Gold Rush: Digging Destruction Edition

Introduction:

When I tried to think of an idea involving a moving game board, one of the things that came to mind was the earth itself. Consequently, I made a game where the players have to move down through the earth and deal with gravity and the instability of what they've done to manage. The game was inspired by dig dug. I think that if anything I need to increase the size of the playing board.

Objective:

The objective of this game is to successfully dig down through the map to the gold cache below. Players dig through the map and exploit the dangerous environment to prevent other players from doing it.

Setup:

Players will randomly shuffle the deck of map cards and place them face up in a 4 x 8 grid. The gold cache will be randomly placed on the bottom. Players will each place their token representing their vehicle above one of the squares at the top.

All players have 8 HP. If a player runs out of HP they will die. Each player draws 5 cards for themselves to hold in their hand. The first player to roll a 3 on a D10 goes first. Play is done in a clockwise order.

The turns:

At any time in a turn, a player can use an item card as long as he is not at the surface. Players roll a d4 to decide how many squares they may move per turn. Moving through an open square takes 1 point. Players can only move horizontally or down. Moving through ground takes 2. When a player succeeds in digging through a square of ground, the square is flipped over to demonstrate that it is cleared out.

When a square is removed, there is a danger of collapse if there is a collapsible rock directly above or a unstable boulder any square above, there will be a tunnel collapse.

The special map cards:

Gold Ore: The game objective. Get here to win.

Unstable Boulders: These boulders are large and indicated with a skull and crossbones on them. When a player moves within 3 squares below one of these by digging, the terrain will collapse and the boulder will immediately move directly above the player. This will end their turn and deal 2 damage.

Oil Caches: Oil caches are indicated by black blobs with an oil barrel within them. When you run over one of these squares, you get two bonus movement points.

Collapsible Rock: When a player moves directly below one of these rocks, it will collapse on their vehicle and deal 1 damage to the player. After dealing the damage, the rock goes away and the squares below shift down one square to fill the place.

Underground Grue Lair: The black mass. If you go adjacent to this square, you take 2844318 damage and die. Players may choose to play without this card.

Old Sovient Landmines: These are the small spiked balls. Going through these mines inflicts 1 damage to the player. Any open spaces within 1 square of them will collapse.

The Player Deck Cards:

Doomalanche: All unsupported open spaces collapse.

Drillaser: Opens up two spaces in a direction of your choice. Players hit by this take 1 damage.

Artificial wall: Place this piece in an adjacent open square to make the next player moving through have to dig to get through the space again.

Mines: Must be placed within an open square. Deal 1 damage when moved over.

Rocket booster: Player can use to move 2 extra squares in any direction including up. If the player hasn't already used a card, a booster can be used to avoid a collapse.

Support Beams: Place to prevent a collapse. Can be used as a reaction to a collapse if the player hasn't already played a card. The space can still be used to move as an open space.