Moon Leap
Moon Leap Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
1 board, 20 tokens (in 4 colours), 1 die
Each player chooses 5 tokens of the same colour and places them in front of him. If fewer than four people are playing, the remaining tokens are returned to the box.
How to Play
The youngest player takes the die and begins. He rolls the die and places their token with the matching number on the die onto the dark red start space. When the turn is finished, play proceeds clockwise. The active player rolls the die and moves their token that matches the number on the die. The token is always placed on the next free space because only one token can be placed on each space.
In this way, it is possible to jump over several occupied spaces (this can be, for example, 1 space or 15 spaces).
If the player rolls an asterisk (*), he may move any one of their own tokens to the next free space.
Example: White begins and rolls a 2. The player then places their 2 onto the space (A). The blue player rolls a 3 and places their 3 onto the next free space (B).
About the Barrier
There are three barriers on the game board. The barrier used during play is labeled with the number that matches the number of players. (Example: In a 2-player game, the [2] barrier is active.) After the first time a token moves over the active barrier, players are permitted to divide up rolls of 3, 4, or 5 between two different tokens:
- With a 5, tokens 1 + 4 or 2 + 3 may be moved forwards.
- With a 4, tokens 1 + 3 may be moved forwards.
- With a 3, tokens 1 + 2 may be moved.
- If a 1, 2 or * is thrown, the number cannot be divided up.
The die results may only be divided up if the player is also able to move both tokens; it is not possible to move only one of the divided numbers. The tokens can be moved in any order. For example, a 5 may be moved as 1 + 4 or as 4 + 1.
Example: It is white's turn and a 4 is rolled. If white divides up the throw into 3 and 1 and first moves the 3 (A) and then the 1, the three white tokens form a row of three (B) and white may throw the die again. White could have moved the 4 one space (C) or he could have divided it and first moved the 1 and then the 3 (D). In both cases a row of three would not have formed and it would have been the next player's turn.
Three Tokens of the Same Colour in a Row: An Extra Turn
If at the end of their turn a player has formed a chain consisting of three or more of his own tokens, he receives an extra turn and can roll the die again immediately. The tokens must be positioned directly one behind the other without any free spaces between. A chain that already existed before the die was thrown and was not changed does not prompt an extra turn. The chain must therefore have just emerged or been newly formed. If a player succeeds in building another chain with his extra turn, another turn can be taken. This can occur several times over.
Shortly before the game ends, a player may be unable to move (e.g. if the 1 is standing on the last space and the player rolls a 1); in this case the player cannot move a token and it is the next player's turn.
End of Game
As soon as the last three spaces are occupied the game is over immediately. The scores for each player are then worked out.
How to Calculate Scores
Each player receives points for each of his tokens. The points are calculated by multiplying the number on the token with the number of the space on which the token has been placed. Tokens on the red minus spaces result in minus points. If the players still have tokens in front of them, they are multiplied by -5. Tokens on spaces with no points score zero points.
The results for all of the tokens are added up. The player with the highest total score is the winner.
Example: The blue player has the 2 token on space 25 (50 points), the 3 token on space 9 (27 points) and the 5 token on the -1 square (-5 points). He has not yet brought the 4 into play (4 × -5 = -20 points), and the 1 is standing on a square without points (0 point). Therefore blue has a total score of 50 + 27 – 5 – 20 + 0 = 52 points.