Objective of the Game
The goal of Hornochsen! is to have the fewest penalty points at the end of the game. Penalty points are acquired by collecting cards with Hornochsen symbols on them.
Game Components
- 104 numbered cards with values from 1 to 104. Each card has a number and some have Hornochsen symbols, which count as penalty points. The number of Hornochsen varies per card.
Number of Players
Hornochsen! can be played by 2 to 10 players.
Setup
- Shuffle the cards and deal 10 cards to each player.
- Place four cards face up in the middle of the table; these are the starting cards for four rows.
Gameplay
The game is played over several rounds. Each round consists of the following phases:
1. Choose a Card
- Each player selects one card from their hand and places it face down in front of them.
2. Reveal Cards
- All players reveal their cards simultaneously.
- Cards are arranged in ascending order.
3. Place Cards
- Starting with the lowest card, each card is placed in the row with the smallest difference that is greater than the last card played in that row.
- If the card is lower than all row end cards, the player must take a whole row and place their card as the new start card for that row.
- If a row would receive a sixth card, the player must take that row and place their card at the start of the now empty row.
- The picked-up cards are kept as penalty points.
End of the Game
The game ends when all 10 cards from the players' hands have been played. Players count the Hornochsen on their collected cards, and the player with the fewest Hornochsen wins.
Strategic Tips
- Tactical Card Selection: Be mindful of when to play certain cards. Aim for collecting as few penalty points as possible.
- Row Choice: Pay attention to which rows you would take if forced to collect, as some might have fewer Hornochsen.
- Move Planning: Try to anticipate what cards other players might play to optimize your chances.
This game is highly interactive and might require different strategies depending on the number of players.
