Circus Train. Circus Train Game Rules 1. Table of Contents [1.0] INTRODUCTION [3.0] GAME OBJECTIVE [2.0] GAME EQUIPMENT. A game for 1-2 ringmasters

Transcription

1 Circus Train A game for 1-2 ringmasters Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction Game Equipment Game Objective Set Up Sequence of Play Action Cards Performance Counters Perform / Hire Counter and Card Limits Paying Wages End of a Month Scoring Victory Points The Advanced Game Solitaire Play Optional Rules... 6 [1.0] INTRODUCTION Perform or starve! As a ringmaster in charge of a railroad circus in the 1920s and 30s, you are competing to be The Greatest Show on Earth. But you are constantly faced with the reality that the show must go on or else you will not be able to cover your costs! In this game, you and your opponent are vying to employ the best talent while putting on the most magnificent show each month. While touring the country by train, you will have the opportunity to perform while adding talent to your show through hiring talent from the defunct circuses that did not make it. You will also need to pay for your talent and growing supply costs. Victory Point Scoring takes place between months, and the player with the highest Victory Point score after 6 months is declared to have The Greatest Show on Earth! [1.1] Using These Rules: The Circus Train rules are organized into major Rules sections as shown in large GREEN CAPS FONT, and represented by the number to the left of the decimal point (e.g., rule 4.0 is the fourth rule). These rules generally explain the game s components, play procedures, core systems and mechanics, how to set it up, and how to win. With each Rule, there can be Cases that further explain a Rule s general concept or basic procedure. Cases are an extension of a Rule shown in the way that they are numbered. For example, Rule 4.1 is the first Case of the fourth Rule. Important information is in red text. Examples are in blue and this font. Designer's Notes are in shaded boxes. [2.0] GAME EQUIPMENT 1 Game Board 2 Player boards 16 Action cards 24 City cards 20 Event cards 65 Performance counters 2 Circus Train markers 2 Time counters (week/month) 1 First Player counter 38 Talent counters 6 Money counters 2 Reputation Value counters 2 Two Week Show markers 4 Victory Point counters 6 Best Performance Score counters 1 Die (not included) Circus Train Game Rules 1 Optionally, players may use play money or poker chips to keep track of money and/or victory points in the game instead of the scoring tracks. [2.1] Game Board: The Game Board shows the northeastern portion of the United States and parts of Canada, with city locations connected by railroads. [2.2] Player Boards: Player boards track Best Performances and the Money that player has earned. Wage costs are displayed along with a game turn summary. [2.3] Action Cards: The Action cards in the game are used to move your Circus Train around the Game Board and to put on shows, hire talent, and pay for your talent. There are two sets of Action cards, one for each of the two player colors. [2.4] City Cards: City cards identify cities on the map for placing new Performance counters. [2.5] Performance Counters: Performance counters show what kinds of talent are in demand, show a location where another circus has gone bankrupt, or give Victory Points. These come in three colors to denote when they are played: GREEN: April/May YELLOW: June/July (shown below) BROWN: August/September These represent the three types of Performance counters: Performance Demand, Points, and a Bankrupt Circus. Important: Talent counters (below) placed on the map from a Bankrupt Circus, are considered Performance counters representing that Bankrupt Circus counter. [2.6] Talent Counters: Talent counters denote the seven types of talent available. There are Clowns (CL), Acrobats (AC), Horses (HS), Freak Shows (FS), Human Cannonballs (HC), Big Cats (BC, shown here), and Elephants (EL). [2.7] Event Cards and some counters are used only with the Advanced Game Rules and are explained there. [3.0] GAME OBJECTIVE The object of the game is to score the most Victory Points. These are largely awarded for putting on performances in cities that demand to see certain types of talent, but also for past performances, having talent type majorities, etc. The game lasts for six months, with each month having four or five Rounds (weeks), followed by a scoring round at the end of each month and special scoring at the game s end.

2 Circus Train Game Rules 2 [4.0] SET UP The Game Board is set up in the middle of the table. Each player takes a Player Board for tracking Best Performances and Money. [4.1] Equipment Set Up Follow these steps to begin set up: 1. Each player begins the game with one Clown Talent counter. A player s Talent counters are placed in front of him ( in their Circus Train ) for all to see, near their Player Boards. 2. Each player then takes one set of 8 Action cards in the player s chosen color, removing the REST card (as it is not used in the Basic Game) for a starting Action deck of 7 cards. 3. Each player s Victory Point counters are set to 0 on both their 1s and 10s tracks. They are used to keep score up to 99 points. For Example: 47 points are scored as the 10s counter on 40 and the 1s counter on The Best Performance Score and Money counters are placed on the 0 spaces on the Player Boards. The +100 and +200 counters are set aside. They are used only if those scores surpass 100 or 200 points on the chart. 5. The 2-Week Show markers remain in the players areas in front of them. The Reputation counter is not used in the Basic Game. 6. Place the Month counter on April and the Week counter on Week 1 of the Scoring Board. 7. Separate the Performance counters by color. Place the April/May (green) counters into an opaque container (hereafter referred to as the draw bag ). Set the others aside for now. 8. Separate the Talent counters into a Talent Bank of easily accessible piles, sorted by talent type. 9. Shuffle the City cards and place them, facedown, in a draw pile. If the draw pile is ever depleted, reshuffle the discards to form a new draw pile. 10. The player who last saw an elephant goes first and takes the First Player counter. 11. Starting with that First Player and going in order clockwise, players take two Talent counters from the Horse, Freak Show, or Acrobat Bank piles. A player may take two of the same. These are added to that player s Circus Train. [4.2] Board Set Up To set up the initial board: 1. Draw the top 8 cards from the City card draw pile and place a random green Performance counter from the draw bag on each of these cities locations on the game board. Place these 8 cards into a discard pile, face up, next to the draw pile. 2. If the Performance counter drawn is a Performance Demand (7.1) or Points counter (7.3), place it directly onto the map in the city shown on its card. 3. If it is a Bankrupt Circus counter (7.2), place the Talent counters listed on it directly onto the map in the city s location as shown on the card. The Bankrupt Circus counter is then permanently removed from play. Important: For the initial set up, there must be at least two Performance Demand counters on the map. If there are fewer than two Performances Demand counters on the map, return the on-map counters, reshuffle the cards, and repeat setting up again with Step 4.2, Starting with the First Player and proceeding in clockwise order, each player takes his Circus Train marker (in the color matching his cards faces) and places it in one of the three Canadian cities (Winnipeg, Toronto, or Montreal). Players may start in the same city and occupy the same cities throughout the game. Historically, Prohibition-era circus trains began their seasons in Canada where they could stock up on alcohol before beginning their runs through cities in the United States. [5.0] SEQUENCE OF PLAY A Round (one week) consists of each player playing exactly one Action card from his hand (of his choice, not randomly drawn) into his own Action card discard pile. After both players play one Action card, new City cards and Performance counters are drawn (as in 4.2) to bring the number of stocked cities up to quota according to the following list: 8 cities with counters on them for April/May 10 cities with counters on them for June/July 12 cities with counters on them for August/September Shortages of stocked cities occur as a result of players removing Performance Demand counters from cities after putting on performances, hiring a city s last Bankrupt Circus Talent counter, or collecting a city s Points counter. If, due to reshuffling the City card pile, the newly drawn city already contains one or more counters, those older counters are removed and replaced with the new counter(s). Performance Demand and Point counters are removed from play; Bankrupt Circus Talent counters are returned to the Talent Bank. Note that on-map counters replaced in this way necessitate drawing another City card and Performance counter to ensure the stocked city quota, listed above, is satisfied. The Week counter is then advanced to the next week. If this completes the Month (see 11.0, End of a Month), scoring occurs before advancing the Month counter to the next month and returning the Week counter back to Week One on its track. If this completes the month of September, then the final scoring occurs and the game is over. The player with the most Victory Points is the winner. [6.0] ACTION CARDS Players take turns playing an Action card from their hand into their own discard pile. After the last Action card is played into its discard pile, that player places all those discarded Action cards back into his hand, which refreshes his deck of Action cards. This will happen several times during the game. Actions are summarized on the cards themselves and are further described here: [6.1] Fast Move: The player may move his Circus Train marker from 0 up to 5 city connections. [6.2] Travel: The player may move his Circus Train marker from 0 up to 3 city connections. [6.3] Overnighter: The player may move his Circus Train marker from 0 up to 2 city connections and may perform/hire (see 8.0 below). [6.4] Basic Move (each player has 2 of these cards): The player must move his Circus Train marker exactly one city connection OR Perform/Hire.

3 Circus Train Game Rules 3 [6.5] Hold: The player may do a Perform/Hire action or choose to do nothing. [6.6] Wages: The player may move his Circus Train from 0 up to 2 city connections and must then pay the wages cost for each Talent counter in his Circus Train (see 10.0, Paying Wages). If a player does not have the money to pay for the wages, he must release Talent counters until he can afford to pay the wages of the remaining talent. A player must pay the costs if he can. A player cannot voluntarily choose to release talent in order to save money. (In the Advanced game, players can voluntarily eliminate talent at a cost. See 13.4.) Each released Talent counter immediately joins the Bankrupt Circus Talent counter(s) on the map closest to the player s opponent. If there are two or more Bankrupt Circuses that are equally close, the player decides how these Talent counters should be placed among them. If there are no Bankrupt Circuses Talent counters on the board, then the released talent is simply returned to the Talent Bank. [6.7] Moving Your Circus Train: For most Action cards, movement is optional. The only required move comes with the Basic Move Action card, and then only if the player elects to move rather than Perform/Hire. In that case, the player must move his Circus Train marker exactly one space. Movement takes place along the connections on the board shown by the railroad tracks. Movement from one city along a railroad track to the next connected city is considered one move. A player is not required to stop in a city location and may continue moving to the next connected city as long as his Action card provides him the movement to do so. Other counters or trains in a city do not inhibit movement. More than one Circus Train marker can occupy the same city. [7.0] PERFORMANCE COUNTERS There are three types of Performance counters that may be placed in a city. The first is a Performance Demand; the second is a Bankrupt Circus; and the third is simply a Points counter that is added directly to the collecting player s Victory Point total. [7.1] Performance Demand Counters: These represent cities where a player may put on a circus performance and receive Performance Score points through play of a Perform/Hire action (see 8.0 Perform/Hire). [7.2] Bankrupt Circus Counters: These represent other circus trains that went out of business. Players may hire Talent tokens from these locations with a Perform/Hire action. [7.3] Points Counters: These represent different fortunate events and human or material acquisitions that benefit a circus. If a player ends his movement in a city with a Points counter, he immediately gains that many Victory Points and adjusts his Victory Point markers. Note that no Action card needs to be played to earn these points other than one needed to bring the train to end on that city. After scoring, that Points counter is removed from play. As circus trains grew in fame, much publicity and excitement was gained just from the trains rolling through town or spending the night there while traveling. [8.0] PERFORM / HIRE When this action is chosen from the play of the appropriate Action card, that player may either put on a performance or hire more Talent counters. [8.1] Performing: To put on a performance, that player s Circus Train must end its movement in a city where there is a Performance Demand counter and use the Perform/Hire action from an appropriate card. The only way the player can move and perform in the same turn is by using the Overnighter Action card. Procedure: 1. The player determines his circus Performance Score (see 8.1.1), collecting that Performance Demand counter afterward and placing it by his Player Board, thus enhancing his circus Renown. 2. After its Performance Score is determined, a new Best Performance Score for that circus might be set (see 8.1.3). 3. Regardless of the scoring, the player always earns money just for performing (see 8.1.4). [8.1.1] Determining Performance Score: The Performance Score is determined by conducting these steps: 1. Start with the red Base Performance Points value on the counter for this performance. 2. To that value, add all the Performance Points listed on the counter for this performance s Talent Demand. The circus scores these Performance Points only if it has one or more counters of the demanded Talent types at that performance (and see 8.1.2, regarding Famous Talent). Base Performance Points Talent Demand 3. Finally, add the circus Renown, which is the sum of the red Base Performance Points values earned from all the past Performance counters that circus has collected thus far. [8.1.2] Famous Talent: If a player has three or more counters of one type of Talent, his circus is considered famous for that type of Talent. When scoring a performance (8.1.1, #3 above), famous Talent scores double the Performance Points listed for that type of Talent. Example: Richmond has a Performance Demand counter which gives 2+ Base Performance Points (just for showing up!), with 3 Performance Points for Clowns and 7 Performance Points for a Freak Show. Barbara, the Blue Player, puts on a performance there. Her circus has a Renown of 9 points (the sum of the red Base Performance Points from its past performances), three Clowns (making them Famous) and one Freak Show among its various other Talent. Her circus performance is scored as follows: 2+ for the Base Performance Points for this performance* +6 for the Famous Clowns performance (3 Performance Points x 2 for this Talent type being Famous) +7 for the Freak Show performance +9 for Barbara s circus Renown = 24 total Performance Points for the Richmond show * After scoring, Barbara collects this Performance Demand counter from Richmond, increasing her circus future Renown by 2+ to a total of 11. [8.1.3] Best Performances: The player compares that performance s final score (as determined above) to his current Best Performance Score marker and, if the new performance rates higher, the Best Performance marker is adjusted to reflect that higher value. If the score has the same or a lower rating, then the Best Performance Score marker remains where it is.

4 Circus Train Game Rules 4 [8.1.4] Earning Money: Performance Points are one thing; money is another. When performed, the green April/May Performance Demand counters earn $5 each, the yellow June/July ones earn $10 each, and the brown August/September ones earn $20 each, all regardless of the actual month in which they are performed. Additionally, if a performance advances that player s Best Performance marker, an additional $10 is earned from it, but only if the actual Performance Score was worth at least 10 Performance Points. You have to make the big time first. [8.1.5] Two Week Shows: In August/September, some performance demand counters are noted at the top as Two Week Performance. To earn performance points for these counters, a player uses a normal Perform/Hire action. However, instead of scoring the points immediately, the player must instead place his Two Week Show marker on top of that counter on the map, ending his current turn. On the player s next turn, he must conduct another Perform/Hire action to complete the performance. If the player does not have a second Perform/Hire Action card, he must instead abandon that performance (scoring nothing), remove his Two Week Show marker, and play another Action card for his turn. In the Advanced Game, the player may use the same card he used last turn, by replaying his discard (13.2.1). [8.2] Hiring: Hiring requires the use of a Perform/Hire action from an Action card. [8.2.1] Rolling for Talent: When a Bankrupt Circus is drawn, the Talent counters shown on the card are placed on the map in the city indicated from the City card. When a player uses a Perform/Hire action at a city location where there are Talent counters (unemployed circus workers), the player chooses one or more of those Talent counters and rolls one die for each: 1-4 The player takes the counter and places it in his circus. 5-6 The player does not take the Talent counter and cannot roll for it again that turn. He may continue rolling for other remaining counters in that city and can roll again for that counter on future Rounds. [8.2.2] Buying Talent Outright: For each failed die roll when attempting to hire talent from a Bankrupt Circus (above), the player may pay $10, which he must have, to receive that Talent counter anyway. This purchase option can only be exercised by a player after making a failed hiring roll for that talent. [9.0] COUNTER AND CARD LIMITS Counters might run out during a game. [9.1] Talent Counter Limits: Talent counters are limited to the number provided in the game. If a player eliminates a Talent counter, it is put back into the Talent Bank. If a Bankrupt Circus shows a type of talent which has no available counters, only the available counters are placed. If no Talent counters are available for a just-drawn Bankrupt Circus, it is removed from play and another Performance counter is drawn for that city instead. [9.2] Performance Counter Limits: Performance counters are also intentionally limited. If the draw bag becomes empty, no more Performance counters are drawn at that time, but the draw bag will be replenished twice per game (see ). [9.3] City Card Limits: If the City card draw pile is depleted, the discards are shuffled into a new draw pile. [10.0] PAYING WAGES The player of a Wages card must pay for each Talent counter in his circus or release the Talent counters that he cannot afford. Each Talent counter released joins the stack of Bankrupt Circus counters on the map which is closest to the player s opponent (see 6.6, Wages), where they available to be hired in the future (see 8.2, Hiring). [10.1] Wages Chart Cost per Solitaire Talent Counter Counter Cost Clowns $1 $2 Freak Show, Human Cannonball, Horses Acrobats $3 $6 $6 $12 Big Cats, Elephants $12 $24 [11.0] END OF A MONTH When a month is complete, scoring occurs, the First Player is changed, and old Performance counters remaining in the draw bag may be exchanged for new ones. Counters on the map remain there. [11.1] Lengths of Months: In April, June, and September (months with 30 days), a month lasts four weeks. In May, July, and August (months with 31 days), a month lasts five weeks. When the Week marker moves beyond the final week in a month, it is moved back to Week One, and the Month marker is advanced to the next month. [11.2] End of Months: At the end of each month, scoring occurs (see 12.0, Scoring). [11.2.1] First Player Transfer: After scoring, the first player passes the First Player counter clockwise (leftward) to his opponent, who is the new First Player for the next month. [11.2.2] New Performance Counters: At the end of May, the green April/May Performance counters are removed from the draw bag (and from play). All of the yellow June/July counters are then placed in the draw bag. Similarly, at the end of July, the yellow Performance counters are removed from the draw bag (and from play), and replaced with all of the brown August/ September counters. Immediately after exchanging the draw bag contents, draw new City cards and Performance counters to fill the new, higher, City Quota (see 5.0, Sequence of Play). When a player replaces old Performance counters in a city with newer ones in that same city, another city must be filled to keep the right number of cities stocked (see 5.0). If these demand numbers are found to be mistakenly off during a Round, be sure to correct them at the end of the week! [11.2.3] Game Over: At the end of September, the game is over and final scoring is calculated. The player with the most Victory Points (VPs) is declared the winner. Tie VP scores are resolved in favor of the player with the highest Best Performance score.

5 Circus Train Game Rules 5 [12.0] SCORING VICTORY POINTS In addition to gaining Victory Points earned by stopping in cities and collecting Points counters, players earn Victory Points at the end of each month as follows: 1. Having the most counters of a talent type = Victory Points for # of counters of that Talent type These points are awarded for each of the 7 types of Talent every month. (Example: if Barbara has 4 Elephants and no other play has 4 or more, Barbara scores 4 VPs.) If there is a tie for most counters of a Talent type, then no points are awarded for it. Players must have a minimum of two Talent counters of that type to qualify. 2. Player with highest single Best Performance (i.e., having the highest Best Performance Score) = 4 points No points awarded in the case of a tie. [12.1] Special Long Month Additional Action: At the end of the 5-Round months only (May, July, and August), the player with the fewest Victory Points (after scoring, above) may steal one Talent counter of his choice from an opponent and add it to his circus. (In the Advanced Game, this happens only if his opponent also has the same or lower Reputation Value. Talent counters do not leave their circus for a less reputable one.) [12.2] Special Final Month (September) Additional VP Score: After normal scoring (see 12.0), add or subtract these additional Victory Points (VPs) to determine the final, end-game VP score: 1. Taxes: An unplayed Wages card still in a player s hand loses 3 VPs for that player and that player must immediately pay double the wages costs for his talent. (This is paid before the scoring for Most Money, below.) If a player plays his last card during the final week, he is not considered to have his Wages card in his hand for the purposes of Taxes. 2. Most Clown Counters Bonus = gains 3 VPs (nothing, if tied) 3. Short of Talent Penalties: A player s circus with no Clown counters loses 3 VPs. A player s circus with no animals (Horses, Big Cats, or Elephants) loses 3 VPs. 4. Most Money = gains 3 VPs (nothing, if tied) 5. Most Performances (by counting the number of collected Past Performance counters that player possesses) = gains 3 VPs (nothing, if tied) [13.0] THE ADVANCED GAME In the Advanced Game, players must be mindful of their circus reputation, and they have more strategies to use around their Action cards. [13.1] Reputation: In the Advanced Game, players use the Reputation Chart on the Game Board and set up the game with their Reputation counters on the 1-5 Start space. [13.2] Sequence of Play: There are more options available to players on their turns. Each turn, a player conducts exactly one of three types of actions: 1. Play one Action card from his hand 2. Play one Action card from his discard pile (13.2.1) 3. Collect money from the bank (April through July only). Not allowed in Solitaire Game, see [13.2.1] Replaying Discarded Action Cards: A player replaying a card from his discard pile must have, and then drops two Reputation positions on the Reputation track. This turn option cannot be selected if this would take that player s circus below the lowest level on the track. During the months of August and September, a player must have, and then lose, four Victory Points instead of two Reputation positions to play a discarded card. The replayed card remains in his discard pile after its use. [13.2.2] Collecting Money (April through July only): When collecting money for his turn (13.2, #3, above), the player does not play a card, but instead adds money to his Money chart in $5 increments. For every $5 taken, his circus drops one Repu-tation position on the Reputation track. A player cannot collect money once his circus reaches the lowest Reputation position. This option is not available in August and September. The Collecting Money option represents not paying the talent. Instead, the ringmaster keeps their money (hence the collection of money). Naturally, this upsets the talent and harms the reputation of that circus. [13.3] The Rest Card: In the Advanced Game, the Rest Card is also added to each player s deck of Action cards. When playing the Rest Card, the player takes no action this turn, and the card is discarded as normal. Note that there is a benefit to resting in Canada (see below). O, Canada: A player who plays a Rest card in Canada, may take a free Clown or Acrobats Talent counter from the Talent Bank or increase his circus Reputation position by one (not exceeding the highest space) on the Reputation track. Players cannot Rest in Canada on the first Round of the game. The era of this game is during Prohibition in the United States. Visiting Canada allowed the performers and workers to stock up on alcohol, making a visit to Canada very popular. [13.4] Wages: If a player does not have the cash to pay wages when due, he must eliminate Talent counters that he cannot afford to pay. Players may also voluntarily eliminate Talent counters by not paying their costs. Unlike in the Basic Game, eliminated Talent counters are returned to the Talent Bank. This was known as red-lighting talent. In April through July, each Talent counter eliminated in this manner drops that circus Reputation by one Reputation position on the Reputation track. A player at the lowest Reputation position may still eliminate talent and simply remains at the lowest position. In August and September, each eliminated Talent counter costs that player three (3) Victory Points (which cannot go into negative numbers no matter how much Talent is eliminated). [13.5] Circus Parade: A player may play his Basic Move card to perform a Circus Parade at his circus current location (regardless of the presence or absence of other pieces in that city). To perform a Parade, the player pays $10 and, in return, can either raise his circus Reputation by one position on the Reputation track or gain two (2) Victory Points. [13.6] Hiring: When hiring in the Advanced Game, players roll against their Reputation position on the Reputation track. Roll one die for each Talent counter as in the Basic Game (8.2.1), but the die roll range required to claim that Talent counter is the one printed on the Reputation table for that circus current Reputation.

6 Circus Train Game Rules 6 Players may still buy Talent counters outright after failed Hire attempts (see 8.2.2). [13.7] Additional End of Long Months: At the end of 5-week months, the player with the fewest Victory Points can steal only if he has a Reputation equal to or higher than the Reputation of the circus he is stealing a Talent counter from. [13.8] Highest Reputation End of Game Scoring: The player with the Highest Reputation Value scores 3 VPs (nothing, if tied). [14.0] SOLITAIRE PLAY When playing solitaire, chose either the Basic or Advanced Rules, and Optional Rules (but not 15.3) and use its set up, etc.. Rules referring to an opponent (e.g., First Player, Stealing, Highest or Most) are ignored. Solitaire players also use the following changes: 1. Do not use or score Victory Points or track your Best Performance. Your play will be judged solely on money. 2. Money is earned at the rate of $1 per Performance Point earned in lieu of money earned from Rule Double all Wage costs as shown on the Wage Chart. With Basic Rules, Talent counters that cannot be paid are returned to the Talent Pool. With Advanced Rules, use Rule 13.4, using the penalty for April through July for the entire game instead. 4. Collected Points counters generate $5 immediately upon collection (e.g., collecting a 2 Points counter generates $10). 5. You are never allowed to use the Collect Money option from the Advanced Game (13.2., #3 and ). 6. With Advanced Rules, replaying a card from your discard pile (13.2.1) costs $15. Without $15, you cannot select this option. 7. If using Event cards, removes card numbers 17 through 20. [14.1] End of Game Wages: At the end of the game, you must first pay your complete wage costs one last time regardless of whether or not you hold the Wages card in your hand. You are not allowed to voluntarily red light any Talent counters at this time. In other words, if you can pay for them, you must. [14.2] Solitaire Success Chart: Determine your success below: Less than $100: Defeat: Your circus does not survive the winter and is soon raided for parts from other, more successful Circus Trains. You beg to be hired on as a laborer at another circus. $100 - $140: Minor Defeat: You have failed to create a successful circus and within the year and are forced into bankruptcy. Your Circus Train odyssey is over, but perhaps you will have success starting another circus or in another business venture. $141 - $180: Draw: It s been a struggle, but you ve managed to survive the circus season where many others have failed. What does the future hold for you? You can ask the mime, but he s not talking. $181 - $220: Victory: You have launched a successful business with your Circus Train. With continued hard work, your circus becomes a popular and welcome sight throughout America, and children eagerly await the day your train pulls into town. More than $220: Major Victory: You have created the Greatest Show on Earth and go down in history as one of America s great entrepreneurs and impresarios! Congratulations! [15.0] OPTIONAL RULES Players must agree before starting play whether they will use any or all of the following optional rules: [15.1] The Special Counters: Ringmaster Ronald and Brakeman Bill are added to the April/May Performance counters in the draw bag and may be acquired when counters are drawn during April and May (only). When drawn, a Special counter is placed in that city and another counter is immediately selected from the draw bag and also placed in that city (they are stacked together there). Exception: If the second counter drawn is also a Special counter, it is placed back into the draw bag instead and no further draw is made. The Special counters are removed form the draw bag at the end of May, along with the green counters. [15.1.1] Obtaining the Special Counters: To claim a Special counter, a player must end the movement of his Circus Train in the City where it is located. Before doing anything else in that City, the player may roll against his Reputation Value (or 1-4 if using Basic Rules) to try to recruit that Special counter. If successful, he takes that Special counter. Unlike Talent counters, recruiting a Special counter does not require a Hire action nor can it be bought (8.2.2). Special counters do not receive a Wage, either. [15.1.2] Brakeman Bill: A player with Brakeman Bill can move one extra space when performing any move action. [15.1.3] Ringmaster Ronald: A player with Ringmaster Ronald may, when scoring a performance (8.1.1), declare either the Clowns or Acrobats in that circus as famous, even if that player does not have the requisite Talent counters for such fame (provided that circus has at least one of that Talent type). [15.1.4] Losing Special Counters: A Special counter can be stolen at the end of long months (see 12.1 and 13.7 in the Advanced Game). This is the only way a Special counter may change hands. [15.2] Event Cards: At the beginning of the game, shuffle the 20 Event cards and deal out the top 5 into a facedown pile. The others are not used during the game. At the end of each month, after transferring the First Player counter, draw the top Event card from that stack and follow its instructions. Note that its effects may remain in play until the following month when it is discarded from play and a new card takes effect. [15.3] Easier Game Variant: Players wishing to play a game with less accounting can remove the Wages card and play without it. Do not use Victory Points, End of Month Scoring, or Event cards; simply play for the Best Performance during the game. At the end of the last month, the player who has put on the highest scoring (i.e., Best) Performance wins! GAME CREDITS Game Design: Tom Decker Graphic Design and Game Development: Chris Taylor Game Map: Tim Allen Playtesting: Paul Aceto, Ian & Natalie Barrett, Douglas Catchpole, Alex & Hayden Decker, Vince DeNardo, David Elles, Scott Everts, Timothy Hing, Mike Galandiuk, Matt King, Roger Mason, Joe Miranda, Neil Morgan, Stephanie Newland, Mark O Green, Carl Paradis, Steve Pozun, Blaise & Tara Sciurba, Chris Taylor Proofreading: Bill Barrett, Judy Krauss, Gary Sonnenberg