Mississippi

Designed by Roland Siegers
Published by Mattel

Each player receives a ship, and the following number of logs:

3 Players 20 logs
4 Players 15 logs
5 Players 12 logs
6 Players 10 logs

Decide who starts. The first player rolls the die, and places his ship with that number pointing down the course. After this ship has moved the other players will start in this same way. (Play proceeds clockwise.) Once all players have started, the die is not used again.

Moving

1. Players spend logs to move, at a rate of one open space per log. Occupied spaces do not count, as only one boat may be on a space at any time. Boats can be jumped at no cost. (See page 5 in the German rules for an example.)

2. Alternatively, players may move backwards and receive one log for each space moved back. A player may move back no more than 15 spaces at a time. Players with no logs must move backwards; if no logs are available, the player must still move backwards, although he or she receives no logs.

3. If the current player moves next to one other ship, a reaction takes place:

Compare the numbers on the two playing pieces that touch; the ship with a higher number is moved forward by the difference. Whenever moving, do not count spaces where another playing piece rests.

4. Multiple boats can end up adjacent to one another. In this case, the following applies:

If the current player holds an advantage over any adjacent boats, his or her boat moves forward. If move than one positive difference exists, add the positive differences and move forward. If all differences are negative, move the other pieces in clockwise order.

5. If moving pieces according to rules #3 or #4 above, the current player's boat ends up next to another piece, continue moving pieces according to these rules. If only other player's pieces end up adjacent, the turn is over.

6. A player may rotate his or her boat 60 degrees at no cost before his or her turn. Each additional 60 degrees costs 1 log. (Thus a full 180 degree turn costs 2 logs.) Boats may not be rotated before the first turn.

7. When moving, the orientation of a boat does not change relative to the board. Therefore, ships going through a corner will begin travelling down the next row pointing in the opposite direction from that they were previously. (See page 4 in the German rules for an example.)

The game ends when a player reaches the finish line.

The Game Cabinet - editor@gamecabinet.com - Ken Tidwell