Tanks, but no thanks!
Tanks, but no thanks! Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object of the Game
The last tank battalion remaining, wins the game! When a player EITHER loses all of their tanks or all of their bases, they are IMMEDIATELY out of the game.
Set Up and Begin
Set-up the board as per the configuration that matches the number of players. For 2 players, you can also play advanced mode, which allows you to set up your barriers, tanks, and flags starting position anywhere in your color territory, as long as no barriers are adjacent to each other.
TOP SECRET cards are not required to play this game. It is recommended to become proficient at this game prior to introducing these cards into gameplay. If using the TOP SECRET cards, at the beginning of the game shuffle the Secret Mission & Bonus Power Cards into separate decks and place them face down. Each player chooses 1 Secret Mission and 1 Bonus Power Card at random but does not show the other players. Follow the instructions on your card. It is recommended to only use the Bonus Power Cards during 2 player games.
Roll 1 die each to see who goes first. Highest number starts, play goes clockwise around the board.
On Your Turn
You can either MOVE by rolling the green die OR SHOOT by rolling the red die. Once you roll the die, you are committed to that action.
If You Choose to Move
If you choose to move, you may move 1 square per number on the die in any direction, including diagonally, forward, backward or side to side. You can split the move across several tanks. For instance, if you roll a 5, you may move 1 tank 2 squares, another 1 square and another 2 squares. Or, you can move 1 tank all 5 squares. It is up to you. You cannot transit through any occupied square and must go around. You do not need to use moves to turn your tank on its spot. However, you MUST use all the moves on the rolled die. Neither bunkers nor bases can be moved.
If You Choose to Shoot
If you choose to shoot, ONLY 1 of your tanks can shoot per turn. They can shoot in any direction (including diagonally) but can only shoot in a straight line. You must declare your target before you shoot (which can either be a tank or a base). You must roll the number of spaces the target is away or greater to hit them. For example, if they are 4 spaces away, you must roll a 4, 5 or 6. Otherwise, you miss. You get 1 SHOT PER TURN only. Only 1 hit is needed to destroy either a tank or a base. Once you destroy a tank, place it on your side of the board in one of the square markers to keep track of your kill count. You may only choose to shoot if there is a reachable target within range of your tank, otherwise, you MUST move. Bases cannot shoot. Barriers cannot be destroyed.
Barriers
You cannot move or shoot through a barrier or a base regardless of whether you own it.
Game Includes
- 20 tanks (5 red, 5 blue, 5 white, 5 black) + 4 spare tanks
- 12 wooden base flags (3 red, 3 blue, 3 white, 3 black)
- 16 wooden octagon barriers
- 2 dice (1 red, 1 green)
- 1 game board
- 1 instruction booklet
- 22 TOP SECRET Mission and Bonus Power Cards
Moving and Shooting Diagrams
Moving: a tank may move one square in any of the eight directions around it: forward, backward, side to side, or diagonally.
Shooting: a tank may shoot in any of the eight straight-line directions: forward, backward, side to side, or diagonally. The distance to the target is counted in squares along that line.
Setting Up the Game
Each player configuration (2 players, 3 players, 4 players) has its own printed board layout showing the starting position of each player's tanks, bases (flags) and barriers (octagons). Set up the board using the layout that matches the number of players. The printed layouts are graphical; the placement is shown only in the booklet diagrams and is not reproduced here.
- 2 players: use the 2 Players layout. For advanced mode, you may place your barriers, tanks and flags anywhere in your color territory, as long as no barriers are adjacent to each other.
- 3 players: use the 3 Players layout.
- 4 players: use the 4 Players layout.