an Icehouse game by Geoffrey Globus

I'm still playtesting this game so tell me what you think.

WHAT YOU NEED

· A standard Icehouse stash, one color for each player
· One extra color
· Number of players: 2 or more
· This game requires a surface with a decent amount of friction, so if the surface is to smooth lay down a peice of newspaper.

SETUP

Determine who goes first.
The first player takes two pieces of a neutral color, medium or large, then assembles them according to the basic placement rules making sure each piece is touching the table; this is the Foundation. The first player then decides to place a piece or passes to the player on the right. Play continues counter-clockwise.

HOW TO PLAY

BASIC PLACEMENT RULES:

· No piece may have more than two corners touching the table
· A piece can touch as many other pieces as it has pips

· Each player must place a piece of a different size than the previous placement. (The first piece placed on the Foundation is not affected by this rule.)
· The point of one piece cannot touch the inside point of another piece
· A piece can be placed on top of another piece as long as it does not violate these rules
· Pieces must be placed with one hand
· A player cannot touch any pieces other than the one being placed (unless reassembling after a break)

HOLDING

If a player wants to use a piece in a way that is not normally possible that player may choose to Hold that until their next turn. The Held piece must be placed on the player’s next turn unless another piece is Held. If the Held piece is properly placed the player receives a bonus in addition to the normal score. If the piece cannot be properly placed it is forfeited and the player incurs a penalty. Held pieces cannot touch the table. Held pieces may, at a penalty, touch more pieces than their pip count when initially placed.

SLIPPING

Slipping occurs when a newly placed piece slides out of place but does not disturb any other piece, before the next players turn. There is no penalty if the player can place the piece back in its position or into a new position. Slipped pieces cannot be traded for another piece. If the piece cannot be successfully placed it is forfeited, but no point penalty occurs.

BREAKING

Breaking occurs when a Slipped piece knocks over no more than two other pieces. The player who Breaks forfeits their piece (and any held pieces) incurs a score penalty and must rebuild the broken structure or suffers a Wrecking penalty.

WRECKING

Wrecking occurs when more than three pieces are disrupted during a placement. The player who Wrecks suffer a penalty and is ejected from the game (but not a Series). If the structure is salvageable then play continues, if not the game ends.

BUMPING

Bumping is like Wrecking but occurs out of turn. If a player Bumps standard Wrecking rules apply. If a non-player Bumps then no player receives a Wrecking penalty.

CLOSING
Closing occurs when there are no more moves. If a Game is Closed then all the players with pieces left over suffer a penalty.

ENDING THE GAME

The game ends as soon as all players run out of pieces, or if the game is Closed or Wrecked.

SERIES

Play a series of games until one player reaches a predetermined score.

OPTIONAL RULES

· Each player must place a piece of a different size than the previous placement. (The first piece placed on the Foundation is not affected by this rule.)

· If you only have as many stashes as players take two pieces from the players to the left of the first player and set up the foundation as normal, award each of those players 2 points and continue play as normal.