The ultimate goal of the game is to be the first to cross the finish line in 3 laps, although shorter 1 lap games or even longer 6+ laps could be played as well.
Each player chooses a character, and then a mount. Characters and mounts will be on cards, each with their own special abilities and stats. Dice rolls may be used to determine who picks first if there are any disagreements.
The racetrack will be modular (8"x8"?) boards so that players may design their own race path. The track will have a grid overtop to show squares for movement and measurement, and the tracks will be 6 lanes wide. Length of the game is dependent on how long the track is and how many players are involved and how many laps are agreed upon.
Each turn a player may MOVE and ACTIVATE A CARD.
MOVE - 1d6 - player moves their character the rolled amount of squares forward in their lane. The player may only change lanes ONCE a turn, unless a special ability permits more or less. NO diagonal movement, only forward in your lane or horizontal to change a lane. Your first square of movement is always forward in your lane first. You may not occupy the same square as another player or an obstacle (discussed later).
ACTIVATE A CARD - A player may only have 3 cards in their hand, if a player accumulates more than that they must discard down to 3. Players may activate 1 card in their turn, either before OR after they move. A player receives a card when they move onto or over designated squares on the racetrack, and they receive a card each time they cross the finishing line.
TYPES OF CARDS -
Traps - This releases a trap; either 2 squares, 4 squares, or 6 squares wide. A player may place a trap anywhere on the racetrack designated for the length of the trap that is activated. (ex. A 4-square wide trap card is activated, John sees the colored block of 4-squares on the racetrack just in front of Tim, and so places the trap there to stall him). If a player's movement passes onto an activated trap, that player stops all movement AND the trap is removed from play, and any effects of the trap are dealt to the player.
Deactivate Traps - A player may use this card to deactivate any trap currently in play.
Special Ability - These cards allow a player to use one of their special abilities.
Mount Ability - These cards allow a player to use one of their mount's abilities.
Defense/Block/Counter - These cards are NOT activated during a player's turn. Instead they are played as a reaction to another player's attack/special ability. (ex. Tim activates a special ability against John. But John uses a Defense card to deflect the special ability away.)
OTHER THINGS THINKING ON -
Obstacles/Minions/Surprises - Perhaps a special ability, or a particular card that can get picked up. Allows a player to call upon a little helper (ex. A fat bunny rabbit), which the player may place to the side lanes or rear of their character. Any player that runs into these obstacles stops all movement that turn, though the player may still Activate a Card, basically a speed bump. However, the controlling player may move these obstacles/minions 1 square a turn just to throw in some dynamic chaos.
If a character comes behind another character, they must change lanes to go around, or end all movement directly behind a character. Another suggestion perhaps?
I tried designing an oval racetrack (ala Circus Maximus), with all equal squares. When playtesting, NO ONE was EVER in the outside lanes. It just makes common sense to stick to the in-side track to get around corners faster, just like in a real horse race. However, with a modular racetrack, depending how many curved pieces you throw in, there won't be an in-side track any more, you could make a twisting/turning raceway anyway you want. My current 'curved' track pieces are 90 degree turns, so you could make a rectangular track [] instead of an oval (). It just makes things easier at this early stage of development as we playtest rules and things. Suggestions or comments?