Does living in America make you wanna drink?
Well, have we got the party game for you!
It’s got jokes!
All the political satire you can handle, and even more that you can’t!
It’s got replayability!
Ever-changing rules and loads of gameplay scenarios!
It’s got strategery!
Unlimited ways to outwit your friends and take the advantage!
It’s got smarts!
Trivia and pertinent topics to keep you educated, if you’re into that sort of thing.
It’s got drinking!
At the group’s discretion. Can’t hang? Play it dry and still have fun!
Shots Across America is a genre of board game you have never seen!
*Assuming you’ve seen none like it
The Board
The States
The Shots Across America game board is a map of the U.S.A. with spaces representing all 50 states and the country’s capital district, Washington D.C.
Spaces are grouped into five different color-coded regions to aid with navigation, and each space is connected by roads that dictate directions of travel. Basically, if two states share a border, they’re connected. Disconnected states like Alaska and Hawaii are reachable through their nearest mainland states.
Guantanamo Bay
At the bottom right of the board lies the Guantanamo Bay prison space. Try not to end up here! If you do, you’ll lose a turn and will have to make your way back to the states on one of two available escape rafts.
The Cards
The Main Deck
The Shots Across America main deck is dealt out evenly to players, making up their hands. This deck contains cards that represent each of the 50 states, 8 perk cards that provide special advantages for lucky players, and 2 executive office title cards.
The Executive Order Deck
Before the game begins, the player elected president will select an executive order from the top three cards of the executive order deck. In short, this is a rule or scenario to follow through the game, unless later revoked. Players may have the opportunity to choose additional rules to put into effect as the game progresses, or replace existing rules altogether.
The Challenge Deck
By default, you may not share the same space as another player. However, you can challenge nearby opponents to move them out of the way. When declaring a challenge, you should draw the top card from the challenge deck and read it aloud. The card you draw may put you or your opponent to the test, decide the outcome instantly, or subsequently steer your turn into a completely different direction. In sum, the Shots Across America challenge deck contains a diverse mix of U.S. themed trivia questions, player vs. player face-off challenges, cards you can keep and play later, quests with goal benefits, and various America-themed event cards that may help or hinder anyone in the game — not just those involved in the challenge. Anything can happen when you draw a challenge card, so be prepared for a surprise!
Deck Expansions
Like more variety? While the base game is fun in its own right, you can stack the executive order and challenge decks higher and higher with numerous themed expansion packs. As the country grows more diverse and complex through the ages, so does Shots Across America!
The Shots and Game Pieces
The president calls the shots. Shot cup and game piece placement is entirely up to the president during the game’s initial setup.
Each turn, players move around the board one state at a time with their chosen colored game piece. Along their path may be shots to avoid, or bravely endure, depending on their preference. Devious players might take advantage of shot positioning and, by winning a challenge, force a nearby player to take that shot instead.
Permanent Shots
In addition, a single shot is always placed on the Washington D.C. space and is replaced each time it is consumed. Likewise, a double shot is always placed on the Guantanamo Bay space — refilled for the next poor sucker that ends up there.
The Goal and Player Roles
In short, each player’s goal is to reach every state that they are dealt in their hand. Upon arrival in any of these states, they may subsequently discard the state card that corresponds with the space they are on. The final card a player lays MUST be a state card, meaning they must use all of their perk and title cards before their last card is discarded. The first player to discard their entire hand properly wins the game, and becomes the next president if a consecutive game is played.
The President
This player has more power than anyone else at the table. At game start, the president gets to choose a rule, their vice president, where players start, and lastly, where to place the shots. They have the power to pardon other players being sentenced to prison, and most importantly, their President title card allows them a one-time Abuse of Power — albeit at the cost of their presidency. The president must MUST abuse a power before laying their final state card for them to win the game and become president again.
The Vice President
Likewise, this player has the second-most power at the table. The vice president’s primary role is to deal out the cards and additionally break ties during stalemate votes. In the same fashion as the president, their Vice President title card allows them a one-time Abuse of Power at the cost of their title.
Claiming an Abandoned Title
When a player abandons their executive title, it’s up for grabs. Washington D.C. acts as the capital space where eligible players must go if they wish to claim or reclaim the presidency or vice presidency. Term-limits apply: A player may only be president twice in a single game, and to clarify further, if you are not eligible for the presidency, you are also not eligible for the vice presidency. Luckily, term counts reset at the end of each game.
The Judicial Branch
Occasionally, conflicts with player actions or challenge rules may arise and the Constitution of Gameplay may not provide a clear enough resolution to the situation. In cases like these, every player at the table should assume their judicial role and vote on a fair and favorable outcome to resolve the issue at hand. The majority vote of the group is final, and remember that in the event of a tie, the vice president has the tie-breaking vote.
3-8
Players
10
Shot Cups
50
United States
8
Advantage Perks
2
Executive Offices
90+
Challenges
30+
Executive Orders
7
Articles of Gameplay
15+
Expansions
0
Liability for Your Actions
