Magic Dance
Magic Dance Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 1 game board
- 25 witch pawns
- 30 witch heads (5 each of yellow, pink, red, green, light blue and blue)
- 1 die
Object of the Game
Players roll the die and move their witches around the dance circle, starting from the start areas, trying to bring the witches of their color to the takeoff strip of that color. The winner is the first player to place all of their witches on the takeoff strip.
Preparing for the Dance
Before the first game, take 4 witch heads of each color and carefully insert them into the bases of the pawns. The remaining 6 heads and one pawn stay in reserve. Depending on the number of players, each receives a certain number of witch pawns of one color:
| Players | 2* | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Witches | 4* | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
* In addition, 4 neutral witches are added to the game; see the section "Dancing for Two".
Players place their witches (pawns with heads of their color inserted) on the start spaces of that color inside the dance circle. For now everyone knows where whose witches are, but that will soon change!
Course of the Game
Dance Steps
The oldest player goes first. He rolls the die and moves the first of his witches clockwise into the dance circle, starting from the entrance space (the space with an arrow). Then the turn passes to the player on the left.
As long as a player still has witches in his start area, he must on his turn move them into the dance circle. When a player has no witches left in his start area, he may move any of the witches that are in the dance circle. Thus any player may move any witch (clockwise); after all, they are all black...
Shoving
If a witch lands exactly on a space occupied by another witch, the newcomer pushes her away, and the witch who had arrived at that space earlier must move back 7 spaces. If the space to which the witch would have to retreat is occupied, she moves back another 7 spaces, and so on until she finds a free space. The retreating witch is briefly revealed so that all players can see her color.
Wandering
The more witches take part in the sabbath, the harder it becomes to remember where one's own and others' witches are. If someone has become completely confused and rolls a "6", he may look at the color of one of the witches (without showing it to the other players). In this case the player does not move any witches that turn.
Takeoff
At the rocky cliffs of the Brocken are takeoff strips marked in different colors. They are the goal of each team of witches. Moving witches onto the takeoff strips follows these rules:
- To reach a takeoff strip it is not necessary to have exactly the right number of movement points (that is, a witch can be brought to the takeoff strip with points left over; they are in this case "burned off"). A witch can be brought only to the takeoff strip of her own color. It does not matter on which of the four spaces of the takeoff strip the witch is placed.
- A takeoff strip can be reached only when moving forward. When a witch is thrown back, she must remain in the dance circle (possibly having to miss her exit to the takeoff strip).
- When a witch reaches a takeoff strip, she is revealed and her color is shown to all players. If a player mistakenly moved someone else's witch onto his own takeoff strip, she, to the delight of her owner, goes to the takeoff strip of her own color.
Wicked Advice
- By occasionally moving opponents' witches, you can confuse them in order to bring your own witches to the goal unnoticed.
- A frequently used trick is to move an opponent's witch past his own takeoff strip, so that she has to make another circuit of the dance circle.
- Throwing witches back in collisions can be used to bring your own witches closer to the takeoff strip faster, using their jumps backward.
End of the Game
The player who, despite all obstacles, is first to bring all of his witches to the takeoff strip wins the game.
Dancing for Two
When playing with two, the rules described above apply with the following changes:
- Besides his own witches, each player chooses two witches of another color and places them in the corresponding start area. These are neutral witches, belonging to neither player.
- If a player rolls a "6" and there is still at least one neutral witch in the start area, he must bring her out into the dance circle. This rule remains in force even if the player still has his own witches in the start area.
- A player who brings a neutral witch to the takeoff strip of her color counts her for himself and at the end of his turn moves her to his own takeoff strip. If a player mistakenly brings a neutral witch to the wrong takeoff strip, she goes to the opponent's takeoff strip. If a player brings one of his own witches to one of the neutral witches' takeoff strips, she also counts for the opponent.
The winner is the first to collect four witches on his takeoff strip.