Game Flow

The game of Death Roads consists of a few consecutive rounds. Every round in the game follows this pattern, including the first and the last one (so there are no skipped phases).

Round Order

1. Initiative Phase
2. Preparation Phase
3. Reveal Event Phase
4. Race Phase
   1. Apply Status tokens
   2. Play Actions, Focus, Pass or Skid
   3. Dirt Lane Setback
5. Resolved Event Phase

Initiative Phase

In this phase, Players rearrange the Vehicle order on the Initiative Track according to their current position on the board.

1. Arrange the order in such a way that the Vehicle closer to the Far Ahead line is before the Vehicle more distant to the Far Ahead line on the Initiative Track.
2. In case of a tie - the Vehicle with higher Gear is before the Vehicle with lower Gear.
3. If there is still a tie - the Vehicle that is before on the Initiative Track stays before the Vehicle that is behind on the Initiative Track.

Preparation Phase

Prepare for the round.

Gain Handling

Handling shows how well you can control your Vehicle. It allows you to perform Actions, but be very careful - poor Handling means a dangerous Skid!

At this point, your Handling token should be aside the Handling track.

In this step, just put your Handling token back on the leftmost spot on the Handling Track on your Vehicle board.

Draw Actions Cards

You may discard any number of the action cards in your hand, then draw new action cards from your Deck until you have 5.

If you already have 5 or more action cards in your hand, you don't need to discard any of them, but you won't draw more action cards during this phase.

If you have to draw a card, but your Deck is empty - simply reshuffle your Discard and flip it face down, creating your new Deck.

Reveal Event Phase

In this phase, Players check what happens on the next stage of the road.

The Player with the Vehicle on the first spot on the Initiative Track flips the leftmost Road Event card on the Event Track face up so everyone can read it. That Player draws a Lane card if indicated on the flipped Road Event by and places the Road Event Token near the affected Lane next to its Far Ahead Line. The leftmost Asphalt Lane is always considered to be Lane ”1” and every subsequent Asphalt Lane is designated as "2", "3" etc (ignore Dirt Lanes). Put the Road Event Token on that Lane with the event color side up (red or green). Reshuffle Lane cards. If there is no Lane with the drawn number, remove that Lane card from the game and draw again.

If there are no more Road Event cards left and the last revealed card has this icon - simply discard it and draw a new one to replace it!

If there is a Final Stretch card above the current Road Event card - flip it face up as well.

Race Phase

This is the main phase of the game. In the Race Phase, Players take actions and perform Skids.

During the Race Phase, Players take alternating turns until there is no Player with their Handling token on the Handling track. The first turn is for the Player who has their token on the first spot of the Initiative Track. Then, the Player with their token on the second spot of the Initiative Track performs their turn and so on. When there are no Players with their Handling token on their Handling track - proceed to the Resolve Event Phase.

Race Phase Order

IMAGE TO COME

Player Turn

Players may use cards on their hand only during their own turn so this is the most vital part of the game.

To perform your turn, follow these steps:

Apply Status Tokens

Status tokens show what happens with your Vehicle. Usually, you want to avoid them, but some powerful actions can force you to take them. If you have any Status Tokens near your Vehicle board, you should resolve them one by one in any order.

Stun (Blue)

Burn (Orange)

Veer (Yellow)

Skid, Pass, Focus or Play Actions

If your Handling token is to the right of the 1 on your Handling track at the end of Apply Status tokens step - you must perform a Skid in the next step.

If you have any positive Handling, you may either Pass, Focus or Play Actions.

Skid

Performing a Skid is mandatory when your Handling is below 1. This means you cannot play Actions this round anymore.

To perform a Skid follow the steps below.

After a Skid, you can no longer take turns during the current round. Don't worry, you will regain your maximum Handling at the beginning of the next round. If you suffer any Handling loss this round after a Skid - simply ignore it!

Pass

Remove your Handling token from your Handling track and put it aside. Put your Initiative token slightly off its spot to mark you ended this round. From now until the end of the round, you cannot take any actions (including Skid), but you cannot suffer any Handling loss either.

This is the only action you can take if you still have Handling but have no more cards in your hand.

Focus

Discard one card from your hand and simply do nothing. Sometimes, it might be worth waiting for your opponents to act first. Remember, you can avoid the effects of the STUN Status by Focusing.

Play Actions

Now is your turn to act! In this phase, Players use cards in their hand to drive and shoot opponents. During your turn, you can play only one Card Action from your hand, use one Driver Action or do both in any order.

If you drop below 1 Handling after you have played your first Action, you cannot play any more Actions. You will have to resolve your Skid next turn.

Each action card has its Handling cost in the upper left corner. You cannot play any more Actions when your Handling is less than 1 (you have your Handling token on a spot with an icon instead of a number).

You can always play any Actions you want if you have at least 1 Handling - even if the Action cost exceeds your current Handling. To play a card follow these steps:

There are a few types of action cards you can choose from.

Vehicle Cards

There are yellow and blue (illustration background) Vehicle cards. Both are assigned to your Vehicle, and every Vehicle's set is slightly different. Mechanically, they are the same, as the background color only suggests what to expect from the cards (yellow tend to have more movement up and down while blue cards tend to have more left and right).

Weapon Cards

Weapon cards are red. You compile your set of Weapon cards at the beginning of a game.

1. Cost
2. Name
3. Image
4. Weapon Pair Code
5. Range/Area of effect
6. Target Effect box
7. (optional) If Hit Box

Notice the red frame at the bottom of the card - this is the effect you apply to the enemy Vehicle immediately on hit. Perform If Hit Box effect on your vehicle and only when you hit someone.

Weapon Card in its main part contains a representation of the effective range of the weapon it represents. The following symbols are used:

	Represents your Vehicle and is your reference point.
	Represents the maximal range of the attack. The number of such red and white target symbols indicates also how many simultaneous targets can be hit with the given Weapon card.
	Represents a default line of fire of the attack. If there is another Vehicle on a space corresponding to this symbol treat it like the maximal range symbol and ignore any symbols on spaces behind it (the Attack ends here).
	Represents an alternative maximal range of the attack. You can ignore one of the maximal range symbols on the Weapon card to treat this symbol as a new maximal range symbol.
	Represents an alternative line of fire of the attack. It gives you an option to shift the default line of fire and treat it as the default line of fire instead.

Driver Actions

Although a Driver Action is not exactly a card, its effect is pretty similar to a Card Action. The main difference is in how you play such an Action.

Each Driver Action is available for its owner in every turn, but you can play only one Driver Action per turn. To play it, you have to discard a card from your hand (as indicated in its cost by the trash can icon) and pay the Handling cost.

Driver Passive Skill

As an additional bonus, each Driver has a unique skill that helps you in some aspects of the game.

Condition

Handling

Gears

Movement

Bash

Far Ahead

Far Behind

Barriers

Dirt Lane Setback

It is much harder to keep up driving on gravel.

If, after your turn your Vehicle is on a Dirt Lane, perform move back 1 action.

Resolving Damage Chart

Resolve Event Phase

Resolve the Final Stretch card (if any), but do not discard it. The Final Stretch card stays for the rest of the game.

Resolve the current Road Event card, then discard it.

You are ready!

This concludes the explanation of the rules you need to know to be able to play.