Board Game Arena - User contributions [en]

Gamehelpviticulture

2026-03-25T16:16:57Z

Sergeantvimes: /* Overview */ Corrected points value for end-game trigger.

== Overview ==
Welcome to wine country! In Viticulture, players manage a vineyard over the course of several years/rounds, attempting to make more valuable wines and fulfill orders. Players use their workers for various actions, but with the twist that actions are restricted to specific seasons. The player with the most points once any player has 25 or more points wins!

== Game Anatomy ==
Each player has the following components:
* Workers. These are further divided into regular workers and a grande worker, which is larger than the others and has a G on it. These can be placed on various spaces to perform actions, but the grande worker can be placed even if that action space is otherwise full.
* Lira, the game's currency. These are usually spent to build structures, train new workers, and some other visitor cards.
* A hand of cards, which may contain the following types of cards:
* * Vines and grapes, represented by green cards. These represent the types of wines you can make. These contain a wine color (red or white), a starting value, and building prerequisites.
* * Wine orders, represented by purple cards. These show the types of wine you need, and a reward in both points and residual income once completed.
* * Summer visitors, represented by yellow cards. These can be played for a one-time effect.
* * Winter visitors, represented by blue cards. These can also be played for a one-time effect. The primary difference between these is when they can be played.

Each player also has a game board showing the following things:
* Three fields. These show all planted vines. Each of these fields has a maximum value - the total value of all vines can never be larger than this number.
* The crush pad, showing the value of all grapes you have access to.
* The wine cellar, showing the value of all wine available.
* All built structures. These each have different abilities and will be discussed on an individual basis.

The main game board has the following things:
* The turn order, with bonuses. Players choose when to act on this, but the later players choose to act, the bigger bonus they will get.
* Actions available, each divided into summer (yellow, on the left half of the board) and winter (blue, on the right half) actions. Note that the number of these that are available for use depends on the number of players in the game.
* The score track. Players usually score points by completing wine orders, but can also score using certain visitor cards or actions.
* Residual income. At the end of each round, players earn lira based on this amount. This is usually increased by completing wine orders.

== Setup ==
Each player, in addition to the items automated by BGA, does the following:
* Choose a mama and papa combination. This will determine what you start the game with, and usually guarantees you an assortment of cards, money, and three workers, one of which is a grande worker.
* Your papa also gives an additional choice - starting the game with a building or comparable bonus, or starting with more money. Choose whichever option you prefer.

A first player will randomly be selected. You are now ready to begin.

== What To Do On Your Turn ==

A round in Viticulture consists of one year, which is further broken into four seasons and an end-of-round cleanup phase.

=== Spring ===
In spring, players plan for the upcoming year by choosing turn order. Starting with the first player (designated by the grapes) and proceeding around the table, players choose one of the seven spaces on the turn order track and place their rooster there. This designates the turn order for the round. Players also get a bonus when placing their rooster on the track; in general, the later in the turn order they choose, the better the bonus.
1st: No bonus
2nd: Gain 1 green card
3rd: Gain 1 purple card
4th: Gain 1 lira
5th: Gain 1 yellow card or 1 blue card
6th: Gain 1 point
7th: Gain an additional worker this round; this can be used as if it were a worker of your color, but is lost at the end of the year

=== Summer ===
In summer, players take actions related to building their vineyard. Players take actions by placing a worker on any unoccupied space, then immediately taking that action. Note that the number of spaces for each action scales with the number of players in the game:
* In a 2 player game, only one worker can be placed on each action.
* In a 3 or 4 player game, two workers can be placed on each action, one of which has a bonus action attached to it.
* In a 5 or 6 player game, three workers can be placed on each action, one of which has a bonus action attached to it.

The actions available are:
* Draw a green card: Draw 1 green card and add it to your hand. (Bonus: Draw a second green card.)
* Give a tour: Gain 2 lira. (Bonus: Gain 1 extra lira.)
* Build a structure: Build one of your structures for the indicated cost. You now have the bonus attached to it for the rest of the game.(Bonus: Gain 1 lira - this is gained before building, so it can effectively act as a discount.) See the Structures section for a summary of what these do.
* Play a yellow card: Play one of your visitor cards from your hand. Do what it says, then discard it. (Bonus: Play a second yellow card afterwards.)
* Sell a grape/field: Choose one: Sell one of your grapes to gain lira based on its value, or sell a field to gain lira based on its maximum value, or buy a field for its maximum value in lira. You may only sell a field if it is empty, and cannot interact with a sold field unless you buy it back. (Bonus: Gain 1 point.)
* Plant a green card: Put one of your green cards in a field. You must have the building prerequisites listed on the card (if any exist), and this can't cause the total value of all vines to exceed the maximum value of the field. (Bonus: Plant a second green card afterwards.)
* Gain 1L: Gain 1 lira. This action can be taken by any number of workers and during any season.

If a player no longer wishes to take actions, they may pass, and all of their remaining workers are usable in the winter. Once all players have passed or have no available workers, players proceed to autumn.

=== Autumn ===

During autumn, players host visitors. Each player draws either a yellow or blue card (players who have built the Cottage may take two cards).

=== Winter ===

During winter, players take actions related to making wine and fulfilling orders. The turn structure here is identical to the summer phase.

The actions are:
* Gain 1 purple card: Draw a purple card. (Bonus: Draw a second purple card.)
* Harvest a field: Gain grapes from a field. Add up all red vines in your selected field and gain a red grape of that value, then do the same for white vines/grapes. You may never have two grapes of the same value at any given moment; if something would cause this, the grape goes down to the next lowest value. This does not consume green cards on the field. (Bonus: Harvest a second field.)
* Train a new worker: Pay 4 lira to gain a new worker. This worker will be available to take actions for the next and all subsequent years. (Bonus: Gain 1 lira - this functionally acts as a discount.)
* Play a blue card: Play one of your visitor cards from your hand. (Bonus: Play a second visitor card after the first.)
* Make wine: Make up to two wine tokens. To make red or white wine, just move the tokens on the grapes to their corresponding wines. To make blush wine, add the values from a red and white grape together. To make a sparkling wine, add the values from two red and one white grapes. Wine values are restricted by your cellar size - if you attempt to make a wine your cellar can't hold, it will be downgraded to the highest value it can accommodate. (Bonus: Make a third wine token.)
* Fill an order: Discard a purple card and wine tokens equal to or higher than the value shown on them, and gain points and residual income on the card. (Bonus: Gain 1 point.)
* Gain 1L: Gain 1 lira. This action can be taken by any number of workers and during any season.

Once all players have used all workers they have available, the round ends.

=== Year End ===
At the end of each year, the following things happen:
* All grapes and wine age. Move each to the next highest available space (keeping in mind wine can't age past what the cellar can hold - in this case, the tokens remain where they are)
* Return all workers to their respective players.
* Collect residual income.
* Discard down to 7 cards total. This only includes cards in your hand, not cards in fields.
* Rotate the first player token to the right (that is, in the opposite order players would normally choose turn order).

If any player has 20 or more points, the game ends here. Otherwise, start a new year.

== Structures ==
The structures you can build for various bonuses are:
* Trellis (2L): Allows you to plant more valuable vines
* Irrigation (3L): Allows you to plant more valuable vines
* Windmill (5L): Once per year, whenever you plant a new vine, gain 1 point
* Yoke (2L): Unlocks an additional worker space, allowing you to harvest 1 field or uproot and return a planted green card to your hand
* Tasting Room (6L): Once per year, when you give a tour and you have at least one wine in your cellar, gain 1 point
* Medium Cellar (4L): Your wine cellar can hold wines up to value 6. (Without this, you can only have wine up to value 3.)
* Large Cellar (6L): Your wine cellar can hold wines up to value 9. You must have the Medium Cellar to build this.
* Cottage (4L): Allows you to draw a second visitor card each autumn.

== End Of The Game ==
The game ends at the end of any year in which any player has at least 20 points. The player with the most points wins the game! If there's a tie, the player with the most leftover lira wins. If there's still a tie, the player with the highest combined value of all their wines wins. If there's still a tie, the player with the highest combined value of all grapes wins. If there's still a tie after that, the victory is shared!

Gamehelphardback

2024-07-26T02:28:46Z

Sergeantvimes: Fixed the point values for alternate game lengths.

[[Category:Card games]]
== Quick Help ==
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== How To Play ==

Hardback is a deck-building word game. Each player starts with their own deck of 10 Starter cards: The 8 letters (A, E, I, L, N, R, S, T) plus 2 random letters from the set (B, C, D, G, H, M, O, P, U, Y). Each player has their own draw and discard piles. A shared deck of 140 cards from 4 other genres is used to form the offer row. The 5 genres in the game are: Starter (grey), Adventure (yellow), Horror (green), Mystery (blue), Romance (red). A colored bar in the player panel displays the current composition of each player's deck.

=== Spell A Word ===

Each round you receive a hand of 5 cards from your deck. Use these cards (and any '''Timeless Classics''', if available) to spell a word. When your turn begins, your hand of cards automatically move into the current word area. Simply drag and drop the cards to rearrange them. You're not required to use all your cards and can remove cards from your word by clicking the card or dragging it up to your hand area. If you change your mind, you can re-add a removed card by clicking it (adds to the end of your word) or dragging it down to your word in the proper position.

Any card can be made wild, but wild cards do not provide any benefits. Click '''WILD''' below a card to flip it face-down and assign any letter by clicking or typing the letter. If you change your mind, click '''UNCOVER''' below a wild card to flip it face-up.

Any cards left in your hand are discarded. You cannot save cards from one round to the next. If you can't spell a word, you may choose to skip your turn.

=== Resolve Card Benefits ===

The face-up cards in your word provide various benefits. Hover your mouse (on mobile: tap and hold) on the benefit section of the card to see more information.

• Basic benefits are listed ''in black, above the line''. You gain these every time you use the card face-up to spell a word.

• Genre benefits are listed ''in color, below the line''. You gain these if you have at least one other card of the same genre (color) in play (in your word or in the '''Timeless Classics''' area).

Coins (¢) allow you to purchase new cards and ink. Points (★) increase your final score. Abilities alter the state of play in special ways:

• Double (on Romance/red cards) allows you to double the coin and point values provided by an adjacent card. If you double the same card twice, it is tripled (not quadrupled). When you double or triple a card, the numbers on the card change are highlight in yellow. Doubling doesn't count towards activating genre benefits or allow you to perform any other abilities twice.

• Dump (on Romance/red cards) allows you to remove a card from your discard pile to gain an amount of coins.

• Jail (on Mystery/blue cards) allows you to either reserve or remove a card from the offer row. If you reserve the card, it goes into your personal jail, allowing only you to purchase it later. You can only reserve one card at a time. In both cases, the effect to other players is the same: The card you choose won't be available to them anymore.

• Preview (on Romance/red cards) allows you to draw 3 cards from your deck and return or discard each card.

• Remover (on Horror/green cards) grants you an ink or remover. This is the only way to get remover.

• Trash (on Adventure/yellow cards) allows you to remove that particular card from your word to gain an amount of coins or points.

• Uncover (on Mystery/blue cards) allows you to flip an adjacent wild card back to its face-up side, allowing you to play a card as any letter and still earn the benefits. (The card played as wild card has to be placed next to your blue 'Uncover' card.)

Cards are that removed (through Dump, Jail, or Trash) are discarded from the game. In the unlikely event that you go through all 140 offer row cards, the removed cards are reshuffled to form a new offer row deck.

=== Flush Offer Row ===

In certain situations, you can trash all 7 cards in the offer row and get 7 new cards. You will be prompted to do this once per turn, before purchasing, if either condition is met:

• At least 4 cards in the offer row cost 6¢ or more

• At least 4 cards in the offer row are the same genre (color)

In the Cooperative Anthology variant, players can never flush the offer row.

=== Purchase ===

You can purchase ink and cards from the offer row using the coins you earned this turn.

Each card's cost is indicated in the price tag in the top-left corner. Click a card to purchase it. Note that some Adventure (yellow) cards also indicate a number of points on the price tag. This is not a cost, but a one-time benefit you ''earn'' when purchasing the card.

Ink costs 1¢. Any coins you do not spend are automatically converted to ink at the end of your turn. You cannot save coins from one turn to the next.

It is possible to convert ink earned on previous turns back to coins at a reduced rate (3 ink for 1¢). Board Game Arena only presents this option when it would allow you to purchase something that you otherwise couldn't afford.

A clock icon displays below the oldest offer row card. This card is trashed at the end of your turn if the offer row did not change (e.g., you did not jail cards, flush the offer row, or purchase cards).

=== Timeless Classics ===

All cards from your word are discarded at the end of your turn, except Timeless Classics.

There are 12 Timeless Classic cards, which are printed sideways. When you spell a word using a face-up Timeless Classic card, it stays in play at the end of your turn. On subsequent turns, you continue to gain the benefits of the card ''whether or not you use it in your word''!

Your Timeless Classic card stays in play until another player uses it in their word, which sends it to your discard pile. Any player can use any active Timeless Classic when spelling a word, no matter which player owns the card, but these cards cannot be made wild.

When you use another player's Timeless Classic card, you do not get any benefits and its genre does not count towards triggering other genre benefits in your word. Astute authors will use other players' Timeless Classic cards anyway in order to discard the card.

=== Ink and Remover ===

After your turn is complete, you may immediately begin working on your next word, including using any previously obtained ink and remover. At any time before you spell a word, even during another player's turn, you can draw additional cards from your draw pile by spending 1 ink per card. Inked cards '''must''' be used in your next word and cannot be made wild.

Remover cancels ink. You can spend 1 remover to convert an inked card back to a normal card, meaning you are no longer required to use it in your word. Remover can only be obtained by playing certain cards; it cannot be purchased.

Pressing your luck with ink is the only way to draw additional cards in Hardback. If you push your luck too far and can't form a word with all inked cards, you must skip your turn.

=== Game End ===

When a player reaches 60 points, the game ends at the conclusion of the current round (all players receive the same number of turns). The player with the most points is the winner and the finest author of the age! In the case of a tie, the player with the most ink remaining wins the game.

Note: A game option allows the creator of the table to specify a longer (90 points) or marathon (180 points) game. The game options display on the confirmation screen before the game starts and during the game under the top-right corner menu.

== Variants ==

=== Literary Awards ===
Literary Awards provide bonus points to the players who spell the longest word, encouraging players to compete more directly.

Awards are based on word length and start at 7 letters. You earn an award corresponding to the length of your word if no player has yet earned a higher award. All players may earn the same award. For example, the first player to spell a word with 7 letters earns the 7-letter award. Other players who spell 7-letter words also earn the 7-letter award. If any player spells a 10-letter word, they earn the 10-letter award and all lower awards are discarded.

Because awards can be lost, they are not scored immediately and do not count towards the 60-point threshold needed to end the game. Players in possession of an award at the end of the game earn the 5 - 15 bonus points.

{| class="wikitable" border="2" style="width:auto;"
! Length
! Literary Award
|-
| 7 letters
| 5 points
|-
| 8 letters
| 6 points
|-
| 9 letters
| 7 points
|-
| 10 letters
| 9 points
|-
| 11 letters
| 12 points
|-
| 12 or more letters
| 15 points
|}

=== Adverts ===

Adverts allow you to purchase points with coins.

Each player can only purchase each advert once, and they must be purchased in the order listed. You can buy multiple adverts (in order) during your turn. Points from adverts are scored immediately.

{| class="wikitable" border=2" style="width:auto;"
! Cost
! Advert
|-
| 6¢
| 3 points
|-
| 9¢
| 6 points
|-
| 12¢
| 10 points
|-
| 15¢
| 15 points
|-
| 18¢
| 20 points
|}

=== Cooperative Anthology & Solo Mode ===

In this challenging co-op variant, 1 - 4 players win or lose together against archrival Penny Dreadful. The following rule changes apply:

• Penny Dreadful takes a turn after each player. She purchases the oldest (right-most) card in the offer row and earns points equal to the card's cost.

• In the ''Cooperative Anthology With Signature Genre'' variant, Penny Dreadful also earns points based on the condition displayed in her player panel. You can select a specific genre for Penny during table creation using the game options, or allow BGA to select one at random.

• Players can never flush the offer row.

• Any player can use your Timeless Classic cards without discarding them. Instead, each time a new card is added to the offer row during your turn or Penny Dreadful's turn immediately following your turn, your oldest Timeless Classic card of that same genre is discarded.

• The game is played to a final score of 60 points per human player (for example, play to 180 points with 3 players). The game ends immediately when one side - either the players or Penny Dreadful - earns enough points. The players win if they beat Penny's score (tying with Penny is a loss).

• If playing with Literary Awards, only one player may win an award.

== Differences from the Physical Game ==

If you've played the first edition board game in real life, note that minor rules changes from the game designer have been incorporated in the BGA adaption to improve balance.

• The offer row is guaranteed to change each turn.

• The Horror H card benefits have been changed. Astute players were able to avoid the penalty "All other players must return an unused ink or remover" by spending their ink/remover tokens out-of-turn. The new benefits of Horror H are: 1¢ and 2★ (basic), 1¢ per inked card in your word (genre)

• All players (not just the first) may earn the same Literary Award.

• In the Cooperative Anthology variant, a maximum of 1 Timeless Classic card is discarded per card added to the offer row. For example, if you have both Romance B and Romance K in play and a Romance card is added to the offer row, only the older of Romance B/K will be discarded.

• Ghostwriting, Events, and Player Powers are not implemented.

Gamehelpdownforce

2024-01-23T16:06:13Z

Sergeantvimes: /* Start of the game */

[[Category:Card games]]
Downforce is a card-driven bidding, racing, and betting game for 2-6 players based on Top Race, the award-winning design by the legendary Wolfgang Kramer. Players first bid to own the six cars in the race, then they play cards from their hand to speed them around the track. However, most cards will also move their opponents' cars. So figuring out just the right time to play a card is the key to victory. Along the way, players make secret bets on who they think will win the race. Whoever has the most money from their prize money, winning bets, and remaining bank wins.

== Start of the game ==

The game is composed of:

* a game board
* six colored cars (black, blue, green, yellow, orange, red)
* 42 speed cards with one to six lines with a color and a speed on each
* six special speed cards with a single speed line
* power cards with special abilities

A race circuit is chosen and all six racing cars are placed randomly on starting spaces. Then, six color cards are shuffled and disposed on a stack. Each player takes an equal number of speed cards (in 4 or 5 player games, 2 cards are not dealt and are left in the box).

== Auctions ==

The first color card is then drawn and every player will secretly and simultaneously choose a card from their hand to bid on it. The highest speed line matching the current auction color will win the auction and get the car, the special speed card and a power card associated with the car (if this game option has been selected).

*Winning bids count against your final score. E.g. if you win the bid with a card listing 5 speed for the current auction, this counts as -5 points end game.

*Cards used for bidding are returned to your hand. This means that you may use the same card for different auctions.

*Wild cards can only be used for a bid if no other cards in hand contain the current auction color. As a last resort, if none of the cards in hand have the current color on auction AND no cards in hand have a wild, then you may play any card for the bid, counting the lowest number as the replacement bid.

*When all auctions are processed, the race begins.

Some notes on auctions for games less than 6 players:

*'''All players must win at least 1 car by auction.''' As such if the remaining number of cars match the remaining number of players, only players who yet to win a car can participate in that auction.
* '''Players that win an auction for more than 1 car can only keep 1 of the powers won, if Powers are included in your game'''. After all auctions end, choose 1 power to keep and discard the rest.
* '''Tie breakers.''' If more than one player ties for the current auction, the card with more different cars listed wins. If still tied, then the card with fewer Wild symbols shown wins.
* '''Rare All Wild/No Bid.''' There could be a car auction where all players play card bids that either do not correspond to that color, or use a Wild. (Wilds can only be played when no cards in hand have the color being auctioned). In the case of tie in this rare case, this car color is set aside and the rest of the colors are auctioned as planned. If by the end of the auction there are player(s) still needing car(s), the set aside colors are brought back to auction. Otherwise, the set aside cars will not be owned by any player. These still race and can be bet on. However, no player will benefit by the end game finish ranking of those car(s).

== Player's turn ==

During a player's turn, a player plays a speed card and moves in order every car that matches a speed line on it from top to bottom. To move a car, click on the card and then click on one of the highlighted spaces of that color. If playing a wild card, the first car you click on will be the wild move.

Cars have to move as far as possible unless blocked by "traffic jams" and it is the current player that moves all cars, even opponents'. It is advised to play opponents' cars so badly they become stuck and cannot move.

If during a turn a car crosses a yellow line, all players must secretly bid on which car will win the race. Betting on the winner will provide additional points and sound bets can win a game even for the last of the race.

== End of the game ==

The game ends when all of the cars have crossed the finish line. Payouts are given to players according to their race results:

* '''1st''': $12M
* '''2nd''': $9M
* '''3rd''': $6M
* '''4th''': $4M
* '''5th''': $2M

Additionally, betting payouts are awarded as follows:

* '''First bet''':
** Betting on 1st: $9M
** Betting on 2nd: $6M
** Betting on 3rd: $3M
* '''Second bet''':
** Betting on 1st: $6M
** Betting on 2nd: $4M
** Betting on 3rd: $2M
* '''Third bet''':
** Betting on 1st: $3M
** Betting on 2nd: $2M
** Betting on 3rd: $1M

The initial bid money is then subtracted.

In the event of a tie for who has the most money, the player (from among those with the most money) whose car finished in the higher position is the winner.

== Variants ==

=== Powers ===
Powers can be added into the game for additional complexity and more dynamic games. During each car auction, a power is attached to a car an the winner of the auction get the power. If a player has several powers, they must choose only one.

The base powers are the following:

* '''Aggressive''': If you play a card with your car at the top the the card, you may move that car 1 additional space
* '''Cunning''': You always move your cars, even on other player's turns
* '''Determined''': On any player's turn, if your car moved into only rectangular spaces, you may move it 2 additional spaces
* '''Strategic''': If you play a speed car with all six colors on it, you may ignore one color of it
* '''Tricky''': On your turn, you may move the cars in reverse order, from lower to highest
* '''Unpredictable''': If you play a card with a wild on it, you may use that wild for a color that is already on the card

If the "additional powers" option is selected, the powers from the ''Danger Circuit'' expansion are added into the game:

* '''Ambitious''': On any player's turn, if your car crosses a betting line you may move it 2 additional spaces
* '''Experienced''': On any player's turn, if any car starts its movement in a space directly ahead of your car, you may move your car into the space that car moved out of
* '''Tough''': On any player's turn, if your car ends its movement in a space adjacent to a Rumble Strip, you may move it 2 additional spaces. "Rumble Strips" are alternating white and red rectangles on the edge of the track on some maps.
* '''Bold''': On your turn, if your car would move 1 or 2 spaces, move it 3 spaces instead
* '''Defensive''': If none of your cars move on your turn, move one of your cars 3 spaces
* '''Reckless''': On your turn, if your car moves through a Tight Space, you may move it 2 additional spaces. A Tight Space is a diagonal movement between and across two other cars that are diagonally adjacent.

E.g.
* 1 X
* X 2
* OR;
* X 2
* 1 X

with
*1 - start of movement,
*2 - end of movement, and
*X's as the other cars.

=== Betting variants ===

Two additional betting variants are provided:

* '''odds betting''': instead of normal betting payout, multiply the '''current''' position of the car you bet on (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) by the betting modifier (3 for finishing 1st, 2 for finishing 2nd, 1 for finishing third on the first bet; 2,1,0 for the second and; 1,0,0 for the third) to get the payout at the end. For example, your first bet is on a car that is in 4th place and it ends up in 1st place at the end of the race, your payout is 4x3 = $12M! If you bet on a car that is in second on the second bet and maintains that place to the end of the race, you would only earn 2x1 = $2M. And finally, if you bet on the 1st place car on the last bet, but they end up placing only 3rd, you would get nothing because 1x0 = $0M.

* '''odds betting, winner only''': same as above but only the winning car provide payouts, making it a high risk, high reward game of all or nothing!

== Race Tracks ==

There are 6 tracks for choosing in the game.

=== River Station and Marina Bay ===
These are normal boards with no special features.

=== Crosstown Speedway ===
This track features two crossover loops and two split sections. Cars entering the crossover loop must move into the loop. They cannot move directly from the entry to the exit directly or with a power.

=== Switchback Pass ===
This track features dangerous spaces which are too small to fit any cars and have cracks on them. They can only be used to pass another car. You cannot end your movement on it and you are forced to move back to a regular space if there is one.

=== Aloha Sands ===
This tracks features ramps which can be used to zoom ahead. They can only be used if the car has an equal or higher speed than the one on the ramp, has at least 1 space of movement remaining and the landing space is empty.

=== Savanna Stretch ===
This tracks features animals including antelope, elephant and python. They occupy one space on the board and block any movement. At the end of a turn in which at least one car has passed an animal, that animal moves to its next open space on the board (or leaves the board if it was on its final space).

Gamehelpheat

2023-10-30T02:34:35Z

Sergeantvimes: Fixed typo

== Playing a Round ==
''Heat: Pedal to the Metal'' is played over several rounds. Some steps are compulsory, the rest (4-8) are all situational and only sometimes apply to your turn.

All players complete steps 1 and 2 at the same time (do them in order, but without waiting for each other). Then, starting with the frontmost car, closest to the Race Line, complete steps 3 through 9. Once a car has completed step 9 and ended their turn, proceed back through the positions completing one car’s turn at a time. Repeat this sequence until all cars have finished the race (check the number of laps on the board for the track you are using).

{| class="wikitable" style="width:auto;text-align:center;" border="2"
|-
! # !! Effect !! Notes
|-
| 1 || Shift Gears || ''Compulsory''
|-
| 2 || Play Cards || ''Compulsory''
|-
| 3 || Reveal and Move || ''Compulsory''
|-
| 4 || Adrenaline ||
|-
| 5 || React ||
|-
| 6 || Slipstream ||
|-
| 7 || Check Corner ||
|-
| 8 || Discard ||
|-
| 9 || Replenish Hand || ''Compulsory''
|-
|}

=== Shift Gears ===
First, check which gear your car is in, and de.........cide if you want to leave it there or shift it one gear up or down from that position.

Note: You can choose to shift your gear up/down two positions, but doing so will require that you pay one Heat

=== Play Cards ===
Your current gear determines exactly how many cards you play from your hand. 1st gear means you must play 1 card, 2nd gear is 2 cards, and so on.

In this step you can play all types of cards except for Heat cards. Keep the 1-4 played cards facedown in your own Play Area.

=== Reveal and Move ===
Reveal the cards in your Play Area, then add all values together to determine your Speed. You also add values from Upgrades (see below) and Stress cards (each resolving to a random value from 1 to 4, drawn from your deck - see the "+ Symbol" section). Move your car forward by exactly that many Spaces on the track. Always put your car on the Spot closest to the Race Line if available.

Cars never prevent you from passing through them, even when it looks like the race track is blocked. However, if you would end your move in a Space where there are cars on all Spots, then you are blocked and must put your car in the first Space with a free Spot behind the cars that blocked you (as close to the Race Line as possible).

If there are 2 cars next to each other, the car closest to the Race Line is considered ahead for all purposes.

=== Adrenaline ===

Adrenaline helps the last car to move each round (or in a 5-6 car game, the last two cars to move). It is not really a step of its own, but gives those players extra symbols that they may use in the React step. Players with Adrenaline may move 1 extra Space while adding 1 to their Speed value and/or gain 1 extra Cooldown.

Note: Adrenaline cannot be saved for future rounds.

=== React ===
In this step you get to activate symbols you have access to in ANY order you want.

In the core game you have access to symbols from your current gear (Boost and/or Cooldown) and Adrenaline if last. Each symbol is activated and completed individually.

==== Cooldown ====
Cooldown is an important aspect of the game because it allows you to take a Heat card from your hand and put it back in your Engine (so you can use the Heat card again). The number in the Cooldown symbol indicates how many Heat you can move in this way. You gain access to Cooldown in a few ways but the most common is from driving in 1st gear (Cooldown 3) and 2nd gear (Cooldown 1).

==== Boost ====
Regardless of which gear you are in you may pay 1 Heat to boost once per turn. Boosting gives you a + symbol as reminded on the player mats. Move your car accordingly, you may still be blocked.

Note: + symbols always increase your Speed value for the purpose of the Check Corner step. 

==== Adrenaline ====
May use your +1 Speed and/or 1 extra Cooldown

==== Garage Module Icons ====
Apply any of the icons on Garage Cards during the react step

=== Slipstream ===
Only applies if you are next to or behind another car at this point.

Slipstreaming is optional if you land next to another car, or in a Space behind a car or cars. If you choose to Slipstream, you move 2 Spaces forward. You can only Slipstream once per turn and if all the Spots in the final Space are occupied, place your car in the first Space with a free Spot behind the blocking cars.

Note: Slipstreaming does NOT increase your Speed value for the purpose of the Check Corner step.

=== Check Corner ===
If at any point this turn you crossed a Corner Line, you must now check if your total Speed for the round exceeds the Speed Limit of that corner (Speed = Sum of the values of all the Speed cards in your Play Area, +1 if you used the Adrenaline Bonus).
<ul>
<li>• If your total Speed for the round is equal to or lower than the Speed Limit, nothing happens.</li>
<li>• Otherwise, you pay Heat equal to the difference between your total Speed and the Speed Limit.</li>
</ul>

Note: If you drive through several corners on the same turn, you must pay for each of them separately, starting with the first Corner Line you crossed.

==== Spin Out ====
If you do not have enough Heat to pay for your excess Speed,
you pay all the Heat you have and immediately spin out:
<ul>
<li>• Move the car back to the first available Space before the Corner Line that caused the spin out.</li>
<li>• Take 1 extra Stress card into your hand if you are in 1st/2nd gear, or 2 extra Stress cards if you are in 3rd/4th gear.</li>
<li>• Move your Gear pawn to 1st gear.</li>
</ul>

=== Discard ===
You may discard cards from your hand if you do not want to save them for future rounds. Do so by placing them face up into your discard pile. However, nobody can browse through the discard piles (including their own); only the top card is public knowledge.

Note: You can never choose to discard Stress or Heat cards (even the Upgrade ones).

=== Replenish Hand ===
Take all cards from your Play Area and put them onto your discard pile. Draw back up to 7 cards (or a hand limit specified by the Event card), then the next player can proceed with steps 3-9.

== Heat Cards ==
As you race around the track you should use Heat to drive faster on straights and in corners. As a consequence, Heat cards will move from your Engine to your discard pile. Later on they will be shuffled into your draw deck and each
your hand. The only way to get Heat cards out of your hand and back into the Engine is to cool down, typically by shifting to lower gears. This cycle means the same Heat card could be used several times during a race, depending on how fast you use it, draw it and cool it down again. Heat cards can never be discarded or played from your hand. They effectively reduce your hand size by filling it up with useless cards.

==== Paying Heat ====
Every time you are asked to pay 1 Heat, you must take 1 Heat card from your Engine and move it to your discard pile. If you do not have a Heat card available, you cannot choose to Boost. If you went through a corner exceeding the Speed Limit and do not have enough Heat to pay, you spin out.

==== Shifting up/down 2 positions ====
If you want to move your Gear pawn an extra step up or down (e.g. between gears 1&3 or 2&4) during step 1: Shift Gears, you have to pay 1 Heat immediately. As everyone shifts gears at the same time, just announce you are doing it, pay the Heat and move your Gear pawn accordingly.

== Cluttered Hand ==
In rare circumstances you can get stuck with so many Heat cards in your hand that you don’t have enough playable cards for the gear you’re in. If this happens, use as many playable cards as possible and cover the difference with Heat cards. In this case, your car does not move this turn. Instead, when you reveal your played cards, immediately move your Gear pawn to 1st gear, place the cards that are in your Play Area in your Discard pile, and skip straight to step 9 (Replenish Hand).

== + Symbol ==
For each + symbol played you will add an unknown value between 1 and 4 to your Speed. This is done by flipping the top card of your draw deck:
<ul>
<li>• If it is a Basic card (Speed symbol), add it to your Play Area.</li>
<li>• Otherwise, immediately put it in the discard pile and keep flipping until you find a Basic card (Speed symbol).</li>
</ul>

== How to Win ==
You win the race (and the game) by being the first player to cross the finish line after the number of laps indicated in the player area. If two or more cars finish in the same round, the winner is the player whose car is furthest ahead (the spot closest to the Race Line is the tiebreaker if two cars end up side by side).

<ul>
<li>• Slipstreaming can never be used to cross the finish line nor after having crossed the finish line. </li>
<li>• Disregard any Speed Limits in corners after the finish line, simply move as far as you can.</li>
</ul>

At the end of the round, all the cars that crossed the finish line are removed from the track and placed in order on the Hall of Fame Space on the board. The remaining cars continue playing until all cars make it to the finish. The Adrenaline bonuses are still applied based on the number of cars that started the race, not remaining on the board.

== Upgrade Cards ==
Note: All Upgrade Cards are discarded when resolving a + symbol.

==== Basic Upgrade Cards ====
The Basic Game provides three upgrade cards. They all have 3 chevrons (^) and match your car color. They also do not have the Speed Symbol that your basic cards do.
* • '''Heat''': Works just like other Heat cards, though it starts shuffled in your deck.
* • '''0''': Zero speed movement card.
* • '''5''': 5 speed movement card.

==== Garage Module Upgrade Cards ====

* • '''Scrap''': (Mandatory) Discard the top card of your draw deck the number of times indicated
* • '''Adjust Speed Limit''': (Mandatory) If you cross Corner Lines this turn, their Speed Limit is modified by the number indicated for you; “+” means you can move faster, “-” means you must move slower.
* • '''Slipstream boost''': If you choose to Slipstream in step 6, your typical 2 Spaces may be increased by the number indicated.
* • '''Reduce Stress''': You may immediately discard up to the number indicated of Stress cards from your hand to the discard pile.
* • '''Refresh''': You may place this card back on top of your draw deck instead of discarding it in step 9.
* • '''Salvage''': You may look through your discard pile and choose up to the number indicated cards there. These cards are shuffled into your draw deck.
* • '''Direct Play''': You may play this card from your hand in the React step (step 5). If you do, it applies as if you had revealed it in step 3, including Speed value and mandatory/optional icons.
* • '''Accelerate''': You may increase your Speed by 1 for every + symbol used by you this turn (from Upgrades, Stress, Boost, etc). If you do, you must increase it for all + symbols used and this counts for corner checks (step 7).