Bankraub Rulebook (English) - Spiele

1
BA NK RO BB ERY!
Sinis ter guys sneak throu gh
dark streets
They are eyeing the banks of the town in
which the money is stacked.
But: the more money is deposited, the safer
a bank is. There’s the rumour that specialists for alarm bells are needed and also
that safe cracker may get a job. At “The
Dancing Zebra” Big Joe buys one round
after the other, and in the backyard garages
the escape cars are being prepared.
But when is a gang powerful enough?
And: will it not only surmount alarm bells,
safes and guards but also manage a fast
escape to the safe house?
For sure, the underworld will do everything
to stop the bank robbers and get at least a
part of the loot.
„Bank robbery“ is a quite short game. It takes place in two
phases.
In the first phase, the players prepare the bank robbery
as perfectly as possible. This could be done either with
a big gang which can get a large loot or with some
specialists who rob less money but make a fast escape.
The second phase starts with the action “bank robbery”
and ends with a successful escape. That is, only if the
others let this happen…
There are 8 parts to the board which may be combined
in many different ways – so every game is different and
offers different tactics.
Material
1 board (8 parts), 1 four-sided dice, 5 game pieces, 4 black
safes, 4 yellow alarm bells, 8 blue guards, 4 red barriers,
4 bank tokens, 4 hideout tokens, 65 money tokens, 61
burglary tokens, 8 cards bank, 8 cards hideout, 32 cards
gangsters, 31 cards action, rules
Aim of the game
To rob the most money after a defined number of bank
robberies or a defined period of time. The players get
money either by means of successful bank robberies or
as reward for catching bank robbers – or by taking the
money from the bank robber and making a successful
escape to another hideout.
In every game there are two – perhaps three – different
aims:
• Make a bank robbery and a successful escape to the
hideout
• Stop the bank robber and take the reward
• Stop the bank robber, take the money and run
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Overview Gameplay
material
Phase 1: Planning
In the „Planning“ phase, the players prepare their own bank
robbery by taking and discarding cards.
For a perfect bank robbery one needs:
Game Board
To set up the board, use any 4 of the 8 existing parts.
These 4 parts can be used arbitrarily. On some of the
parts there are more streets, and on others there are
more houses. In addition, the tracks of the Cable Cars
are different. So the action cards have a different
impact, depending on the chosen board .
On one part there is a park which can be crossed only by
foot.
Beginners should choose the board with the white back.
• The layout of the bank to be robbed (i.e. one card
„bank“). No layout, no bank robbery.
• A bunch of skilled workers – every single one of them
knowledgeable of the equipment in the targeted bank.
• A hideout (i.e. one card „hideout“). A bank robbery
without a hideout is possible, but complete nonsense.
• Several aids for the escape: cars, keys, cable car-tickets
and all that.
The planning phase ends immediately when one of the
players believes to have the perfect combination of cards
and shouts “bank robbery!”, even if it´s not this player’s turn.
Phase 2: Escape
IIn the phase „Escape“, the player tries to bring his bunch
of gangsters through the town to the hideout. All other
players try to stop him.
square
square with
house entrance
The escape phase ends when the bank robbers reach their
safe house or when they have been stopped.
After counting the loot – or the reward – the game goes on
with the next planning phase.
End of the game
The game ends after a pre-defined time or after a defined
number of bank robberies (successful or not….).
Cable Car Stop
Bank
Starting
Square
Hideout
Game pieces
Every player moves a game piece in the escape phase of
the game. This represents all gangsters placed face up.
Game pieces may land on the same square or may pass
each other.
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Bank and Hideout Chips
A chip must be placed on every bank in the center of the
board as well as in every hideout in each of the corners.
That way one can see which card refers to which bank and
hideout.
Money Chips
There are chips of 50,000
20,000, 10,000, 5,000
and 1,000. Players may
exchange amounts with
the deposit at all times.
Cards
Cards “Hideout“
The hideouts are placed in the corners of
the town. A player can escape to a hideout
with the corresponding card only. All
hideouts occur twice in the game.
Cards “Bank“
The banks (A, B, C, D) are placed in
the center of the town. A bank can
only be robbed if the player owns the
corresponding card. Every card occurs twice
in the game.
safe
alarm bell
guard
safe cracker
electrician
mucleman
If a player wants to rob a bank
without any safes, alarm bells or
guards, he may hire any gangster –
even a driver.
driver
Cards “Gangster“
There are four kinds of gangsters:
Safe crackers are needed for banks with a safe.
Electricians are needed for banks with an alarm bell.
Musclemen are needed for banks with a guard – for
each guard one muscleman.
Drivers are not needed for a bank robbery. But without
a driver, the use of cars for the escape are not possible.
Every gangster belongs to a certain family – blue, red,
green, yellow. Every gangster occurs twice in the game
– like twins.
There are gangsters of different families in every gang.
But no problem, thereisn’t any competition among these
families.
But: after a successful bank robbery and escape every family
– every colour – requests one quarter of the loot. A
Gang of Gangsters from all four families can take four
quarters, and obviously there´s nothing left for the player.
5
placed face down afterwards. Another card is
required to cross to another house – even in the
same move.
Cars
House
Cable Car
Barricades
False ID
Cards „Action and Movement“
There are five kinds of movement and action cards. The validity of each
card is specified, whether it is valid once (1x), infinitely ( ) or for a certain
duration (|- - ->|).
Cars and cable cars may be used as long as the player uses this kind of
movement. If a player changes movement, i.e. by entering a house, the
cards are placed face down. To use car or cable car again, another card is
needed.
∞
Movement: either by foot (rolling the die), or by cards „car“.
All other cards are used either by rolling the die OR with a (by?) car.
The game piece is moved according to the number rolled or by the car
used (4 or 5) in direct (?) direction. Diagonal moves are not allowed.
One doesn´t have to use all moing points.
Cars – the cards car 4 and car 5 correspond to a die which shows a 4 or 5
every roll. A car is somewhat like a guaranteed roll of the die. But a player
has to own the gangster „driver“ in order to use the car cards.
As soon as the player gets out of the car, when for example the gangsters
enter a house or the cable– the card expires. Otherwise the car may be used
in following turn. As long as the player likes to work the gaspedal.
All moving points are transferrable: a player may play a car 5 (and a
driver), move one step by car, enter a house (play a card house), make two
more steps, enter a cable car (play a cable car card) and move two more
steps along the cable carline.
The initial card Car is, of course, expired.
House – a “House“ card allows the player to enter and leave houses. A
house can be entered and left on the light spots on the street. A house
is not counted as a square. A card house works only once and has to be
Cable Car – A cable car means fast moves for
the gangsters – either in clockwise- or counter
clockwise movement. The cable car stops are
counted as squares. Unfortunately, one has to
follow the cable car tracks. Once the cable car
is exited,, the card expires. If one would like to
take another ride, an additional ticket would be
needed. Otherwise, the cable car may be used
in subsequent turns.
A transfer of the movement points from the
car to the cable car is possible, but the car card
then expires.
Barricades – the barricade is not a movement
card; but rather it is used to prevent movement.
When played, the player places a red barricade
on a square – but not on one of the lighter
coloured squares around the hideouts.
Once placed, the barricades cannot be crossed;
neither by foot, by car or with the cable car. A
square with a channel cannot be used to enter
or to leave the sewer system. The barricade
remains there until the end of the escape phase.
False ID – Only players who play these cards
may cross barricades.
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Spielvorbereitung
• A board is consists of four parts.
Inexperienced players should use the
parts with the white lettering on the
back for the first few games.
• The money chips are placed beside
the board.
• All cards are shuffled in three
stacks:
- Cards “bank and hideout“
- Cards “gangsters“
- Cards “movement and action“
The three stacks are placed face
down beside the board. The upper
cards are placed face up beside each
stack.
If a stack is used up, all discarded
cards are shuffled and stacked up
again.
• A violet bank chip must be placed
on every bank as well as a violet
hideout chip on every hideout.
• With the die the equipment of
the four banks are determined.
Beginning with bank A the die is
rolled once:
r1 means a black safe has to be
placed on the bank
r 2 means a yellow alarm bell has to
be placed on the bank
r 3 means a blue guard has to be
placed on the bank
r4 Nothing happens and this bank
is to be skipped.
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This has to be continued until there are cubes of three
colours in one bank. If a certain equipment is rolled
twice, i.e. for bank C a second safe, this bank is to be
skipped. Only blue guards may be set two, three or four
times.
A bank with no token has a deposit of 20,000.
Every token adds 20,000.
• In clockwise order every player draws 11 cards. It is up to
the players from which stack they draw cards.
For beginners, a mix of 3 cards bank/hideout, 4 cards
gangsters and 4 cards movement are helpful.
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Playing the game
Planning phase
The player who has spent the most time in jail begins.
A card is drawn from one of the stacks, either from one
of the stacks with cards face up or from a new card. One
of the cards in a player’s hand can then be discarded. The
discarded card does not have to be of the same kind. For
example: one may pick a movement card and discard a
gangster card.
Then the player to the left does likewise, until all have
taken and discarded cards.
“Stop!“-Rule
If a player needs a card which has just been discarded, he
may shout „Stop!“ This player immediately begins his turn
now. however; that player must pick the discarded card and
discard another one.
After that card has been discarded, the player to his left
begins.
It may occur that some players are skipped by “Stops!” for
several turns, but one should keep in mind that a) no new
cards come into play and b) one gives information about
taken cards.
bank A, a robbery here is impossible. If one holds one card
of bank A, robbery may be possible. But perhaps another
player murmurs: „well, perhaps Bank A… I don´t know...
Do you really think…?”
The trackers are not allowed to show their cards, but
they surely may discuss guesses. The possible hideouts
may be of importance too….
Now the trackers place their game pieces on
the marked squares (foot prints) around the
town center. Two or more game pieces may be
placed on one square – but directly after the
bank robbery it might be a good idea to spread
out.
In a game of three players all players may agree
beforehand to place three game pieces, but use only
two of them.
Now the bank robber plays his/her bankcard and places
his/her game piece in this bank. The player also places all
the gangsters which are needed: an electrician for an
In this way the game goes on, until one player shouts
“bank robbery!“. It is not necessary to be the active player
to finish the planning phase.
As soon as “bank robbery!“ has been called out, the
planning phase is finishes immediately – perhaps the active
player has to discard a card so that every player has 11
cards in his hand.
Escape Phase
The player who called out “bank robbery!“ now leans back
and waits.
All other players now play the role of trackers und try
to find out which bank has been robbed. Since there are
two cards for each bank – if someone holds both cards of
alarm bell, a safe cracker for a safe and a muscleman
for each guard.
The player does not show the hideout card.
If the bank robber is not able to show the bankcard and/
or the necessary gangsters, the fun is over and all trackers
get 10,000.
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Now the player takes money chips related to the
equipment of the bank, 20,000 for the bank and 20,000
for each alarm bell, safe and guard.
If the player has made loot in a former turn, s/he keeps
the new money separate.
Now the bank robber takes his/her first turn. Either he
throws the die and moves correspondingly, or s/he plays
a car and a driver.
From now on the bank robber is not allowed to
draw and discard cards. S/he has to work with the
cards in his/her hand.
The bank robber is at a disadvantage since s/he gets
no new cards. On the other hand, the trackers don´t
know where the bank robber is headed. Bluffing and
a good combination of cards are vital for competent
bank robbers. The trackers draw new cards each
turn, but also their cards diminish with every turn.
The aim of the trackers is to reach the same square
that the bank robber is on. Then a showdown occurs in
which the bank robber may be victorious. If two or more
trackers reach the bank robber together, they combine
theirstrength.
The Escape phase may end in two ways:
There are two kinds of movement:
either the player throws the die and moves
correspondingly, or s/he places a “driver” and a car. The
movements points don´t have to be used completely if it
makes sense.
Now it´s the turn of the player on the left, who normally
draws a card and discards one before moving – either by
rolling the die or playing a driver and a car.
There´s no “Stop!” rule anymore, but the trackers may
help each other by discarding helpful cards.
Every played card is set down in front of the players. Every
invalid card is turned face down and is not placed on the
discard stacks.
1. The bank robber reaches his/herhideout, shows
the corresponding card and enjoys the money. The player
gets the money chips but deducts a quarter for every
colour of played gangsters in his/her gang.
2. Two or more trackers stop the bank robber.
Two or more trackers reach the same square that the
bank robber has landed and win against him/her in a
showdown.
All trackers get 10% of the money chips as a reward.
Or:
One tracker stops the bank robber and wins against
him in a showdown.
The player may now declare gameover. In addition, every
tracker receives 10% as a reward.
But the player may also decide to steal the money from the
bank robber and to escape to his/her hideout – of course
s/he needs a corresponding card.
If s/he decides to do so, s/he takes the money chips and
becomes the new bank robber and immediately takes the
next turn, even if s/he has just moved to stop the bank
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robber.
Furthermore, s/he is not allowed to draw new cards. The
previous bank robber now becomes a tracker. The escape
phase ends once the escape has been successful or if the
bank robber has reached his hideout.
Showdown
If a tracker reaches the same square as a bank robber, a
showdown takes place. This will determine whether or not
the bank robber can be overpowered.
The tracker plays more gangster cards than the bank robber
–musclemen count double corresponding to the black dots
on each gangster card.
The tracker has to show at least one more dot on his/her
cards than the bank robbers’s gangsters The bank robber
may now play additional gangsters – which may mean
playing colours which decrease his/her part of the loot.
Bank robber and tracker may compete with each other
several times. The bank robber only has to play the same
number of dots as the tracker. The tracker needs at least
one dot more to be victorious.
If the bank robber loses, the game may be finished –or the
former tracker escapes with the money (see 3above). If the
tracker loses, the game continues. The only chance now is
for two trackers to occupy a square with the bank robber.
All of the trackers’ played gangsters placed on the same
square are counted together.
Preparation of the next round
All played cards are placed face up on the discard pile.
Cards which have not been played cards remain
with the players.
The robbed bank is equipped again by rolling the die 6
times.
The person to left of the player who just finished his turn
may draw cards in order to complete his hand to a total of
11 cards.
However, a player may decide to discard all remaining cards
and draw 11 new ones.
The game continues with the next planning phase.
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TaCtiCs
Expansions
Every player may develop his own tactics. Some bank
robbers prefer smaller banks with less loot, but lots of
movement and action cards for a fast escape.
1. Burglary expansion
(Green question mark on the
back)
Others prefer gangs with several musclemen and take a
walk to their hideout.
Criminals steal just everything when moving
through a house.
In the house you find car keys, cable cartickets and lock picks. These correspond to
car cards, cable car cards and he cards and
may be used in the same way.
The left over chips go back into the box.
The problem the bank robber has is always having
to decide between movement and action cards. Well
equipped banks need a big and competent gang, but the
player has only eleven cards to work with.
Similarly, the combination of the gang is difficult: shall one
wait for a gang of one colour?
Whatever one does – it will never be perfect.
If one was just about to initiate their own bank robbery
and had just built a perfect gang, one may decide not to
put forth too much effort in tracking the bank robber.
One mustn’t forget, all played cards go to the discard pile
afterwards. So maybe slow down a little and make a big
win the next time.
Maybe this is not quite cooperative – but which gangster is
cooperative?
And then there´s the criminal who thinks that bank
robbing might be a bit too exhausting.
This player may hire some musclemen, collect some fast
cars and some nice hideouts and try to meet the bank
robber to have a little chat…
Preparations
The chips are shuffled face down. A chip is placed face
down on every house except banks and hideouts. Because
there are different t number of houses on the boards,
chips may be left over. These chips go back into the box.
If a player moves through a house with a house card, he
may pick the chip. The player may use the chip immediately or later, perhaps even in a later game round.
No player is allowed to have
more than three chips at one
time. Whoever would like to
take another chip must play
one beforehand.
But a player may have a look at a chip in a house, even if
he is not allowed take it.
Houses from which chips are taken no longer equipped
with chips again.
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2. Burglary Expansion
(blue question mark on the
back)
These chips show gold barrels, money and artwork
which increase the loot, but also present dangers
which make the escape easier – or much harder.
The rules for this expansion correspond to the first
set of rules. There are normal chips and chips with
red markings. As opposed to the normal chips, these
chips have to be placed face up if a player takes a
look at them. Afterwards the chips go back into the
box.But a player may move through a house without
looking at the chip in it. The player may pick the chips
without red marking in the usual manner.
Before the game begins, the players may agree to use
the frist, the second or both expansions.
In latter case, the chips of the 2nd expansion are
shuffled and placed on the houses first. Then the
chips of the 1st extension are placed on the houses as
well (on top of the other chips). Whenever a player
moves through a house, he picks the upper chip first.
On a later move through the house the second chip
may be picked as well.
Revolver
A player may threaten a gangster of another
gang to join his own gang in a showdown.
Gold barrels, jewellery, artwork
The player adds this chip to the loot. If successful
escape occurs, this chip is counted towards the
loot as well.
A tracker is not allowed to take one of these
chips.
Test tube
Sprayed flu viruses lead to a sneezing opponent
gangster in a showdown. If a player uses chip,
he is allowed to turn one of the opponent
gangster cards face down. The gangster is out
for the rest of the escape phase.
Cellar passage
This chip allows a player to move directly from
one house to a neighbouring house.
Rottweiler (Red)
a giant Rottweiler attacks. If there is no
muscleman in the gang, the escape ends
here. This is as if the bank robbers had been
successfully overpowered in a showdown.
A tracker who picks this chip has to play a
muscleman, otherwise he must sit out the rest
of the game until the end of the escape phase.
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Alarm bell (Red)
a piercing sound: an alarm bell was activated. If there is no
electrician in the gang, the escape ends here. This is as if
the bank robbers had been successfully overpowered in a
showdown.
A tracker who picks this chip has to play an electrician,
otherwise he must sit out the rest of game until the end of
the escape phase.
Iron Gate (Red)
An iron gate slams down. If there is no safe cracker in the
gang, the escape ends here .This is as if the bank robbers had
been successfully overpowered in a showdown.
A tracker who picks this chip has to have or to play a safe
cracker, otherwise he must sit out the rest of game until the
end of the escape phase.
Rolling pin (Red)
Rolling pin – An angry Granny attacks. One Gangster is hit –
the card is placed face down. The bank robber chooses the
victim.
A tracker who picks this chip has to place one of his gangsters
face down or play a gangster immediately and place the card
face down. If there´s neither a gangster before him nor in his
hand, he must sit out the rest of game until the end of the
escape phase.
For the trackers only the chips revolver, test tube and
cellar passage are of interest. All other chips hamper
the pursuit of the bank robber. Hence, a tracker should
think carefully before he picks up a chip.
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Variations
Occurring especially in a game of five players it could be
that the bank and hideout cards may not be sufficient for
all players. This does not matter because the first players
will discard unusable cards very soon.
But to avoid this situation the players may alter the
preparation of the game – and the start of each planning
phase, In this case, every player draws only one card in
clockwise order until everyone has 11 cards.
Honesty is the best policy
For this variation, you need pen and paper for every player.
Every player gets 50,000 at the beginning of the game.
After determining the equipment of the banks all players
may invest their money – all of it or maybe not – in one or
more banks. He notes the sum and the bank secretly.
After the escape phase, all notices are faced up and the
players get their money back together with interest. The
higher the interest rate, the better the bank is equipped. A
bank without any token just gives the money back. A bank
with one token (an alarm bell, a safe or a guard) pays the
money plus 25%; a bank with two tokens pays the money
plus 50% , and so one. A bank with four or more tokens
pays the incredible amount 100%.
As a result, the player may double his money in one game.
BUT ONLY IF THIS BANK IS NOT ROBBED. In this case,
the money is lost and the player may get perhaps only
10% as reward if the bank robber can be stopped.
If the bank robber reaches his hideout successfully,
he immediately gets all noted investments in money chips.
The noted investments of the players are crossed out.The
bank robber may get away with much more money than
he had imagined.
So, what to do? Is it better to invest in a smaller bank with
low interests or in a bigger bank with better security?
Whatever happens, the underworld has already made
plans…
In every planning phase the money must be re-invested.
Keeping the money in a bank beyond the finish of the
escape phase is prohibited.
Robbing a bank in which you have invested your
money is quite ridiculous of course...