Saustall

About this board game

Saustall is a deduction and take-that game for 2–4 players, played in about 45 minutes. In a picturesque mountain village, a body has been found, and players compete to identify the murderer and the motive while completing their own private tasks.

Throughout the game, players bet on the characteristics of the murderer. On a turn, a player uses an action to give a suspect an alibi, although other actions can later make some alibis invalid. Players can also raise or lower the chances that a particular suspect is the murderer.

Deduction is central to the investigation. The clues that identify the murder cannot be changed, so discovering which clues are in the game is vital. At the end, one clue is drawn to identify the murderer, making attention to the available evidence essential.

• Guess the correct suspect and motive.
• Track the clues that determine the murder.
• Give suspects alibis and alter their chances.
• Complete private tasks while managing interference from opponents.

Saustall also includes a direct take-that element. Players can hinder the person whose turn it is by giving them a task they must fulfill instead of taking their turn, or risk receiving negative points. This creates pressure beyond the investigation as players balance their own plans with the need to disrupt others.

In the final scoring, players receive positive points for identifying the correct suspect, motivation, and clues. Unfulfilled private tasks instead produce negative points, rewarding both careful deduction and successful task management.