MILLE(6) BSD Games Manual MILLE(6)NAMEmille — play Mille Bornes
SYNOPSISmille [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 number 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. Hitting <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 window. 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 com‐
mand to reattempt the save.
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 prevent 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 distance
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 pre‐
vent 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).
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.
BSD December 30, 1993 BSD
