Zeppelin Derby
Zeppelin Derby Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Needed
The 17 derby cards, 5 six-sided dice and one small marker for each player.
Win
The first player to cross the finish line with their Zeppelin wins the trophy.
Setup
Choose who will be the Blue Player and who will be the Red Player. Place the 3 course cards in a line (matching the • and • • on the card edges). The Blue Player places their marker on the Zeppelin numbered 1, the Red Player on the Zeppelin numbered 6.
Shuffle the 14 race cards and deal 6 to each player. Set the remaining 2 aside. They will not be used.
Play
On your turn roll the 5 six-sided dice once. Set aside any dice you choose, and then reroll the other dice once more. You may choose not to reroll. You are trying to roll dice matching your ship number (the Blue Player's number is 1, the Red Player's is 6).
You may play a card before or after your roll, but only during your turn. You do not draw additional race cards during the game.
Move your Zeppelin a number of spaces forward, depending on how many of the dice you rolled match your ship number:
- 1 die: 2 spaces
- 2 dice: 3 spaces
- 3 dice: 5 spaces
- 4 dice: 7 spaces
- 5 dice: 10 spaces
Course Cards
The 3 course cards are placed in a line (matching the • and • • on the card edges), as described in Setup. The printed course cards carry only track artwork and dotted lane lines; one card is marked FINISH. The sheet does not print further course-card rules.
Race Cards
There are 14 race cards in four categories: Dirty Tricks, Weather, Crew and Engineering. Each card is played during its owner's turn, before or after the roll (see Play).
Dirty Tricks
- Aether Mines! (2 copies): Roll one die to calculate range. If this number is equal to or greater than the distance between your opponent and an aether mine, your opponent loses their next turn.
- Sabotage!: Discard a random card from your opponent's hand.
- Grappling Harpoon: Roll one die to calculate range. If this number is equal to or greater than the distance between you and your opponent, you may switch the positions of your markers.
Weather
- Headwind: Roll one die and move your opponent back that number of spaces.
- Tailwind: Reroll any dice you choose once more during your turn in addition to your normal rolls.
- Aether Storm!: If both player markers are on the middle course card, rotate the card 180 degrees and continue towards finish line.
Crew
- Second Shift: Roll 3 dice. If this number is less than or equal to your distance to the finish line you may take a second turn.
- Teamwork: If you roll a 'full house' with your five dice your movement value is doubled.
- Wild Cards: Exchange this card for any card already played and use it instead.
Engineering
- Mine Detection: Any Aether Mines! card played on you affects your opponent instead of you.
- Don't Spare the Aether: Movement bonus if you roll 'three of a kind':
- Three 3s: 3 spaces
- Three 4s: 4 spaces
- Three 5s: 5 spaces
- Full Throttle: After your normal two rolls you may reroll any dice as many times as you wish. If you roll a 3 at any time during these rerolls your turn is over and you do not move your ship.
- Engine Overdrive: Movement bonus if you roll a 'straight':
- 2, 3 and 4: 2 spaces
- 3, 4 and 5: 2 spaces
- 2, 3, 4 and 5: 4 spaces