Skandale!
Skandale! Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- Card stand
- Headline sheet (cardboard sheet with the picture of the journalist)
- Game board
- Spinner with arrow
- 8 playing pieces
- Hourglass
- 200 picture cards
- 34 name cards
- 2 blank cards
- 64 vote cards in 8 different colours
- Notepad
Object of the Game
The goal of the game is to write funny and unusual news headlines and horoscopes using randomly chosen pictures of people, things and animals. The pictures placed on the card stand must be included in the headline the player comes up with. The players take turns being editor-in-chief, who leads each round and selects the best headline or horoscope. The player whose headline receives the most votes during the round may move their playing piece forward on the board. The first player to reach the goal wins.
Setup
Attach the arrow to the spinner and place the spinner and the game board on the table. Place the card stand on the table so that everyone can see it, with the headline sheet in the top compartment of the card stand. Each player chooses a playing piece in one colour and takes a vote card of each colour of the playing pieces that take part in the game.
Place the playing pieces on the start square. Remove the blank cards from the deck. Shuffle the picture cards and the name cards separately and place them in two separate piles, picture side down, next to the game board. The players also take a pen and a sheet from the notepad to write on.
Playing the Game
Whoever remembers today's hottest news headline may be editor-in-chief for the first round. Each square on the board has a category. The category for each round is determined by the square on which the editor-in-chief's piece stands. During the first rounds, the editor-in-chief may choose which category the headline should be in, since he or she remains on the start square.
He or she takes three picture cards (or two picture cards and one name card if he or she has chosen the Scandal category) and places these cards on the card stand in any order so that everyone can see the pictures.
Writing the Headlines
The editor-in-chief turns over the hourglass. The other players now have the time it takes the sand to run through the hourglass to write their headline or horoscope. The headline must concern the given category, and it must also include something from every card on the card stand. If the headline or horoscope does not concern all of the cards on the card stand, it is not included in this round. Write clearly and legibly. The players also write their initials on the paper. When the sand has run through the hourglass, the editor-in-chief announces that time is up. He or she collects everyone's papers with the written headlines, shuffles them, and hands them out to all the other players except himself or herself. The headlines or horoscopes are now read aloud.
Choosing the Best Headline
After all the headlines or horoscopes have been read aloud, the players take out their vote cards, including the editor-in-chief, and choose the colour of the playing piece of the player who read out the headline they thought was best (funniest or most unusual). After the editor-in-chief has announced which headline or horoscope he or she thought was best, the other players vote. NOTE: You may not vote for your own headline or horoscope! The vote cards are placed colour side down on the table and are turned over once everyone has put down their card. Now it is revealed who wrote which headline or horoscope.
The player whose headline or horoscope receives the most votes moves their playing piece two steps forward on the board. If the editor-in-chief voted for this player, he or she also moves their playing piece two steps forward. If there is no headline or horoscope that has received the majority of the votes, i.e. two or more headlines or horoscopes receive the same number of votes, the players who wrote those headlines move one step forward. If the editor-in-chief has chosen one of these, he or she also moves their playing piece one step forward.
NOTE: The player whose headline won in the Scandal category moves their playing piece three steps forward on the board. (See the Scandal section below.)
The role of editor-in-chief then passes clockwise to the next player. Everyone takes their vote cards back from the table. The cards used from the card stand are removed and placed in the empty box, and a new round can begin.
The Spinner
The spinner is used when the editor-in-chief is standing on a horoscope square. The editor-in-chief spins the spinner, and the headline the other players write must concern the star sign where the arrow stops. If the editor-in-chief spins the picture of a hand on the spinner, he or she moves their playing piece one step forward on the board, since the editor-in-chief is in the favour of Lady Fortuna. After this, the turn passes to the next player. (No headlines are written in this case.)
Winner
The winner is the player who first reaches the goal square.
Tips for Writing Headlines
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To make the game easier to play, you can limit the length of the headlines and horoscopes at the start of the game, for example in the following way: a headline may be at most five words. A horoscope, which is of course longer, may consist of at most three to four sentences.
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If you want to write longer headlines, or so-called ingresses (lead-ins), that is also fine. In that case, decide at the start of the game how long they may be.
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As for time, you can of course agree together not to use the hourglass. The game will then be more relaxed. In the newspaper business, where the journalists work, deadlines are a fact, however, so if you want to get into the hectic atmosphere, we recommend that you use the hourglass.
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The point is to be creative and to come up with fresh headlines about things and people. There is no point in copying old news unless you happen to come up with something really funny. The players will most likely choose the smartest, funniest or craziest news headlines, the ones that make everyone laugh.
The Categories
The following categories are on the game board:
Law & Order: Headlines concerning crime, laws and verdicts that the authoritative judges have given to criminals.
Disasters: This category includes both disasters caused by humans and those that have happened in nature.
Culture: These headlines are about everything to do with art, music, films, literature, etc.
Sport: This includes everything from the crazy world of sport.
Horoscope: One does not admit it, but almost everyone reads horoscopes sometimes. Now you can take part in creating them. When the editor-in-chief stands on the horoscope square on the board, he or she spins the spinner. (See The Spinner.) Horoscopes are written in the same way as in the other categories (except Scandal), or with somewhat longer text if the players want. That is, the editor-in-chief places 3 picture cards on the card stand, and so on.
Scandal: Scandal is a special category in which three cards are placed on the card stand, one of which is a name card. Here too, all three cards on the card stand must be included in the headline. The player who wrote the headline that received the majority of the votes moves their playing piece three steps forward on the board. Here too, several headlines may receive the same number of votes, in which case those players move forward two steps. If the editor-in-chief has chosen the majority option, he or she also moves their playing piece two steps forward or one step forward, if there are many headlines that received the same number of votes. [Source note: the Swedish sentence here is broken at "framåt.om det" and is rendered as the nearest sense.]
Blank cards: On these you may draw, glue or write something fun to make your Scandal game unique.
Short (Sharpened) Descriptions of All the Star Signs
Fire Signs
Lion (Leo)
In love, the Lion is the most wonderful and caring partner in the world, who can encourage and support his or her spouse both in words and in deeds. The Lion controls his or her fiery element, concentrates his or her energy and gathers authority. The Lion is a broad-minded type of person, eager, sincere and proud of himself or herself. The Lion has the ability to convince others of his or her own knowledge and to win others over to his or her opinion.
Archer (Sagittarius)
The Archer is a social sign, often a political, ideological and independent person who is focused on the value of life. For this person, rituals, recognition and belonging to the elite are the salt of life. Among politicians one easily finds the weaknesses of the Archer: fanaticism, strong and radical opinions, selfishness, and the use of information to influence attitudes.
Ram (Aries)
The Ram is initiative-rich, independent and selfish in all areas of life. The starting point for the Ram is his or her own experiences and a feeling of strength, which requires action and practical grip. The Ram is by nature brave, curious and straightforward. The task is to create the world anew. The weaknesses of the Ram are always being in a hurry and acting rashly, relying too much on oneself, and being rough. The Ram does not think things through, does not plan ahead, and does not appreciate depth and elegance.
Air Signs
Scales (Libra)
The Scales is a master at adapting and making compromises in the search for peace, harmony, beauty and beautiful forms. The Scales is an idealist who strives to increase the interaction between individuals and groups. The Scales has a wish to give something valuable of themselves to others, for example by performing. A problem for the Scales can definitely be seen as indecisiveness when it comes to choosing between two or more alternatives. This can be reflected as lack of independence and superficiality.
Water Bearer (Aquarius)
The Water Bearer always lives a little in his or her own world, because he or she can never detach from the subconscious understanding of the relationship to the things that happen around him or her, something that belongs to this sign. When the Water Bearer feels a compelling inner need to do something, nothing can stop him or her. He or she needs above all security and encouragement from a partner. The Water Bearer has a greater fear than usual of losing and is therefore not ready to commit to a love relationship until he or she is completely sure that the relationship will work. It is not easy to please an Aquarius, since he or she does not think or act consistently, and never in the way one expects.
Twins (Gemini)
The Twins are intelligent and mobile city people, who have a great capacity for adaptation, an alert mind and a very restless, questioning curiosity. The weaknesses of the Twins are superficiality and "weathervane-like" behaviour, which causes the most problems for those around them. One also does not find steadfastness or long-term commitment in the mobile Twin.
Water Signs
Scorpio
The alchemical secrets of life peek out in every Scorpio, and the mysteries that are greater than life have found an eager and tireless researcher. Ordinary life cannot interest a true Scorpio. Therefore, for lack of anything better, the Scorpio tries to make a hen out of a feather, to have something to dig into. The Scorpio is a very intense and deep personality, whose feelings, thoughts and attitudes are usually hidden from outsiders.
Cancer (Crab)
The Cancer is an intuitive, internalising and psychically very sensitive sign, which seeks and wishes for stability, durability and limited calm within its own life circle. Cancer takes care of and cherishes its close ones like a mother. Cancer knows much about human nature, psychic powers and the movements of the emotions.
Pisces (Fish)
The Pisces is, according to its season, very sensitive to the mood changes that happen around them. The Pisces also lives in his or her own sensitive world, because they must be able to be in the right place at the right time without any visible cause. The Pisces finds it difficult to judge others, especially those close to them, even though these would obviously destroy their own and their family members' lives. The Pisces finds it hard to live with their own sensitivity, and in particular male Pisces seek more than other signs security in the world of alcohol or drugs, where the senses are dulled.
Earth Signs
Ox (Taurus)
The Ox is a nature-loving, practical, productive and realistic landmark. The Ox is enormously patient, has a desire to preserve things and respect for traditions. The weaknesses are obstinacy, and an excessive need for security and luxury. Being social and considering others inevitably takes second place for the Ox if security or fortune is in danger.
Virgo
The Virgo is critical and concentrated on improving the conditions of life. The Virgo is a type who values life and things, analyses, and is careful and literal. She strives for the efficiency of operations and the elimination of errors, flaws and disturbances. Virgo generally respects work, order and cleanliness in life. The weaknesses of Virgo are too much criticism, pettiness and nit-picking.
Capricorn (Goat)
The Capricorn is practical, rational, constructive and disciplined. Matter-of-factness and formality are reflected in all behaviour. As the motive for their activity, Capricorn needs to have everything in order and organised. Capricorn is straightforward, responsible and a diligent member of society. One should never underestimate Capricorn's ambitions. Career is the Capricorn's fate; they are not ready to make any turns in their life and therefore concentrate on what they can do, and shut out all other things from their mind.