Docker
Docker Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
Game pitch, 12 playing pieces in four colours, four dice in four colours and this rule sheet.
Object of the Game
The players move according to the die rolls. A player who can not move is eliminated. This can happen because all three of the player's pieces are blocked or because no move is possible with the number rolled – often rolling the 1 causes this!
Preparation
The game pitch is laid out between the players. Each player gets the playing pieces and the die of one colour. A starting player is determined randomly. The other players take turns clockwise.
New pieces enter the game board on their respective entry squares. The entry squares are the middle squares of the sides facing the respective player.
Each Move
Each move looks like this: The player whose turn it is rolls his/her die and moves one of his/her playing pieces according to the result. The following rules apply:
- No points can be forfeited. The full die result has to be moved by a single playing piece.
- No square on the pitch can be entered twice by a playing piece in its turn.
- The playing pieces cannot move diagonally.
- If a player wants to move a playing piece onto another one, he/she has to count the vertical steps as well. Each altitude level (the height of one piece) costs one movement point, irrespective of whether the playing piece is moving up or down. A playing piece which is standing on top of another playing piece therefore needs a 2 to move onto an adjacent empty square; as this is one step to the side and one down.
- There is no maximum height for a tower. Only the piece at the top can move however, the others are blocked until all higher pieces have left.
Special Rules for the First Rounds
A playing piece enters the pitch on the entry square of the respective player, with entering that square counting as the first step. As long as a player has less than three pieces on the pitch, he/she can choose whether to move with a piece already on the pitch or to enter a new one.
A player who has less than three pieces on the pitch and cannot move or enter a new piece can reroll until a movement or entry is possible. This makes it very valuable to keep at least one piece out as long as possible!
End of the Game
A player who cannot move during his/her turn is eliminated but leaves his/her pieces on the pitch. The game ends when only one player can move. That player is the winner.