ACHTUNG! is a party card game about creating absurd laws and rules for everyone at the table to follow. As players draw and play law cards, the number of active rules builds until it becomes impossible for anyone to track them all. When someone breaks a law and another player notices, they shout “ACHTUNG!” to penalize the offender. The last lawmaker standing wins.
Components
Deck of cards consisting of five distinct types:
Global Law cards
Directed Law cards
Amendment cards
Filibuster cards
Additional card types as specified in the game
Setup
Shuffle all cards into a single draw deck.
Deal a starting hand of cards to each player (as specified by the rules).
Place the remaining deck face-down in the center as the draw pile.
Determine first player.
Turn Structure
On each turn, a player:
Draws a card from the draw pile.
Plays a card from their hand, placing it face-up on the table and announcing its effect.
All players must follow any active laws currently in play.
Between and during turns, any player may shout “ACHTUNG!” if they catch another player breaking an active law.
Actions
Card Types
Card Type
Effect
Global Law
Creates a new rule that every player at the table must follow (e.g., “speak in an accent,” “tap the table before drawing”)
Directed Law
Creates a rule that targets a single specific player
Amendment
Modifies the text or effect of a law card already on the table
Filibuster
Interrupts the main game for a mini-challenge; winner gains an advantage
Calling ACHTUNG!
Any player may call “ACHTUNG!” at any time if they observe another player breaking an active law.
The offending player must discard a card from their hand as a penalty.
If a player loses all their cards, they are sent to the Gulag (see Special Rules).
False accusations (calling ACHTUNG! when no law was broken) may carry a penalty.
Scoring / Victory Conditions
A player is eliminated when they lose all cards from their hand (sent to the Gulag).
The last player remaining with cards in hand wins the game.
Alternatively, a player in the Gulag can re-enter the game by catching another player breaking a law.
Special Rules & Edge Cases
The Gulag: When a player loses all their cards, they are placed in the Gulag. They cannot play cards or have laws directed at them, but they can observe other players. If a Gulag player successfully catches someone breaking a law (shouts “ACHTUNG!” correctly), they re-enter the game.
Law accumulation: Laws remain active for the entire game unless removed by an Amendment card. The growing pile of laws is the central challenge — remembering and following all of them simultaneously.
Simultaneous enforcement: Multiple laws can apply at the same time, creating increasingly complex behavioral requirements.
Social deduction element: Players must constantly observe others while managing their own compliance with all active laws.
Player Reference
Situation
Result
Caught breaking a law
Discard 1 card
Lose all cards
Go to the Gulag
In Gulag, catch a lawbreaker
Re-enter the game
Last player with cards
Win the game
Card types: Global Laws (affect all) → Directed Laws (target one) → Amendments (modify laws) → Filibusters (interrupt for mini-game)