UNEXPLODED COW
Hey there! Unexploded Cow is a super fun card game that you can play with 2 to 6 players. The objective of the game is to end up with the most money when it’s all said and done.
The game keeps going until all 12 cities have been cleared. If you have more money than what you started with, then you’re a winner! But remember, some players might end up with more money than others.
SETUP
To start, one player needs to shuffle the two decks separately. The city deck goes in the middle of the play area and the top card is turned face up. This card will show you which city you’ll start in.
Next, the cow deck is shuffled and each player gets a hand of 3 cards. The deck is then placed in the middle of the play area as well. Oh, and everyone starts with 5000 francs (the game’s currency).
Before the game begins, all players need to put 500 francs into the pot in the center. And finally, the first player is chosen randomly.
GAMEPLAY
Alrighty, let’s get this show on the road! Here’s what goes down before the start of my turn – a couple of things might happen. First up, if the last player grabbed the previous city card, it’s time to reveal a fresh one. And hey, if all 12 city cards have been snatched up, we’re in sudden death mode. Now, hold on tight – if the pot is empty when my turn starts, guess what? All players gotta kick in 500 francs each into that pot.
Now, onto my turn. Here’s the order of events: I’ll kick things off by drawing 2 cards. After that, I can play some cards if I fancy. And to round it all up, I’ll roll the bomb, baby!
Now, when I’m drawing, I’ll grab the top 2 cards from what’s left in that cow’s deck. But if there ain’t any cards left to draw, time to shake things up. I’ll shuffle that discard pile and make it my new draw pile. Shake, shuffle, and draw – let’s go!
When you play cards, you can choose to play as many cards as you want, in any order you like. The cards are divided into two types: events and cows. When you play an event card, it goes to the discard pile and its effect takes place immediately. Cow cards, on the other hand, can be played on yourself or on other players. The player who receives a cow card has to pay for it.
Another thing to keep in mind is that while playing cards, you have the freedom to rearrange your herd (the line of cows you have earned) in any order you prefer. This will be important when the bomb roll occurs.
After you finish playing cards and rearranging your cows, it’s time for the bomb roll. This determines which cow is going to explode. Start counting from the cow on the far right of your herd, moving towards the left. If you don’t have any cows, start with the rightmost cow of your left neighbor. Remember, a cow cannot be counted twice, so if you go all the way around the table without any cows exploding, the process stops.
So, here’s the deal: when a cow goes kaboom, the person who owns that cow gets paid whatever amount is on the card. This money comes from the pot, and you have to say goodbye to your exploded cow.
Now, if it’s your turn and one of your cows goes boom, you snag the city card. But here’s the catch: you have to do whatever the card tells you to do. So, be ready for anything!
GAME OVER
The game ain’t forever, folks. It comes to an end when all 12 city cards are snatched up. The player with the most moolah is crowned the winner. And hey, if you’re able to end up with more cash than you started with, then you also get a victory dance. Cha-ching!