Circus Maximus

Notes for the board game by Avalon Hill

Options During Movement:

Lane Change - requires chariot to first move a box forward and then move left or right; moving to an inner costs +1, to an outer lane, no extra cost; in turns, move backward if moving inside and forward if moving outside.

Take Turn Too Fast - if team speed exceeds printed number of the lane, lose the difference in endurance points; plus, must roll on Corner Strain Chart (7.32)

Whip for Extra Speed - requires a whip, at least one remaining endurance, non-negative current driver modifier and not allowed on same turn as cutting a horse free: roll a die, cross off that number of endurance and add the amount to speed.

Brake - may remove one point of movement for each endurance box checked

Sideslip - only if chariot in the immediately preceding space and thus unable to lane change: costs 3 movement points and change lane either right or left, but moving backward on turns

Involuntary Ram - only if unable to sideslip around; defender may attempt defenses. If horses forced to ram a car, treat as if a Ram Horses attack (team owner chooses which horses damaged if front to rear ram). If car forced to ram another car, treat as Ram Car except ramming driver subtracts 3 from current driver modifier. In either case, reduce maximum speed by 1 for the next turn only.

Cut Horse Free - roll 1 die for each remaining horse, subtract the current driver modifier from total and subtract that from the written speed for the turn. If the result is negative the attempt failed.

Attack: costs 1 movement point, only 1 attack per square of movement. Attack is against a target adjacent to the attacking car.

Whip Horses - both players roll 1 die and add current driver modifier; if attacker higher, defender loses endurance equal to difference defender adds difference to next movement points otherwise, defender loses 1 endurance defender may take +1 movement for next turn

Whip Driver - both players roll 2 dice and add current driver modifier; Attacker total minus Defender total = Lash Factor Roll 2 dice on Driver Lash Attack Table (9.42)

Ram Horses - roll 2 dice on Horse Injury Table (9.5) adding 3 if attacker is heavy, subtracting 3 if attacker is light; Defender checks off damage on appropriate horse (ignore excess). If team has not moved yet this turn, may need to adjust team speed. If horse has no more left, chariot stops until horse cut free. Team loses 1/4 of its remaining endurance (round down). If second horse lost, lose 1/3 of remaining, etc.

Ram Car - roll 3 dice, add Attacker current driver modifier and subtract Defender current driver modifier. Consult this amount on the Damage to Cars Table (9.54) to determine which are damaged. Then for each damaged car roll 2 dice on the Wheel Damage Effect Chart (9.55) adding 3 if the other chariot is heavy and subtracting 3 if it is light. Apply damage to the appropriate wheel. If the wheel is destroyed, chariot flips and is out of the race. Otherwise if at least 2 points of damage were taken in this attack, roll 2 dice. If total is less than the damage to the wheel, the chariot flips. If the total is equal to the damage, it takes one more damage point.

Check for Flip: If have taken any wheel damage must check if chariot has flipped at start of move if using 14 or more movement factors or if exceeding the printed lane number in a turn: Roll 2 dice. If total is less than the damage to the wheel, the chariot flips. If the total is equal to the damage, it takes one more damage point.

Defenses:

If defending, both players roll 2 dice and add current driver modifiers. Defender can do one of the following if his total is equal to or higher. Brake - when attacked you may brake to avoid attack; check off 2 endurance and move chariot backwards 1 space; the attack is cancelled.

Lane Change - make a normal lane change which will cost either 1 or 2 movement points (depending on direction) and deduct from speed for next time; the attack is cancelled.

Recommended Optional Rules to Use:

12. Wreck location - cars stay on track after a flip
14. Running over wrecks
15. Runaway teams
16. Dragged drivers
17. Running for cover

Start-up

  1. Fill in the form, allocating 4 points to Driver, Car, Team Speed and Endurance.
    1. Driver affects Driver Hit Points, Voluntary Straining, Corner Straining, Evasion Attempts, Lash Attack/Defenses, Cutting a Horse Free, Car Attacks/Defense and Turn Speed.
    2. Car affects Car Attacks/Defenses.
    3. Team Speed affects number of movement factors available each turn.
    4. Endurance affects amount of damage horses can withstand from Straining, Straining in a Corner, Braking to Use Movement, Braking to Avoid Attack and Suffering Lash Attack.
  2. Roll die for Driver Hits (dr-result): 1-5, 2-6, 3-6, 4-7, 5-7, 6-8, 7-9, 8-10
  3. Roll die for Team Speed:
    Category/Die123456
    2774775367545743664467435
    1644564355445633554355335
    0543444445325542453244334
  4. Roll die for Team Endurance:
    Category/Die123456
    2747168656259
    1555249464340
    0363330272421
  5. Determine starting lanes randomly.
  6. Place 3 egg counters on the spina and 3 dolphins on the other end.
  7. On turn 1, just before moving each rolls 1 die and deducts result from team speed on that turn only (to simulate dead start).

Sequence of Play:

  1. All secretly write turn speeds (add up all horses + Current Driver Modifier).
  2. Place color counters in cup.
  3. Draw a counter to determine next team to move, it moves, then draw a counter, etc.

Mon Jul 24 12:13:45 PDT 2000
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