Bandits on Mars Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• Hunt Preparation
• Course of the Hunt
• Cards

Contents

• 30 Bandit cards
• 10 Wanted cards
• 3 Sheriff cards
• 3 Escape cards
• 2 Ballerina cards
• 6 Brawl cards
• 1 The End card
• 3 Sheriff tokens
• 1 Heart token
• 1 Escape token

Hunt Preparation

During play you will be asked to make quick hand movements. Please remove rings, watches, bracelets and other hand or wrist ornaments, do not use excessive force during the game, and keep fragile objects away from the play area. The players are solely responsible for any damage caused to objects and/or people during the game.

1. Search the deck for the three Bandit cards with white circles in the corners and place them face up in the center of the table.
2. Take the The End card and place it face down beside the play area. Shuffle the other cards, take a number of them equal to the number of players minus one (for example, 3 cards if there are 4 players), and place them face down on top of The End card. Shuffle this small deck and deal one face-down card to each player, who places it in front of them without looking at it.
3. Deal the rest of the deck clockwise, starting with the first player. The first player is the one who most recently visited Mars, or who most recently watched a film or TV series set in the Old West. Players take the cards they are dealt and, without looking at them, form their own personal deck, placing it face down on top of the card they already received. Depending on the number of players, take a number of Sheriff tokens (1 token for up to 3 players, 2 tokens for up to 6 players, or 3 tokens for up to 8 players). Scatter the Sheriff, Heart and Escape tokens in the center of the table. You are now ready for the Hunt!

Example, 4 players (step 2): The End card is placed face down beside the play area, with three face-down cards stacked on top of it.

Course of the Hunt

The first player begins the Hunt. Each turn of the Hunt consists of the following steps:

1. The player reveals the first card of their deck and places it in the center of the table, near the cards already revealed and where everyone can see it. It is important to reveal each card so that all players see it at the same moment, including the player revealing it.
2. If the card just revealed calls for it, all players may simultaneously attempt a Capture. A Capture consists of using one hand to quickly cover a Bandit card or a token. The only case in which a Capture with both hands is permitted is that of the Brawl card (see section "Cards"). If more than one player simultaneously attempts to capture the same card or token, the Capture is won by the player who covers the card or token with their hand first. The players who succeed in the Capture resolve the effect called for by the captured card or token.
3. The turn passes to the next player clockwise.

Cards

A. Bandit card. Bandit cards represent the five bandits to be hunted. Each bandit appears in three colour variants (red, green and light blue). Each time a Bandit card is revealed, it is placed face up (Revealed) in the center of the table, or next to the Bandit cards already revealed. Each Bandit card has a bounty ranging from 1 to 3 Credits. At the end of the Hunt, the Credits will determine the player's score.

B. Wanted card. When a Wanted card is revealed, every player must try to capture the bandit depicted on the card among those in the center of the table, regardless of its colour and whether it is face up (Revealed) or face down (Hidden). After the Capture, the Bandit cards are checked: a player who captured a correct Bandit card places it face up beside their personal deck. A player who captured a wrong Bandit card returns it to the center of the table. After the Capture, every Bandit card left on the table is turned face down (Hidden). Try not to draw too much attention from the Bounty Hunters! The Wanted card is then returned to the box and removed from the game.

C. Sheriff card. When a Sheriff card is revealed, players must try to capture a Sheriff token in the center of the table or in front of another player. A player who already possesses a Sheriff token cannot capture another one, but may still defend their own from the Capture by placing a hand on top of it first. The player who succeeds in the Capture places the Sheriff token in front of them and gains the support of a cyborg sheriff from Woodburg, useful in case of escape attempts by captured bandits. The Sheriff card is then returned to the box and removed from the game.

D. Escape card. When an Escape card is revealed, players must try to capture the Escape token in the center of the table. The player who captures the Escape token, and any player who possesses a Sheriff token, is immune to the escape of the bandits. All other players must place on the Escape card, just revealed, all of their own captured Bandit cards of the same colour as the Escape card. The Escape card and its related Bandit cards are then placed beside the play area, while the Escape token is returned to the center of the table.

E. Ballerina card. The best show in Woodburg, which no cyborg, sheriff or bandit can resist! When a Ballerina card is revealed, players must try to capture the Heart token in the center of the table. The player who captures it forces all the other players to return their own Sheriff token to the center of the table. The capturing player then chooses, if one is present, an Escape card beside the play area, and places every Bandit card on the table face up (Revealed) on it. The Ballerina card is then returned to the box and removed from the game, while the Heart token is returned to the center of the table.

F. Brawl card. When a Brawl card is revealed, every player must try to capture any Bandit card in the center of the table, Revealed or Hidden, of the colour indicated by the Brawl card. When this card is revealed, players may use both hands (what else would a brawl be?) to capture 2 different Bandit cards. After the Capture, every Bandit card left on the table that is Hidden is turned face up again (Revealed): no bandit can be lost in a brawl! The Brawl card is then returned to the box and removed from the game.

G. The End card. The End card represents the end of the Hunt. When The End card is revealed, all players add up the Credits of the Bandit cards they have captured. The player with the greatest number of Credits is the winner of the Hunt. In case of a tie between two or more players, the winner is the player who has captured the greatest number of Bandit cards. In case of a further tie, the winner is the player who possesses a Sheriff token. In case of a further tie... Well, you'll just have to settle it in a duel, at noon, outside the Saloon of Woodburg!