Über den Wolken
Über den Wolken Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 Action board
- 1 Game board + 2 board extensions (for three- or four-player games)
- 57 Maneuver cards: 16 for two-player games, 19 for three-player games, 22 for four-player games
- 7 Nest cards
- 25 Bird tiles (5 per player color + 5 neutral)
- 4 Score markers
- 64 Action cubes (16 per player color)
Setup
Setup for a 4-player game (the printed rulebook shows the setup with a diagram; the numbered steps below are the text).
- Place the action board in the center of the table.
- Place the game board next to it with one board extension for three-player games, or with both board extensions for four-player games. For two-player games, you don't need any board extensions.
- Set aside the 5 neutral birds. Each player chooses a color and takes their 5 bird tiles, as well as 10/13/16 action cubes (for 2/3/4 players). Return all unused birds and action cubes to the box. Shuffle together three neutral birds, along with two female birds and one male bird from each player, then place them face up and at random on the game board in this triangular formation:
- The printed rulebook shows the triangular formation for 2-, 3- and 4-player games as diagrams.
- Shuffle each player's two remaining birds and the two remaining neutral birds together to form a face-down bird deck. Reveal two birds from this deck and place them face up beside it.
- Each player places their score marker on space 0 of the scoring track.
- Shuffle the set of maneuver cards for your player count and deal 2 to each player. From the remaining cards, place 4/5/6 (for 2/3/4 players) face up next to the game board as the display. Keep the rest as a face-down draw deck.
- Shuffle the nest cards face down and reveal one. This is the nest card for the first stage.
The player with the most birds in the front row of the flock (at the arrows) goes first. If tied, the player with the most birds in the two front rows of the flock goes first. If still tied, determine the starting player randomly.
Game Concepts
Game Board
During the game, the bird flock occupies the game board. It spreads across 3 rows and 5/6/7 columns (for 2/3/4 players). Throughout the game, you use actions to position your birds on the board. You'll either swap the positions of adjacent birds or add new birds to the flock on empty spaces.
Action Board
The action board shows the 4 standard actions (A, B, C, D). Each initially costs 1 action cube, but the price increases the more often the action is used. The second use of the same action costs 2 action cubes, the third costs 3, etc. Action cubes that have been used are placed in the nest in the center during the game.
Nest Cards
At the end of each stage of the game, the frontmost bird in each column will land and leave the flock. This earns you points as shown on the nest card (for the current stage). Your score depends both on the number of your landing birds and on their genders.
The nest card shows two scoring elements: your points for the number of your landed birds, and your points per landed pair.
Maneuver Cards
You can use maneuver cards either for their action portion or for their scoring portion. You can use the action portion during your turn to perform the action shown on it. You can use the scoring portion at the end of a stage. It shows two positions in the flock. If you occupy one or both positions with your birds, you earn points for them.
Gameplay
You'll play 3 stages, each ending with a landing. In each stage, you take turns performing actions with your action cubes to position your birds in the most valuable spots. Once everyone has used all their action cubes, the stage ends and landing with scoring occurs. You'll earn points for fulfilled nest and maneuver cards. Afterward, you get all your action cubes back and the next stage begins. Whoever has earned the most points after three landings wins "Above the Clouds."
Action Phase
Starting with the first player, you take turns clockwise.
On your turn, if you still have action cubes available, you do one of the following:
- perform a standard action, or
- play a maneuver card, or
- pass.
Standard Actions
The 4 standard actions are shown on the action board. The first player to use an action places 1 action cube from their supply on the corresponding action space. Whoever uses this action next (even if it's the same player) clears the space and then places 2 action cubes there. The third user then pays 3 for this action, the fourth user pays 4 action cubes from their supply, etc. Always clear the action space first before placing the required number of action cubes there. The removed cubes (from the previous user) are collected in the nest in the center. If you don't have enough action cubes for a standard action, you can't use it.
Example: The pink player places one of his cubes on the "fly left/right" action and uses it. Later in the game, the orange player also wants to use this action. He must now place two of his action cubes on the space and push the pink cube into the nest.
There are four standard actions:
- Fly left/right: Swap one of your birds with a bird directly to its left or right. Flying a bird to an empty space is not allowed.
- Fly forward/backward: Swap one of your birds with a bird directly in front of or behind it. Flying a bird to an empty space is not allowed.
- Add a new bird: Take one of the face-up birds next to the bird deck OR the top bird from the bird deck. Place it either at the front of the flock, or push all birds in a column one space forward and then place it at the back. Gaps never form in the flock. If you use one of the face-up birds, then reveal the top bird from the deck. If a column already contains three birds, you may not place another bird in it. If all columns already contain three birds, you cannot use this action.
- Take a maneuver card: Take one of the face-up maneuver cards from the display into your hand. You may only hold a maximum of 4 maneuver cards in your hand. If you already have 4 maneuver cards in hand and take another, you must then discard a maneuver card to the discard pile. The maneuver card display is refilled at the end of the stage. If no maneuver cards are available, you cannot use this action.
Play Maneuver Card
Play a maneuver card from your hand and use its action portion. The card shows how many action cubes you must spend for it. Place the spent action cubes on the nest in the center of the action board. Then place the maneuver card on the discard pile.
There are the following maneuver cards. The cost in cubes is shown in brackets.
- Dodge (2 cubes): Swap one of your birds with a bird exactly 2 spaces away in the same row.
- Sharp Dodge (2 cubes): Swap one of your birds with a bird exactly 3 spaces away in the same row.
- Lead Change (2 cubes): Swap one of your birds with a bird exactly 2 spaces away in the same column.
- Standard (2 cubes): Use any standard action. (Pay 2 action cubes, regardless of how many cubes are on that action space. Place your action cubes directly on the nest.)
- Neutral (2 cubes): Swap a neutral bird with an orthogonally adjacent one.
- Diagonal (3 cubes): Swap one of your birds with a diagonally adjacent one.
- Score (3 cubes): Score another maneuver card from your hand immediately. Then discard it.
- Free Flight (4 cubes): Swap one of your birds with any other bird on the game board.
- Favorite Bird (4 cubes): Search the bird deck for any bird and add it to the flock. Then shuffle the bird deck.
- Display (variable cost): Use the action of a maneuver card in the display (and pay its cost). The used card remains in the display.
Pass
Spend 2 action cubes and end your turn. On your next turn, you may again choose from all actions. If you only have 1 action cube left, you discard it.
End of a Stage
Once all players have spent their action cubes, the stage ends. Now the landing occurs. The nest card for this stage is scored. Then players can score maneuver cards from their hand. If this was the third stage, the game now ends. Otherwise, you prepare for the next stage.
The Landing and Scoring the Nest Card
The frontmost bird in each column lands. It leaves the flock to build a nest. Birds land even if there are empty spaces in front of them in the column. Your birds that land score you the points shown on this stage's nest card. Your score depends on how many of your birds land. Additionally, you get a bonus (or penalty) for your landing pairs of one male and one female bird each. Record your points on the scoring track. Afterwards, shuffle the birds that just landed and place them on the bottom of the bird deck.
Example: The Red Kite player (orange) lands 2 males and one female. The nest card shows that they receive 11 points for 3 birds. They get 3 additional points for their two birds that form a pair. In total, they receive 14 points for the landing. The Greylag Goose player (beige) can land two females, earning 7 points. The Crane player (pink) scores 3 points by landing one bird. The Swallow player (violet) cannot land any of their birds, leaving them empty-handed this stage. The Swift (white) also lands. As a neutral bird, however, it doesn't score anyone points.
Scoring Maneuver Cards
The scoring portion of maneuver cards always shows two spaces on the game board marked with points. If one of your birds is on one of these spaces, you may score the maneuver card and receive the points shown on it. If you have occupied both marked spaces with your own birds, you receive 2 additional points. You may score as many maneuver cards as you wish. Then place them on the discard pile.
Example: The Swallow player (violet) can score three maneuver cards. For the female swallow at bottom right, they get 3 points from card ➊. For the same bird, they get 3 points from card ➋, and with card ➌ they pull off a coup – for the two swallows near the center of the flock, they receive 2 points once and 1 point once. Since they could score 2 birds with this card, they receive the bonus of 2 points. In total, the violet player can score 3 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 2 = 11 points.
Preparing the Next Stage
All players retrieve their action cubes from the action board. Reveal a new nest card for the next stage and refill the maneuver card display to 4/5/6 (for 2/3/4 players). If the maneuver card draw deck is exhausted, shuffle the discard pile and form a new draw deck from it. Push the birds in the middle columns forward so they fly in triangular formation again (as at game start). Place birds drawn from the bird deck face up on empty spaces in the back row.
Note: The next stage may begin with more birds in the flock if 2 birds remain in one of the outer columns after landing. (See the illustration in the printed rulebook.)
The player who now has the most birds in the front row of the flock begins the next stage. If tied, the player with the most birds in the front two rows of the flock begins (as at game start). If still tied, determine the starting player for the next stage randomly.
End of Game
After scoring in stage 3, the game ends. Whoever has managed through tactical skill to earn the most points wins the game and may bask in the sun in the southern hemisphere over winter. If multiple players have the most points, the winner among them is whoever has fewer birds on the game board. If still tied, you share the victory or play a rematch.
Brief Bird Guide
- Swift: The swift is a fast migratory bird that spends almost its entire life flying and winters in Africa.
- Greylag Goose: The greylag goose is a large, gray wild goose that lives in wetlands. It flies south in winter and is considered the ancestor of the domestic goose.
- Crane: The crane is a large migratory bird with a trumpeting call and striking courtship dance. It lives in wetlands and winters in southern Europe or Africa.
- Swallow: The swallow is an agile migratory bird with a forked tail that catches insects in flight and often heralds the arrival of summer.
- Red Kite: The red kite is an elegant bird of prey with a deeply forked tail. It feeds on carrion and prey, and spends some of the winter in southern Europe.