Escape from Colditz - Rules Summary and Clarifications CONTENTS Escape from Colditz board; rules of the game and historical background booklet (in some editions these are separate); coloured Legend and Appel diagram; two regular dice; five sets of eight pawns each (blue, red, orange, brown and green); one set of siteen black pawns; one pack of ! "ersonal Civilian Escape #it cards; one pack of ! $o or $ie cards (%&' through %');one pack of Escape E*uipment cards (+ wire cutters, ! passes, ke-s, ke-s, . ropes);one pack of of +! Escaper/s 0pportunit0pportunit- cards;one pack of of .+ 1erman 2ecurit- cards3 OBJECT OF THE GAME 1erman pla-er4 to prevent an- escapes escapes b- the Allied pla-ers3 pla-ers3 Allied pla-ers4 to successfull- escape with as man- of their men ("05s) as possible3 6t/s a draw if the onl- escapes were via $o 0r $ie cards3
7he game is pla-ed to a pre8arranged time limit 9 recommendation is : minutes with : seconds allowed for each 1erman move (plus : seconds for Appel resolution time which starts once the prisoners have decided who/s sta-ing and who/s going)3 PREPARATION .3 La- out the board3 3 La- out the Escape #it and Escape E*uipment cards, face up3 &3 2huffle the remaining three decks (0pportunit-, 2ecurit-, $o 0r $ie) separatel- and la- them face down3 +3 1ive each pla-er the appropriate number of pawns4 0f Allied "la-ers . & + ! 0f Allied "awns each < ! + of 1erman "awns . . . . + ! SET UP .3 7he Allied pla-ers place their pawns in the Appel zone (white) as the- wish3 7he 1erman pla-er places one guard per Allied team in the 6nner Court-ard (gre-), on the black circles3 =e also places between and guards (inclusive) on the 0uter area (tan), on the black circles3 7he remaining guards are placed in the >arracks3
"la- begins with the Allied pla-er to the left of the 1erman pla-er and continues clockwise3 BOARD 7he board is divided into areas3 7hese are4 7he Appel 8 5hite zone3 • • 6nner Court-ard 8 1re- zone, etending from the Appel into the corridors until a solid line (door) is met (e3g3 the corridor leading to the 0ffice is included, but the 0ffice is not)3 ?ooms 8 1re- zones not part of the 6nner Court-ard3 • • 0uter area 8 7an, light green, brown and dark gre- zones3 0utside 8 $ark green zone3 • CARDS 7he pla-ers are limited to three 0pportunit-@2ecurit- cards in hand3 6f the- get a fourth, the- must discard, pla(or give awa-, in the Allied pla-ers/ case) their hands down to three b- the end of their turn3 Allied pla-ers mafreel- echange or give each other unpla-ed 0pportunit- cards during their turns but not during the 1erman/s turn3 A pla-er can onl- pla- a card on their turn3 6f the deck runs out, shuffle the discard pile and create a new deck3
0nce all the E*uipment cards of a certain t-pe are in pla-, no more ma- be gained (until used and returned to the pile)3 E*uipment E*uipment cards cannot be given to other pla-ers3
CARD MANIFEST AND COMMENTS German Security Cards Appel () Each Allied pla-er decides whether to send his "05s to the Appel zone (white) or not3 7he 1erman pla-er then rolls the dice (adding doubles as usual) for his search ra nge; each remaining "05 within this range of a guard is sent to 2olitar- and the guard removed to the barracks3 "05s in tunnels, safe zones (blue) and 0utside (dark green) are safe from search3 "la-ers ma- place their "05s an-where in the Appel z one3 Arrest Key/Pass Holder (. of each) 2end a "05 who Bust used a #e- or "ass to 2olitar-, confiscating (discarding) the card (unless a Hdea!ay is pla-ed)3 o guard need be present3 Sear"# (<) D1uardhouse, 2ickba-, Chapel, $entist, 2tores, #itchen, 0rderlies/, 2howers 0nce a guard has reached the room, entering it b- an- door, send all "05s in the room to 2olitar- (provided the pla-er holds some E*uipment cards) and remove the guard to the barracks3 Confiscate (discard) one E*uipment card per "05 sent to 2olitar- (Allied pla-er/s choice), unless Hdea!ay s are pla-ed3 S#oot to Kll (.) 7he 1erman pla-er designates a guard and a target "05 (who must be 0utside, in the dark green area)3 7he guard must have line of sight, which means there must not be a wall (needing rope) between him and the target barbed wire is no obstacle3 7he 1erman pla-er rolls dice and doubles his result; if doubles are thrown, he rolls again as usual to augment his score (without doubling)3 =is score is the shooter/s range; if large enough, the target is killed and removed from the game3 7he shooting guard is sent to the barracks whatever the outcome3 T$%%el Dete"ted (.) 0nce two guards have reached the tunnel, entering it b- an- circle, all the "05s in it are sent to 2olitar-3 7he guards are removed to the barracks3
Escaper Opportunity Cards Ad&a%"e 'ar%%( () 7hese cards must be pla-ed in re sponse to a 1erman Appel or Sear"# card3 7he pla-er moves his threatened "05s directl- to safe zones (blue) of his choice3 E*uipment cards must be used to reach the zones if needed3 1uards do block access but $iversion cards ma- be used (but not the 6nspection card)3 Br)e a Se%try (!) D& of one, of two 7his card, when pla-ed, allows the pla-er to draw one or two (as specified on the card) E*uipment cards of his choice from those remaining3 D&erso% () 0ne guard of the Allied pla-er/s choice is removed to the barracks3 Es"ape Kt *Part+ (+) D of each half 7hese cards can be used to complete one/s Escape #it3 Hdea!ay (!) "revents confiscation of one piece of E*uipment during an arrest or a search3 I%spe"to% )y t#e Ger,a% H(# Co,,a%d (.) 7wo guards of the Allied pla-er/s choice are removed to the barracks3 Key/Pass/Rope/'re C$tters () D of each ecept 5ire Cutters 7hese cards can be turned in at an- time, even out of turn, for the c orresponding E*uipment card provided one is available3 Mo&e Fast (<) D1uardhouse, "arcels, $entist, 6nterview, #itchen, 0rderlies/, 0fficers/, 2howers 0ne of -our "05s is moved directl- to the indicated room3 =e must not be imprisoned beforehand3 Release -ro, Soltary (!) 0ne of -our imprisoned "05s is released from his cell, appearing on the nearest free circle outside the cell (counting as if he moved there)3 7his costs no dice pips3 A "05 released into the 0uter area (tan) may appear on a circle closer to the FeitG without raising suspicion3 Sa)ota(e (.) 7he 1erman pla-er discards two random 2ecurit- cards and draws one as a replacement3 6f he had onl- one card, he discards it and draws no replacement3 Sta-- Car (.) 0nce the car is reached (from an- of the si adBacent circles), the pla-er rolls the dice si times, throwing again for doubles, to tr- to reach the escape tar get through the main bridge3 1uards do not block the path3 (7he distance is +!) 6n case of failure, the "05 ends up in 2olitar-3 7he pla-er does not claim 0pportunit- cards if an- throws of &, or .. come up3 Tals,a% (.) "la-ed after the 1erman has 2hot to #ill and rolled his dice; it reduces his score b- the original throw (i3e3 he no longer doubles the first throw)3 T$%%el (&) DChapel, Canteen, 7heatre 6f the Allied pla-er can move two or more of his "05s into the specified tunnel, he reveals the card and does so3 "05s in the tunnel are immune from Appel and Sear"#3 As long as there are at least two "05s in the tunnel, other "05s ma- Boin them, including other pla-ers/3 7he tunnels can onl- be entered through their starting circle3 7he tunnel is considered $etected (as if the 1erman had pla-ed that card) on the net 1erman pla-er/s turn after an- "05 breaks out of it3 Also, if there is onl- one "05 left in the tunnel (or none), it is considered condemned or abandoned and no more "05s ma- enter it3 7he lone "05 can eit the tunnel back into the room or attempt an escape from the other end3
A..IED P.A Allies ma- pla- their turns in an- order3 0n -our turn, roll d3 6f doubles are thrown, throws again, adding the scores3 7his ma be repeated indefinitel-3 Hor each a &, or .. thrown, draw one 0pportunit- card3 • • Hor each double thrown, one of -our "05/s ma- eit 2olitar- this turn (at a c ost of one movement point (I"))3 Jou ma- move none, an- or all of his pawns between contiguous circles, one I" per circle3 Jou need not use all • -our I"/s Iovement restrictions4 "awns ma- not step through each other3 • "awns leaving 2olitar- are teleported to the cell door3 6f it/s blocked, move to the nearest free circle to the cell door3 • "awns ma- occup- the black circles to prevent guard@entr- eit (both inside and outside the castle) • • 7he white outline circles can be reached from a numbered circle onl- if that length of r ope is used (&:ftK. ?ope Card) 7he circles marked F"assG or F#e-G ma- be entered b- a "05 onl- if he uses the corresponding E*uipment card3 7he • onl- eception is the F"assG circle leading into the 6nner Court-ard "05s are alwa-s freel- admitted into the grezone3 • 7he -ellow circles are searchlight areas; the "05s ma- not stop there the- must stop short or run across3 7he light blue circles are safe hiding zones (the- ma- not be arrested nor searched for during an Appel)3 • A pawn ma- not stop on a tunnel space unless it/s in the tunnel itself3 • • 0nce a tunnel has been activated (via card pla-), it remains open as long as the 1erman doesn/t enact the 7unnel $etected card and as long as the Allied pla-ers maintain at least two "05s in it (must get them in before the 1erman/s net turn)3 "05/s must enter the tunnel through its entrance and ma- onl- leave via its entrance or eit3 6f ever there/s onl- one "05 in the tunnel, it is immediatel- moved to the tunnel entrance and the tunnel is closed to "05/s for the remainder of the game3 7he Appel zone is considered one big space 9 ie it doesn/t matter where -our pawn is placed inside this zone, its first • movement point out can be to an- adBacent gre- space3 ESCAPE KITS 7he "05s/ first obBective is to assemble a Civilian Escape #it3 7his is done b- having a "05 in each of the rooms bearing the $isguise, Hood, Compass and $ocuments s-mbols3 5hen these men are in position simultaneousl-, the Escape #it card ma- be claimed (>4 "05/s aren/t teleported back to the Appel one when ac*uiring an Escape #it)3 Es"ape Kt *Part+ 0pportunitcards ma- be substituted for an- or all of the re*uired "05s3 0nce a pla-er has an Escape #it, he keeps it for the rest of the game3 "ossession of an Escape #it is re*uired for a successful escape, but an escape ma- nevertheless be attempted without it, perhaps as a diversion or to help another pla-er/s escape plan3 EQUIPMENT 7o obtain E*uipment, a pla-er must have two "05s in the same room as the appropriate s-mbol (not necessaril- the same room)3 0nce the card is claimed, the two "05s are teleported back to an-where within the Appel zone (white)3 0pportunitcards can also be used to obtain E*uipment3 "asses and #e-s are used to step into "ass@#e- circles • ?ope is used to climb walls • • 5ire Cutters to get through the barbed wire3 0nce used, the E*uipment card is discarded3 =owever, the passage thus opened remains so for the pla-er/s entire turn, for the subse*uent Allied pla-ers/ turns3 ARREST A "05 ma- force an arrest b- moving onto a guard, even if not normall- liable to arrest3 7he 1erman pla-er ma- not r efuse the arrest3 7he "05 is placed in the 2olitar- of the 1ermans choice and 1uard is placed in the >arracks3 o e*uipment cards are discarded3
A "05 released from the outer 2 olitar- into the court-ard (tan) is immune from arrest as long as the "05 moves at least . step closer to returning to the 6nner Court-ard (via the F"assG circle leading into the 6nner Court-ard) each turn3 ESCAPE 5hen a "05 reaches a target (red, white and blue) circle, he has successfull- escaped, provided the pla-er holds an Escape #it3 1uards still outside the castle (dark green) are removed to the barracks once all escapers have been caught or have successfullescaped3 DO OR DIE As a last resort, an Allied pla-er ma- attempt a $o 0r $ie if he holds an Escape #it3 A single "05 attempts to escape over the moat, starting from the gre- zone (he cannot start from 2olitar- or from a tunnel) or from the outer court-ard (tan) if he was on his wa- back from the outer 2olitar-3 6f he fails, he is c onsidered dead and #s e%tre tea, s el,%ated3
7o resolve the attempt, draw a $o 0r $ie card3 7his indicates how man- dice throws (augmented b- doubles as usual) the pla-er gets3 7he pla-er does not claim 0pportunit- cards if an- throws of &, or .. come up3 7he "05 starts from his current position and ma- use ?ope to get out of the castle3 1uards do not block his path, and he needs no #e-s or "asses3 =e must tr- to reach an- one of the three escape targets on the south edge (be-ond the moat)3 (The minimum distance is 36 and the expected totals range rom !"#! to "#$%)
GERMAN P.A 0n -our turn, roll d3 6f doubles are thrown, throws again, adding the scores3 7his ma- be repeated indefinitel-3 Hor each a &, or .. thrown, draw one 2ecurit- card3 • 7he pla-er then moves none, an- or all of his pawns between contiguous circles, one I" per circle3 • • Jou need not use all -our I"/s Iovement restrictions4 1uards ma- not step through each other (but ma- step over and@or sta- on "awns in a tunnel) • 1uards ma- teleport from black circles to the barracks, and vice versa at a cost of one I" per teleport3 1uards • teleporting to a black circle ma- continue moving with an- remaining I"/s3 0nce a guard has been recalled to the barracks, no more guards ma- be posted from the barracks3 • 0nce an arrest has been made, no more guards ma- be posted from the barracks3 • • 1uards ma- not stop within the gre- zone in such a wa- as to block "05 passage, or enter a room, MLE22 a "awn has escaped from the gre- zone and this is the onl- 1uard moving this turn (ie chasing)3 1uards ma- also enter a room through pla- of a 2earch card3 • 1uards ma- move freel- over "ass or #e- circles • • 1uards ma- move freel- over barbed wire 1uards ma- move freel- over (and stop in) the -ellow searchlight areas • 1uards ma- not enter blue safe zones3 • • A tunnel is considered detected on the net 1erman pla-er/s turn after an- "05 breaks out of it3 0nce a "05 breaks out, if -ou move 1uards an-where onto the tunnel (the- basicall- dig their wa- straight down into it), all remaining "05s in the tunnel are sent to 2olitar-3 7he 1uards do not return to their barracks and ma- use the tunnel to chase escapers3 7he tunnel can now no longer be used b- "05s for the rest of the game3 • 1uards ma- use "05 rope on their net turn after the "05 pla-ed the ?ope e*uipment card3 ARREST A 1uard ma- arrest a "05 (b- landing on him) under the following conditions4 1re- one4 "05 pla-er must hold an E*uipment card (>4 A Civilian Escape kit doesn/t subBect a "05 to arrest) • 0uter Area or 0utside4 no restrictions • ?esults4 • 7he guard is placed in the barracks; 7he "05 is placed in 2olitar- (1erman/s choice) • An E*uipment card is discarded (Allied pla-er/s choice) if the arrest occurred in the 0uter Area or 0utside 8 unless a • Hdea!ay is pla-ed b- the "05 pla-er3