Ok, here is the initial draft of the new mode. This is the first of several modes I will be creating.
Full rules and scenarios are here.
♣ A Bed of Clovers ♣
Welcome back to the Shamrock Inn, travelers! Grab a mug of ale and take a seat; you’re just in time to hear me recite the tales of the Nobles in Cloverfield. Now which story would you like to hear first?
“The Stunning Arrangement”
2-4 players | 5 minutes | Ages 5+
Story
Princess Cloverfield was a beauty esteemed by many suitors of the land. With the spring festival only a fortnight away, numerous lords had planned to court the Princess with a stunning clover arrangement in hopes that she would accept their invitation to the event. Which lord captured the Princess's heart you ask?
Object
Two to four players will send their lord into the field to recover clovers while trying to avoid the thorns. If half of a clover card’s pips are covered by the player’s lord they pluck that card but if half of a thorn card’s pips are covered by the player’s lord the thorns prick their backside taking that card with them as they run off. When all clover cards have been plucked from the field, the player with the loveliest arrangement of clovers wins.
Components
A standard deck of cards
♣ 2-10 of clubs
♣ 2-7 of diamonds
♣ a Jack for each player
Setup
Remove the 2-10 of clubs (clovers) and 2-7 of diamonds (thorns) from the deck and position those 15 cards, face up, into a 5x3 grid. All other cards are set aside. The grid configuration should resemble:
♣ ♦ ♣ ♦ ♣
♦ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♦
♣ ♦ ♣ ♦ ♣
Each player receives a suited Jack (lord).
Gameplay
Each round, the players simultaneously toss their lord into the field of clovers and thorns. If the player’s lord partially or fully covers half of the pips (rounded up, so for example the 7 of clubs would need 4 covered pips) of a card they take that card from the field into their possession. The small pips under the numbers are not included. If a lord is covering any portion of another lord the top lord (even if the top lord is covering up more than half of a card’s pips!) stumbles and is immediately removed from play that round. After the appropriate cards have been taken the next round begins.
End of Game and Final Scoring
The game ends when there are no clover cards left in the field. Each clover card is worth 1 point and each thorns card is worth -1 point. The lucky 4 of clovers is worth 2 points. The player with the most points has the best clover arrangement to present to the Princess and wins the game!
Next mode.
“In Search of a Rare Delicacy”
2-3 players | 5 minutes | Ages 5+
Story
The only thing more coveted in Cloverfield than lovely clovers are delicious raspberries! Hidden within the Welkwood Grove are patches said to have the sweetest and tastiest raspberries this time of year. This hidden location only known to the nobles of Cloverfield has been passed down through many generations. On this particular day, all the young Dukes and Duchesses had decided to go there to hand-pick their raspberries and clovers to be made into the finest tarts and teas. And which Duke and Duchess retrieved the finest yield you ask?
Object
Two to three players will send their nobles into the field in search of lovely clover arrangements and delicious raspberries patches while trying to avoid the thorns. If half of a clover card’s pips or all of a raspberry card’s pips are covered by the player’s noble they pluck that card but if half of a thorn card’s pips are covered by the player’s noble the thorns prick their backside taking that card with them as they run off. The duchess is very fussy; if she is pricked she will refuse to continue searching for raspberries unless convinced otherwise. When all clover and raspberry cards have been plucked from the field, the player with the best yield wins!
Components
A standard deck of cards
♣ 5-10 of clubs
♣ 2-7 of diamonds
♣ Ace, 2 & 3 of hearts
♣ a King & Queen for each player
Setup
Remove the 5-10 of clubs (clovers), 2-7 of diamonds (thorns), and Ace, 2 & 3 of hearts (raspberries) from the deck and position those 15 cards, face up, into a 5x3 grid. All other cards are set aside. The grid configuration should resemble:
♣ ♦ ♥ ♦ ♣
♦ ♣ ♥ ♣ ♦
♣ ♦ ♥ ♦ ♣
Each player receives a suited King (Duke) and Queen (Duchess).
Gameplay
Each round, the players first simultaneously toss their Duke into the field of clovers, thorns and raspberries patches. Then, the players simultaneously toss their Duchess into the field of clovers, thorns and raspberries patches (unless they are unable to toss, see below). If the player’s noble partially or fully covers half of the pips (rounded up, so for example the 7 of clubs would need 4 covered pips) of a clover or thorn card they take that card from the field into their possession. The player’s noble must fully cover all pips of a raspberry card to take that card from the field into their possession. The small pips under the numbers are not included. If a noble is covering any portion of another noble the top noble (even if the top noble is covering up more than half of a card’s pips!) stumbles and is immediately removed from play that round. After the appropriate cards have been taken the next round begins.
If the Duchess covers half the pips of a thorn card she is pricked by thorns and refuses to search for raspberries for the rest of the game. However, a player may discard a raspberry card in their possession and give it to her so she’ll resume her search and the player can continue tossing her into the field each round. Note: if a raspberry card is discarded this way it will not be used for final scoring.
End of Game and Final Scoring
The game ends when there are no clover or raspberry cards left in the field. Each clover and raspberry card is worth 1 point and each thorns card is worth -1 point. The player with the most points has the best yield and wins the game!