Quick Introduction

Just like the wind over a canyon, this game can switch back and forth in a second. Switch between a co-op game and a screw-your-neighbor game.
Players play cards that help themselves or help (or hurt) others. Cards can also affect the jump attempt Franco will be making. Franco wants glory, and the other players want money. Most of the game's glory and money come from the jumps. A jump is just one thing that will happen during a turn. Turns are seasons of the year.

Setup

Note: The ideal game has only 4 players. If you have more than 4 or less than 4 players then please scroll down to review Advanced Setup.

Step 1. Time Piece.
Place the Time Piece (hour glass) just in front of the first season (winter) of Year 1 of the Time Track. The Time Piece marks the current season.


Step 2. Placing money and cards on the board.
Place the money in the bank. Shuffle and place the Jump cards and Special "Events" Circumstance cards on their spots on the board.

Step 3. Starting LD Cards.
The four characters of the game each have their own cards, ie. Player Decks. Three players get to go through their Player Decks and pull a few LD Cards (marked with LD in the lower left) and lay them down face up. LD Cards are "lay down" cards and usually earn benefits for the player every turn.


First, Franco gets his three TV ad LD cards (FF45, FF46, FF47).
Second, the Girlfriend gets to have "My Kid" (GF02) and "Franco's wallet" (GF04).
Last, the Doctor gets to have his "Over billing others" (DR03).
These players need to find these cards in their Player Decks and lay them face up in front of themselves.

Step 4. Player Decks.
Each player shuffles the rest of their Player Deck and places it in front of them. Then each player gets to draw one of their Player Cards. This card is in their "hand." All cards in your hand are kept secret.

Step 5. Starting money, glory, and damaged vehicle upgrades.
Franco gets $4,000 and 1 glory. Any Betting Spectator players get $2,500. Cover ALL vehicle upgrades (yellowish vehicle parts) with a damage token which designates them as incomplete.

Note: Franco keeps his amount of glory secret and the other players keep their amount of money secret.

Step 6. Scheduling a jump.
The Girlfriend draws two Jump cards and selects one. The non-selected Jump card goes on the "discarded jumps" spot on the board. The GF places the choosen Jump card in the card stand and into the season that is "Gap" number of season out from where the Time Piece is. The Gap is listed on the Jump card.


Step 7. Choosing game difficulty.
Choose your poison. Note: See Misc Rules section for assigning random damage or injuries.
EASY
Setup: Franco gets an additional $2,000 and 1 random injury.
End game: If Franco has 4 or more injuries to any arm or leg, or has a total of 9 or more injuries, then he is forced into retirement. If Franco has 4 or more injuries to his head or torso then, sadly, he dies.
MEDIUM
Setup: Franco gets an additional $1,000 and 2 random injuries. Give each vehicle 1 random damage.
End game: If Franco has 3 or more injuries to any arm or leg, or has a total of 8 or more injuries, then he is forced into retirement. If Franco has 3 or more injuries to his head or torso then he dies.
HARD
Setup: Franco gets 3 random injuries. Give each vehicle 2 random damage. Slide the scheduled jump up to the first season (winter) of Year 1.
End game: If Franco has 3 or more injuries to any arm or leg, or has a total of 7 or more injuries, then he is forced into retirement. If Franco has 3 or more injuries to his head or torso then he dies.

Finally move the time cursor into the first season, winter of Year 1 and begin the turn/season.

Advanced Setup

Here are some guidelines for a varying number of players.

Only one
Play as Franco and try to make it through 10 years to a graceful retirement. Draw and play the other three players' cards no matter their effect on Franco.

A duo
One plays as Franco and the other as the Girlfriend. Franco gets to decide what repairs and healing to make. The girlfriend draws and plays or discards the Mechanic and Doctor's cards.

Triplets
Franco, the Girlfriend, and the third (wheel) player chooses between the Mechanic or the Doctor. For the character not chosen: Franco chooses that character's repairs or healing and the Girlfriend draws that character's cards and decides to play or discard them.

Foursome
The ideal game. Franco, his Girlfriend, his Mechanic, and his Doctor.

Four plus
Fight over who gets to be the four main characters and the sad rest will be Betting Spectators.

Crazy eights
Get a second copy of the board game Fearless Franco. With both using the "Hard" difficulty level, see which team can (A) make it farther down the Time Track, or (B) gain the most Glory for Franco.