N.Y. Chase
N.Y. Chase Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 1 game board
- 6 playing pieces
- 1 helicopter playing piece
- 3 road block playing pieces
- 137 tickets (61 taxi, 47 bus, 24 subway, 5 black tickets)
- 18 starting cards
- 2 double move cards ("2X")
- 3 helicopter cards
- 5 coloured cards
- 1 route board with paper
- 1 visor
Objective
One of the player is "Mister X". Mister X moves without being seen, and he has to try to avoid his persecutors and not be discovered until the end of the game. If he manages this, he wins the game.
The other players are all detectives. They try to surround Mister X and move onto the field on which he is hiding. If they manage this, the detectives win the game.
Preparation
The player decide who will be Mister X. Helpful hint: the role requires nerves of steel!
Each of the remaining players will take on the role of a detective (or even several detectives).
Sharing Out the Materials
Before playing for the first time, remove the cards from the pre-cut boards.
Mister X is given: the playing piece with the white top, the route board with paper and a pencil, the visor (so the other players cannot see his eyes moving across the game board), 11 taxi tickets, 7 bus tickets, 4 subway tickets, both double move cards, and as many black tickets as there are detectives.
Each detective is given: one coloured playing piece, 10 taxi tickets, 8 bus tickets, and 4 subway tickets.
The detectives pool their tickets. Sharing and handling them are easier, however, if each player starts with his or her own tickets. When a detective has used up one type of ticket, one of the other players gives him another one — while stocks last!
The detectives place the three helicopter cards, the helicopter playing piece and the road blocks in readiness.
Number of road blocks: if the game is being played with three detectives, they are given three road blocks. If four or five detectives are playing, only two road blocks are used.
The detectives may use the coloured cards as a memory aid to help them remember the sequence of turns taken (see "Version for Three Players").
Starting Positions
The starting cards are shuffled and placed face downwards. Each player takes a card. The number on the card is the number on which that player starts playing.
The detectives place their playing pieces on the corresponding number and return their starting cards.
WARNING! Mister X does not tell anyone his starting number, nor does he place his playing piece on the game. He keeps his starting card without showing it to anyone.
The Game
A complete round starts with Mister X moving first, and then each of the detectives, moving around the table in a clockwise direction.
Mister X writes his moves on his route board, and the detectives move their playing pieces on the game board. Each move is a trip in a taxi, bus or on the subway, moving from one station (or point) along a particular line and onto the next station using the chosen form of transportation. The trip has to be paid with an appropriate ticket.
Players may use any station if they travel by taxi. A large number of stations can also be reached by bus or subway. The station colours show which type of transportation stops there. If a station shows several colours, players may change to a different form of transportation there, on their next turn.
Mister X's Moves
Mister X always makes the first move in a round. His moves, in general, are "invisible". He writes the number of the point to which he wants to travel on this turn into the next window on his route board, making sure none of the other players can see what he is writing. He covers his writing with the appropriate ticket. Although the detectives now know how Mister X travelled, they don't know where he went.
When he makes his first move, Mister X chooses one of the stations which he can reach from his starting point. He enters the number of this station in the first window of his route board and covers it with the ticket used for this move. When it is his next turn, he moves on from this recorded station to the next station of his choice, and so on.
The Detectives' Moves
Once Mister X has had his turn, the detectives take their turns clockwise around the table. Each detective hands in a ticket and places his playing piece on the next station of his chosen form of transportation. Used tickets are removed from the game.
The tickets the detectives have available must be in full view so that Mister X always knows what means of transportation the detectives can muster.
NOTE! There is a limited number of tickets for each type of transportation. That is why the detectives need to decide during each round who is going to travel where and by what means of transportation.
When all the tickets for one type of transportation have been used, that particular type can no longer be used for travelling. Consequently, once all the taxi tickets have been used, any detectives who are unable to change to the bus or the subway have to stay where they are, immobile.
Mister X Shows Up
Mister X HAS TO show himself at regular intervals, namely on his 3rd, 8th, 13th and 18th moves. The rounds during which he must show up are marked by larger windows on his route board (show rounds).
As always, Mister X makes his entry on the route board and places his ticket on top. He then places his playing piece on the point at which he has arrived.
This gives the detectives an opportunity to move in on him — if they are quick, because Mister X is going to disappear in the city's milling throngs on his next move and he is going to remove his playing piece from the board.
Mister X's Special Moves
Double move: Twice during the game Mister X has the opportunity to move on by two stations in two consecutive moves, combining forms of transportation in any way he chooses. He makes a note of the two stations (two windows) and places the corresponding tickets on top. He hands over one of the "2x" tickets as confirmation. If the first move lands him on a show point, he must reveal himself there — but then disappears again with the second move.
Black tickets: Mister X may hand over a black ticket instead of a normal ticket at any time. This enables him to use any form of transportation (apart from the helicopter). In this case, the detectives are not given any information concerning the type of transportation Mister X has chosen to use. Also, Mister X — and only Mister X — may use a black ticket for a boat, and sail to the following points on the Hudson River or East River: 49, 98, 145, 197, 190, 177, 110, 95, 60 or 2. Black tickets may also be used on a double move.
Detective's Special Moves
Helicopter: Three times during a game, the detectives may fly in one of their colleagues by helicopter — but only once per round. They decide when to use the helicopter, and who will go on it. When it is his turn, this detective lands it beside the target of his choice. He places the helicopter playing piece, and his playing piece on top as the "passenger", on a neighbouring block of houses with the helicopter facing the station to which the detective wants to go. This means he has arrived, but has not yet disembarked. The detective hands over any ticket for the flight, as well as one of the helicopter tickets as confirmation.
The detective disembarks from the helicopter when it is his next turn and occupies the chosen station. He hands in another (non-specified) ticket to leave the helicopter. He may not leave the point of disembarkation from the helicopter until his next turn.
The helicopter may not be used by another detective until the previous occupant has disembarked.
Road blocks: Each detective may leave a road block at a station, that is to say, he places a road block playing piece on the point which he has just left. This means the station is barred to Mister X — but not to the detectives. The road block may be re-used during the remainder of the game to block another station.
If a taxi station is blocked by a road block, Mister X may travel past on an appropriate bus or subway line. If a bus station is barred, Mister X may only pass this point on an appropriate subway line.
End of the Game
Mister X must reveal himself when one of the detective's playing pieces moves to the station where Mister X is currently hiding. If this happens, the detectives win the game. This is also the case if Mister X is totally blocked, so that he cannot make any move.
However, if Mister X remains undiscovered until the detectives' 22nd round, or if the detectives are unable to move, he wins the game.
The Finer Details
Is it possible for more than one playing pieces to be at a particular point? Only one detective may be on a particular station at a time, never two.
Is it possible to move backwards and forwards? Players may return along a particular line on their next move (even during a double move) — against payment of the appropriate ticket, of course!
Are the detectives allowed to confer? Not only are they allowed to, but they are positively encouraged to confer when closing in on Mister X. However, a detective cannot be forced to adopt the tactics of the majority.
Is it possible to change the order in which the detectives take their turns? The detectives must always take their turns moving clockwise around the table, even if this causes difficulties. In tricky circumstances, this could be the saving of Mister X.
Are the show rounds dangerous for Mister X? Mister X has to be particularly careful at the show points and make sure that none of the detectives can reach him on their next move. The station should also have as many connections as possible to allow him to escape from the detectives.
The detectives should make their way to a convenient transportation hub before a show round comes up in order to cover the maximum distance towards Mister X on their next turn (by bus or subway).
When should the black tickets be used? Only if Mister X actually has a choice of transportation! The black tickets can be really useful for concealing the location directly after a show point. They could also be crucial to Mister X when he is closely surrounded by detectives — perhaps in combination with a double move.
What happens if one of the detectives can no longer move? He stays where he is, and the others, who are still able to move, try to catch Mister X. The station with the marooned detective is thereby blocked for the other detectives, whereas Mister X may use it.
What happens if Mister X can no longer move? He only tells the detectives that he has to stay where he is. The detectives still have to find him to win. Mister X crosses off the remaining stations on his route board one after the other when it is his turn. If he remains undiscovered until the detectives' 22nd round, he wins the game.
Better odds for Mister X? If the detectives want a greater challenge, they can give Mister X more opportunities by using only one road block — or even none at all.
Version for Three Players
If only two players are playing against Mister X, each one plays with two detectives. Each player is then given two detective playing pieces and twice the number of tickets. In this version of the game, Mister X gets four black tickets.
It is important that the detectives agree and keep to the sequence of moves. It may help if the detectives place the coloured cards that match their detective playing pieces next to the game board in the right sequence.
Note to New York Fans
Although the game board is based on the map of Manhattan, it is deliberately not intended to be a true representation. If this were not the case, the buildings would overlap the game routes and stations, making the game play far more difficult! However, you will still find several of the most famous and most eye-catching sights, even if they are not necessarily in their correct locations.
For technical reasons, we have dispensed with Manhattan's one-way system, changed some of the bus routes and added a subway line that does not actually exist.