CAUSEWAY - Official Rules

2025, Version 1

1. Description of the Game

There are two islands joined by a causeway that passes over a shallow narrow channel of water. Some workers (playing pieces) live on one island and work on the other. At the end of the working day they all return home via the causeway. They are all tired and in a bad mood, so fights break out as they pass each other. Some are pushed into the water, some are injured and have to return to their place of work to receive first aid. This game simulates that action.

2. Description of the Board and Playing Pieces

Players sit on opposite sides of the board facing each other. At their left-hand end of the board is a promenade area where their 24 pieces start their journeys home. The area at the right-hand end is their destination. The central section is the causeway, divided into ten equal strips with a dividing line halfway across the causeway. On either side of the causeway is the waterway, divided into squares. Swimmers move one space at a time at the start of their move, over the dotted lines and between the wavy lines.

3. Game Mechanics

• First player is decided by mutual agreement. The second player makes the same sequence of actions after the first player to complete a turn.
• Move all swimmers one space towards the step at their end of the board. A swimmer is not home until he moves from the step onto the deck, the home area.
• Throw four dice. Subtract the lowest face value from the highest, this is the number of dice you throw in your turn and the number of pieces you move. If towards the end of the game you get to throwing more dice than you have pieces in play, you may choose which values you use.

Extra moves for swimmers when the four dice have been thrown:

• If one pair of dice have same value, all swimmers may move one extra space.
• If two pairs of dice have same value, all swimmers may move two extra spaces.
• If three dice have same value, all swimmers may move three extra spaces.
• If all four dice have same value, all swimmers may move six extra spaces. Alternatively, the player may move up to four of his pieces from the starting area to the home area directly.
• Swimmers may only move from the water onto the step in one turn and from the step onto the home area in the following turn. You may not have more than one swimmer on the step, they may have to form a queue.

Movement Dice

Now throw that number of dice determined from the four dice at the beginning of your turn.

• Each face value is the distance you move one piece. You may not add face values together. You may move from the starting area onto the causeway, along the causeway or off the causeway onto your destination. Pieces may move either forwards or backwards. They do not have to make an exact count to move onto their destination. Once they have left their starting area, they may not move back there, unless they lose a conflict. Nor may they move from their destination back onto the causeway.
• Pieces should end their move close to the parapet overlooking the waterway. When all pieces have been moved, they should be pushed towards the central barrier to mark the end of their move.
• If four pieces occupy their side of a strip, this forms a barrier. None of his pieces may pass this barrier until at least one piece has been moved away in the next turn.

4. Resolution of Conflicts

When all of the moves have been made, resolve the conflicts. These will be in accordance with the table below.

A player must have more pieces on a strip to win a conflict. An equal or lesser number than the opponent has, cannot start a conflict.

ODDS		RESULTS
Player	Opponent	PLAYER	OPPONENT
2	1	One back	One swims
3	1	One back	One swims
3	2	One back	Two back
4	1	No loss	One swims
4	2	Two back	Two swim
4	3	One back	Two back

If two opponents are forced to swim, one lands in the water beyond the other.

5. Turns of Play

The second player makes the same sequence of actions after the first player to complete a turn. Players must have an equal number of turns in a game, so the first player cannot claim victory until the second player has had his turn of play.

6. Aim of the Game

The aim of the game is to get all of your pieces remaining in play to your home area and for this number to be greater than the opponent has already moved to his home area. If that number is equal, count who has the nearer swimmer. If the first swimmers are equally far away from the step, continue until one of a subsequent pair of swimmers is counted as being nearer the step. If the matter is still not resolved, you have a drawn game.

If your opponent has already moved more pieces home than you have still in play, then you must concede defeat.

Game Settings

Keyboard Shortcuts

AI Personalities

Strategy Comparison

Behavior	Aggressive	Balanced	Defensive
Enemy on strip (safe)	+800 (attack!)	+500 (capture!)	-1000 (avoid!)
Enemy on strip (risky)	+800 (attack!)	-400 (avoid)	-1000 (avoid!)
Being alone	+100	+50	-200
Near enemies (backed up)	+50 (threaten)	+30 (pressure)	-30 (caution)
Near enemies (alone)	+50 (threaten)	-80 (risky)	-200 (danger!)
Forming groups	+500 (barrier)	+500 (barrier)	+600 (barrier)
Philosophy	Seek conflict	Adapt tactically	Avoid conflict

Tip: Try different AI matchups to see how strategies compete - Aggressive vs Defensive creates dynamic conflicts, while Balanced provides adaptable competition!