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====== Thieves of the Black Keep ======
{{:games:board:logo.png |Thieves of the Black Keep}}**Version 3** \\
[[https://www.thegamecrafter.com/contests/hidden-movement-challenge|Game Crafter page]]\\
[[https://www.thegamecrafter.com/games/thieves-of-the-black-keep|Shop page]]\\
{{:games:board:hidden_movement_finalists_judges_sheet.xlsx|}}
===== Criteria =====

  * Your game must implement the mechanic: Hidden Movement/Secret Unit Deployment.
  * The game must be playable by 2 or more players.
  * You are welcome to use any printables or game pieces available in our shop to create your game.
  * The cost of your game cannot exceed $34.99((of components from the Gamecrafter website)).
  * A rules document must be downloadable from your game's shop page and also included in the game itself. Can be in booklet or document form.
  * The game must be publish ready (as it relates to our shop, not as it relates to being finished). This means it has a logo, backdrop, shop ad, action shots, description, and cool factors. It must also have all images proofed, and have a box.
  *  This must be a new game created for this contest. It cannot have existed on TGC prior to the start of the contest.
  * All artwork must be your own, commissioned by you, licensed to you, or in the public domain.
  * All entries must be submitted through TGC's game editor (by clicking on the "Contests" button) no later than Noon UTC (6am US Central) on October 23, 2017.
  * Contestants may submit multiple entries to this contest. Each entry will be judged separately.
===== Blurb =====
Be the first thief to steal the treasure, alert guards to thwart the other thieves.  Don't get caught.

===== Rulebook =====

{{:games:board:rulebook.pdf|33mb PDF}} - Version 3
  * {{:games:board:glossary.pdf|Glossary}}
===== Number of Players=====
2 to 6 (limit of 3 to keep the game under $35 for the competition)


===== Components =====
  * 1 black dice
  * Pawns
    * 10 wooden meeples
      * 3 blue Stationary guards
      * 3 green Patrolling guards
      * 4 red Wandering guards
  * 3 translucent avatars
      * 1 blue Thief Marker
      * 1 green Thief Marker
      * 1 red Thief Marker
  * 3 Location dials (blue, green and red)
  * 5 double sided hexagonal mats
    * 1 Vault Tile (with a crown symbol in the centre)
    * 3 Map Tiles
    * 1 Play Aid
  * 16 double sided hexagonal tile punchouts
    * 4 Alert/Interested status counters
    * 4 Bored/Distracted status counters
    * 4 Pursuing/Returning status counters
    * 4 Rock/Extinguished Torch counter
  * 69 Poker cards
    * 1 First Player card
    * 3 Sequence of Play cards
    * 5 Treasure cards
    * 24 Guard cards
    * 36 Thief cards (12 blue, green and red)

==== Advanced Components ====
  * 1 white dice
  * 1 black bag
  * Pawns
    * 10 wooden meeples
      * 3 blue Stationary guards
      * 3 green Patrolling guards
      * 3 red Wandering guards
      * 1 white Roving guard
    * 3 translucent avatars
      * 1 yellow Thief Marker
      * 1 clear Thief Marker
      * 1 purple Thief Marker
    * 18 red wooden heart wound markers
    * 6 white wooden lightning markers to show a guard is armed with a bow
  * 3 Location dials (yellow, white and purple)
  * 3 double sided hexagonal mats
    * 3 Map Tiles
  * 12 double sided hexagonal tile punchouts
    * 3 Alert/Interested status counters
    * 3 Bored/Distracted status counters
    * 3 Pursuing/Returning status counters
    * 3 Rock/Extinguished Torch counter
  * 49 Poker cards
    * 3 Sequence of Play cards
    * 1 Treasure card
    * 9 Guard cards
    * 36 Thief cards (12 yellow, white and purple)

===== Setup =====
  * The [[HMGThiefDeck|Thief cards]] and the [[HMGGuardDeck|Guard cards]] have the same back, so you will need to sort them based on their faces.
    * Sort the Thief cards into 3 player decks (Green, Blue and Red)  
    * Shuffle the [[HMGGuardDeck|Guard cards]]
    * Shuffle the [[HMGMcGuffin|Treasure cards]]
  * Each Player
    - Randomly choose the [[HMGMcGuffin|Treasure]] you are after.  You may look at this card, but should keep it hidden from other players.  Your treasure card doesn't go into your hand, but is kept nearby.
    - Randomly choose a [[HMGGeomorph|Map Tile]].  This is the tile you will be responsible for moving the guard(s) on during the game.  You can use either side of the tile.
    - Choose Guards 
      * **Easy difficulty**:  Randomly choose one [[HMGGuard|guard]] to go on your map tile.
      * **Hard difficulty**:  Randomly choose two different kinds of [[HMGGuard|guard]] to go on your map tile.
  * You start with your **Thief Cards**, a **Thief Marker** and a **Location Dial** of your colour (blue, green or red) and a **Sequence of Play** card. {{ :games:board:vault.png?200|Vault Map Tile}}
  * Place the **Vault Map Tile** in the centre of the table.  Don't place any guard on this tile yet, the guard only appears when a thief enters the tile for the first time.  You can place this tile either side up, it changes the direction the guard will move.
  * Place the **Play Aid** tile next to the **Vault Map Tile** in any direction you like.  It gives you a place to put your guard card deck and discards, reminds you of the guard statuses, and provides the common directions that every player will use for moving their thief. 
  * Determine the First Player - the player wearing the darkest clothing.
  * Starting with the **First Player** and going clockwise, each player places their map tile so it touches the Vault Map Tile, then places the guard they picked on its starting location.  Place a guard **Status Marker** under the guard.

==== Advanced Setup ====

  * Each player receives three wound counters (red wooden hearts).  
    * If a player loses all three counters, their thief is dead.  If they were carrying a treasure it stays on their body and can be retrieved by any other thief.  A thief may win the game with someone else's treasure - or if someone is about to win with a single treasure, the thief that leaves with two treasures beats them.  All treasure effects are in play for carried treasures.
=== Choosing Guards ===

Choosing guards for map tiles depends on the level of difficulty you want in the game and which guard variants you wish to use-
^ Easy difficulty | As the basic game. |
^ Medium difficulty | Include one guard variant |
^ Hard difficulty | Include more than one guard variant |

===== Starting the Game =====
  * Starting with the **First Player**, you:
    - Place your **Thief Marker** next to the map tile you will be entering.
    - Place your **Exit** card next to a different non-vault map tile.
    - Secretly choose which **Outside Hex** your thief is entering on your **Location Dial**.  Each non-vault hex will give either two, three or four choices for a starting location depending on how many other map tiles are next to it.

===== Winning the Game =====

| To win the game your thief must- \\ 1) Reach the **Vault Hex** without being caught by a guard. \\ 2) Reveal your hidden **Treasure Card**. \\ 3) Reach an **Outside Hex** on the Map Tile marked with your **Exit** Thief Card.  You must do this while suffering the restrictions of your Treasure and without being caught by a guard. \\   4) Play a movement Thief Card to move off the **Outside Hex** on that map tile and get away into the night. |  {{ :games:board:vault_icon.png?200|The Vault Hex}} The **Vault Hex**.   \\ \\ Once your thief reaches this hex, you reveal your [[hmgmcguffin|Treasure card]] as you've now stolen the treasure.  The treasure will effect your thief once you leave this hex,  so a good time to **Rest** if you can.  You may now win the game by leaving the map tile marked with your **Exit** [[hmgthiefdeck|Thief Card]] |
==== Outside Hexes ====
{{ :games:board:outside-hexes.jpg?300|Outside Hexes}}
A hex is defined as an **Outside Hex** and therefore a legitimate way for a thief to enter((at the start of the game)) or exit((to win the game)) the Keep if:
  * The hex is not on the Vault map tile
  * The hex is one of the six corner hexes of a map tile
  * The hex has two hex sides not adjacent to any other hex

In the illustration on the right, **Outside Hexes** are shown with a purple border.
===== Each Turn =====
  - __**Initiative Phase**__
    * Change **First Player**
      * The player that now goes first is the one clockwise to the previous first player
  - __**Resource Phase**__
    * Remove any **Thief Markers** that are out of the line of sight of any guard and any **Resting** Thief Markers. 
    * Place 5 [[HMGGuardDeck|Guard cards]] face up so every player can see them.{{ :games:board:gold-coin-2017072636-2400px.png?100|Gold Coin}}
    * In order players spend [[HMGThiefDeck|Thief Cards]] with the **Gold Coin** symbol to buy [[HMGGuardDeck|Guard cards]].  
      * You may buy a face up Guard Card, or an unknown face down card from the deck of Guard Cards
        * A face up Guard card costs between one and three **Gold Coins** as shown on the card.
        * A face down card from the deck costs two gold coins. 
      * Spent Thief Cards are placed face up in front of the player such that other players can see what they are.  Spent cards are not stacked, but placed side by side so they can all be seen.  Only Thief cards can be spent, not Guard cards.  
      * Bought Guard cards go into a player's deck immediately.  
      * A player may buy as many Guard cards in their turn as they can afford.
      * Bought Guard cards are not replaced, so some players may not be able to buy face up cards in this phase.
      * Face up cards that aren't bought are discarded to the Guard Discard pile.
  - __**Movement Phases**__
    * Repeat the following phases five times.
    - **Guards Movement Phase**
      * In player order, each player moves the guard(s) on the map tile they are responsible for.  The first thief that moves onto the **Vault Map Tile** is also responsible for initially placing and subsequently moving the guard on that tile from now on.
        * Guards move according to their type and status.
          * **Stationary** (blue meeple) guards rotate clockwise one hex side.
          * **Patrolling** (green meeple) guards move along their patrol route one hex, facing the next hex they will move into.  If they reach the end of the route, they turn around.
          * **Wandering** (red meeple) guards move one hex in the direction of the red arrow and face the nex hex they will move into.
      * Guards check to see if they spot a thief, or if they fulfil their patrol route or the conditions to change their status.
    - **Players Movement Phase**
      - Each player secretly plays one card face down in front of them from their deck.  This card will be either a **Thief Card** or a **Guard Card**
        - **Thief Cards** allow you to move, hide, get your cards back (see **Resting**) or **Pick Pocket** a guard. 
        - **Guard Cards** modify guard behaviour or give your thief temporary advantages.
      - Once all players have played a card (Thief or Guard) the cards are turned face up, resolved in player order, and then put in the line of spent cards in front of the player.
        * If the card played is invalid (ie a special move, but the thief is not next to a special space), the thief remains stationary.
        * If a Guard card is played, the player's thief remains stationary. Guard cards are moved to the Guard Card discard pile after their effects cease.
      - Players secretly update their **Location Dial** to their current location.
      - Guards check to see if they spot a thief, or if they fulfil their patrol route or the conditions to change their status.
===== Movement =====
  * Guards and thieves **cannot move through walls** and must move from an adjacent hex to an adjacent hex.  
  * **Thieves**
    * Thieves **must obey the card** they played which restricts which hexes they may move into.
    * If a thief ever **moves into a hex with a guard**, the thief is caught and out of the game.
    * Thieves **must always move if their card enables movement**.  They may only remain stationary if they **Rest**, **Pick Pockets** or the card played is an invalid move.
    * The first time a thief moves onto the **Vault Map Tile**, you place the **Wandering** guard randomly on that tile. Roll a die.  From now on, the owner of that thief is also responsible for moving the guard on that tile.
  * **Guards**
    * Guards must follow their guard type and status rules.  
      * If **pursuing a thief** they will always move by the most direct route towards the closest thief marker they can see.
      * If **returning** they will always move by the most direct route towards the closest valid hex for their original patrol route/wandering route or stationary position.  If returning to a stationary position, roll randomly for their initial direction.
==== Movement with Thief Cards ====
| {{ :games:board:movement1.png?600|}} | In this example - \\ \\ the red thief at **H2** can only move to a different map tile by playing the **Nor-East**, **East** or **Run** card  \\ \\ the green thief at **D5** can move to any of the green hexes by playing a **Run** card.  Note - they can't move into the wall or the special hex. |
| {{ :games:board:movement2.png?600|}} | In this example - \\ \\ the red thief at **H2** can only move into the special hex **G2** by playing the **Rope Arrow** card  \\ \\ the green thief at **D5** can move to - \\   * **C5** or **D4** (blue arrows) by playing a **Nor-West** card \\   * **D4** or **E5** (white arrows) by playing a **Nor-East** card \\   * **E5** or **E6** (green arrows) by playing an **East** card \\   * **E6** or **D6** (purple arrows) by playing a **Sou-East** card \\   * **C6** or **D6** (yellow arrows) by playing a **Sou-West** card \\   * **C5** or **C6** (red arrows) by playing a **West** card   |
==== Spotting a Thief ====

Guards usually only look straight ahead unless they are on a higher alert status. See [[hmgguard#Line of Sight]].
  * If **your thief ends their move in a guard's line of sight**, declare that your thief is spotted, place your Thief Marker where you were spotted and change the guard's alert status to **Pursuing** if needed.
  * If a **guard ends its move to be within line of sight of your thief**, declare that your thief is spotted, place your Thief Marker where you were spotted, change the guard's alert status if needed.
  * If you **suspect a guard spots another player's thief** (ie you know they're on the same map tile and probably within the same row) but they don't mention it, they must show one of their Location Dials (either the letter or the number) to prove they aren't in line of sight of that guard. 
Thieves only see each other if they are Spotted by a guard first, or if the thief rests and reveals their location.  A thief cannot reveal the location of another thief.
==== Getting Cards Back ====
When a Guard Card is played, it is expended and placed into the Guard Card discard pile - only to be reshuffled later if you run out of Guard Cards.
Thief Cards that have been played or spent in the Resources Phase are face up in front of the player.  They remain there until the Thief **Rests**. 
=== Resting ===
When you play a **Rest** Thief Card in your Players Movement Phase.
  - Reveal your **Location Dial** so other players see where your thief actually is.
  - Move your **Thief Marker** to the revealed location and lay it on its side.  You have revealed your location to the other players, but not to the guards.
  - Retrieve all your spent **Thief Cards** and put them back in your deck. This is the only way you get Thief Cards back. 
  - On the next **Resource Phase** if your Thief Marker is still showing where you rested (it may have been moved if your thief has been spotted since then), remove it from the map tile.
    * If a guard moves onto a resting Thief Marker-
      * and your thief is not there, remove it from the map.
      * and your thief is still there, the guard captures you.

==== Pick Pocketing ====
You may sneak up on a guard and pick their pocket.  Your thief must be adjacent to a guard, and out of line of sight of that guard (but may be in line of sight of any other guard).
  - During the **Players Movement Phase**, play the **Pick Pocket** card.
  - Reveal your **Location Dial** so other players see where your thief actually is.
  - Move your **Thief Marker** to the revealed location.  You have revealed your location to everyone - guards and players.  If you are in line of sight of a guard, you are now spotted and will be pursued.
  - Take the top facedown card from the **Guard Cards** deck and place it in your deck.
======Guards ======
See [[hmgguard]]


======Appendices======

  * [[hmgglossary]]
  * [[hmgcredits]]