When a game is started up, the bottom of the score window will contain a list of commands. They are:
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 command to reattempt the save.
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.
(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).
is played on your opponent's
Go
card to prevent them from playing mileage until they play a
Go
card.
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.
is played on your Speed pile to nullify a
Speed Limit
played by your opponent.
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.
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.
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.
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.
When played, your opponent cannot play an
Out of Gas
on your Battle Pile.
When played, your opponent cannot play a
Flat Tire
on your Battle Pile.
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 Fourrīe: 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 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:
Each player scores as many miles as they played before the trip ended.
100 points for each safety in the Safety area.
300 points if all four safeties are played.
300 points for each Coup Fourrīe accomplished.
The following bonus scores can apply only to the winning player.
400 points bonus for completing the trip to 700 or 1000.
300 points bonus for completing the trip without using any 200 mile cards.
300 points bonus for finishing after the deck was exhausted.
200 points bonus for completing a 1000 mile trip.
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 the game and number of games won