15 Minutes to Self-Destruct Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
• How to Play
• Switches
• Action Cards
• End of the Game
• Advanced Play

Components

Age 8+. 2–4 players. 15 minutes.

Contents: Game board, 4 game characters, 32 action cards, 24 door tiles, 13 switch tiles, 2 dice, 1 plastic Control module/Escape Pod, 4 non-slip stickers, 1 extra phone raising board.

Setup

Before the first game:

1. Download the free 15 Minutes to Self Destruct App from the App Store or Google Play.
2. Put the non-slip stickers in the corners of the innermost frame rectangle in the centre of the board.

Before each game:

1. Fit your phone onto the non-slip stickers centred on the game board area as shown, and then place the Escape Pod on top.
2. If you have trouble reaching your phone with your fingertip through the module screen, raise your phone higher inside it with the phone raising board.
3. Place the activation switches and bulkhead doors on the game board. Make sure the letter on the back of each door matches the location where it is placed. Slide each door so the green "open" symbol is hidden, and the red "closed" symbol shows. Each switch is placed on the matching number, with the red, deactivated side showing. An example of the set-up board is shown in the rules.
4. Shuffle the action cards and place the deck face down beside the board.
5. Choose your crew member and place them in the matching Sleep Pod space in the corner of the game board.
   • You don't always play with four players. If there are two players, take two crew members each. For three players, the oldest player starts alone with only one crew member on one side of the board.
6. Place the two dice on top of the Escape Pod screen.

How to Play

1. There is a yellow area line printed through the middle of the game board. This divides the front and rear zones of the ship. Note which zone your crew member is in. Press start on the App to start the 15 minute race to the Escape Pod!

2. On your turn, you can either roll dice to open doors or move your crew member to any part of the ship they can reach through opened doors. The starting player must roll dice, because all crew members are behind the closed Sleep Pod doors.

3. Opening Doors – roll both dice on the Escape Pod screen. You can either add them together or use them as single dice. So, for example, a roll of 3 and 4 could be used to open door 3 and door 4 or door 7. However, you only open and close doors in the zone your crew member is standing in.

   If you cannot open doors with the numbers rolled you will have to shut doors! You must use both dice rolled to either open or close doors, or open one and close one, if possible. There are some impossible combinations for each zone where you can't use both dice rolled. When you roll such an impossible combination, take the top Action card (see Action Cards).

4. Moving – if the right doors are open you can move your character. You can move to a switch and activate it by flipping it over. Or you might wish to only move closer to a switch to avoid being held back by a door closing in front of you.

   You must move your character through the corridors (touching each corridor segment between two doors); you cannot just jump them to the position you want to move to. If your path is blocked by a closed door, stand in front of it, not on it. If you move into the opposite zone, remember your dice rolls open (and close) doors in that zone only!

Switches

The switches are numbered and they are flipped over when activated. Switches with blue handles need just one crew member to activate them.

Red handles need two crew members to be on the same spot to activate them. Flipping a switch ends your turn.

Action Cards

If you can't use both dice rolled to open or close doors, take the top Action Card!

The cards can trigger game-changing elements and are split into two sections: Normal phase and Red Alert Phase. The Red Alert Phase occurs in the last three minutes of the countdown.

In the normal phase during 15–3 minutes, read the blue section. During the Red Alert phase, read the red section.

In both phases, first see if the card deactivates one of the switches. If the switch of that number has previously been activated, flip it over to deactivate it again. The card may also close some doors. Follow that instruction as well. The instruction tells you how many doors across the ship have to be closed.

Some cards feature a KEEP symbol. This means you can hold the card and use it on any player's turn at any point until the end of the game. If the game goes into the Red Alert phase after the card has been drawn, only the red alert action can be used from the card.

For other cards, you must follow the instructions on them right away after having drawn them. Once used, discard them face up.

Example cards (as printed):

• Example card with two sections: the blue (normal phase) section reads "Open all doors equal to the next player's dice roll"; the red (Red Alert phase) section reads "All doors 10–12 open".
• Example card with a blue section only: "Deactivate switch 13", then "Close doors 01 x1".
• The Keep symbol marks a card that is held until used, as described above.

End of the Game

In order for the players to beat the game, all switches need to be activated and all crew members need to reach the Escape Pod in time. When the whole crew is in the Escape Pod, touch and hold the Pause button for 3 seconds to launch the Escape Pod and win!

If the time runs out, the game beats you before you can escape!

Advanced Play

Beating the basic game might take a few attempts but once you have done it, try the advanced levels!

Level 2 – Artificial Gravity Failure: In this version the crew members are limited by how far they can move. If you wish to move, you can only move through a maximum of two doors on your turn.

Level 3 – Enhanced Security: In this version the red handle switches are harder to operate. To activate a red handle switch you now need 3 crew members.

Level 4 – The Ultimate Escape: Combine levels 2 and 3.