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Car Wars: The Card Game is the game of car-to- Armor cards let you reduce the damage done when car combat. In the near future, combat between armed someone plays an Attack card on you. You cannot play and armored cars will be an arena sport. You shoot at an Armor card before you the other cars, trying to destroy their tires and armor. are attacked. Each Armor ARMOR The last player with an operating car is the winner! card shows one side, This game can be played by 2 to 6 players, ages 10 and can only be used to and up. reduce damage from that 3 side. For instance, a Right Armor card, played after R Overview your right side is hit, will I G In each battle, or duel, the players play cards to reduce the damage from damage each others’ cars. When one side of a player’s H that attack by 3 points. T car is breached (the armor on that side is destroyed), An Armor card must be the car’s driver may be attacked! If a car’s driver is played immediately when Stops 3 Points of disabled and unable to operateTHE the car, the playerCARD who GAME Damage to Right you are hit, or it doesn’t disabled them scores a kill. When only one car is left count. (or when time runs out), the duel is over. You can also use armor New duels continue until one player has scored 60 to reduce damage from Specials that do damage, like points to become an Ace! Autocannon Backfres or Skid Into A Wall. It is perfectly legal to play two Armor cards at once Components if you have them. Two Armor cards would stop all This game includes these rules; six large Car Cards; damage from any attack. If the Armor cards total more and 150 playing cards. There are three types of playing than the damage done, the excess is lost. cards: Attack, Armor, and Special. Special cards let you Attack cards let you do a variety of things. DEBRIS attack another player. LASER Some (like Tire Shot) Each Attack card shows a may be played only on and the side it hits your turn. Some may – front, back, right, or left. 6 be played at any time, In addition, there are four R including the moment Called Shot cards that will I the duel starts. Some let you attack any side. The G may only be played Play on any other player after H their successful Bootlegger bullet-holes at the top of the in response to a card Reverse, Swerve, or Spin. Attack card, and the number T played by an opponent. That player takes 2 points of damage to their TIRES. on the card, show how much Follow the instructions Debris may be avoided with Does 6 Points of another Swerve card. damage it does. Damage to Right on each card. Attack – You may attack any other player by Starting the Game placing an Attack card in front of that player. If the Each player starts with attacked player can reply to the Attack card (by a Car Card (the large cards playing an Armor card or an appropriate Special), that with the pictures of cars). 12 player may do so immediately. FRONT FIREPROOF These are used to keep track 12 12 Special – You may play a ARMOR R of damage, and of how much L Fireproof Armor (subject to the I E G damage each part of your F rules below), aserReective H T car can take. “Right 12,” T Armor, Metal Armor, aser for instance, means your 5 verheats, or achine un ams Play at any time, up until you have taken damage from right-side armor can take 12 9 DRIVER S card rather than playing an Armor a Flamethrower card. No P one may play Flamethrower cards on you for the rest points of damage before it T E card or discarding. (Other Special of the duel. If played I C IMMEDIATELY after a is breached. (The armor has R I cards can only be played on Flamethrower card, it also E A negates that card. taken enough damage that the S 12 L someone else’s turn.) driver is exposed to attacks.) BACK Discard – If you cannot attack Shuffe the playing cards or play a Special, or you just don’t want to, you must and deal fve to each player, face down. Set the deck place one or more cards in the discard pile in the face down in the middle of the table. This is the draw center of the table. These cards are out of play until the pile. The discard pile will be next to the draw pile. deck is reshuffed. ou may not discard at any other Note: In a two- or three-player game, remove one time. of each of the following cards from the deck: Machine The next player to the left now brings their hand up un ams, Fireproof Armor, Autocannon Backfres, to six cards and attacks, discards, or plays a Special. ud issile, Metal Armor, aser verheats, Ejection Play continues to the left. Seat, and aserReective Armor. Attack Scrap Them All The attack is the basic move of the game. To attack The object is to have the last operating car in the an opponent, just play an Attack card (Flamethrower, game. A car is still operating if it has not escaped, and Autocannon, aser, issile, Machine Gun, or its driver has not been disabled. It is possible for two Ramming) card on them. HEAVY or more players to have operating cars at the end of a Attack cards do from 3 to 6 ARMOR duel – this is a tie. points of damage to one side of the 6 target car. This may be modifed by a Special, or by an Armor card. If L 12 12 12 12 E FRONT FRONT FRONT FRONT 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 the target player holds any Armor F R R R R L L L L I I I I E E E E T G G G G F F F F cards for the side of the car which H H H H T T T T T T T 5 T 5 DRIVER was hit, that player may play them 5 DRIVER 5 Stops 6 Points of 9 DRIVER S 9 S 9 DRIVER S 9 S P P P P immediately. (You may not play an Damage to Left T E T E T E T E I C I C I C I C R I R I R I R I Armor card later to reduce damage E A E A E A E A S 12 L S 12 L S 12 L S 12 L BACK BACK BACK BACK already taken. The Armor card must be in your hand at the time the Attack card is played.) Each Armor card immediately stops 3 points of damage. Heavy Armor Drawing and Playing works the same way, but stops 6 points of damage. Pick up your cards and put them in your hand, If the amount of damage stopped equals or exceeds keeping them from the prying eyes of your opponents. the amount of damage on the Attack card, the Attack The player to the left of the dealer plays frst. In your card and Armor card(s) are discarded. Otherwise, turn, draw enough cards to bring your hand up to six the Attack card is placed next to the Car card, on the cards. Then either: damaged side. Any Armor cards are placed to cover Attack; the amount of damage they stopped. Play a Special; Example: In the frst diagram, the player has ust or Discard. taken points of damage from a famethrower blast to the right side. 2 Ramming does not damage your own car, but you may not ram an opponent if your own front is breached 12 FLAME- or if you have lost your tires. THROWER FRONT 12 12

R L I 6 Specials E G F H T Some of these cards allow special attacks. Others T R I can be used to cancel an appropriate Attack card. G 9 5 S H The Fireproof Armor, aserReective Armor, P T DRIVER E T I C achine un ams, Metal Armor, R I E A Does 6 Points of 12 Damage to Right aser verheats, Ramplate, and S L 12 BACK FRONT Wheelguards cards must be left in 12 12

R front of players in the “Specials” L I E G F area (at the lower right hand corner H T In the next diagram, the defending player has offset T of their Car card) as long as they are 5 in the duel. If a car is eliminated, 3 points of damage with an Armor card. 9 DRIVER S P T E these cards are gathered up with I C R I E A their other cards and discarded. 12 FLAME- S L Specials which do damage are THROWER BACK 12 placed on the appropriate side of FRONT ARMOR 12 12 6 the target car. All other Special cards are discarded R L I E 3R after use. G F H T I T GR Autocannon Backfires HI GT You can play this card only when you have just 9 5 S P H T DRIVER E been attacked by an autocannon. Instead of affecting TDoes 6 Points of I C Damage to Right R I you, the autocannon explodes, damaging the attacker E A Stops 3 Points of S 12 L Damage to Right BACK on the side they were trying to hit. They cannot avoid this damage with a Swerve or Spin. If the attacker is eliminated by the backfre, nobody gets credit for the You may not draw cards at any time except at the kill. beginning of your turn. At that time, you draw enough Bootlegger Reverse cards to bring your hand up to six. If you play a Bootlegger BOOTLEGGER Ramming Reverse card immediately REVERSE The Ramming attack is unique. after being attacked, apply the After you ram an opponent, you may damage to the side of the car immediately play another Attack opposite from what is printed on card in order to shoot them as the Attack card. If an opponent plays a Skid Into A Wall card, well. The follow-up Attack card Play IMMEDIATELY after an however, the bootlegger ended Attack card is played on you. must be for the same side you Ignore the location on the in a collision. You take 3 points card; instead, apply the rammed them on! damage to your OPPOSITE of damage to whichever side the SIDE. Armor may still If your target plays a Spin or protect against this attack. Bootlegger Reverse after you ram them, making you opponent chooses. Armor can be hit them on a different side, you may still follow up used to protect against this damage. with a weapon attack, but it must be against the side Debris where you actually rammed them. You can play this card only in response to another If your target plays a Swerve after you ram them, player playing Bootlegger Reverse, Swerve, or Spin. your ram missed and you may not follow up with The eris card is placed in the “Tires” damage area a weapon attack. If they do not announce a Swerve of the targeted car and does 2 points of tire damage. If after you ram, they cannot then swerve to avoid your the target of a eris card immediately plays Swerve, followup attack . . . you are fring at pointblank the eris card is discarded without effect. range! 3 Ejection Seat Shaken This card lets you Escape (see p. 5) immediately, Play this card after any Ramming attack, whether it on any player’s turn. The Ejection Seat will get you is protected by armor or not. Shaken players lose their out of harm’s way (and out of the duel) even after your next turn. opponent’s attacks have been launched. Smokescreen and Paint Spray Fireproof Armor, Laser-Reflective The Smokescreen card completely blocks any one Armor, and Metal Armor Attack card. Play it immediately after an Attack and These three types of Armor cards may be played discard them both. at any time during the duel – not just during the The Paint Spray is like the Smokescreen, but with holder’s turn. You may only two differences: You can only play it in response to FIREPROOF play a Fireproof Armor card ARMOR attacks from the Back. Also, unless attackers can play if you have not yet taken any a Swerve to avoid the Paint Spray, they must discard damage from a Flamethrower their hand immediately and miss their next turn. card. If you avoided damage on Spin a previous turn by playing two Play at any time, up until This card lets you move Armor cards at once, or used a you have taken damage from a Flamethrower card. No damage from one side to an Swerve (when the Flamethrower one may play Flamethrower cards on you for the rest adjacent side, by maneuvering card would be discarded), you of the duel. If played IMMEDIATELY after a your car to control where you may still play Fireproof Armor. Flamethrower card, it also negates that card. are hit. You may play more Fireproof Armor also protects than one Spin at a time, if you the driver against Flamethrower damage, even after have them, to move the damage the armor has been breached. to the opposite side of the car. A Fireproof Armor card even protects against You can use Armor cards to Flamethrower damage to tires. This is an exception to reduce the damage on the side where it fnally ends up. the general rule on the Tire Shot card. aserReective Armor cards act in the same way Swerve and Skid as Fireproof Armor except that the protected car is If you play a Swerve card immediately after immune to aser cards. being attacked, you may discard the Attack card – it Metal Armor cards also act in the same way missed! Instead, you take one point of damage to your as Fireproof Armor except that the car cannot be tires (place the Swerve card in the “Tires” damage damaged by Machine Gun cards. area). If an opponent plays a Skid Into A Wall card on you, however, the swerve ended in a collision, Machine Gun Jams and in addition to the tire damage, you take 3 points and Laser Overheats of damage to whichever side the opponent chooses! You may play a Machine Gun Armor can be used to protect against this damage. MACHINE ams card on any foe at any time. GUN JAMS Tire Shot The target cannot attack with a Machine Gun, and if they had just You may target an TIRE SHOT played a Machine Gun attack on opponent’s tires with a Tire Shot card. Play this card anyone, that attack fails and their Play on an opponent at any time. That opponent may not simultaneously with any turn is over. play any more Machine Gun cards until he “unjams” his Attack card. Apply the damage The only way for victims of weapon by discarding ALL the cards in his hand. If to the tires rather than to the the achine un ams card to played IMMEDIATELY after a Machine Gun card, it original hit location. Cards “unjam” their guns is to discard also negates that card. showing tire damage are Play along with any Attack all the cards in their hand on their card. Ignore the location on placed at the lower left corner the card; instead, apply the turn, doing nothing else. They can then draw six new damage to your opponent’s of the car card. TIRES. Armor does NOT cards at the beginning of their next turn. protect against this attack. Players who use a Swerve aser verheats works the same way as Machine card to avoid an opponent’s un ams, but is played in response to a aser attack. attack will do 1 point damage to their own tires. 4 Your tires are treated as a single unit. They are Escaping destroyed if they take 9 or more points of damage; this is not considered a breach. Regular armor cannot At the end of your turn, you may announce that be used to protect your tires. (Exceptions: Fireproof you are Escaping from the arena (usually to avoid Armor protects tires from Flamethrower damage, and being eliminated). If your car is still operating at the Wheelguards protect tires from tire attacks, but not beginning of your next turn and your tires have not Swerve damage.) been destroyed, you leave the arena . . . and no one gets credit for eliminating you. Players whose tires are destroyed may no longer use Bootlegger Reverse, Ramming, Smokescreen, On the turn you declare you are escaping, you take Paint Spray, Spin, or Swerve cards, nor may they your turn normally. On the next turn, provided you are Escape. However, they may still shoot – and they can not eliminated yet and your tires are not destroyed, still win! you escape. You may not do anything else this turn. If you are prevented from escaping, take your turn normally. Play of the Duel An Ejection Seat will allow you to escape at any Breached Armor time, even during someone else’s turn. When the armor on one side of a player’s car takes Reshuffling 12 or more points of damage, it is breached. The Sometimes the players will go completely through player should square the cards on that side of the car the deck without a winner. If this happens, reshuffe and turn them face down to show the breach. the discard pile and turn it over, making a new draw The attack that creates the breach does not affect pile. If the players go through the deck a second time, the driver (even if there is damage left over), but any do not reshuffe. All players still in the duel share further attacks to that side will reach the driver unless equally in a tie. stopped by armor. You can still play Armor cards on a breached side. Scoring and Winning The last player whose car is still in the arena and FLAME- THROWER 12 has not been killed is the winner of the duel. That FRONT player scores 20 points. In addition, each player gets 12 12 6 R L 10 points for each car they have eliminated. I

E THE CARD GAME G R F H If the duel ended in a tie, each player still in the T I T G duel at the end gets 10 points. H T 9 5 S P DRIVER The Next Duel T E Does 6 Points of I C Damage to Right R I When the scoring is completed, gather up the cards. E A ® S 12 L ® BACK The player to the previous dealer’s right shuffes and deals the cards for the next duel. Each player starts the new duel with a fully healed driver. Place Attack cards that affect the driver in a new Play a series of duels until one player reaches 60 stack outside the frst breach. points at the end of a round. (If two or more players reach 60 points, the player with the highest number of Eliminating an Opponent points wins. If it’s a tie, everyone continues playing When the driver takes 5 or more points of damage, until someone has that driver has been disabled and can no longer drive broken the tie at the the car. All damage, Armor, and Special cards applied end of a duel.) That to that car, along with its owner’s hand, go to the player is declared discard pile. The player whose Attack card took the an ACE, and driver out gets credit for a kill. A kill can only be wins the game! scored with an Attack card – if a player is taken out by a Skid Into A Wall, the points go to whoever played the Attack card that player was swerving to avoid. 5 Game Design: Creede and Sharleen Lambard Game Development: Steve Jackson and Philip Reed Cover Art: Jeff Mangiat t Car Card Art: Michael Scott tThird Edition Editing: President/Editor-in-Chief: Steve Jackson Production Artists: Alex Fernandez, Sabrina Gonzalez, Chief Executive Offcer: Philip Reed and Ben Williams Chief Operating Offcer: Samuel Mitschke Production Assistant: Bridget Westerman Line Editor: Scott Haring Director of Sales: Ross Jepson Managing Editor: Miranda Horner Prepress Checker: Miranda Horner Production Administrator: Darryll Silva Marketing Director: Brian Engard Playtesters: Norman Banduch; Anne Bennett; Ian J. Brotzman and the London, England Association; Brian Engard; Rhea Friesen; James Lambard; Mike Lambard; Tina Lambard; Randy Scheunemann; Craig Sheeley and the Midwest Autoduelling Division; all our playtesters at GenCon, Origins, and other gaming conventions around the country; and the chapters of the American Autoduel Association who sent comments. Special thanks to Fred Dobratz and David N. Searle for their ideas and enthusiasm, and to Dick Jackson for his comments after the release of the frst edition. Car Wars, the all-seeing pyramid, and the names of all products published by Incorporated are trademarks or registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license. All car names are trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. Car Wars: The Card Game is copyright © 1990, 2001, 2015 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All rights reserved. Rules version 3.0 (July 2015).

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