In this article, you can read about the basic rules of the game Bang and learn how to play. Each player has his own objectives.
The sheriff and deputies must eliminate the outlaws and renegade. The outlaws must eliminate the sheriff. The renegade wants to be the last player left in the game.
Setup
Give each player a player map. Based on how many players are in the game shuffle the correct identity cards and deal one to each player. The sheriff reveals his card immediately and it remains face-up the entire game. However, all the other players keep their identity hidden.
With 4 players one sheriff, one renegade, two outlaws.
Five players are one sheriff, one renegade, two outlaws, one deputy.
Six players are one sheriff, one renegade, three outlaws, one deputy.
Seven players are one sheriff, one renegade, three outlaws, and two deputies.
Start of the game
Shuffle the character cards and deal two to each player who then, pick one of them to keep.
The number of bullets on the card determines the max health that players can have.
The text at the bottom determines their special ability.
Place your character on your game mat and receive bullet tokens based on how many bullets your character has. This is your life. If you are the sheriff you have one additional bullet. When a player loses his last bullet he is eliminated from the game.
Bullets on cards
Shuffle the playing cards and give each player one card for each bullet they have. Place the deck in the center of the table. Bullets represent health. If you see a card with a bullet on it you know it deals with health.
An X with the bullet is called a bang. It takes away health.
A Plus adds health up to your maximum bullet limit. You do not gain health if it would exceed your character’s limit.
A hat with a line through it means to miss. Whenever you are attacked with a bang card you can play a Miss card to cancel the effects of the bang.
The hand on the card means drawing a card.
A card with an X through it means discard a card.
A cowboy hat means to choose a player. Three cowboy hats mean every other player.
A scope with a hat in it means any player within reachable distance.
And, a scope with a number in it means any player within the distance of that number or less. If it doesn’t have a reference to another player than it applies to you.
The book means to reference the rule book for more details.
Distance
All these symbols can be referenced during the game on the summary card. Distance is how many seats away a player is. If a player is sitting next to you they are one away. For each player in between, you and that player increase their distance by one.
So, a player who is the third person away from you is seen at a distance of three. Each turn you are allowed to play one bang against anyone you choose who’s within your range.
Gun range
Everyone starts the game with the ability to hit only the players that are one away. To increase your range you need to play a gun in front of you.
The number on the gun tells you the range you can hit. Remember, a gun increases your range it doesn’t decrease their distance.
A brown bordered card plays to the discard pile and is a one-time-use.
A blue-bordered card plays in front of you and remains there until discarded, stolen, or replaced.
Turn phases
The sheriff starts the game and then play proceeds clockwise. There are three phases in a turn.
First is the draw phase where you draw two cards from the deck. If ever the deck is empty shuffle the discard into a new draw deck.
In the second phase, you can play cards from your hand. You can play as many cards as you like as long as they follow the limitations which are you may only play one bank card per turn, you may only have one copy of a card in front of you at a time.
There is no limit to the number of cards you can play in front of you. However, they just can’t share the same name. And, you may only have one weapon in front of you at a time. On your turn, you don’t have to play cards if you can’t or don’t want to.
The third phase is when you discard excess cards. If your hand size is larger than the number of bullets your character currently has, then you must discard cards until your hand size matches your health.
Beer
When you lose your last bullet you are eliminated from the game. Unless you have a beer in your hand you can play. Normally a beer can only be played on your turn to regain a bullet. However, you may play a beer during somebody else’s turn if you are about to be eliminated.
The beer prevents elimination and keeps you at one bullet. When there are two players left beer has no effect.
Game End
When you get eliminated from the game, discard all the cards in your hand and in play in front of you and reveal your identity card to everyone.
If you were an outlaw whoever eliminated you draws three cards.
If you were a deputy and the sheriff eliminated you the sheriff must discard his hand and all the cards he has in play.
The game ends when all the outlaws and renegades are killed or when the sheriff dies. When the sheriff dies if the renegade is the only one alive then he wins. Otherwise, the outlaws win. If all the outlaws and renegade die then the sheriff and the deputies win.
Flipping cards
There are a few cards worth noting about their special effects. The barrel, jail, and dynamite have an equal symbol.
This means that you discard the top card of the draw deck without taking its effect and you look in the corner at the number and suit. If it matches the requirement on your card it activates. Otherwise, it doesn’t.
Barrel
The barrel triggers whenever a player shoots at you. You flip over the top card. If it matches the suit it counts as a Miss and you don’t take damage. If it doesn’t match, you may still play a Miss card from your hand. Either way, the barrel isn’t discarded but helps you each time.
Jail
Jail makes a player have a chance of losing their turn. You can play it on to any player regardless of their distance except for the sheriff.
If you are in jail at the beginning of your turn before you draw flip over the top card.
If it matches the symbol you discard the jail and take your turn as normal.
Lastly, if it doesn’t match the symbol then you discard the jail and skip your turn.
Dynamite
Dynamite plays in front of you. At the beginning of your turn before you draw discard the top card of the draw deck.
If it is a spade 2 through 9 the dynamite blows up and you lose three bullets. If you still have health continuing your turn. Also, if it isn’t a spade 2 through 9 then pass the dynamite to the next player in clockwise order and the process continues until it blows up or is discarded.
If you’re in jail and the dynamite comes to you solve for the dynamite first then the jail. Lastly, if a player is eliminated the damage is not considered to be caused by any player.
Until you become familiar with the cards you may need to reference the instruction book or summary card throughout the game.