• Overview
  Each picknicker has food cards in reserve on the table in addition to insect and weapon cards in hand. By playing hand cards try to steal food from others and have the most points at the end. It's possible to steal food from other players if they cannot defend an insect attack.
  An attack occurs whenever there are at least two insects of the same color on the table.
  They can be defended with various "weapons" such as fly swatters, insect spray and boots.

• Components
  90 insect cards, 24 food cards, 36 weapon cards, 1 set of instructions

• Set-up
  The 24 food cards are evenly distributed to the players.
  • With 2 players, 12 cards per player
  • With 3 players, 8 cards per player
  • With 4 players, 6 cards per player
  • With 5 players, 4 cards per player

  Each player places his food cards face up in a stack nearby.

  The 126 weapon and insect cards are shuffled and dealt face down.

  Each player draws 8 cards from the deck to form a hand and the game begins.

• Course of the Game
  The owner of the game begins. The order of play is clockwise.

  The current player can play either one or multiple identical insect cards - identical means same color AND same insect!

  If there are already insect cards on the table, the new cards are placed next to them.

  Only in the case of an attack (at least two identical insects of the same color played) are the cards made to overlap.

  At the end of his turn the player always replenishes his hand to 8 cards. If he forgets, his chances won't be good until he notices and draws cards.

  Example: The first player plays a red fly. The second player adds a second fly OR the second player plays a spider.

• Attack
  
  • An attack consists of at least two of the same insects of the same color.
  • It can occur when a player plays an insect that matches an already-played insect of the same color,
  • or when a player plays more than one identical insects at the same time.
  The next player now has 3 choices:
  • Defend the attack (a) OR
  • Continue the attack (b) OR
  • Give up food (c)
  a) Defend the attack:
  that is play spray on ants, boots on spiders or fly swatter on insects.
  • To defend all but one of the attacking insects must be defended.
  • In this case the player who used the weapons receives the insects in question and places these cards face down with the used weapons in a score pile.
  • All of the point cards earned by this player will be placed here.
  • Important: exactly one of the attacking insects must be left remaining. For example, if there are 3 attacking insects, 2 must be defended (2 weapons played).
  • Then it's the next player's turn.
  b) Continue the attack:
  that is play one or more additional insects of the same type and color that are attacking.
  • By doing this it becomes the next player's turn to be attacked.
  • Don't forget to replenish your hand.
  • The next player can now also play either one or multiple identical insects and continue the attack again,
  • Or defend himself, in which case he must defend against all but one of the insects. For example, if there are 3 red flies, the attacked player must play 2 fly swatters (and receive 2 insect cards as points).
  • This even counts when more than 2 insect cards have been played at the same time. In this way a player can attack his right hand neighbor directly if he plays multiple insects of the same type and color all at once.
  • Cards may only be draw only after defending the attack!
  Example: First player plays a fly. Second player plays 2 flies (attack!). Third player plays a third fly (continuing it to the fourth player) ... and so on until:
  c) Give up food: If the attacked player cannot defend or continue, he has to give up one of his food cards.
  • The player who played the last insect adds the food card as well as all the relevant insect cards on his score pile.
  • This is the source of most of the player's points since there is no penalty for weapon use.
  • After giving up his food card, it is the turn of the deprived player who may play an insect or weapon.

• Joker Insects
  Insects having a multi-colored background can represent any color.
  • These cards can be played on any group of the same insects.
  • The insect counts as being the same color as the insects beneath it.
  • All additional insects on the pile must be either the original color or likewise joker insects. It is not permitted to change the color of the pile in the middle.
  • If a joker insect the first played (i.e. not played on top of another insect), the next colored insect played on it determines the color and all additional insects must be in the corresponding color (or another joker).
  • Jokers can also be played at the same time as normal cards (direct attack).
  • If as a result of a successful insect defense there is only a left over joker, the color is newly determined with the next colored card.

• Using Weapons
  If the current player is not under attack, he can play a single weapon on a corresponding insect and add these cards to his score pile.
  • Both cards are placed on the score pile.
  • Since this only earns 1 point, it should only be done if the hand has too many weapon cards.

• End of the Game
  If a player gives up his last food, his picnic is over. His hand cards are no longer played.

  The game is completely over when the deck is exhausted and all of the players have played their cards.

  Players with no hand cards or no ability to play them, but still holding food cards are passed over in play. In case of attack they must nevertheless give up a food if they cannot defend against it. Thus there can still be scoring until the very end of the game!

  The game is likewise over if only one player has food cards remaining.

  Now each player counts points:

  • Insects count 2 points each.
  • Captured food counts 10 points each.
  • Uncaptured food also counts 10 points each.
  • Used weapons each count -1 point.
  The player with the most points wins!

• Tip
  We know that spiders are not insects. But it's easier this way. Also we don't support the killing of insects and spiders. If that is too mean for you as well, you can simply drive them off.

• Tip 2
  Visit our website: www.yungames.de
  There you can find more exciting games:
  GOLDGEIER - Wild gold rush in Kutowanga
  GRUFTMEISTER - Exciting adventure
  STONES - Fight over the energy crystals

(c) 2003 YUNGAMES Kemal Yun
Steinheimer Str. 25 D63450 Hanau
Fax. 0 61 81 - 2 08 40, info@yungames.de
Just email us! We will certainly reply.
Special thanks to all of our patient playtesters.

Official Variant

If you find the "normal" version of the game too simple or too unpredictable, then please play with the following changes:

• After playing only draw 1 card, even if you have played more than one.

• When you are forced to give up food, immediately draw 2 new cards.

• Before playing, even in an attack, you can buy 4 cards in exchange for 1 food from either your own supply or captured points. The cards come from the deck while the food is removed from the game.

• When several insects are played all at once, the next player must also play multiple insects to increase the attack. Example: Markus plays a red fly. Peter plays another red fly -- attack. Sabine plays a red fly and continues the attack to Sandra. Sandra, however, plays 2 red flies and continues the attack back to Markus, who now must play 2 red flies. Of course Markus could also continue with 3 red flies, in which case Peter would also have to play 3 red flies.

• Jokers can be used to change the color. As before jokers can be played on any color, but now any color can be played on a joker. Example: Markus plays 2 red flies -- attack. Peter plays a joker fly and a yellow fly and thus continues it. Now Sabine has to play 2 yellow flies or a yellow and a joker fly or a joker fly and a fly of another color, etc.