mille - play Mille Bornes
mille [ file ]
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 endof-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.
Ken Arnold
(The game itself is a product of Parker Brothers, Inc.)
curses(3X), Screen Updating and Cursor Movement Optimiza-
tion: A Library Package, Ken Arnold
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)
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 opponent 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. Remedy 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 Fourr'e: This is a French fencing term for a counterthrust
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 follows:
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 completed 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 Fourr'e: 300 points for each Coup Fourre
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).
June 1, 1994 MILLE(6)
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