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OBJECT

You win the game if:

1. You are the first to achieve the goal of the scenario (indicated in the scenario Briefing).

or:

2. Your opponent receives 15 wounds before finding a First-Aid Kit.

PREPARATION

Examples of icons entered into squares, including Ghouls (G), holes (O), debris (X), First-Aid Kits (+) and food (F).

Each player takes a Scenario Chart (make sure both players are using the same scenario) and enters the icons for items, obstacles and Ghouls in the Obstacle Grid, as indicated in the Briefing. To enter an icon, simply draw it in the square using a pen or pencil. Some icons have restrictions; for instance, Ghouls can only be placed in building (shaded) squares, and only a certain number per building.

Some scenarios will require that certain exits be blocked. To block an exit, simply fill in the doorway with a bold line.

Be sure to keep the Obstacle Grid hidden from your opponent at all times.

Select a player to move first (flip a coin, paper-rock-scissors, whatever).

MOVEMENT

Use the Movement Grid on the Scenario Chart to plot your moves. Movement is always vertical or horizontal, never diagonal. Draw a line indicating your path as you move.

On your turn, simply describe your movement to your opponent:

Player, represented by dot, traces route from starting point to first encounter.

"I'm moving north out of the shelter, heading up the street and then turning right into the first building. I then follow the corridor through the building ..."

As you move, your opponent will follow your course on his or her Obstacle Grid, and tell you what items, obstacles or Ghouls you encounter: "As you turn that last corner, you fall into a hole."

A compass rose is provided at the top of the charts for easy reference. Also, use the coordinate markers on the sides of each grid: "I'm moving south, into square 10-J." "At 12-O, there's a First-Aid Kit."

Your move continues until you have an encounter with an item, obstacle or Ghoul, at which time your movement stops and you resolve the encounter. After the resolution of the encounter, your turn is over. Your opponent then describes his or her movement as you follow along on your Obstacle Grid.

ENCOUNTERS

Items - Items are non-hazardous things hidden within the grid, and usually are the object of your search in that scenario - food, treasure, other humans, etc. To acquire an item, simply end your movement in the square and announce that you have acquired it.

Special items in every scenario are First-Aid Kits. Encountering a First-Aid Kit allows you to "heal" any wounds received to that point. Simply cross through the active Wound Meter and begin afresh on the next one. If you wish, you can leave a First-Aid Kit where it is, unused, and return to it later (you must still end your turn in the square). You cannot "pick it up" and take it with you. Once used, however, a kit cannot be reused.

Obstacles - For the most part, there are two main obstacles in the game of GHOULASH™:

Holes are cavities hidden by a thin crust of earth; the only way to find one is to step on it. If you encounter a hole, you lose your next turn. On the turn thereafter you can exit and move as usual.

Debris indicates chunks of plaster and concrete that can fall on you at a moment's notice. If you encounter a debris square, you receive one wound.

Note that obstacles remain intact throughout the game. If you should re-enter an obstacle square voluntarily, you still suffer the effects of that obstacle (wound or loss of turn).

Note also that items can be placed in obstacle squares.

Ghouls - Each scenario has a specific number of Ghouls that are scattered throughout the buildings or rooms before the game. When you encounter a Ghoul, you must fight it. Here's how:

This ghoul's weak spot is its left arm, area No. 3.

1. When you enter a Ghoul square, your opponent announces "Ghoul Attack!"

2. Your opponent secretly selects the Ghoul's "weak spot" by circling a numbered area on one of the Ghoul figures on the Scenario Chart.

3. You begin "firing" at the Ghoul by guessing a number, 1 through 6. If you "hit" the Ghoul's "weak spot," you have destroyed the Ghoul and the encounter is over. If you miss, however, you are then wounded by the Ghoul, and you indicate the wound by marking the next space on your current Wound Meter.

4. Continue "firing" at the Ghoul, taking a wound for each miss, until you have destroyed it. On your next turn, you can move as before.

Once a Ghoul has been defeated, that square is safe for the remainder of the game.

Note that Ghouls can be placed in squares containing items and obstacles.

Timing - In cases where items and/or obstacles and/or Ghouls are placed in the same squares, encounters are resolved in this order:

1. Items. You pick up the item first. In scenarios where the victory condition is merely finding an item, then the game is over at this point. If you must return the item to a starting point, you must resolve the other encounters in the square before proceeding.

2. Ghouls. Battle the Ghoul and take all wounds. If you reach 15 wounds on your Wound Meter at this point, the game is over.

3. Obstacles. Resolve the effects of the obstacle (lose a turn; receive a wound).

This player encountered a First-Aid Kit after receiving eight wounds. He crossed out the first Wound Meter and moved to the next, where he has five wounds.

WOUNDS

In the lower right corner of the scenario chart are your Wound Meters. Every time you receive a wound, through Ghoul battles, debris or other means (other scenarios may contain obstacles not mentioned in these rules; these will be explained in the scenario Briefing), indicate the wound by marking a space on the current Wound Meter.

If you receive all 15 wounds on a Wound Meter before finding a First-Aid Kit, then the game is over and your opponent has won.

If you encounter a First-Aid Kit before you receive 15 wounds, however, then you are "healed"; simply cross out the current Wound Meter and move onto the next one.

SCENARIOS

These rules cover the Basic Game of GHOULASH™. Some scenarios will have special conditions, items or obstacles not covered in these rules; these will be explained in the Briefing. In these cases, the Briefing in that particular scenario supersedes the Basic Rules where appropriate.