A strategy game played on a multilevel, four-tier hexagonal gameboard. Players place pawns, then maneuver them inward through progressively smaller levels. At the end of each level, only pawns on “Survival Spots” advance; all others are eliminated. The winner is the first player to land a pawn on the single central Survival Spot of the innermost (4th) level.
Dots on the underside of pawn positions indicating movement values
Setup
Peel off the three rubber feet and attach them to the plastic gameboard unit.
Punch out the four cardboard gameboard levels. Stack them: place the largest, then the slightly larger blue/green board on top (right on top), then the smallest, then finally the largest yellow/blue gameboard right on top.
Boards may be turned in any direction as long as they are face-up.
Each player is assigned pawns by player count:
2 players: 9 pawns each (6 red or 6 green)
3 players: 6 pawns each
4 players: 4 pawns each
Players take turns placing one pawn at a time on the spaces around the perimeter of the outermost level (1st Level Gameboard).
The first player to go first is the one who places the first pawn; play continues clockwise.
Turn Structure
Placement Phase: Players alternate placing pawns one at a time on the outer edge of the 1st Level Gameboard.
Movement Phase: Once all pawns are placed, players take turns moving pawns.
On your turn:
Lift up one of your pawns, check the number of dots underneath that space (1, 2, 3, or 4), and move that pawn exactly that number of spaces in any direction (you can move along the outer edge or toward the center).
Pawns move in a straight line. Always move the full count indicated.
Once a pawn lands in a Survival Spot, it cannot be moved again for the rest of that level.
Actions
Moving Pawns
Move exactly the number of dots shown under the pawn’s current position.
Move one pawn per turn.
Can move in any direction (following the path of spaces).
Cannot pass over or land on other pawns (pawns block movement).
Survival Spots
Special holes/spaces on each level.
When a pawn lands on a Survival Spot, it stays there until the level is resolved.
A Survival Spot can only hold one pawn.
Level Transition
When all Survival Spots on a level are filled, that level’s gameboard is lifted away.
All pawns NOT on Survival Spots are eliminated.
Surviving pawns drop to the next inner level and continue play.
Scoring / Victory Conditions
The 4th (innermost) level has only 1 Survival Spot at its center.
The first player to land a pawn on that central Survival Spot wins.
The game immediately ends when a player achieves this.
Special Rules & Edge Cases
Each Survival Spot accommodates only one pawn.
A gameboard space (including Inner Circles) will accommodate only one pawn.
Players may never move another player’s pawn or land on an occupied space.
On any number of pawns while moving, you may pass over any number of your own pawns, but cannot land on them. However, you must stop if you reach another player’s pawn.
The game is played on the 3 remaining gameboards after the 1st level is removed. In a 2-player game, if this play does not land you in a Survival Spot, it sets you up to land in one on your next turn.
When a player has his or her pawns into the 4th Level Gameboard, they move the final pawn(s) toward the single center Survival Spot.
When a player’s pawn is the sole survivor (the game reaches one level left), that player can set it to the inner circle.
Player Reference
Players
Pawns Each
2
9
3
6
4
4
Level
Description
1st (outer)
Largest board; most Survival Spots
2nd
Smaller board
3rd
Even smaller
4th (inner)
Single central Survival Spot; landing here wins
Movement: Check dots under current space, move that exact number.