MILLE(6) BSD Games Manual MILLE(6)NAME
mille — play Mille Bornes
SYNOPSIS
mille [file]
DESCRIPTION
Mille plays a two-handed game reminiscent of the Parker Brother's game of
Mille Bornes with you. The rules are described below. If a file name is
given on the command line, the game saved in that file is started.
When a game is started up, the bottom of the score window will contain a
list of commands. They are:
P Pick a card from the deck. This card is placed in the ‘P’ slot in
your hand.
D Discard a card from your hand. To indicate which card, type the num‐
ber of the card in the hand (or ‘P’ for the just-picked card) followed
by a ⟨RETURN⟩ or ⟨SPACE⟩. The ⟨RETURN⟩ or ⟨SPACE⟩ is required to
allow recovery from typos which can be very expensive, like discarding
safeties.
U Use a card. The card is again indicated by its number, followed by a
⟨RETURN⟩ or ⟨SPACE⟩.
O Toggle ordering the hand. By default off, if turned on it will sort
the cards in your hand appropriately. This is not recommended for the
impatient on slow terminals.
Q Quit the game. This will ask for confirmation, just to be sure. Hit‐
ting ⟨DELETE⟩ (or ⟨RUBOUT⟩) is equivalent.
S Save the game in a file. If the game was started from a file, you
will be given an opportunity to save it on the same file. If you
don't wish to, or you did not start from a file, you will be asked for
the file name. If you type a ⟨RETURN⟩ without a name, the save will
be terminated and the game resumed.
R Redraw the screen from scratch. The command ^L (control ‘L’) will
also work.
W Toggle window type. This switches the score window between the
startup window (with all the command names) and the end-of-game win‐
dow. Using the end-of-game window saves time by eliminating the
switch at the end of the game to show the final score. Recommended
for hackers and other miscreants.
If you make a mistake, an error message will be printed on the last line
of the score window, and a bell will beep.
At the end of each hand or game, you will be asked if you wish to play
another. If not, it will ask you if you want to save the game. If you
do, and the save is unsuccessful, play will be resumed as if you had said
you wanted to play another hand/game. This allows you to use the “S”
command to reattempt the save.
SEE ALSOcurses(3),
Ken Arnold, Screen Updating and Cursor Movement Optimization: A Library
Package.
AUTHORS
Ken Arnold
(The game itself is a product of Parker Brothers, Inc.)
CARDS
Here is some useful information. The number in parentheses after the
card name is the number of that card in the deck:
Hazard Repair Safety
Out of Gas (2) Gasoline (6) Extra Tank (1)
Flat Tire (2) Spare Tire (6) Puncture Proof (1)
Accident (2) Repairs (6) Driving Ace (1)
Stop (4) Go (14) Right of Way (1)
Speed Limit (3) End of Limit (6)
25 - (10), 50 - (10), 75 - (10), 100 - (12), 200 - (4)
RULES
Object:
The point of this game is to get a total of 5000 points in several hands.
Each hand is a race to put down exactly 700 miles before your opponent
does. Beyond the points gained by putting down milestones, there are
several other ways of making points.
Overview:
The game is played with a deck of 101 cards. Distance cards represent a
number of miles traveled. They come in denominations of 25, 50, 75, 100,
and 200. When one is played, it adds that many miles to the player's
trip so far this hand. Hazard cards are used to prevent your opponent
from putting down Distance cards. They can only be played if your oppo‐
nent has a Go card on top of the Battle pile. The cards are Out of Gas,
Accident, Flat Tire, Speed Limit, and Stop. Remedy cards fix problems
caused by Hazard cards played on you by your opponent. The cards are
Gasoline, Repairs, Spare Tire, End of Limit, and Go. Safety cards pre‐
vent your opponent from putting specific Hazard cards on you in the first
place. They are Extra Tank, Driving Ace, Puncture Proof, and Right of
Way, and there are only one of each in the deck.
Board Layout:
The board is split into several areas. From top to bottom, they are:
SAFETY AREA
(unlabeled): This is where the safeties will be placed as they are
played.
HAND:
These are the cards in your hand.
BATTLE:
This is the Battle pile. All the Hazard and Remedy Cards are played
here, except the Speed Limit and End of Limit cards. Only the top card
is displayed, as it is the only effective one.
SPEED:
The Speed pile. The Speed Limit and End of Limit cards are played here
to control the speed at which the player is allowed to put down miles.
MILEAGE:
Miles are placed here. The total of the numbers shown here is the dis‐
tance traveled so far.
Play:
The first pick alternates between the two players. Each turn usually
starts with a pick from the deck. The player then plays a card, or if
this is not possible or desirable, discards one. Normally, a play or
discard of a single card constitutes a turn. If the card played is a
safety, however, the same player takes another turn immediately.
This repeats until one of the players reaches 700 points or the deck runs
out. If someone reaches 700, they have the option of going for an
Extension, which means that the play continues until someone reaches 1000
miles.
Hazard and Remedy Cards:
Hazard Cards are played on your opponent's Battle and Speed piles. Rem‐
edy Cards are used for undoing the effects of your opponent's nastiness.
Go (Green Light)
must be the top card on your Battle pile for you to play any mileage,
unless you have played the Right of Way card (see below).
Stop
is played on your opponent's Go card to prevent them from playing mileage
until they play a Go card.
Speed Limit
is played on your opponent's Speed pile. Until they play an End of Limit
they can only play 25 or 50 mile cards, presuming their Go card allows
them to do even that.
End of Limit
is played on your Speed pile to nullify a Speed Limit played by your
opponent.
Out of Gas
is played on your opponent's Go card. They must then play a Gasoline
card, and then a Go card before they can play any more mileage.
Flat Tire
is played on your opponent's Go card. They must then play a Spare Tire
card, and then a Go card before they can play any more mileage.
Accident
is played on your opponent's Go card. They must then play a Repairs
card, and then a Go card before they can play any more mileage.
Safety Cards:
Safety cards prevent your opponent from playing the corresponding Hazard
cards on you for the rest of the hand. It cancels an attack in progress,
and always entitles the player to an extra turn.
Right of Way
prevents your opponent from playing both Stop and Speed Limit cards on
you. It also acts as a permanent Go card for the rest of the hand, so
you can play mileage as long as there is not a Hazard card on top of your
Battle pile. In this case only, your opponent can play Hazard cards
directly on a Remedy card other than a Go card.
Extra Tank
When played, your opponent cannot play an Out of Gas on your Battle Pile.
Puncture Proof
When played, your opponent cannot play a Flat Tire on your Battle Pile.
Driving Ace
When played, your opponent cannot play an Accident on your Battle Pile.
Distance Cards:
Distance cards are played when you have a Go card on your Battle pile, or
a Right of Way in your Safety area and are not stopped by a Hazard Card.
They can be played in any combination that totals exactly 700 miles,
except that you cannot play more than two 200 mile cards in one hand. A
hand ends whenever one player gets exactly 700 miles or the deck runs
out. In that case, play continues until neither someone reaches 700, or
neither player can use any cards in their hand. If the trip is completed
after the deck runs out, this is called Delayed Action.
Coup Fourré:
This is a French fencing term for a counter-thrust move as part of a
parry to an opponent's attack. In current French colloquial language it
means a sneaky, underhanded blow. In Mille Bornes, it is used as fol‐
lows: If an opponent plays a Hazard card, and you have the corresponding
Safety in your hand, you play it immediately, even before you draw. This
immediately removes the Hazard card from your Battle pile, and protects
you from that card for the rest of the game. This gives you more points
(see Scoring below).
Scoring:
Scores are totaled at the end of each hand, whether or not anyone com‐
pleted the trip. The terms used in the Score window have the following
meanings:
Milestones Played:
Each player scores as many miles as they played before the trip ended.
Each Safety:
100 points for each safety in the Safety area.
All 4 Safeties:
300 points if all four safeties are played.
Each Coup Fourré:
300 points for each Coup Fourré accomplished.
The following bonus scores can apply only to the winning player.
Trip Completed:
400 points bonus for completing the trip to 700 or 1000.
Safe Trip:
300 points bonus for completing the trip without using any 200 mile
cards.
Delayed Action:
300 points bonus for finishing after the deck was exhausted.
Extension:
200 points bonus for completing a 1000 mile trip.
Shut-Out:
500 points bonus for completing the trip before your opponent played any
mileage cards.
Running totals are also kept for the current score for each player for
the hand (Hand Total), the game (Overall Total), and number of games won
(Games).
BSD June 1, 1994 BSD