Mow

Overview

Mow is a fast card game where players are farmers rounding up cows into herds. Each cow card has a number and may carry flies. Players must add cows to a growing line in ascending or descending order. If you cannot (or choose not to) add a cow, you take the entire herd and its flies. The player with the fewest flies after multiple rounds wins.

Components

• Green packet: 48 cow cards (for 2-5 players), totaling 74 flies
• Yellow packet: 48 additional cow cards (for 6-10 players)
• 1 Arrow card (direction of play)
• Illustration cards

Card Distribution (per packet)

Cards	Flies
15 cows (numbered 1-15)	0 flies each
13 cows (numbered 2-14)	1 fly each
11 cows (numbered 3-13)	2 flies each
3 cows (numbered 7, 8, 9)	3 flies each
6 special cows	5 flies each

Setup

1. Use the green packet for 3-5 players; both packets for 6-10 players.
2. Shuffle cards and deal 5 to each player.
3. Place remaining cards face down as a draw pile.
4. Starting player places the Arrow card pointing to their left neighbor.
5. Starting player plays the first card to begin a herd and draws a replacement card.

Turn Structure

On your turn, you must either:

1. Add a cow to the herd (the line of cards), OR
2. Take the herd (all cards in the line go to your cowshed face down; start a new herd).

After playing a card, draw 1 replacement from the draw pile.

Actions

Adding a Cow

Play a cow with a number higher than the highest or lower than the lowest in the current herd line.

Special Cows (5 flies each)

Green packet specials:

Cow	Effect
Blocking cow	Blocks one end of the line
Acrobatic cow	Played on a cow with the same number (7 or 9 only)
Slowpoke cow	Inserted in place of a missing number in the sequence

Playing a green special cow lets you optionally change the direction of play (flip the Arrow card).

Yellow packet specials:

Cow	Effect
Blocking cow	Blocks one end of the line
Calf	Placed next to a cow without flies; its value is 1 more or 1 less than that cow. Next to the 1, its value is 0 (nothing may be placed next to a 0)
Thin cow	Player does NOT draw a replacement card
Dairy cow	Player draws 2 replacement cards instead of 1
Mad cow	Replaces the 8 cow in the herd; add the 8 to your hand. While a mad cow is in the herd, only cows WITH flies may be added

Playing a yellow special cow lets you choose who plays next.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

When the draw pile is empty, play continues until a player takes the last herd. Players then add remaining hand cards to their cowshed. Count all flies in each cowshed and add to a running total. A new round begins.

The game ends when any player reaches 100 flies. The player with the fewest flies wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• 2-player variant: Use 3 simultaneous herds in a star layout. Players alternate between herds. When you take a herd, start a new one in its place. When the deck empties and one herd is taken, the round ends (the other 2 herds are not scored).
• A farmer who cannot or chooses not to add a cow MUST take the entire herd.

Player Reference

Phase	Action
Turn	Play a cow (higher or lower than current range) or take the herd
Draw	Draw 1 card after playing (unless special effect)
Herd Taken	All herd cards go to your cowshed; start new herd
Round End	Deck empty + last herd taken; add hand cards to cowshed; count flies
Game End	Any player reaches 100 flies; fewest flies wins