Overview

Demon’s Run is an interstellar racing game published by Yaquinto Publications in 1981. Players pilot customizable spacecraft through a hazardous region of space known as the Demon’s Run, navigating black holes, radiation zones, and null areas while competing to collect buoys and score victory points. Before each race, players design their ships by distributing build points among various systems. The game supports campaign play with persistent pilot and ship progression.

Components

• Game board depicting the Demon’s Run space course
• Ship record sheets
• Buoy tokens (fixed and moving)
• Mine tokens
• Various markers for damage, velocity, and systems
• Dice (for combat and hazard resolution)
• Rules booklet

Setup

1. Lay out the game board showing the racing course.
2. Each player designs their ship by distributing build points among the following systems:
   • Fuel: Determines total thrust available
   • Structural Integrity: Hit points before destruction
   • Pilot Integration: Maneuverability and pilot skill
   • Main Engines: Top speed and acceleration
   • Manoeuvre Engines: Turning ability
   • Tractor Beam: Used to recover buoys
   • Laser: Used to attack buoys, mines, and other ships
   • Scrambler: Used to disorient opposing pilots
   • Screens: Defensive shielding
   • Velocity: Starting speed
3. Place buoys on the course – some in fixed positions, others moving randomly.
4. Place mine tokens as indicated.
5. Determine starting positions.

Turn Structure

Each turn:

1. Movement Phase: Move ships based on their velocity and engine settings.
2. Maneuver Phase: Apply turns, acceleration, or deceleration.
3. Action Phase: Use tractor beams, lasers, or scramblers.
4. Hazard Phase: Resolve encounters with black holes, radiation, or null areas.
5. Buoy Phase: Collect buoys using tractor beams if in range.

Actions

Piloting

• Accelerate, decelerate, and turn your ship using engine systems.
• Fuel is consumed by engine use – running out of fuel leaves you adrift.

Collecting Buoys

• Use your Tractor Beam to recover buoys when in range.
• Each buoy collected is worth victory points.

Combat

• Laser: Fire at other ships, buoys, or mines. Damage reduces target systems.
• Scrambler: Disorient an opposing pilot, causing them to lose control temporarily.

Defense

• Screens: Absorb incoming laser damage.
• Structural Integrity: Remaining hull points after screens are overwhelmed.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Victory points are earned by collecting buoys during the race. The player with the most victory points at the end of the race wins. In campaign play, accumulated points carry across multiple races.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Ship Design: The point-buy ship construction system means every ship is different. Players must balance offense, defense, speed, and buoy collection.
• Moving Buoys: Some buoys move randomly each turn, requiring adaptive navigation.
• Hazards: Black holes can pull ships off course or destroy them; radiation zones damage systems; null areas disable electronics.
• Fuel Management: Fuel is a finite resource; aggressive maneuvering can leave a ship stranded.
• Campaign Rules: Between races, pilots gain experience and ships can be upgraded or repaired. Pilots and ships persist across multiple sessions.
• Mines: Can be destroyed with lasers or avoided; contact causes damage.

Player Reference

Ship Systems: Fuel

Structural Integrity

Pilot Integration

Main Engines

Manoeuvre Engines

Tractor

Laser

Scrambler

Screens

Velocity

Turn: Move → Maneuver → Actions (tractor/laser/scrambler) → Hazards → Buoy collection

Win: Most victory points from collected buoys

Hazards: Black holes, radiation zones, null areas, mines