Marrakesh (2002)
Marrakesh (2002) Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Overview
A race of tactics for 2-4 players aged 6+. Length of the game: 20 minutes approx.
Contents
- 16 camels (of 4 colors)
- 11 trail cards: 9 deserts, 1 drifting dune, 1 oasis
- 1 target card: market place of Marrakesh
- 16 action cards
- 1 bag
- 16 little merchandise cards (round)
- 1 set of game instructions
Aim of the Game
Who will be able to guide their camels to Marrakesh and acquire as many precious articles as possible?
Preparation of the Game
- Place the trail cards (4 deserts, the drifting dune, the oasis and 5 further deserts, as shown in the illustration) and the target card as shown.
- Each player takes 4 camels of one color and lines them up as shown (on the start).
- The merchandise cards are sorted according to the color on the back and each pack is then shuffled. They are then each placed face down in a pile on the corresponding squares of the market place.
- There are three kinds of action cards: sandstorm, movement, exchanging places. The number of sandstorm cards needed depends on the number of players:
- 2/3 players = 4 sandstorm cards
- 4 players = 3 sandstorm cards
- The action cards are shuffled and put into the bag. The remaining material is returned into the game box.
How to Play
Play in a clockwise direction. The player who is the first to yell "Marrakesh" starts. Draw an action card from the bag and put it on the table. What kind of card is it?
- A movement card. The number of dots indicates the number of squares you can move one of your camels.
- A sandstorm card. Suddenly a sandstorm arises! The camels find themselves no longer on the shortest route... Push the target card a little further away from the trail cards. Take the last trail card and put it in the space where the gap has been created. Watch out: If there are camels on this trail card, they won't catch up with their caravan anymore and have to be taken back by their respective players and put in front of them.
- An exchange card. You can choose between two actions:
- Either you move one of your camels up to your next camel.
- Or you send a camel of another player back to the next camel of the same color.
- If you can't realise either action your turn is over.
Important: An action card taken from the bag is not returned to the bag but put to the side. Only once the bag is empty, are all the little cards put back in.
Watch out: special rule! If there are only one or more camels of just one player on their way, this player has time to take exactly three action cards and carry out the corresponding actions, after which the game ends immediately.
Trail Cards
There are three kinds of trail cards: the desert, the helpful oasis and the tricky drifting dune. On which trail card does your camel land at the end of a move?
- Desert: If your camel stops there nothing happens.
- Oasis: If your camel arrives there, it eats, drinks and gathers forces. So you can move it on three squares at a time.
- Drifting dune: On a drifting dune it is very arduous to move forward. If your camel arrives there, it has to stop and any remaining dots can't be used.
Arrival at the Market of Marrakesh
As soon as your camel arrives at Marrakesh (any remaining dots are not used), it gets a precious piece of merchandise. Take one of the merchandise cards and put it in front of you without looking at it. Place your camel on the merchandise card.
Important: The cards with the red backside are especially precious, and then in descending order the blue, the yellow and the green ones.
End of the Game
The game ends once all the camels have arrived at Marrakesh or have dropped out. The players count 1 point for every camel that dropped out. Then they remove the camels from the merchandise cards, uncover them and add the points shown there. Whoever has scored the most points is the most successful dealer and wins the game.