Howdy varmint! Welcome to St. Louis, gateway to the Wild West, where you and your fellow outlaws will compete to become the most notorious wrongdoer in the land. But beware: as your infamy increases with each thrilling heist, you'll need more and more money to stay out of the slammer. Go get 'em, partner!
Components
- 1 Score Board
- 72 Playing Cards
- 8 Player Tokens with Standees
- 63 Money Bag Tokens
- 6 Action Tiles
- 1 Rulebook
Object of the Game
In Most Wanted, players are competing to become the most notorious outlaw in St. Louis.
Your notoriety increases with points gained and decreases if you can't afford to pay Bail. The first player to reach the end of the Scoreboard becomes St. Louis' most wanted!
Setup
Place the Scoreboard, Bags of Money and the 6 Action Cards on the table. Make sure the Action Cards have the correct sides facing up (see graphic below).
Each player places an Outlaw Character Token and the corresponding Player Aid in front of them on the table.
Shuffle the cards and place the Draw Deck next to the Scoreboard.
Deal 5 face-down cards to each player.
Youngest player goes first. Once everyone is familiar with the game, you may choose to determine the first player with a 1-card Duel involving all players (see Duel rules in the Non-Robbery Actions section).
Game Play
On your turn, select and complete one action. The available actions are shown on the Action Cards. Some actions allow (or require) other players to participate.
After the action is complete:
Points are scored by moving the appropriate Character Token forward the required number of spaces on the Scoreboard.
All cards played are discarded onto a face-up Discard Pile.
Any player who participated in the action draws until they have 5 cards in hand. Players do not draw if they already have 5 or more cards in their hand.
Play continues clockwise until one player reaches the "Most Wanted" space on the Scoreboard and wins the game!
Action Card Structure
Robbery Actions
Most of your notoriety (your score) will be gained from Robberies. With great risk comes great reward! When you select a Robbery action:
Declare the type of Robbery and play the appropriate number of face-down cards. You are now committed to taking that action, but may change the cards played if you choose.
Anyone may participate in your Robbery by playing the appropriate number of face-down cards. There is no turn order for this decision and players may change their mind at any time before the cards are revealed.
When all players are ready, the cards are revealed.
The player with the best hand (see Hand Rankings on pages 8 & 9) wins the number of points shown on the bottom of the Action Card. If no one else participated in the Robbery then you automatically win.
All losing players must pay Bail.
Pony Express Robbery
Action: Play a 2-card hand.
Result: Winner receives 2 Points | All losers pay Bail.
The Pony Express is coming to town - let's help lighten its load! It's not the most lucrative heist, but every robber has to start somewhere.
Stagecoach Robbery
Action: Play a 3-card hand.
Result: Winner receives 3 Points | All losers pay Bail.
A stagecoach is like a treasure chest on wheels - there's always something shiny inside worth pilfering!
Train Robbery
Action: Play a 4-card hand.
Result: Winner receives 4 Points | All losers pay Bail.
You hear that "chugga-chugga-choo-choo" coming up the tracks? That's the sound of a big-time score!
Non-robbery Actions
Church
Only you may take this action.
Discard any number of cards from your hand.
Draw until you have 7 cards in hand.
Sometimes even the slimiest scoundrel needs to repent and get a new start.
Honest Labor
- Only you may take this action.
- Play any number of face-up cards, all of the same color.
- For each card played, take 2 Bags of Money from the General Supply.
Crime pays, but sometimes you need to get your hands dirty with some honest labor to get out of a bind.
Duel
- You challenge one player to a Duel. They must participate!
- You choose a hand size of 1 or 2 cards.
- Both players play a face-down hand of the selected size.
- When both players are ready, the cards are revealed.
- The player with the best hand (see Hand Rankings on pages 8 & 9) receives points equal to the loser's Bail.
- The losing player pays Bail (see Bail on page 6).
This here's the Wild West, and we settle our differences with an ol' fashioned duel! Uncivilized? Definitely! You got a problem with that?
Double Grosser
During any action, if someone plays a hand of all Aces, and someone else plays a hand containing all 6s (the hidden 6-shooter!), then the 6s count as a Double Crosser, which beats every hand. See Double Crossing on pages 8 & 9 for examples.
Ties
If there is a tie for the best hand, each tying player plays a face-down 1-card hand to determine the winner. If additional ties occur, continue playing face-down 1-card hands until one player wins. If a player involved in a tie does not have a card in hand, they draw the top card from the Draw Deck. You can Double Cross on ties.
Bail and Other Payments
If you are the loser of a Robbery, Duel, or any other Action Card that shows a jail icon, you must pay Bail to the General Supply.
The amount of Bail you must pay is depicted on your current position on the Scoreboard, from 1 to 3 Bags of Money. You do not have to pay Bail if you are not yet on the Scoreboard.
If you are ever required to pay Bags of Money and do not have enough, move back 1 space on the Scoreboard for each Bag of Money you are unable to pay. Example: Clara must pay 3 Bags of Money as Bail, but she only has 2 Bags of Money. She pays 2 Bags of Money and moves her character back 1 space on the Scoreboard.
You may not hide your Bags of Money from the other players.
Alternate Actions
Ready to shake things up a bit? After you've played Most Wanted a handful of times, you might want to try some of the alternate actions on the backs of the non-robbery Action Cards.
You can play with any combination of these non-robbery actions, so choose whichever sides suits your fancy for each game.
Saloon
Only you may take this action.
Pay one Bag of Money to the General Supply.
Discard any number of cards from your hand.
Draw until you have 8 cards in hand.
When you've worked up a thirst after a long day of thieving, there's nothing more refreshing than a trip to the saloon!
Shootout
Challenge one or more player(s). They must participate!
Choose a hand size of 1, 2, or 3 cards.
All involved players play a face-down hand of the selected size.
When all players are ready, the cards are revealed.
The player with the best hand receives 2 points.
Each losing player must pay Bail.
The more the merrier! So gather some friends for a good old-fashioned shootout.
Dishonest Labor
Only you may take this action.
Play any number of face-down cards.
Place 2 Bags of Money from the General Supply onto each card played.
Declare that all of your cards are of the same color (or suit). You may bluff.
Other players may challenge your bluff. After players have had a chance to challenge, reveal your cards.
If your cards are all of the same color: You keep the money, and everyone who challenged you loses their next turn.
If any of your cards are of different colors: You split the Bags of Money evenly between yourself and everyone who challenged you. Extra money is returned to the General Supply.
You keep all the money if no one challenges you.
Honest labor? Dishonest labor? I'm not sure. I don't get paid to ask questions.
When the Draw Deck Is Depleted
When you need to draw a card but the Draw Deck is empty, shuffle the Discard Pile to form a new Draw Deck. Each of the first three times you shuffle the deck, flip a Robbery Action Card in the order shown below. For the remainder of the game, that action will be worth more points.
End of the Game
The first player to reach the Most Wanted space on the Scoreboard wins!
Special Rules Tor Two-player Games
When playing a two-player game, the Sheriff shows up to defend the town against the pair of greedy scoundrels. The Sheriff participates in every Robbery and must be beaten to score points.
To form the Sheriff's hand for each Robbery, draw cards from the deck equal to twice the number required for the Robbery: 4 for Pony Express, 6 for Stagecoach, 8 for Train.
Place these cards face-down on the table until both players are ready. Before revealing hands, the Sheriff makes the best hand from the available cards.
The Sheriff is a do-gooder and will not retroactively choose to play a Double Crosser in response to another player's Aces. However, the Sheriff will play a Double Crosser if the best possible hand happens to contain all 6s.
For example, if the Sheriff was dealt these cards while protecting the Pony Express, she would play the Pair of Queens, because a Pair of Queens is ranked higher than a Pair of 6s.
This remains true even if another Outlaw played a Pair of Aces for this Robbery.
If the Sheriff was dealt these cards in the same situation, however, she would play the Pair of 6s, as this is her highest-ranked hand.
If another Outlaw played a hand of all Aces, this would count as a Double Crosser!
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