Guillotine

Paul Peterson is the author of Smash Up and Pathfinder. Guillotine is his early product.

The French Revolution is famous in part for the use of the guillotine to put nobles to death, and this is the macabre subject of this light card game. As executioners pandering to the masses, the players are trying to behead the least popular nobles. Each day the nobles are lined up and players take turns killing the ones at the front of the line until all the nobles are gone. However, players are given cards which will manipulate the line order right before 'harvesting,' which is what makes the game interesting. After three days worth of chopping, the highest total carries the day.

Component list:

Cardboard Guillotine
Rule booklet

50 Noble Cards: (Card backs have a head in a basket, have “guillotine” printed twice, and have a tan background)

-Marie Antoinette
-Lady in Waiting
-Martyr x3
-Innocent Victim
-Sheriff x2
-Wealthy Priest x2
-Coiffeur
-Royal Cartographer
-Piss Boy
-Rival Executioner
-Land Lord
-Tax Collector
-Count
-Lord
-Unpopular Judge x2
-Lieutenant x2
-Lady
-Countess
-Bishop
-Heretic
-Fast Noble
-Captain of the Guard
-The Clown
-Hero of the People
-Mayor
-Councilman
-Colonel
-Bad Nun
-Baron
-Duke
-Robespierre
-Master Spy
-General
-Governor
-Archbishop
-Regent
-Cardinal
-King Louis XVI
-Palace Guard x5
-Tragic Figure

60 Action Cards: (Cards have a white background, “Guillotine” written the long way, and a woman and a man dressed in purple)

-Pushed x2
-Stumble x2
-Trip x2
-Let Them Eat Cake
-After You
-Bribed Guards
-Callous Guards
-Church Support
-Civic Pride
-Civic Support
-Clerical Error
-Clothing Swap
-Confusion in Line
-Escape!
-Fainting Spell
-Fled to England
-Forced Break
-Foreign Support
-Forward March
-Fountain of Blood
-Indifferent Public
-Infighting
-Information Exchange
-Lack of Faith
-Lack of Support
-Late Arrival
-The Long Walk
-Majesty
-Mass Confusion
-Military Might
-Military Support
-Missed!
-Missing Heads
-Opinionated Guards
-Public Demand
-Rain Delay
-Rat Break
-Rush Job
-’Tis a Far Better Thing
-Tough Crowd
-Twist of Fate
-Scarlet Pimpernel
-Was That My Name?
-Double Feature x2
-Extra Cart x2
-Friend of the Queen x2
-L’Idiot x2
-Ignoble Noble x2
-Milling In Line x2
-Political Influence x2