Zone Runners Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Initial Set Up
• The Aim of the Game
• Zone Card Anatomy
• On Each Turn
• 1. Flip a Hidden Zone
• 2. Roll the Dice
• 3. Resolve Runners' Actions
  • Run
  • Jump
  • Running Jump
  • Encounter
  • No Assigned Energy
• 4. Move the Turn Tracker
• Bonus Dice
• Next Level
• End of Course
• End of Game
• Characters Abilities Summary
• Blocker Encounter Summary
• Examples and Tips

Components

9 cards (7 Zones, 1 Turn tracker, 1 Creditboard/Reference), 8 dice (d6), 3 small cubes/tokens of different colours for the Runners, 6 small cubes/tokens of the same colour for the Blockers.

Initial Set Up

Shuffle the 7 Zone cards (turning some 180 degrees as you do so) and lay them face down in a row. Place the Turn tracker card face up at the end of the row, so that its 'End Zone' edge is next to the last card.

Roll 6 of the dice (or 3 dice twice). Each die score relates to a Zone. Place Blockers on the corresponding Zone cards. Note that there is maximum of 2 Blockers per Zone, so if the same number is rolled more than twice, re-roll that die. If a 1 is rolled place a Blocker on Zone 7 (as Zone 1 never has Blockers).

Place a die on the 'Go' space of the Turn tracker so that the 1 of the die faces uppermost, indicating that you are on the first Level.

You won't need the Creditboard until the end of Level 1. But the reverse has a handy reference to the Runners' abilities. You can colour in the square for each Runner to match the colour of their cube/token.

Flip the first, Zone 1, card (left-right flip) in the row so it is face up. Place the 3 Runners to the left of the card, next to the Tracks. Depending on the Track layouts you can choose to start all 3 Runners on the High Track or one or more Runners on a lower track. Their track choices are now locked.

The game can now begin...

The Aim of the Game

Win as many credits as you can!

Each Level consists of 3 tracks (high, mid and low), divided into 7 Zones (cards). The game has 3 Levels, each getting progressively more difficult.

Runners who successfully reach a Level's End Zone are awarded points (credits), depending on the height of track and the Level.

A runner who completes one Level can then tackle the next one (hopefully with their other team mates if they also finished it).

You control a team of 3 Runners. You'll be rolling dice and deciding how best to assign them so that each Runner has the best chance of progressing. Runners also have special abilities that can modify their dice score.

Zone Card Anatomy

Diagram labels: High Track, Mid Track, Low Track; "Gap in track"; "Blocker position" (the circular markers on the track); "1 Space on track" (a single track space).

On Each Turn

1. Flip Zone card(s) face up (if required).
2. Roll the dice and allocate Energy to Runners.
3. Resolve the Runners' Actions.
4. Move the Turn die tracker forward 1 space.

1. Flip a Hidden Zone

If there is a chance that a Runner will reach a face down Zone card during the turn, then flip that card (left-right flip) so it is face up.

Position any of that Zone's Blockers on the tracks' circular markers. For 2 Blockers, place one on each marker. For just one Blocker place it on the single circle maker.

2. Roll the Dice

Dice are used to resolve the Runners' Actions (see Section 3 below).

Roll the number of dice equal to the number of active Runners in your team. You may choose to 'lock' some or all of the dice. Roll any unlocked dice once more. This is now your team's pool of Action dice.

Assign a die to each Runner. This is their Energy. Two or more dice may be assigned to a single Runner. These dice may be added together, or subtracted from each other, to achieve a specific Energy. Note that, by combining dice in this way, one or more of the other Runners will not receive Energy.

A single die may not be assigned (divided) between Runners.

3. Resolve Runners' Actions

On each turn a Runner may perform one of 4 different actions: Run, Jump, Running jump or Encounter.

Runners' Actions may be resolved in any order you choose.

Each Runner has a special ability that may be used to modify their Energy:

The Sprinter - SPEED BURST: Adds up to 2 to their Energy when running.

The Jumper - SPRING: Adds 1 or subtracts 1 from their Energy when jumping (but not a running jump).

The Fighter - FISTICUFFS: Adds 2 to their Energy in an encounter.

Examples of a run and running jumps (Zone 1 and Zone 2 cards shown in the printed example; the Runner's Energy is shown as a die face in each case):

a. Runner's Energy (die face): Runs 2 spaces and stops before the gap. They will need to jump on the next turn.

b. Runner's Energy (die face): Successful running jump (runs 2 spaces + 2 to jump the gap).

c. Runner's Energy (die face): Fails the running jump and drops down to the track below.

Run

Move the Runner forward the number of spaces on the track equal to their Energy. A maximum of 2 Runners may occupy the same space. One Runner may pass by another Runner.

If a Runner's Energy means they would run and reach a gap in the track with some of their Energy still remaining, then they must do a running jump that turn (see Running Jump action).

If the Runner reaches a Blocker they must stop on the Blocker's space. Place the Runner on top of the Blocker. Only one Runner may be on top of a Blocker. A second Runner may occupy the same space, positioned to the left of the Blocker (a third Runner must wait on the space before).

Jump

If, at the start of a turn, a Runner is on the space directly before a gap, they must attempt to jump over it. To successfully jump, their Energy must equal the Zone number of the gap. They then move onto the space directly after the gap.

If a Runner faces 2 gaps joined together then their Energy must equal the higher Zone number + 1 to successfully jump the gap.

If they fail the jump (i.e. their Energy is greater, or less, than the Jump's Zone number) then they drop down the gap onto the track space directly below (if it was a double gap, then the first space).

Failure to jump a gap on the Low Track means that Runner drops out of the game and is no longer active. Place the Runner in the Drop Zone below the card. They will be scored later.

Running Jump

The Runner's Energy for that turn must equal the number of spaces to the gap + the gap's Zone number (or, for a double gap, the higher gap's Zone number +1). They then move onto the space directly after the gap.

Note that the Jumper and the Sprinter cannot use their special ability for a running jump.

If a Runner fails a running jump then they drop down the gap onto the track space directly below.

Encounter

If, at the start of the turn, a Runner is on top of a Blocker, they must encounter it.

A second runner on the same space (to the left of the Blocker) must wait until the Runner encountering the Blocker gets past it before they encounter it.

The Blocker - Strength = their Zone number + the Level number.

Each Runner encounters a Blocker in a different way:

The Fighter attempts to fight and defeat the Blocker. If their Energy (with their modifier) equals the Blocker's strength then place the Fighter to the right of the Blocker on the same space.

If their Energy exceeds the Blocker's strength then the Blocker is defeated and thrown off the track. Place it in the Drop Zone beneath the Zone card. It will be scored later. The Fighter remains on the same space (free to move forward on the next turn).

The Jumper attempts to jump over the Blocker. If their Energy equals or exceeds the Blocker's strength then they succeed. Place the Jumper to the right of the Blocker on the same space.

If there is a gap directly after the Blocker's space, and the amount of excees Energy equals the Zone number of the gap, then the Jumper also jumps the gap and lands on the space directly after it.

The Sprinter attempts to dodge and sprint past the Blocker. If their Energy equals the Blocker's strength then they successfully dodge. Place the Sprinter to the right of the Blocker on the same space.

If their Energy exceeds the Blocker's strength then they also speed past the Blocker. Move the Sprinter forward the number of spaces equal to the difference between the Blocker's strength and the Sprinter's Energy. Note that, if a gap is reached with some of their Energy remaining, then they automatically drop down the gap.

If a Runner's Energy is less than the Blocker's strength then the Blocker throws the Runner backwards along the track, the number of spaces equal to its Zone. If the Runner comes to a gap, they drop down onto the track space directly below (and stop).

If that gap is on the Low Track, they drop out of the game and are no longer active. Place the Runner in the Drop Zone below the card. They will be scored later.

If a Runner falls through a gap and lands on a space already occupied by the other two Runners, then they should be placed on the space to the left.

Note that you must resolve a Runner's Action using all of their assigned Energy (unless reaching a Blocker when running).

No Assigned Energy

A Runner cannot use their special ability if they have not been assigned a Energy.

A Runner cannot run, jump or encounter a Blocker if they have not been assigned an Energy.

If a Runner is on the space directly before a gap then they automatically fail the jump (even if the gap is in Zone 1).

If they are on top of a Blocker then they are automatically thrown backwards along the track (as described above).

Otherwise they simply remain on the same space.

4. Move the Turn Tracker

Once all the Runners have finished their actions, the turn ends. Move the die on the Turn tracker forward 1 space.

If the die lands on a cross then flip the first face up Zone card from the left face down. All tracks within that Zone have collapsed. Any Runner remaining in a collapsed Zone (or thrown backwards by a Blocker into it) is out of the game and no longer active. Place the Runner in the Drop Zone area beneath that collapsed Zone. They will be scored later. Discard any Blockers that were on the tracks of the collapsed Zone.

Bonus Dice

If one or more Runners completed Level 1 then place a Bonus die on the Level 2 bonus space on the Turn tracker. Similarly, for completing Level 2, place a Bonus die on the Level 3 bonus space.

A bonus die is also awarded to the last runner standing (running). As soon as 2 Runners are out of the game place a Bonus die on the Last Runner bonus space.

Next Level

Set up the next Level in the same way (refer back to Initial Set Up), turning the uppermost face of the die on the 'Go' space of the Turn tracker to reflect the new Level you are on (2 or 3).

Note that only Runners who made it to the End Zone can participate in the next Level, and you will get to roll 1 die for each per turn.

You may use your Bonus die as an extra Action die for 1 turn only. View this as a 'superhuman effort'. You must decide if you are using the Bonus die before you roll the dice. Once used it is discarded.

If you have more than one Bonus die you can choose to use them together on a single turn or separately on different turns.

End of Course

The End Zone is a single space (an exit that only opens for a split second each turn). It must be landed on exactly in order to complete the level. Here the Sprinter's burst of speed ability can prove useful.

If a Runner's Energy would take them beyond the End Zone space then it is ignored and they must try again on the next turn.

The Level is completed once the all active Runners have reached the End Zone.

Runners completing the Level receive credits for that Level as indicated on the End Zone. A Runner who reaches the End Zone while others have yet to finish is still considered active (and so a die is still rolled for them each turn, as part of the team's pool of Action dice).

Runners who are out of the game, in the Drop Zone, receive credits equivalent to the Zone where they finished. They are no longer active.

For every defeated Blocker in the Drop Zone, the team receives bonus credits equal to the Level number.

Move the dice on the Creditboard forward the number of spaces equal to the total credits received (you'll need 2 dice to track your credits).

End of Game

The game ends once all 3 Runners are in the Drop Zone.

The game also ends if Level 3 has been completed.

The Creditboard shows the total credits your team has won. How well did they do?

• 100 + : Outstanding! A runaway success!
• 85 – 99 : A good run for your money.
• 65 – 84 : Run of the mill.
• 40 – 64 : Running short.
• < 40 : Running the gauntlet!

Characters Abilities Summary

• The Sprinter - Adds up to 2 when running (but not running jump).
• The Jumper - Adds 1 or subtracts 1 when jumping (but not running jump).
• The Fighter - Adds 2 in an encounter.

Blocker Encounter Summary

• The Sprinter - Energy = Blocker's Strength (BS): Dodges (stays on same space). Energy > BS: Sprints past (no. of spaces = excess Energy).
• The Jumper - Energy = > BS: Jumps over (stays on same space). If gap directly after Blocker space then can jump it if excess Energy = gap zone no.
• The Fighter - Energy = BS: Gets past (stays on same space). Energy > BS: Throws Blocker off track (stays on same space).

Examples and Tips

It may not always be the best idea to start all 3 Runners on the High Track, bearing in mind that, once they start, a maximum of 2 Runners are allowed on any single track space.

In the example above, the Sprinter starts on Track 2. Zone 2 is revealed and the final Action dice rolled are 6, 2 and 4. The Sprinter is assigned the 6, for a running jump over the Zone 2 gap (4 needed for the track spaces and 2 for the gap). The Fighter gets the 2 that will see him successfully perform a running jump over the Zone 1 gap (1 needed for the space and 1 for the gap). The remaining 4, however, does not help the Jumper. If they are assigned it, they will fail the running jump. If they are not assigned it they will simply remain where they are. What would be your choice?

Alternatively, the Jumper could be assigned Energy of 2 (6 – 4) for a running jump over the Zone 1 gap. The Fighter would get the 2 for a running jump over the same gap. All 3 dice would have been used so the Sprinter would not be assigned Energy and would remain where they are.

Deliberately not assigning Energy to one Runner in order to help another is a useful tactic.

Consider all possible combinations of the dice before assigning them to give you the best possible choice of actions and different strategies.

Tactically, a Runner can fail the jump in order to drop down to a more suitable looking track or to avoid a Blocker.

Getting one Runner further ahead will help reveal more of the course so you're better informed on whether or not to drop down a track.

Here, on Level 1, the final Action dice rolled are 5, 2 and 3. The Fighter is assigned the 5 and, adding 2 for his special ability, will pass the Blocker (strength 7). The Jumper is assigned the 2 and 3 and, by adding her special ability, will succeed in jumping the gap. The Sprinter is not assigned Energy and will therefore fail the jump and drop down to the Mid Track (conveniently avoiding the Zone 6 Blocker).

Finally, don't forget to use those bonus dice you gain for progressing!