn.
3. Every space can be occupied by only one chariot.
4. The leading chariot may not play a ≥6 , exept at the start.
5. No one can jump over opposing chariots, but they can be overtaken using free spaces. Don't jump over walls.
Every chariot has to pass the cesars lane once in a race, either after the first round, or after the second round. (S)he gives away his coin to show that (s)he did his/her duty, and continues with the race.
The chariot passing the finish line first, after completing 3 rounds and visiting the cesars line once, is the winner. (S)he gains 6 points. Congratulations! The second ranked gains 4 points, the third 3 points, the fourth 2 points and the fifth gets 1 point. The sixth gets nothing (something like honour an hope for the next race, what a rubbish).
For 3 or 4 players we recomend the blue course for the 2nd race. 5 or 6 players should use the red course. The player who lost the last race gets the first position in the next race, the others follow clockwise. 3rd and 4th race should use the same courses ging counterclockwise. The overall winner is the one gaining the most points after 4 races (or less, as far as I remember 4 races take quite a while.....).
1. Inner parts of corners are shorter than the outer ones. To save points use them.
2. Dont waste too much points using outer lanes, or you will run out of race points.
3. The game is most fun if you play mean. Try to force your opponents to the outer lanes.
4. Use narrow passes to block your opponents if possible.
5. Try to block your opponents at the beginning of the cesars lane.
6. Players might choose a variant for starting positions. The winner of the last race may occupy position 1, the one who was second gets position 2 and so on. Adjust the seating order around the table, so everybody takes his turn clockwise.
The leading player may never play a ≥6 . If the leading player has only ≥6 -racecards, he has to wait, until somebody passes him. If more than one chariot is leading, none may play a ≥6 . As soon as the first chariot finished the race, none of the other is considered to be the first one.
If someone leading gets stuck in a narrow pass with 3 ≥6 cards, he may move his chariot with one of his cards. If the same happens with two players leading (both have 3 ≥6 cards), the first one may play one of his ≥6 cards.
Changing lines: Look at the illustration in the rules, how lines can be changed between opposing chariots and walls.
Chariots have to be moved forward, never backwards.
Caesars lane: If a chariot blocks the cesars lane after the 2nd round, and a player behind it still has to get rid of his coin, (s)he has to wait (skip a turn), until the blocking chariot is out of the way.
Corner: who is leading? Look at the illustration (the red chariot leads of course).
Walls: can never be crossed.
Race cards: the chariot has to move ALL the spaces written on the race card, or the card can not be played.
Draw new cards after you played one (if your stack isn t empty).
If a chariot couldn t reach the finish line, because it ran out of race-cards, no points are awarded.
Sideward moves are not allowed.
Starting positions: If two players turned over the same number, while determining starting positions, they turn over the next card. The higher card wins.
The absolutely first chariot crossing the finish line after running three rounds wins.
A chariot has to be moved if it can move, even if it has to move to longer outer lanes.
bla bla bla......
Last but not least: Have fun!!!!