Savannah Tails
Savannah Tails Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 100 ostrich movement cards (20 for each player)
- 5 Ostriches (Meep-meep-meeples)
- 25 Track tiles (each with an easy and a hard side)
- 15 double-sided Bonus cards (3 for each player)
- 15 Bonus markers (3 of each colour)
- 5 Help cards
- Rule booklet
Set-up
- Set up a course (see Track Design for tips on how to do this).
- Each player chooses a colour and takes the corresponding ostrich, 20 movement cards and 3 bonus cards.
- Each player shuffles their movement cards and draws 4 cards as a starting hand. The rest of their deck is placed nearby as a draw deck.
- The players decide which side of their 3 bonus cards will be used for the race (all players use the same bonuses). Each player places their bonus cards in front of them.
- Place all the bonus markers in a central pile.
- The player with the longest neck is the 1st player, the second longest is 2nd, and so on. Or decide starting order randomly.
- Line up the ostriches in race order at the start line.
Playing the Game
Race order
Each round, players take their turns in race position order (1st moves first, 2nd moves second, and so on). If ostriches are level then the ostrich nearest the baobab tree on that tile moves first.
On the straight it is easy. On the corners, the baobab tree is always on the inside. The corner is divided into 3 sections. All ostriches on the inside of a section move before those in the next lane out.
Example: Red is out in front. Purple and green are tied, but green is closer to the baobab tree. Yellow is last. Red is alone in the front section. The other ostriches move depending on how close their lane is to the baobab tree. Blue moves before yellow as he is further forward. Yellow moves before purple because she is on the lane closer to the Baobab tree.
Each round, every player does the following on their turn:
a. Play a card b. Move your ostrich c. Draw a card
a. Playing a card
One card is played from your hand and placed face-up on top of your discard pile (beside your draw deck).
b. Moving your ostrich
The card has a number and colour on it. This shows the number of spaces you move and the colour of the lane you must finish your turn on.
The '2' cards have a special symbol - you will find out more about this later.
If you change lanes there are guide lines to show you which space to go to next.
When moving, you must follow these rules:
- You must finish your turn on the lane the same colour as the card played.
- If you change lanes, you must always move towards the colour you are trying to reach - you cannot move off a lane if it is the same colour as the card played.
- A player has free choice when to change lanes.
- A player may begin on any lane when leaving the start line.
- You cannot move through other ostriches.
- You cannot cut your movement short unless physically blocked, for example by ostriches, lions, or crocodiles.
- If you play a card corresponding to the colour of the lane on which you start the turn you gain bonus movement. Your movement will be the card you played plus your race position at the start of your turn, for example 2nd place = +2 spaces. Bonus movement is not optional.
- You cannot change lanes when using bonus movement.
Example: Blue plays a yellow five. He moves five places along the course. He has to finish on the yellow lane. He can change lanes at any time, but may not change lanes away from the colour he is trying to reach (yellow).
Exception: You can always play any 1 card and move 1 space in any direction regardless of its colour. You cannot take bonus movement when using a card to move 1 space. This is the only way you can finish on a track which is a different colour to the played card.
Example: This movement is not allowed. On his 3rd movement space, blue moves further away from the yellow lane he must finish on.
c. Draw a card
Draw 1 card. If your draw deck is exhausted shuffle your discard pile to make a new draw deck.
Water Holes
Running in the Savannah is thirsty work. Going through a water hole provides a much needed boost.
Each time your ostrich moves through or stops in a water hole during its movement it receives a bonus - it does not need to end its turn on the water hole to receive the bonus.
A player takes one of their bonus markers and places it on one of their bonus cards. This bonus is now available and can be used by the player from their next turn onwards (you cannot use a bonus on the turn you acquired it).
When a bonus is used, the corresponding bonus card and bonus counter are removed from the game (except Bird Brain).
Example: Green plays a black 3. On his second space he moves through a waterhole. He chooses to make his Neck Stretch available and moves a bonus marker onto the card.
The Bonuses
Boinnnggg - You think you can fly... but you cannot - more like a big leap really. When moving, you may move through any other ostriches, animals and quicksand without penalty.
Leapfrog - If you finish your move directly behind another ostrich then you may jump over it. You jump over all ostriches immediately in front of you until you come to the first free space (you may be able to jump over more than 1 ostrich). You may not leapfrog if it would cause your ostrich to land on an animal.
Crazy Wings - Instead of playing a movement card you use the bonus instead. It is a joker 4. Announce its colour (red, black, yellow or blue) and move 4 spaces as normal. If you do not change lanes, you take bonus movement as normal (no card draw).
Bird Brain (Immediate permanent bonus - do not discard the bonus card). You have developed heightened awareness of your surroundings. At the end of the turn you made Bird Brain available, draw two cards instead of one. Your hand size is now 5 cards for the rest of the game (unless you get partially eaten by a cheetah - see later).
Déjà vu - Instead of playing a card, you use the card on the top of your discard pile for your movement (no card draw).
Neck Stretch - At the end of your movement you can move two extra spaces (no lane change).
Difficult Tiles
a. Rope Bridge
The route is narrowed to one set of footprints. Any colour can be used to land on the multicoloured footprints. You do not get bonus movement if you start your turn on a multicoloured footprint. You must leave the rope bridge on the lane corresponding to the colour of the played card.
The normal footprints are considered the same as their adjoining track tile when deciding which side the baobab tree is on.
b. Dune
If you finish your movement on an arrow then you move 1 space directly forward or backwards depending on the direction of the arrow (if you land on another arrow because of this, you ignore it). If the arrow directs you to a space that is blocked you ignore the arrow.
Example: Green has to move 4 spaces to get to here.
c. Quicksand
It costs 2 movement (that is, 1 more than normal) to enter a quicksand space.
Animals Are Not Your Friend
Some of the tiles have animals waiting to greet (eat?) you. These are normal spaces which are affected by the animals as follows:
Lions - to a lion, you are nothing more than a fast moving meal. You cannot enter, or pass through, this space.
Cheetah - to a cheetah you are nothing more than a slow moving meal. You may pass through a space with a cheetah. However, for each cheetah space you encountered during your turn, permanently discard one of your bonus cards (starting with any available ones, including any gained this turn).
Porcupine - your movement stops immediately in the porcupine space. Say "ouch" and draw a card as usual. Time passes while you remove spines from your feet.
Crocodile - You cannot end your turn on this space. However, you can pass through it (by running along the back of the crocodile!).
Warthog - if you enter one or more spaces containing a warthog on your turn then, at the end of your movement, discard all your cards in your hand and redraw up to your hand size (usually 4, may be 5 if you have Bird Brain). This occurs even if you move completely through the space on your turn (you do not need to stop). Warthogs cause chaos. Remember that.
Tippy tip toes! - Playing a 2
Sneaky ostriches can move carefully to keep out of harms way. When playing a '2' you may ignore any animal and their effect, the dune arrows and quicksand - even when you also take bonus movement!
Example: Blue plays a yellow 2. He is already on the yellow lane so receives bonus movement (he is second so will take 2 extra spaces). He will now move 4 spaces in total. Because it is a '2' being played, blue may ignore the effect of any animal during this turn.
Track Design
Try starting with an animal free course for your first game. It plays quickly so you will be able to play a second, more difficult, course by flipping a few of the track tiles to their difficult side.
When building your own course use these design tips:
- 14 track tiles in total is about right (including a start and a finish) as each player will probably use all of their movement deck to get round.
- Use 3 waterholes in your course.
- Waterholes on corners are more difficult to reach than those on the straight (the difficulty of the course should reflect the players' ability).
- Do not introduce too much too soon. Maybe change one of the bonus cards available, introduce one or two animals and/or one special track. Make sure all players know the rules for these before you start. The help cards for the animals will... err... help.
- Have fun. Ignore any of the above rules if they contradict this rule!
And the Winner Is...
The game ends on the round that an ostrich crosses the finish line. Everyone completes their turn. The ostrich which is furthest past the finish line ON THAT ROUND wins the game. If two or more ostriches are the same distance past the finish line then the winner is the ostrich nearest to the side of the track where the Baobab tree appears on the finish track. You may need to add straights after the finishing line but make sure to line up the Baobab tree on the same side as the tree on the finish line so there is no confusion.
Ostrich Characters
- Albrecht - There is no substitute for experience!
- Enzo - Young and wild. Crazy whirlwind legs.
- Nnelg - Movie star looks combined with all round racing talent.
- Mathilda - There isn't a braver ostrich to be found.
- Alexandra - Even though she is a bit of a space cadet, she knows how to turn on the speed!
And Finally...
The game has been designed as a fast, fun game. Open the box, pick out 12 trails, add a start and a finish and get going. Time spent reading the rules is playing time wasted (although it is a bit late now).