Description

Intended for families who enjoy strategy-based games, PaNiC STaTioNS is a card game suitable for 2 to 4 players age 8 to 80.

The cards are first set out in a square to form the playing area. Some of the cards are kept back to ensure that it is more difficult to predict what you will land on. The cards are initially face-down and Tokens are placed on the cards.

The aim of the game is to collect 10 Tokens and then be the player who turns the last card face-up.

Each player has two Pawns which are moved around the cards according to the role of two dice. During the first phase of the game Tokens are collected when a player lands on the cards. The card is then turned face-up and any instructions followed. For example it could be a "Booby-Trap" card which forces your Pawn out of play. In which case you need to roll a 6 to bring it back in to play.

During the second phase of the game most of the Cards will have been turned-face up and most of the Tokens collected. It now becomes more important to keep both Pawns in play to give you some flexibility in choosing which cards you land on. You and your rivals will be trying to force Pawns out of play, trying to steal Tokens, and generally attempting to turn the last card face-up. The cards have various effects which assist (or hinder) you in this. Many of the cards interact with each other. For example if a rival's Pawn is on the "Philanthropy" card (which obliges him to give away 2 Tokens every time somebody else's Pawn goes out of play) it could be a good move to land on "Maelstrom" which forces all Pawns out of play. Most of the cards have effects that can be used to advantage in this way.
Each turn you also have the option of rolling the "Panic Die" which gives you other alternatives. You may choose to do this, for example, if your initial dice roll was particularly disadvantageous of if another player is about to win. You do however have the chance of losing half your Tokens - but even this can be turned to your advantage if you realise how.