2–3 players Ages 6+

How to play

Alpaca wearing red boxing gloves

Two ways to win

Last player standing

No cards left? You’re out.
Last player with cards wins.

Timed game

Agree on a time limit before starting.
When time is up, whoever has the most cards wins. Count your hand and herd together.

Set up

Shuffle and deal all cards as evenly as possible. Keep yours in a face-down pile (your herd). Draw 3 cards into your hand. Look at your hand, but not your herd.

Each battle

Each battle (round) should be quick. A game can have hundreds, so don’t spend too long choosing a card.

  1. Play actions optional

    Before anyone chooses a battle card, you may play Steal or Reveal cards face up.

  2. Choose & flip

    Everyone secretly chooses a numbered card or War card from their hand. Place it face down, then flip together.

    A War card or two cards with the same number? Everyone goes to war.

  3. Collect cards, then draw

    If only numbered cards were played and no two show the same number, the highest number wins. The winner puts all cards played in this battle, including their own, face down on the bottom of their herd.

    Then every player draws from their own herd until they have 3 cards in hand, or their herd runs out.

Herd empty? Keep playing with your hand. No cards left? You’re out.

Action cards

Steal card

Steal

Take one random card from an opponent’s hand or herd. Put it in your hand.

If a card is stolen from your hand: don’t draw a replacement yet. Draw back up to 3 only after the battle ends or when a war starts.

Reveal card

Reveal

Look at every opponent’s hand. Immediately draw 1 card from your herd to replace the Reveal you played, if your herd has any cards left.

Used action cards leave the game permanently.

After resolving Steal or Reveal, set that action card aside. It never goes back into a hand or herd, and nobody wins it in a battle.

You may play multiple actions before a battle. Steal and Reveal cannot be used as battle cards.

War

A war starts for everyone in either of these two situations:

A player flips a War card

A played War cardEveryone
goes to war

Two players flip cards with the same number

A played blue 4A played yellow 4
A third player’s 10 does not winEveryone
goes to war

In this example, the two 4s start a war—even though a 10 was also played.

  1. Keep the battle cards in the middle

    These cards become the war pile.

  2. Refill your hand, then lay down 2 cards

    Everyone draws from their own herd until they have 3 cards in hand, or their herd runs out. Then place the top 2 herd cards face down in the middle. If your herd runs out, use cards from your hand to complete the 2 face-down cards.

  3. Choose a new battle card

    Play any actions first. Then everyone chooses a numbered card or War card from their hand, places it face down, and flips together.

  4. Resolve this war battle

    If a War card is flipped or two of the new battle cards show the same number, this war continues. Keep all cards in the middle and repeat from step 2.

    Otherwise, the highest number wins every card in the middle, including the face-down cards. The winner places them face down on the bottom of their herd. Everyone then draws from their own herd until they have 3 cards in hand, or their herd runs out.

If you can’t lay down both face-down cards, or have no cards left afterward, you’re out of the game. Lay down what you can before leaving the game.

Examples

AlexOlivia
Step 1

Start with 3 cards

Alex and Olivia each have a face-down herd and three cards in hand.

Alex
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd
Orange 10Green 8Reveal
Alex
Empty
Olivia
Empty
Olivia
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd
Yellow 5Blue 4Red 2
Step 2

Play an action

Alex plays Reveal. Olivia shows her hand. Alex immediately draws a 7 to replace Reveal, bringing her hand back to three. Reveal is then set aside permanently.

Alex
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd
Orange 10Green 8Red 7
RevealReveal → out of the game
Olivia shows her hand
Olivia
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd
Yellow 5Blue 4Red 2
Step 3

Choose face down

Alex chooses an 8; Olivia chooses a 5. Each places their card face down in the middle.

Alex
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd
Orange 10Red 7
Alex
Face-down card
Olivia
Face-down card
Olivia
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd
Blue 4Red 2
Step 4

Flip together

Alex’s 8 beats Olivia’s 5. Alex wins both played cards.

Alex · wins
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd
Orange 10Red 7
Alex
Green 8
8 > 5
Olivia
Yellow 5
Olivia
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd
Blue 4Red 2
Step 5

Collect and refill

Alex puts both played cards face down on the bottom of her herd. Each player draws from their own herd until they have three cards in hand.

Alex · wins
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd +2
Orange 10Red 7Blue 6
Alex
Empty
Olivia
Empty
Olivia
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd
Blue 4Red 2Red 9
Played cards collected. Both hands refilled to 3.
Step 1

A War card starts a war

Alex plays War; Olivia plays a 10. They flip together. Both cards stay in the middle.

Alex
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd
Red 9Orange 6
Alex
War
WAR
Olivia
Green 10
Olivia
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd
Yellow 4Blue 1
Step 2

Refill your hand to 3

Both players draw from their own herds until they have three cards in hand. This is also when a player whose card was stolen may refill.

Alex
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd
Red 9Orange 6Yellow 5
Alex
War
Olivia
Green 10
Olivia
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd
Yellow 4Blue 1Blue 4
Step 3

Lay 2 cards face down

Each player places the top two cards from their herd face down in the middle. If a herd runs out, use hand cards to complete the two. There are now six cards in the war pile.

Alex
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd
Red 9Orange 6Yellow 5
War pile · 6 cards
Alex put in
WarFace-down cardFace-down card
Olivia put in
Green 10Face-down cardFace-down card
Olivia
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd
Yellow 4Blue 1Blue 4
Step 4

Battle for the whole pile

Actions are allowed first. Then Alex plays a 9 and Olivia plays a 4. Alex wins all eight cards. A War card or two equal numbered battle cards would continue the war.

Alex · wins
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd
Orange 6Yellow 5
Alex takes 8 cards
Alex put in
WarFace-down cardFace-down cardRed 9
Olivia put in
Green 10Face-down cardFace-down cardYellow 4
9 > 4
Olivia
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd
Blue 1Blue 4
Step 5

Collect and refill

Alex puts all eight cards face down on the bottom of her herd. Each player draws from their own herd until they have three cards in hand.

Alex · wins
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd +8
Orange 6Yellow 5Red 7
Alex
Empty
Olivia
Empty
Olivia
Face-down cardFace-down cardFace-down cardHerd
Blue 1Blue 4Red 2
Played cards collected. Both hands refilled to 3.

Questions

What if my herd is empty?
Keep playing with the cards in your hand. You’re out when you have no cards left. During war, use cards from your hand to complete the two face-down cards if your herd runs out. You’re out if you can’t lay down both face-down cards, or you have no cards left afterward for the deciding battle.
What if my last card is Steal or Reveal?
Play it before the next battle and resolve its effect. It can’t be a battle card. Set it aside permanently after use. If you have no cards left afterward, you’re out.
How do I choose a card to steal?
Your opponent spreads the cards out face down. Choose one without looking at its face and put it in your hand.
Do lower matching numbers start a war?
Yes. With three players, a 4, another 4, and a 12 start a war for everyone. The 12 doesn’t win. All three cards stay in the middle.