King's Kilt
King's Kilt Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components (67 Cards)
- 16 Clan Leaders
- 48 Clan Members
- 1 Noblemen Reminder
- 1 Guardians Reminder
- 1 Scoring Reminder
Setting Up
- Deal three Clan Members to each player to represent their family. Each family member must be from a different clan so place any duplicates face-down and request another card from the dealer. Be careful not to reveal your family cards to your opponents. These cards will score at the end of the game. (3 Family cards)
- Return duplicate family members to the Clan Members deck and reshuffle. Then deal four (in a 4-player game) or five (in a 2-3 player game) Clan Members to each player to represent the clans over which they have influence. (5 Influence cards) Keep your hand of influence cards separate from your family cards and be careful not to reveal them to your opponents.
- Place the remaining Clan Members to one side in a face up draw pile. Shuffle the 14 Clan Leaders and place them face-up on top of the Clan Members.
- Place the first six cards from the draw pile in a face-up row along the bottom of the playing area, leaving a full card-width of space between them. Over the course of the game, this will form the base of a six-row pyramid of cards so be sure to leave yourself enough space for the game to develop.
- Place the Scoring Reminder card off to one side, approximately in line with the top of the pyramid. Place the Guardians Reminder card immediately below it and the Noblemen Reminder card below that. For a 2-player game, use the side of the Guardians Reminder card with two dots along the bottom. For a 3- or 4-player game, use the opposite side.
- The player with the clearest line of inheritance to the Scottish Crown begins.
Playing the Game
Overview
The game depicts intrigue and treachery among the Scottish clans vying for the crown. Clans ascend the pyramid of cards, rising from the bottom three rows of commoners, through the ranks of noblemen and guardians, until one finally gains the crown and is named King of Scotland. Once a king is crowned, clans can only continue to advance by committing acts of treachery against their neighbors. Players continue by playing influence cards until everyone has passed, thereby ending the game.
Ascending the Throne
Players take turns, proceeding in clockwise order from the starting player. A typical turn consists of making a diagonal move with a clan card so that it ascends to the next level of the pyramid (A). The resulting empty space (a power vacuum) must be filled by the active player.
- If the power vacuum is not on the bottom row, it is filled with one of the two cards beneath it (B). This will create another empty space which also must be filled.
- If the empty space is on the bottom row, it is filled by the top card on the draw pile (C), ending the turn.
In the rare case where cards run out, shuffle the discards to create a new draw pile.
Clans require support in order to advance. Cards can only ascend in the direction of a neighboring card (A). If the space to the left or right of them is empty (B), they cannot ascend in that direction (C).
Influence & Betrayal
Power vacuums also occur when clans betray their neighbors in the hierarchy. On their turn, rather than ascending in a peaceful fashion, players can discard an influence card from their hand (A), causing a member of that clan (B) to betray one of its neighbors. The betrayed card (C) is removed from the game, creating a power vacuum that the active player must fill in the normal fashion (D).
Influenced cards can betray a single neighbor in any of six directions shown: left, right, and the four diagonals. They are even permitted to betray members of their own clan. Important: All cards, including the King card, can be betrayed!
Kings, Guardians, and Noblemen
The Noblemen and Guardian Reminder cards offer special rewards to the first player who ascends to the third-last and second-last rows, respectively. In a 3- or 4-player game, both cards offer the same reward -- forcing all of your opponents to turn one of their three family cards face-up on the table (the effect is cumulative). The Guardian Reminder card offers an even more powerful reward in a 2-player game as you force your opponent to reveal all but one of their family cards.
Once a card occupies the top of the pyramid it becomes the King and now wields great power over all those beneath him. Players who discard an Influence card matching the King's clan can betray cards anywhere in the pyramid (including the King), not just the King's immediate neighbors.
Choosing to Pass
Once a King has been crowned, players can choose to pass rather than discarding their influence cards to commit acts of treachery against their neighbors. Players who choose to pass cannot re-enter the game and must sit out until all players have passed and the crown is finally secure.
Determining the Winner
Once everyone has passed, the game is over. All players reveal the three family cards they were dealt at the beginning of the game. If one of your family cards matches the clan of the King (the card at the top of the pyramid), score three points. For each matching Guardian in the second row, score two points. For each matching Nobleman in the third row, score one point. Ten points is considered a perfect score.
The player with the most points is the winner. Ties are resolved in favor of the player with the most remaining influence cards. If the game is still tied, the players must share the throne.
Example
A Macleod has been named king. Both guardians are of the Stewart clan, as is one of the noblemen. The remaining two noblemen are of the Macbeth and Bruce clans. Alex's family cards consist of a Buchanan (0 points), a Stewart (2+2+1 points) and a Macbeth (1 point) for a total of six points. Barry's family contains a Macleod (3 points), a Macbeth (1 point) and a Bruce (1 point) for a total of five points. Alex wins!