Overview

Ghoulash: The Last Game on Earth is a two-player pen-and-paper strategy game where each player acts as the other’s game master. Using specially designed game charts, players hide ghouls, holes, debris, and first-aid kits on their Obstacle Grid while navigating through the opponent’s Movement Grid. No dice, cards, spinners, or movable pieces are used – the entire game is played on paper with pencils. Players take turns describing their movement through the grid while their opponent reveals what hazards they encounter. The goal is to destroy all eight of your opponent’s ghouls before suffering 12 wounds.

Components

• Game Book with removable game charts (enough for 16 games)
• Each chart has two grids: Obstacle Grid and Movement Grid
• Pencils (2)

Setup

1. Each player takes a game chart and a pencil.
2. Players sit facing each other, keeping their charts hidden from the opponent.
3. Each player places (marks) the following items on their Obstacle Grid:
   • 8 Ghouls (each with a designated Weak Spot)
   • Holes
   • Debris
   • First-Aid Kits
4. Placement follows the scenario’s rules for the number and arrangement of obstacles.

Turn Structure

Players alternate turns. On your turn:

1. Declare Movement

Announce which direction you move on the Movement Grid (which represents your opponent’s Obstacle Grid). You move one space at a time in any orthogonal direction.

2. Opponent Reveals

Your opponent checks their Obstacle Grid and tells you what (if anything) is on the space you moved to:

• Empty space: Continue your turn or end it.
• Hole: You fall in and lose your next turn.
• Debris: You suffer 1 wound.
• First-Aid Kit: You heal wounds (reduces wound count).
• Ghoul: A fight begins.

3. Ghoul Combat (if applicable)

When you encounter a Ghoul, you must try to hit its Weak Spot:

• Declare which part of the Ghoul you attack (the Weak Spot location varies).
• Hit the Weak Spot: The Ghoul is destroyed. Mark it on both grids.
• Miss the Weak Spot: You suffer 1 wound. The Ghoul remains.

4. End of Turn

Play passes to the other player.

Actions

Movement

Move one space at a time on the grid in any orthogonal direction (up, down, left, right). You cannot move diagonally. Each space entered is revealed by your opponent.

Combat

When encountering a Ghoul, choose where to strike. The Ghoul’s Weak Spot is hidden – you must deduce or guess its location. Successful hits destroy the Ghoul; misses cost you 1 wound.

Healing

First-Aid Kits restore wounds when found. Their placement is controlled by your opponent.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Win: Be the first player to destroy all 8 of your opponent’s Ghouls.

Lose: Accumulate 12 wounds and you die.

Draw: If both players are eliminated on the same turn, the game is a draw.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

Hole Penalty

Falling into a Hole costs you your next turn. You do not take a wound from Holes.

Ghoul Weak Spots

Each Ghoul has a single Weak Spot that the placing player designates during setup. The weak spot location is hidden until struck.

Scenarios

The game is designed to be played across multiple scenarios, each with different grid layouts and varying numbers/placement rules for obstacles. Scenario packs add additional variety.

Reusability

Each Game Book contains enough removable charts for 16 two-player games. Additional game books and scenario packs are available separately.

No Randomness

With no dice, cards, or random elements, the game is entirely about deduction, memory, and strategic movement. The only hidden information is the opponent’s obstacle placement.

Player Reference

Turn: Move 1 space -> Opponent reveals -> Resolve encounter -> Pass

Encounter Results: | Obstacle | Effect | |———-|——–| | Empty | Nothing | | Hole | Lose next turn | | Debris | 1 wound | | First-Aid Kit | Heal wounds | | Ghoul | Fight (hit weak spot = destroy, miss = 1 wound) |

Key Numbers: | Item | Value | |——|——-| | Ghouls per player | 8 | | Wounds to die | 12 | | Players | 2 | | Components needed | Paper + pencils |