Flamme Rouge

2016

Pedal into the world of Flamme Rouge, a strategic and fast-paced bicycle racing board game. Control two riders, plot your moves, and sprint to victory!

45
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

Medium Light

About the game

Flamme Rouge is an exciting, fast-paced board game that brings the thrill and strategy of professional bicycle racing to the tabletop. This game, designed by Asger Harding Granerud and beautifully illustrated by Ossi Hiekkala, invites players to don the cap of a team manager and guide their riders to victory in a grueling, high-stakes race.

The game is set in the early 20th century, during the golden age of bicycle racing. The atmosphere is electric as the cyclists pedal furiously amidst cheering crowds. The vibrant artwork and the unique, stylized components, including cyclist miniatures and modular track pieces, help to create an engaging, immersive setting that captures the spirit and excitement of the racing scene.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Flamme Rouge is a fast-paced, tactical bicycle racing game where each player controls a team of two riders: a Rouleur and a Sprinteur. The players’ goal is to be the first to cross the finish line with one of their riders. The game’s content includes several components that each play a role in how the game unfolds.

Here are the components of Flamme Rouge:

Game Board: The game board represents the race track. It is made of modular tiles, allowing players to create different race courses each time they play.
Rider Miniatures: There are 8 rider miniatures in total, 4 Sprinteurs and 4 Rouleurs. Each player controls one of each. The Sprinteur is faster but more unpredictable, while the Rouleur is slower but more consistent. The positioning of these miniatures on the game board represents the riders’ positions in the race.
Deck of Energy Cards: These cards represent the energy levels of the riders. Each player has a deck of energy cards for each of their riders. The number on the card represents the number of spaces the rider can move forward on the game board. Players must manage these cards and their energy levels wisely to win the race.
Exhaustion Cards: These cards are added to a player’s deck when their rider is leading the pack or is not drafting behind another rider, representing the extra energy used. Exhaustion cards have low numbers, slowing down the rider.
Player Boards: Each player has a board to keep track of their riders and their decks of energy cards. They also use it to select and reveal their cards each turn.

The interaction of these components creates a dynamic and strategic game that replicates the excitement and tactics of a bicycle race. Players must balance their riders’ energy, take advantage of drafting and positioning, and negotiate the exhaustion that comes with leading the pack.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Flamme Rouge is a fast-paced board game where players control a two-rider team competing in a series of bicycle races. Here’s a detailed guide on how to set up the game:

Step 1: Place the Track

Setup begins with the construction of the race track. The game comes with a variety of interchangeable track pieces that allow you to create a unique course for each game. For your first race, it’s recommended to use the introductory track layout provided in the rulebook. Arrange the track pieces in the order shown.

Step 2: Shuffle the Rider Decks

Each player has two decks of cards, one for each of their riders (the Rouleur and the Sprinteur). These decks should be shuffled separately and placed face down in front of the players.

Step 3: Position the Riders

Each player places their two riders on the starting spaces on the track. The placement is decided randomly for the first game. In subsequent games, the player who finished last in the previous race goes first.

Step 4: Prepare the Exhaustion Cards

Separate the exhaustion cards from the other cards. These will be added to the players’ decks during the game as their riders tire out.

Step 5: Determine the First Player

The youngest player goes first. The player order will change throughout the game based on the positions of the riders on the track.

Player Roles:

Rouleur: The Rouleur is the all-around rider, with a balanced mix of cards. This rider is better suited for long, flat sections of the track.
Sprinteur: The Sprinteur deck includes a few high-value cards, making it ideal for sudden, short bursts of speed, such as during a sprint finish or when attacking a steep climb.

Initial Resources:

Each player starts with two separate decks of cards: one for the Rouleur and one for the Sprinteur. Additionally, each player has a supply of exhaustion cards.

Random Elements:

The main random element in Flamme Rouge is the drawing of cards. Each turn, players draw four cards from each of their rider’s decks and choose one to play, placing it face down. The remaining cards are placed at the bottom of the deck. The order in which the cards are drawn can greatly impact the race.

Game flow Round and round we go

Flamme Rouge is a fast-paced, tactical bicycle racing game where each player controls a team of two riders: a Rouleur and a Sprinteur. The goal of the game is to be the first to cross the finish line with one of your riders.

The game is structured in a series of rounds, each with two main phases: the Energy Phase and the Movement Phase. Each of these phases involves a series of actions that players must perform. Let’s delve into the structure of these phases:

1. Energy Phase

The Energy Phase is divided into two steps:

Draw Cards: In this step, players draw four cards for each of their riders from their respective decks. It’s important to note that once a card is played, it can’t be used again.
Choose Card: After drawing cards, players must choose one card for each rider and place it face down in front of them. The chosen card indicates how many spaces the rider will move forward during the Movement Phase. The remaining cards are then returned to the bottom of the deck.

2. Movement Phase

During the Movement Phase, players will perform the following actions:

Reveal Cards: All players reveal the cards they chose during the Energy Phase. The riders are moved forward according to the number indicated on their respective cards. The rider who is furthest ahead moves first. If there is a tie, the rider who is furthest to the right goes first.
Slipstreaming: After all riders have moved, slipstreaming occurs. Starting from the last rider in the pack, if there is exactly one space between it and the next pack, it moves forward to join the pack.
Exhaustion: Once all slipstreaming moves are done, exhaustion cards are given to each rider who has an empty space directly in front of them. These cards are added to the rider’s deck and represent fatigue, reducing the rider’s potential speed in future rounds.

The game continues in this manner, alternating between the Energy Phase and the Movement Phase, until one rider crosses the finish line. The player controlling that rider is then declared the winner.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In the board game ‘Flamme Rouge’, players take on the roles of team managers in a bicycle race. During a player’s turn, there are several key phases and strategic choices to consider.

1. Energy Phase:

During the energy phase, each player selects one of their cyclists. They then draw four energy cards from the corresponding deck for that cyclist. The player looks at these four cards and selects one to play, placing it face down. The remaining cards are placed at the bottom of the deck.

Strategic Choices: The energy cards represent the cyclist’s remaining energy and range from 2 to 9. Choosing a higher number will allow the cyclist to move further but will deplete the cyclist’s energy faster.

2. Movement Phase:

After all players have chosen their energy cards, they are revealed simultaneously. Each player then moves their cyclist forward the number of squares indicated on their card. If a cyclist would move into a square occupied by another cyclist, they move to the next free square instead.

Strategic Choices: The placement of your cyclists can affect other players. For example, blocking an opponent’s cyclist can prevent them from moving forward. Additionally, being in the lead exposes your cyclist to exhaustion cards, which can slow you down in future turns.

3. End Phase:

At the end of the turn, any cyclist with one or more empty squares directly in front of them receives an exhaustion card, which is added to their energy deck. The exhaustion card has a value of 2, representing the minimum movement a cyclist can make.

Strategic Choices: It may sometimes be beneficial to intentionally fall behind to avoid receiving exhaustion cards. However, you must also balance this strategy with the need to stay competitive in the race.

Players continue taking turns in this way until one or more cyclists cross the finish line. The player whose cyclist crosses the finish line first is the winner.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

Flamme Rouge is a thrilling bicycle racing board game where players control a team of two riders (a Rouleur and a Sprinteur) to compete with others for winning the race. The game continues in a series of rounds until one of the riders crosses the finish line.

The game end is triggered when one or more riders cross the finish line at the end of a round. The game concludes with the rider who is furthest past the finish line as the winner. If there are multiple riders past the finish line, the rider who has crossed the most spaces past the finish line is the victor. In the event of a tie in the number of spaces crossed, the rider who is before the others on the track (i.e., closer to the right side of the track from the player’s perspective) is declared the winner.

Before the final scoring, there are a few steps that players must take:

Exhaustion Cards: At the end of each round, any rider who doesn’t have any slipstreaming riders directly behind them receives an exhaustion card. This card is added to their deck and can slow them down in future rounds.
Discard Cards: After each round, players must discard the remaining card not used during the round. It is important to remember that once a card is used or discarded, it is removed from the game.
Re-Shuffle: When a player’s deck is empty, they must shuffle their discard pile to form a new deck.

These steps add an element of strategy and planning to the game, as players must carefully manage their decks, considering both their current position and potential future challenges in the race.

In Flamme Rouge, the victory goes to the most strategic player who not only races with speed but also with a well-planned use of energy and timely slipstreaming.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Flamme Rouge is a fast-paced, tactical bicycle racing game where each player controls a team of two riders: a Rouleur and a Sprinteur. The players’ goal is to be the first to cross the finish line with one of their riders. If more than one rider crosses the line in the same round, the one who is furthest ahead wins.

Scoring System:

The scoring in Flamme Rouge is simple and straightforward. The game doesn’t use a point system in the traditional sense. The winner is determined based on who crosses the finish line first. If multiple players cross the finish line in the same round, the rider who crossed the line and moved furthest past it is the winner.

Order of Play & Scoring:

Energy Phase: Each player chooses one of their cyclists, then selects a card from their deck for that cyclist and places it face down.
Movement Phase: Starting with the cyclist farthest in front, each player reveals their chosen card and moves their cyclist forward the number of spaces shown on the card. Players cannot move into occupied spaces.
End of Round: After all cyclists have moved, the player who crossed the finish line and moved furthest past it is the winner.

Tie-Breaking Rules:

In the event of a tie, where multiple players cross the finish line and move the same distance past it in a single round, the game has a set of tie-breaking rules.

First Tie-Breaker: The cyclist who started the round furthest in front wins.
Second Tie-Breaker: If the cyclists started the round on the same space, the cyclist who is on the inside track (closest to the top of the board) wins.

Remember, the objective of Flamme Rouge is not just to cycle swiftly, but also to outsmart your opponents by conserving energy, timing your moves, and taking advantage of the slipstream.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Flamme Rouge is a tactical bicycle racing game where each player controls a team of two riders: a Rouleur and a Sprinteur. The main goal is to cross the finish line first. Here are some special rules, exceptions, and clarifications:

1. Exhaustion Cards:

Exhaustion cards are added to a player’s deck when a rider ends a turn with no other rider directly in front of him. This rule encourages players to ride in packs and avoid breaking away from the group too early. However, it’s important to note that you don’t receive an exhaustion card if you start your turn at the front, but end it with riders in front of you.

2. Slipstreaming:

At the end of each round, any riders who are exactly one square behind another rider or group of riders can move forward one square to join them. This is called slipstreaming. However, a rider cannot slipstream if there is an empty square in the line of riders in front of him. Also, if a group of riders slipstreams into another group, they all become one group, and only the riders in the newly formed group’s rear can potentially slipstream in the next round.

3. Terrain:

The game includes uphill and downhill terrains which affect movement. On uphill squares, riders can’t play cards with a value higher than 5. In contrast, on downhill squares, riders automatically move additional squares equal to the difference between 5 and the value of the card they played (minimum 2). Note that these rules only apply if a rider starts their turn on the respective terrain.

4. Ending the Game:

The game ends when at least one rider crosses the finish line. However, all other riders get to finish their current turn, which can potentially allow multiple riders to finish in the same round. If this happens, the rider who moved furthest past the finish line wins. If there’s still a tie, then the rider who played the highest value card that turn wins.

5. Two Player Game:

In a two-player game, each player controls two teams of riders instead of one. Otherwise, the game plays the same.

Remember, Flamme Rouge is a game of clever timing and positioning. Knowing when to lead, when to follow, and when to make your move is the key to victory.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies:

Plan your Movement: Be strategic about planning your movements. Do not waste your high cards in early rounds. Save them for critical moments, like the final sprint or a challenging uphill climb.
Utilize Both Riders: Remember to balance the use of both your Rouleur and Sprinteur. They each have their strengths and weaknesses. Use the Sprinteur for quick bursts of speed and the Rouleur for consistent movement.
Manage your Exhaustion: Try to position yourself in such a way that your opponents take on the brunt of the exhaustion cards. This can be achieved by staying in the slipstream of your opponents.

Beginner Tips:

Understand the Basics: Familiarize yourself with the rules and the value of your cards. Understanding the mechanics of the game can help you plan better and make strategic decisions.
Stay in the Pack: As a beginner, try to stay within the peloton (the main group of riders) as much as possible. This can help reduce the amount of exhaustion cards you receive.
Use your Cards Wisely: Remember, once you use a card, it’s gone for the rest of the game. So try not to burn through your high value cards too early.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Wasting High Value Cards: It’s tempting to use your high value cards early on to get a lead, but this is often a mistake. You’ll need those cards in the later stages of the game.
Ignoring the Slipstream: The slipstream mechanic can help you catch up to your opponents or stay ahead. Ignoring it can lead to unnecessary exhaustion.
Misjudging Distances: Misjudging distances can result in wasted moves or falling behind. Pay close attention to the track and plan your moves accordingly.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Play with a Clear Strategy: Having a clear strategy can make a big difference in Flamme Rouge. Decide early on if you want to be a front-runner, stay within the peloton, or be a come-from-behind racer.
Master the Track: Each track in Flamme Rouge has its own unique challenges and opportunities. Understanding the track can help you optimize your strategy and make the most of your moves.
Manage your Cards: Good card management is key to winning in Flamme Rouge. Knowing when to use your cards, and what cards to save, can make the difference between winning and losing.