Igel Ärgern (also known as Hedgehogs in a Hurry) is a classic German board game where players race hedgehog pieces across a grid-based board. Players roll a die to determine which row moves forward, but can also push hedgehogs sideways — including opponents’ pieces — to block or hinder them. The first player to get three of their four hedgehogs to the goal column wins.
Components
1 Game Board with 6 rows and 9 columns (Start column, 7 middle columns, Goal column)
24 Hedgehog pieces in 6 colors (4 per color)
1 Six-sided die
Black field markers on the board (one per row, at varying column positions)
Setup
Each player selects a color and takes the 4 hedgehog pieces of that color.
In clockwise order, players take turns placing one hedgehog at a time into the Start column.
Placement rule: Empty rows in the Start column must be filled first. Once all 6 rows have one piece, the second layer is filled, and so on. Stacks must remain as low and even as possible.
With fewer than 6 players, unused colors are not placed.
Turn Structure
On your turn:
Roll the die — The number (1–6) indicates a row.
Optional sideways move — Before the forward move, you may move one of YOUR hedgehogs one row up or down (sideways). The hedgehog must be on top of its stack to be moved. It joins the top of the stack in the adjacent row.
Mandatory forward move — Move any one hedgehog (yours OR an opponent’s) that is on top of a stack in the row matching the die roll one space forward (to the right). If the row is empty, no forward move occurs.
Actions
Sideways Move (Optional)
Move one of your own hedgehogs one row up or down.
Only the top hedgehog on a stack may move.
You cannot move sideways off the board (row 1 cannot go lower, row 6 cannot go higher).
This happens before the mandatory forward move.
Forward Move (Mandatory)
Choose any hedgehog on top of a stack in the die-indicated row.
Move it one space to the right (forward).
You may move your own piece or any opponent’s piece.
If the destination space already has pieces, the moved piece goes on top of the stack.
Stacking
Multiple hedgehogs can occupy the same space, forming a stack.
Only the top hedgehog on a stack may move or be moved.
Hedgehogs buried in a stack are effectively trapped until those above them move away.
Scoring / Victory Conditions
Winning: The first player to get 3 of their 4 hedgehogs into the Goal column wins immediately.
The hedgehogs may reach the goal on any of the 6 rows.
Ranking: Other players are ranked by how many of their hedgehogs have reached the goal.
Special Rules & Edge Cases
Black fields (traps): Each row has one black field at a specific column. A hedgehog on a black field cannot move forward until ALL hedgehogs behind it (in earlier columns on any row) have passed that column. Once no pieces remain behind the black field’s column, it becomes a normal space.
Blocking strategy: You can deliberately move opponents’ hedgehogs sideways into unfavorable positions or stack your pieces on top of theirs to trap them.
Moving opponents forward: The forward move can be used on any player’s top piece in the rolled row, which can be strategically used to move opponents onto black fields.
Empty row: If no hedgehogs are in the row matching the die, no forward move occurs (the turn is effectively wasted for the forward phase, though you may still make a sideways move).
Goal column stacking: Multiple hedgehogs can occupy the same goal space.
Die roll of opponent’s row: You must still move a piece forward in that row even if only opponent pieces are available.
Player Reference
Die Roll
Effect
1–6
Move any top hedgehog in that row one space forward