On the Subject of TAC

Eminently TACable.

The module displays a TAC board game with one colored pawn on it. However, there are three additional invisible pawns in play, one of which is your partner and two are your opponents.

To disarm TAC, you must play all five cards in your hand and get your pawn into its home with the last move. The home is the darker square that is offset inside of the outer track.

In some cases, this is not possible with the cards you are dealt at the start. In such a case, press the TAC button in the center of the module to swap one of your cards for another. The module will strike if you do this when your hand is winnable and if you attempt to play a card while your hand is unwinnable.

Determining the positions of the invisible pawns

Proceed clockwise from where you sit:

• From your pawn’s position, go forward a number of steps equal to the sum of the first and sixth characters of the serial number (A=1, ..., Z=26) plus the offset associated with the next player’s name. This is your first opponent.
• From that pawn’s position, proceed equally with the second and fifth characters of the serial number plus the offset associated with the next player’s name. This is your partner (sitting opposite you).
• Finally, proceed equally with the third and fourth serial number characters and the final name to obtain the position of the other opponent.

Rules of TAC

• Playing a regular numbered card moves the pawn clockwise around the board that number of spaces. This move is only valid if there are no pieces in any of the intervening spaces. Any piece on the final landing space is captured.
• Playing a numbered card with a diamond symbol allows you the option to either play the card just like a regular numbered card (use the button with the dots on it), or to simply discard that card (use the button with the diamond shape on it).
• Playing a reverse numbered card moves the pawn counter-clockwise.

• Playing a single-step numbered card moves the pawn clockwise that number of spaces and captures all pieces along the way, including on the final landing space.
• Playing a Warrior moves the pawn clockwise all the way to the next pawn on the board and captures it.
• A Trickster card allows you to swap the positions of any two pieces. After selecting the Trickster card, tap an LED corresponding to a player, then another LED. Note that you won’t see the pieces swap places unless one of them is your own.

In cases where a numbered card allows the pawn to enter its home, an option appears letting you choose to either enter your home (use the button with the house-shaped icon) or move past it (use the double-arrow button). Reverse cards allow the pawn to move into its home backwards.

While playing, the TAC module will strike and restart in the following cases:

• Your move would capture your partner.
• You attempt to move across a piece in an intervening space.
• You attempt to use the Trickster to swap a piece that has already been captured.
• You move into your home when you still have additional cards in your hand.
• You run out of cards and your pawn is not in its home.

While the module is waiting for you to select an option button (e.g. discard) or an LED (Trickster), the TAC button in the center can be pressed to cancel the current card.

The TAC button can be held for a whole second to revert the module to its original state.