Changes for Thunder Road and Captain Scarlet

Version 6.1 Scarlet Thunder Changes for Thunder Road and Captain Scarlet

Raison d'être:

The Mysterons have a new secret weapon. They may gain temporary control of a target without having to destroy it before hand and they are trying it out.

The world president is racing to get to London Airport to whisk him off to safety in an MSV driven by Colonel White and is accompanied by a body guard of 4 SPVs and 4 Spectrum patrol cars.

Four players run a team each of one SPV and one Patrol car:

Vehicle Team Red Team Yellow Team Blue Team Green SPV Captain Captain Ochre Captain Blue Captain Scarlet Emerald Patrol Captain Captain Captain Lt. Green Magenta Brown Indigo

There is also a Spectrum helicopter which has been Mysteronised

Colonel White is about to retire – this is his last mission – and he has made it known that whoever performs well in this mission, he will consider him as prime material as his replacement.

The objective for the players is to look good in the eyes of Colonel White and get his job! To help in this the current mission is to get the President in the MSV off of the game board and out of danger. The player who succeeds in doing this is the winner and will surely be the next colonel in charge of cloudbase. If the president in the MSV is killed, the winner is the one to get to the airport first by getting off the end of the board.

Will it be Colonel Scarlet? Or will Colonel Green get rapid promotion? Or has a player been taken over by the Mysterons has an ulterior motive: to kill the President? Only you can tell…

The players objectives

Each turn, a card is drawn for all four players. They are then simultaneously revealed. One gets the ‘Mysteron’ card (of which there is only one in four) and that player goes first, with the other players move in order of the number on their cards. This player has both of his vehicles temporarily ‘mysteronised’ and, in addition, is in control of the mysteronised helicopter (see below) and any mysteronised ‘Neutral Vehicles’ (see below). For that turn ONLY, his job is to try and damage or destroy the MSV and other players vehicles them. He does not get to move the MSV for this turn.

In every turn, the three Spectrum Players should try and destroy the ‘mysteronised’ vehicle(s) while they can, while avoiding firing at non-mysteronised targets, ie the

Version 6.1 members of the public (in their ‘Neutral Vehicles’) and Spectrum vehicles (driven by the other players).

At the end of that turn. The cards are shuffled and re-dealt. The previously Mysteronised player is somehow removed from their dreadful influence. Who will the Mysterons try and control now?

Version 6.1

Winning strategy

 If the current Mysteron player destroys the MSV, killing Colonel White and the World President, he wins immediately.  If the MSV (with the Colonel on board) is driven off of the far board, whoever is currently controlling it wins immediately.  If a player manages to get either of his two vehicles off of the end board leaving behind all remaining players vehicles on the first TWO BOARDS (via the roadway switch), he wins immediately (he gets to the Airport first and sets up the security for the President). He certainly put his foot down…

The game board

Movement on this board and the leaving of the board is as per the standard game rules. The layout is as follows:

There should be four boards. They should be a 4 a lane highway with occasional central barriers and the odd width restriction (toll booth etc). They should have a hard shoulder each side and a grass verge.

This makes the game board:

 4 lanes where full speed – the d3 Road Bonus Die (RBD) - can be used by all vehicles (the centre four lanes). These are separated sporadically by crash barriers that can be shot through/over but not driven through. A Square that has half a crash barrier but not a full one may still be entered.  2 lanes (the hard shoulders) where the Road Bonus Die (RBD) can only be used by SPVs. These are denoted by a mixture of dirt/grass and tarmac  2 lanes (the grass verges) where the RBD cannot be used. These are denoted by being exclusively grass and dirt.

All vehicles can move in all eight lanes but with varying effects on their potential speed.

General Movement Rules

Players vehicles may move:

 Directly Forward or Diagonally forward to the right or left but not backwards

 You must never drive through other running cars

 If you cannot use a full Standard Die throw for one of your cars it must stay where it is

Version 6.1  If you cannot use the full count of two dice – the Standard Die PLUS the Road Bonus Die - you may use just a full Standard Die throw.

 No more than two cars or wrecks can be on one space at the same time

 Player vehicles may (including Myseronised Neutral cars) may switch to the ‘wrong’ side of the road to move into oncoming traffic, if desired. Neutral cars may NOT do this but will stick to the ‘correct’ side of the road. If they cannot progress – even including moving to the hard shoulder or the verge – they will just stop

 Vehicles – like Coaches and heavy lorries – that take up two squares but always move parallel to the lanes and can not position themselves diagonally

The Road Bonus Die (RBD)

If any player vehicles are on tarmac (4 central lanes) area of the road (or the hard shoulders if it the vehicle is an SPV) at the start of the turn, you can move it faster by throwing the Road Bonus Die together with the three Standard Dice. Add the number of the Road Bonus Die to the number shown any one of the Standard Die and move the chosen car forward. It must stay on the tarmac portion of the road (or the hard shoulder if it is an SPV) for this bonus die to apply.

If you wish, you may use the same Road Bonus Die for either or both of your other cars in the same way providing that they are on the tarmac. If you cannot use the full count of two dice, you may use the Standard Die only as usual.

Crashing through a wreck

If, after throwing the Standard Dice (and Road Bonus Die), you find that your way is blocked by a wrecked vehicle, throw 1 Standard Die.

 If you throw a 4, 5 or 6, you may land on the same space as the wreck (if that’s where your move ends) or pass through it.

 If you roll a 1, 2 or 3, your car becomes a wreck. Put a smoke marker on the space with the wreck.

 A SPV, MSV, Coach or Heavy Lorry only wrecks on a roll of a 1 or 2. 3, 4, 5 or 6 means it is safe.

Switching Boards

When a player’s vehicle – an SPV or Patrol Car but not a Neutral Vehicle Mysteronised Neutral Vehicle or reaches the end of the lead board and has not used up all its movement dice roll, pick up the rear board and dump all the other cars and wrecks that are on it so that they are out of the game.

Version 6.1 Then link the board to the front of the other and allow that player to finish their turn.

A new board must be prepared every time a car reaches the end. If the Jetcopter is dumped (keep it off table to use next turn) it is still in the game but all other vehicles are removed.

Version 6.1 The players vehicles

Each Player has an SPV and Patrol Car under their complete control and - if they are not the Mysteron player - temporary control of the MSV during their turn. The Mysteron player controls all currently Mysteronised vehicles plus the Jetcopter

12 Phase Order of movement

1. The Black cards are shuffled and dealt, 1 card to each player. 2. If you are the Mysteron player you move first, revealing your card. Bowl the Standard Dice and Road Bonus Die. 3. Next the Mysteron player creates ONE (more) Mysteronised vehicle by selecting a Neutral Vehicle on the road to transform. 4. Then, before the Mysteron player moves, ALL neutral cars (ones that have not been Mysteronised) are moved by the umpire using the Road Bonus Die bowled by the Mysteron player. They are moved the number of squares indicated by the dice. If they encounter traffic that they cannot get through, even by swerving off the road onto the hard shoulder or grass verge, they will not move. 5. The Mysteron player moves his vehicles by using the roll he has already made: one Standard dice each plus the RBD (if applicable) for each Spectrum vehicle (the SPV and the Patrol Car) and the remaining Standard dice and the RBD (if applicable) for each Mysteronsed vehicle. He moves these in ANY order. 6. After each individual vehicle is moved, the Mysteron player may attack any targets or opportunity (Spectrum or neutral vehicle) by shooting or ramming. These attacks are carried out immediately after each vehicle’s movement (so - move, attack; move, attack, move, attack etc). 7. The Mysteron player moves the Mysteronsed Jetcopter to any position to the side or rear adjacent square of any target vehicle (Spectrum or neutral vehicle) on the rear two boards and may attack it via shooting ONLY. He then repeats this Jetcopter attack on the front two boards. Targets may include Neutral Vehicles. As in all cases, if a Neutral Vehicle is destroyed by the Mysteron player it instantly turns into a Mysteronised vehicle. 8. Player 2 reveals himself by turning his card over and bowls his three Standard d6 dice and a d3 Road Bonus Dice (RBD). 9. Player 2 player moves his vehicles by using the roll he has made: selecting two standard dice from the three thrown, he chooses one Standard dice each plus the RBD (if applicable) for each Spectrum vehicle (the SPV and the Patrol Car) and uses just the RBD to move the MSV. Player 2 may attack any Mysteronised Spectrum or neutral vehicle by shooting or ramming (including ramming with the MSV) but not neutral vehicles or legitimate Spectrum vehicles driven by other Spectrum play. Attacks are carried out immediately after each vehicle’s movement. This ends the turn for player 2. 10.Phases 8 and 9 are repeated for player 3. 11.Phases 8 and 9 are repeated for player 4. 12.End of the turn. Start again at Phase 1

Version 6.1 Shooting and Ramming by player vehicles

Ramming attack

 Position: When your Vehicle lands exactly on an opponents vehicle (or – in a Side Swipe Ram - when your two square coach or heavy lorry lands with it’s rear square exactly on an opponents vehicle  Attack: You and your opponent each throw a Standard Die. You each add the number you throw to your car’s rank (see special cases, below – SPVs, MSVs, Heavy Lorries and Coaches)  Outcome: The player with the higher total wins.

Shooting attack

 Position: When your car lands within two spaces (4 spaces for an SPV) behind or adjacent to one or more opponents. With a standard vehicle, this can be in line behind or diagonally to the rear, left or right. If there are two cars sharing a space, chose the target before you fire (see special cases, below – SPVs and Coaches)  Attack: You throw a Standard Die.  Outcome: If the number thrown is equal to or higher than the target car’s rank, you win and it becomes a wreck. If the number is lower than the target car’s rank, no effect. In all cases both cars always remain in the same space.

Shooting ranks and range

SPVs have a main cannon/missile launcher gun. It may fire up to 4 spaces but only straight ahead. At range 3 and 4 the SPV fires as normal but at range 2 and 1 the target vehicle drops a rank (rank 7 targets become rank 6, rank 6 become 5, rank 5 become 4, rank 4 become 3). The SPV also has a superior ram. On a tie, the SPV still wrecks the opponent.

Spectrum Patrol Cars may only fire side arms from the crew members within the vehicle. Standard firing and ramming rules apply. Firing range 2 to the front and front sides. At range 2 the Patrol Car fires as normal but at range 1 the target vehicle drops a rank (rank 7 targets become rank 6 etc)

The MSV may not fire but it rams like an SPV: On a tie, it still wrecks the opponent. On the basis that it moves three times, it could, in theory, ram three times in a turn.

Mysteronised vehicles are rank 4 unless they are light trucks (rank 5) or Coaches or Lorries (rank 6). Most vehicles may only fire side arms from the persons within the vehicle. Standard firing and ramming rules apply to the Rank 4 vehicles: Standard firing rules apply. Firing range 2 to the front and front sides. At range 2 the vehicle fires as normal but at range 1 the target vehicle drops a rank (rank 7 targets become rank 6 etc). The Lorry gets a ram success on a tie, cannot use a road bonus die and takes up two squares on the board. The Coach gets a standard ram, cannot use a road bonus die and takes up two squares on the board but can fire up to 3 times in any direction – but only two times at any given target.

Version 6.1 Damage to Vehicles

 An SPV is a Rank 6 Vehicle. They may take 2 hits and be destroyed on the third hit. An SPV that has suffered a SINGLE hit has not been destroyed it loses its ability to use Road Bonus Die (it has suffered tyre damage). A SECOND hit causes the loss of the cannon weaponry. A third hit destroys the vehicle.

 An MSV is a Rank 7 Vehicle. It may take 2 hits and be destroyed on the third hit. A SINGLE hit on an MSV is minor and has no effect. A SECOND hit on an MSV causes it to slow – minus 1 on the Road Bonus Die when it is used to move (but always a minimum of 1). A third hit destroys the vehicle. If it moves off of the tarmac road it loses another minus 1 speed. This is cumulative but still has a minimum move of 1. Example: an MSV with damaged tyres leave the road and is on the hard shoulder or grass verge. It suffers two ‘minus 1’ effects to its speed (so minus 2) so – even if it bowls a 3, it will still be travelling ant speed 1. But it will travel at 1 if it bowls a 1 or a 2 – the minimum is always 1

 Spectrum Patrol cars are Rank 5 Vehicles. They are destroyed on the first hit

 Rank 4 and rank 5 vehicles (cars and Light trucks) are destroyed on the first hit.

 Coaches and heavy trucks are destroyed on the second hit, with the first hit having no effect.

The MSV

This is run by all three players who are NOT the current Mysteronised player. When it is their turn, each of the three Spectrum players moves the MSV by just the road bonus dice that they throw. The MSV has no weapons but can ram. Each Spectrum player can ram with it in his turn

Recovery of player vehicles As per the standard game, if a player (including the Mysteron player) throws a double six on the Standard Die, they can recover one wrecked vehicle that is still on the board completely to full working order. If no vehicles are wrecked but one (an SPV or the MSV) is damaged, that can be repaired back to full working order. Neutral Vehicles (including Neutral Vehicles that have been Mysteronised) cannot be recovered.

The Neutral Vehicles

These start on the roads at allocated spaces. New vehicles are placed on the roads as the boards are switched. These come on either behind or moving towards the Spectrum convoy, depending which way they were facing when that left the boards. Instead of being stationary, the Neutral Vehicles move before every one else at the start of each turn. They are moved by the umpire and all move at the same speed taken from the Mysteron player’s RBD roll – that is a straight roll on the Road Bonus Die (ie 1-3 [1,1,2,2,3,3]).

Version 6.1 Wrecks – player vehicles or Neutral Vehicles that have been destroyed – do not move: they are stationary wrecks and leave the table in the normal way through swapping the game tiles (unless they are player vehicles recovered on a double 6 – see above)

Version 6.1 Are the Neutral Vehicles “Mysteron” vehicles or not?

In each turn, ONE of the neutral cars/vehicles on the table may be Mysteronised by the current Mysteron player and stays that way until destroyed or left behind in the race. Mysteronised Neutral Vehicles that leave the board come back on as regular, non- Mysteronised Neutral Vehicles. The number of Mysteronised vehicles may also be increased by the ‘traditional’ Mysteron method of destroying them. They return instantly as a Mysteronised vehicle.

Shooting and Ramming on Neutral Vehicles

Remember that non-mysteronised vehicles are neither targets nor aggressive. A Spectrum vehicle must stop and not move if it cannot move around a neutral vehicle.

Mysteronised Neutral Vehicles

Any surviving Mysteronised Neutral Vehicles will move, ram or shoot under the direction of the Mysteron player during his turn.

A Mysteronised Vehicle is a legitimate target and can be destroyed in the usual way by Spectrum players. Its Mysteronised agents will, however, try to shoot (they have guns) using standard rules or try to ram any non-mysteronised player vehicle (SPVs and SPCs) or the MSV or even other Neutral Vehicles if no others are available. If they succeed in destroying a Neutral Vehicle it instantly turns into a Mysteronised Vehicle.

Oncoming traffic

Half of the neutral vehicles are on the ‘wrong side’ of the road. These move toward the players rather than away from them at the same speed as their ‘right side’ of the road wrecks.

Neutral Vehicles that leave the road

Note that:

 Neutral Vehicles that leave the road by movement off of the end of the board come back on at the other end in the appropriate lane to the direction they were travelling in the first square.  Mysteronised Neutral Vehicles that leave the road come back on as above but are no longer Mysteronised – they return as simple Neutral Vehicles.  Any Neutral Vehicles or Mysteronised vehicles that are destroyed stay on as a Wreck in the normal way and leave the board when left behind when boards are swapped.  A Neutral Vehicle that leaves the board as ‘right way’ traffic does not enforce the road way ‘switch’.  When moving, Neutral Vehicles will attempt to avoid a crash including using the hard shoulder and grass verge. Failing that they will just stop.  Moving at just the road bonus speed, Neutral Vehicles lose minus 1 movement but never less than 1 (like an MSV with punctured tyres) when on the hard shoulder or grass verge)

Version 6.1 Jetcopter

The player who gets the Mysteron card gets control of the Spectrum Jetcopter for that turn. He may attack a single vehicle on each board (two in total). The Jetcopter may not be targeted or destroyed.

Jetcopter Attack  Position: As the Mysteron Player, after moving your SPV, Patrol car and any Mysteronised cars and attacking with them, you may, if you wish, fly your chopper to a position either directly behind or adjacent and behind to the vehicle that you now wish to attack. The Jetcopter must adopt a position on the road (which must be clear of vehicles) for its strafing run and it has to get within two squares of a target so maximum range is two squares (1 square is close range). The Jetcopter – unlike other vehicles – can fire over an adjacent vehicle so – if at 2 squares range – there is a vehicle in the square in between the target and the jet copter, it can fire but the target IS INCREASED ONE RANK (ie a rank 4 vehicle becomes a rank 5 target which – at long range - becomes a rank 6 target)  Attack: You throw a Standard Die.  Outcome: If the number thrown is equal to or higher than the target car’s rank, you win and it becomes a wreck. If the number is lower than the target vehicle’s rank, no effect. The Jetcopter stays on the same space. Any running vehicles can move around the Jetcopter. It never blocks movement.