Tails on Fire Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Components
• Setup
• Gameplay
• How to Play
  • A Round
  • 1. Choose Opossums
  • 2. The Hunt
    • The First Opossum
    • Bring Fire Home
    • The Trickster
    • Win Fire & Steal Fire
    • Example: 4-Player Round
  • 3. Prepare for Next Round
• Game End
• The Rogue
  • Additional Setup
  • The Rogue's Turn
  • The Rogue Wins the Round
  • Prepare the Rogue for Next Round
• Strategy Tips
  • Which Opossums to Choose?

Game Components

• 9 Fire Cards
• 6 Player Sets (12 cards each): 9 Opossums (numbered 1-9), a +1 "trickster" Opossum, a Bonfire and a Den

Setup

1. Each player chooses a color and takes the matching set of 12 cards. Return unused sets to the box.
2. All players place their bonfire faceup in front of them.
3. Each player places a random opossum card faceup on their bonfire card so the flame icon is visible. (This random opossum must be 1-9, not the +1 "trickster".) Make sure all players have a different number—if necessary, replace cards until everyone has a different number. These are the starting fire stacks. Take all remaining opossum cards and your den as your starting hand.
4. Shuffle the fire cards and place them in a faceup pile in the middle of the table as the Iguana pile.

The discard pile is also placed in the middle of the table.

Gameplay

At the start of a round, players choose only 3 cards to use this round. On their turn they can either play a card or pass. If your card is on top of the discard pile when your turn comes around again, then you win the round and take a fire card. At the end of the game, the player with the most flames wins!

How to Play

A Round

Each round has 3 steps:

1. Choose Opossums

All players simultaneously execute these actions:

1. Place your den at the back of your hand, behind your opossums.
2. Choose 3 opossums for this round by moving them behind your den card (thus separating your hand between chosen and unchosen cards).
3. Place your unchosen opossums (in the den) facedown next to your fire stack(s) with the den card on top.
4. Keep your 3 chosen opossums for this round in your hand, hidden from other players.

When all players have their 3 chosen opossums, then the Hunt begins!

2. The Hunt

The First Opossum

Starting with the winner of the previous round (or the oldest player in the first round), play proceeds clockwise with players taking turns: either playing a card matching the iguana pile's starting number or passing. Each time it becomes the first player's turn again, they increase the starting number by 1, stating it aloud (after 9, go back down to 1). Once the starting number has been played to the discard pile, continue to "Bring the fire home".

Note: Even if a card in hand matches the starting number, you are not required to play it!

Bring Fire Home

From the player who played the starting number, play proceeds clockwise with players taking turns (playing, passing, or winning).

• Play an opossum: To play a card, it must be exactly 1 higher than the top card of the discard pile. Exception: If a 9 is the top card, a 1 must be played.
• Pass: A player passes, and the next player in turn order takes their turn. Players who pass are not out of the round; they can play on future turns.

The Trickster

A +1 opossum can be played on top of any 1-9. Its number is the previously played number plus one (if played on 9, it becomes 1). You cannot play a trickster as the starting number or on top of another player's trickster.

Win Fire & Steal Fire

Opossums are solitary creatures and loyal only to family. They will steal fire from others to enlarge their own fire. If your turn comes around and the top card of the discard pile is yours, you win the round and create a new fire stack:

1. Take the top card from the Iguana pile and place it facedown in front of you.
2. Place your winning opossum card faceup on top of it.
3. Also, if another player has a fire stack showing the same opossum number, you steal all fire cards from this fire stack and place them under your new fire stack along with the fire card you just won.

Example: 4-Player Round

The Iguana pile shows a 4. Green is the first player this round, and they happen to have a "4," so they play the starting number. Yellow passes. Red plays "5." Despite holding a "6" in hand, Pink opts to pass, gambling that someone else will play a "6," but both Green and Yellow pass. It has come around to Red's turn, and since Red's card is on top of the discard pile, Red wins the round!

3. Prepare for Next Round

1. All of your cards not in a fire stack (with no fire cards) and not in the discard pile return to your hand. Right now, your hand consists of:
   • A. Leftover opossums chosen for this round,
   • B. a card from a stolen fire stack,
   • C. all cards from your den pile, and
   • D. exhausted cards from the previous round.
2. Take your cards from the discard pile and place them faceup near your fire stacks (numbers visible!). These cards are exhausted and not in hand (and thus, cannot be chosen for the next round).

Game End

When the Iguana pile is depleted, the game ends. Players add up all flame icons in their fire stacks. The player with the most flames wins! If players are tied, all tied players share the win.

The Rogue

Additional rules for 2-3 players. A Rogue player is added to the game. It follows a simple script that any player can run.

Additional Setup

Take the black opossum set of cards and return its trickster, bonfire, and den to the box. Shuffle the remaining cards and place them facedown to the right of the first round's first player. This is the rogue deck. The reserve is a faceup pile next to it.

The Rogue's Turn

The Rogue goes in turn order.

1. Check the top card of the reserve to see if it can be played to the discard pile. If so, play it.
2. If no card was played, draw a card from the rogue deck. If it can be played to the discard pile, play it. If not, place it faceup in the reserve, and then the Rogue passes.

The Rogue Wins the Round

If the Rogue wins the round, return the top fire card from the Iguana pile and any fire cards stolen by the Rogue back to the box. The winner of the previous round begins the next round.

Prepare the Rogue for Next Round

Shuffle all rogue cards and place them facedown to the right of last round's winner as the new rogue deck. Rogue cards cannot be exhausted.

Strategy Tips

Which Opossums to Choose?

Before choosing opossums, consider these suggestions to make the wisest choice.

• Starting Number: Choose this number (or slightly higher, depending on your position)
• Your Fire Stacks: Choose 1 higher to ensure the round doesn't end at your number (preventing opponents from stealing your fire cards).
• Opponents' Fire Stacks: Choose the exact number shown to try to steal fire from them.
• Opponents' Exhausted Opossums: Choose 1 lower so they can't play the next higher number against your card.
• Your Right Neighbor: Anticipate which opossums you think they'll choose, and then choose 1 higher for yourself.