Designed by: Gabriele Mari
In Garibaldi: The Escape one player represents Garibaldi himself (a key player in the unification of Italy) trying to reach a safe exit point from Austrian territory, whilst the other players work together to try and capture him. Both sides need to reach their objective in order to win.
Both sides take their turns by planning and carrying out movement (dictated by cards) on the game board, which shows a map of Northern Italy as it was during the time Garibaldi’s actual escape. Movement is simple along roads, but trickier on rivers and paths, where Garibaldi is more likely to be hiding. Players can also choose to play Event cards, which give them a little boost in their quest to escape/capture: this give short-term advantages such as an extra movement.
The Austrian side – the serachers – make their moves openly and move pieces around the board to show their respective positions. Garibaldi, meanwhile, makes his moves in secret, and keeps track of them on a pad behind a screen. If any of the Austrian players end their turn (they can pass by him without discovering him) in the same position as Garibaldi, he is uncovered, and loses!
If on the other hand, Garibaldi makes it to freedom, he reveals his pad and shows the path he took across the landscape to avoid detection. Note that Garibaldi can also lose if he doesn’t escape within a given set of rounds.
The game is a blend of deduction and guesswork for both sides, and requires co-operation between the Austrian players.
Nothing to sweat over - one side works together, the other works alone, and they each have separate goals.
As long as nobody takes an age to decide their turn, Garibaldi will play reasonably fast.
There's no 'optimal' move available. You can't know what the other side will do, so it's about instinct rather than having to go through multiple options in terms of their odds.
Not heavy on the rules, and easy to learn. Children will enjoy their chance at being Garibaldi and hiding. Not a game for a serial cheat, though, as it requires honesty to admit you've been caught!
2-6
Players
8+
Years
30-60
Mins
Sam says
As a game of hiding and hunting I think Letters From Whitechapel does it a little better. But if you're put off by the gory nature of the theme in Letters, then Garibaldi is a decent substitute.