Turbo Rally Card Racing: Thunder Track

Turbo Rally Card Racing: Thunder Track Rulebook

Table of Contents

Turbo Rally Card Racing Core Instructions

The following sections are the predecessor game's core instructions, transcribed from the sourced instruction file. They are included because the Thunder Track variants refer to a standard rule set and the predecessor rules are the only standard rules available. They are not confirmed to match the Thunder Track standard rules.

Basic Play

Recommended for ages 4 & up

Objective

Be the first player to complete your lane and cross the finish line to collect the first place trophy. In Tournament Champion play, the goal is to collect the most first place trophies in five consecutive races.

Track Set-up

Decide how many players are racing and how long you want your race to run. Deal track cards evenly between all players, making sure to leave a small draw pile remaining (at least 4 cards for a 54-card deck and 8 for 108-card decks). Separate all Oil Spill cards into their own draw pile. Place track cards facedown in a vertical line in any track configuration desired. Players can race side by side in a straight line drag race or zig-zag across the floor and through obstacles in an all out enduro challenge. Players can also race from different starting places toward a common center finish line. Place the large finish line card at the end of the track.

Track Examples: Use Your Imagination! The sheet illustrates a drag race (three lanes side by side), a zig-zag race, and a race to the center (lanes running in from four starting points toward a central finish line).

Game Play

Use any small toy car as your racer. Start your racer in front of the first card in your lane. Decide which player goes first and flip over the first track card in their lane. Move cars according to the card descriptions below. The game is finished when all racers pass the finish line.

In Tournament Champion play, the winner of the previous race starts the next race first.

Team Play

As an alternate to individual play, racers may choose to play as teams at the beginning of a tournament. Racers maintain their own lanes but help out teammates as they race for trophies together. The team with the most trophies at the end of the race wins.

In case of a tie in individual or team play, a 6th race is used as a tie-breaker.

Oil Slicks

Playing an Oil Slick. You may choose to play an Oil Slick from the draw pile when you land on an Oil Drum card. Place the Oil Slick on any opponent's lane on any face down track card. The Oil Slick cannot be played on the Finish Line. Oil Slicks are played immediately or lost, and cannot be played on top of another Oil Slick.

Landing on an Oil Slick. You cannot make a move or jump that would cause you to land directly on an Oil Slick. You must first use your current turn to clean up the Oil Slick by placing it beneath the track card it is resting on. On your next turn you may move forward or complete your jump as normal.

Basic & Tournament Track Cards

Basic Track. Move forward one space.

Pass Lane. Move through the Pass Lane, and play the next card during this turn.

Flat Tire.

Flip your car upside down off the track, next to the Flat Tire card.
On your next turn, flip your car right-side up, leaving it off to the side of the track.
On the following turn, move your car back onto the Flat Tire card. Continue play as usual the following turn.

Oil Drum. Move forward one space onto the Oil Drum card. Draw an Oil Slick card from the draw pile, and place it on any space in an opponent's lane.

Jumps. Advance to the third or fifth* card after the Jump card, and play it during this turn.

* Jump 5 available in Tournament Pack only.

Stop Light.

Move forward a half card to the "wait here" line.
On the players next turn do not flip a card but instead advance to the back half of the Stop Light. Play resumes as normal the following turn.

Shortcut. Move forward one space onto the Shortcut. Remove the next two cards from your lane and place them at the bottom of the draw pile. On your next turn, advance across the opening to the next card.

Detour. Take two cards from the top of the draw pile, and align them beside the detour card along your lane. On your next turn, do not play the card in front; instead play the detour route. Play cards as normal until you reach the end of your detour route, then continue play at the point you left off. If another Detour card is drawn along the current detour route, continue adding cards parallel to the main play lane. Once you have completed the detour route, remove the cards from play, and place them on the bottom of the draw pile.

Sideswipe. Move through the Sideswipe and bump any opponent off their track. Play the next card during this turn. You cannot bump an opponent who is already off their track.

If you are bumped off your track by a Sideswipe, use one turn to return you car back onto the track before playing your next card.

Expanded Play

Recommended for ages 8 & up

Performance Upgrade Set-Up

Performance Upgrades are earned by taking first place in a tournament race. The winner of the race chooses the top card from the Performance Upgrades draw pile.

Performance Upgrades are played as enhancements or counters to basic track cards and can only be used by the player who won them. Performance Upgrade effects last for one race and are removed from the game once used. You may use your Performance Upgrade for any race you choose, but you must declare which card(s) you intend to use by placing the cards face-up at the starting line before the race starts. You may use more than one card in a race to combine their effects. Performance Upgrades are used in addition or as a counter to RPMs.

Opponents must remember which Performance Upgrades are in play for that race before they use their own RPM cards. If they play a card that is cancelled by a Performance Upgrade, they lose that card.

Performance Upgrade Cards

Run-Flat Tires: Immunity from Flat Tire or Tire Spike cards. Converts a Flat Tire card to a Basic Track (see Basic Track directions) or cancels an RPM Instant Tire Spike. If an Instant Tire Spike is cancelled, the next track card beneath it resumes effect.
Off-Road Tires: Immunity from Detours. Off-Road Tires convert a Detour card to a Basic Track card (see Basic Track directions).
Turbo Boost: Add one to all Jump cards.
Driver Agility: Immunity from Sideswipes and Oil Slicks. You cannot be bumped off your track by a Sideswipe. Oil Slicks are removed from your lane immediately.

RPM Set-Up

RPMs (Radical Performance Maneuvers) are played as enhancements or counters to basic track cards.

Before laying out your track, shuffle the RPM Draw cards into the track deck.

At the beginning of a tournament, each player is dealt 1-5 RPM cards (approximately 1 for every 7 track cards per a lane.) RPMs can be saved and played at any point in a 5-race tournament. Players can earn more cards by landing on an RPM Draw card (draw 1) or winning them at the end of each race. First and second place finishers earn two RPM cards. Third place earns one RPM card.

RPMs can be used individually (every racer for themselves) or to help fellow racers in temporary alliances or team play. Once a player crosses the finish line, they cannot play RPMs on behalf of team members.

RPM Play

RPM cards are played on yours or an opponent's turn after a track card is flipped but before the corresponding move is made. Once a card is flipped, opponents are given an opportunity to play a RPM response in order of the players' turns. If no responses are made, you may play your own RPM card or complete your move. If you play an RPM card, opponents have the opportunity to respond again.

This continues until no more cards are played and the final move is made. There is no limit to how many RPM cards can be used per turn, but no more than one of any type is allowed. Once the turn is over, place the used RPM cards at the bottom of the draw pile.

How RPM Cards Work

Some RPMs can change one track type to another (ie. Flat Tire to a Basic Road). This change is permanent unless another RPM or Performance Upgrade counters these effects or changes the card again, in which case the top most track card's effects are played. After a track is converted to another type, you may play any cards on it according to its new type.

For example: A player flips a Stoplight. The player then plays an Instant Green Light, which converts the Stoplight to a Pass Lane. The player is then allowed to play an Instant Sideswipe over the Green Light since Sideswipes can only be played on Basic Roads or Passing Lanes.

Once a RPM card is played, it cannot be recovered.

For example: A player flips a Jump card and no opponent responds. The player then adds an Instant Nitrous Oxide card to the jump. An opponent then decides to play Instant Tire Spikes to counter the Jump and cancel the Nitrous Oxide. Finally the player responds with Instant Run-Flat tires and completes the jump. The Instant Tire Spikes card is lost and cannot be recovered.

RPM Cards

Instant Tire Spikes: Play on any track card. Tire spikes convert any track card to a Flat Tire and cause the flat tire effect (see Flat Tire directions).
Instant Run-Flat Tires: Play on Flat Tire or Tire Spike cards. Instant Run-Flat tires converts a Flat Tire card to a Basic Track (see Basic Track instructions) or cancels an Instant Tire Spike. If an Instant Tire Spike is cancelled, the track card beneath it resumes effect.
Instant Sideswipe: Play on a Basic Track or Pass Lane. Instant Sideswipe converts a Basic Track or a Pass Lane to a Sideswipe and allows the player who lands on it to bump any opponent off their track (see Sideswipe directions).
Instant Off-Road Tires: Play on a Detour Card only. Instant Off-Road Tires converts a Detour card to a Basic Track card (see Basic Track directions).
Instant Green Light: Play on a Stoplight. Instant Green Light converts a Stoplight card to a Pass Lane and allows the player to pass through to the next track card (see Pass Lane directions).
Instant Nitrous Oxide: Increase any Jump card by two spaces.

Thunder Track Play Variants

Each variant below is one of the official Thunder Track variant sheets. Each says it "follows the standard rules with these changes/additions". The standard Thunder Track rules are not in this file (see the Table of Contents), so the variants are incomplete as written.

High-Octane Heist

(Recommended for ages 10 & up)

The Plan

You and your crew have just pulled off your final heist, the score to end them all, but the police are already on their way. Splitting up in separate getaway cars to throw the police off your tracks, it's a race to the hideout where you'll divvy up the loot.

There's just one catch.

You want it all, and you're pretty sure your partners do too! As you speed away you'll have to avoid the police or you'll get caught and thrown in the slammer, but you're not above throwing one of your accomplices under the bus, as long as he's not carrying the loot! If the money car gets arrested, you all lose!

Along the way you may be tempted to hold-up a convenience store or two for extra supplies, but you've gotta move quick as the cops are right on your tail! Those lucky enough to make it back to the hideout aren't home free yet though, there's sure to be a final shootout as the gang battles each other to take all the loot for themselves!

Rules

High-Octane Heist follows the standard rules with these additions:

Three or more players.
Players roll to see who carries the loot at the beginning of the game.
Played on its own, the police car occupies the outermost track adjacent to the robbers' lanes and is three cards longer. During play, the police car does not flip cards and instead plays as if all cards are basic tracks, advancing one card per round after all players have completed their turn. The police car cannot be shot or have any cards played on its lane; it's always advancing. If the police car advances past any player, that player is arrested and out of the game!
Robbers must make it back to the hideout with the loot. If the loot holder is arrested, the game is over. Players collaborate to make sure the loot is protected.
If the player with the loot goes Off-Track during the game, another player may steal it if they are in a parallel position to the loot carrier at the beginning or end of their turn. Players roll dice; high roller takes possession of the loot.

Component notes (from the sheet's diagram): Gold Loot card: "Transport safely back to hideout. +1 roll for carrier during final battle." The diagram labels the hideout, the Convenience Store Robbery (plays like the standard RPM Checkpoint), the Loot Card, and the Unmanned Police Car.

Final Stand-Off

Once all players either reach the hideout or are arrested, the players who made it back safe then duke it out in an all or nothing high-stakes stand-off. Players receive one roll of the die for:

Every RPM card in hand.
Arriving at the hideout first.
Arriving at the hideout with the Loot.

Each player tallies the sum of their rolls. The player with the highest total sneaks away with the loot and wins the game!

High-Speed Heroes

(Recommended for ages 10 & up)

The Plan

A call has just come in to police headquarters; there's a bus-full of passengers barreling toward the collapsed bridge over Coyote Gorge. The bus' brakes are out and it's up to you and your partners to blowout all four tires and stop it before everyone onboard takes a high-dive.

It won't be easy. You'll all have to work together. The bus is moving fast and swerving sporadically. One wrong move and you may find yourself on a permanent vacation in the rapids below.

Rules

High-Speed Heroes follows the standard rules with these changes:

1-4 players. Four police cars should be played regardless of the number of players. Each player may play multiple police cars or one player may play all four cars in a solo game.
All police cars move first, the bus moves last.
Played on its own, the bus occupies the center track, which is three cards shorter. During play, the bus does not flip cards, instead playing as if all cards are basic tracks, advancing one card per round after all players have completed their turn. The bus cannot have any cards played on its track other than the designated Tire Spikes.
Set up the four police tracks with about 12-15 cards in each lane, ending at the edge of a table.
Weapons Cards are not used for this play scenario.
Remove all of the following RPM cards from the draw deck: Mortar, Blast Bunker, Rockfall, Land Mine, Dynamite, Gas Bomb, Crash Landing, Pothole, Oil Slick, Reload, Break-In, Stall.
Deal one Instant Tire Spikes RPM to each police car.
Deal Two RPMs from the draw deck to each police car.
RPMs should be used collectively as a team, but must be held separately by each police car. Once a police car leaves play, their RPMs are removed from the game also.
You may choose to play with or without RPM Checkpoints.

Stopping the Bus

If a police car starts their turn On-Track, and is parallel to or in front of the bus, they may attempt to play their Tire Spikes in the bus' path. The process for dropping Tire Spikes follows the attack rules from Standard Play, with the bus rolling first. For every card the police car is ahead of the bus, they receive X+2 attacking accuracy. Players parallel to the bus receive X+0 accuracy and if they choose to roll, must get a direct hit. If the Tire Spikes are placed on the track successfully, it blows out one bus tire. All four tires must be hit to stop the bus and win the game.

If a police car attempts to play Tire Spikes and misses its target, the bus swerves and deals Off-Track 2 damage to the police car.

Pulling Over Safely

Once a police car has successfully played its Tire Spikes, it may pull its car Off-Track and safely remove itself from the game at any point before the Flip Phase of their turn. Once a card is flipped, the turn must be completed even if it means going off the cliff. Players may choose to stay in play to help teammates finish stopping the bus with their collective RPMs.

Players win the game by stopping the bus, and themselves, before going off the last card in their lane!

Rad Rax Run

(Recommended for ages 10 & up)

The Plan

After months behind bars, Rad Rax and four other prisoners have just broken from their cells and stolen an enemy tanker full of weapons. Now racing away from the Menacing Marauders, Rad Rax and his crew will have to burn more than rubber to break free from the maximum-security compound. If they can make it to the perimeter without being recaptured, and bust through the 15-foot tall fortress wall, Rad Rax and his comrades will once again taste the freedom of the open road.

Rules

Rad Rax Run follows the standard rules with these changes:

3-5 players (1 Rad Rax, 2-4 Marauders).
Rad Rax gets first choice of weapons.
Set up tracks with 12-15 cards in each lane. Rad Rax's lane is 3 cards shorter.
Using 15 spare cards or tokens of choice, layout a wall barricade at the end of the tracks.
Players may not advance beyond the barricade. Players on the last track card continue their turns as normal without a move phase. Players on the last track card in their lane may fire backwards at opponents behind.

Component notes (from the sheet's diagram): the diagram labels a Wall Barricade across the end of the tracks, a Rad Rax position with Passenger Tokens, and Marauders labels beside the lanes.

Rad Rax Rules

Rad Rax wins the game by removing all 15 wall barricades and escaping the compound with at least 1 passenger token remaining.

Deal Rad Rax 5 passenger tokens, 10 RPM cards, Tank Tracks, Oil Stockpile, and 1 additional Performance Upgrade of choice, plus the EMP Shockwave and 1 additional weapon of choice.
Rad Rax draws 1 RPM card at the beginning of each turn, and discards one RPM card at the end of each turn.
Rad Rax may use weapons to do wall damage in addition to opponent damage, following the standard rules of attack. One wall piece is removed for every point of damage dealt. Each weapon may only do damage to the wall once per turn.
If Rad Rax reaches the end of the track and there are still wall cards remaining, Rad Rax may ram the wall once each turn to remove one wall card during the move phase.
When approaching the wall, if a Jump card or Passing Lane would cause Rad Rax to go past (ram) the wall barricade, remove 1 wall card for each space past the end of the track Rad Rax would normally travel.
NOTE: Shortcuts do not produce the same effect. If a Shortcut would move Rad Rax past the wall, place Rad Rax on the empty space representing the last track card. This position is considered On-Track and plays as normal.
If no wall cards remain during Rad Rax's move phase, Rad Rax escapes the compound and wins the game.

Marauder Rules

Marauders win the game by capturing all five passenger tokens before Rad Rax escapes the compound.

Deal 1 weapon of choice and 7 RPM cards to each Marauder.
Marauders may choose to skip the move phase of their turn and go Off-Track instead to keep pace with Rad Rax. Marauders may continue to stay Off-Track for as many turns as desired. Follow the standard rules for getting back On-Track when ready.

Taking Passengers

During their attack phase, Marauders may attempt to capture passengers from Rad Rax once per turn.
Marauders must be in an On-Track position and parallel to, or within one card front or back of Rad Rax (see the diagram on the sheet).
Marauders can take passengers when Rad Rax is either On or Off-Track, but may not take passengers while either player is on a Detour path.
To take a passenger, the attacking Marauder and Rad Rax each roll one die. High roll wins, with a tie going to Rad Rax. If the Marauder wins, they take one passenger token. If Rad Rax wins, no passengers are taken.
Rad Rax may attempt to take back a passenger from a Marauder if On-Track and parallel to, or within one card front or back of the Marauder. During Rad Rax's attack phase, both players each roll one die. High roll wins, with a tie going to Rad Rax. If Rad Rax loses this attempt, the Marauder gains an additional passenger from Rad Rax.

Missing From This Transcription

The following are not in the sourced file and are not transcribed here:

The Thunder Track standard rules (the instruction booklet that the variants refer to as "the standard rules"): weapons and ammunition, the weapon cards and their effects, the Winner's Circle, and any changes to Performance Upgrades or RPMs made for Thunder Track.
The full Thunder Track RPM card texts. The High-Octane Heist sheet's underlying file carries an invisible text layer with unnamed card effects; these have no card names attached, so they were not transcribed.
The track-example diagrams and the card, board, and component artwork in the sheets. Only their printed labels and captions are recorded above.