High Moon

-> Download the rulebook here <-

In Death Valley, the best time to let your skelecows graze is under the full moon, when black magic reigns supreme across the entire desert. In HIGH MOON, you will step into the boots (if spectres even wear boots) of a spectral rancher, whose goal is to establish cattle routes to supply the most prestigious distilleries in the region where the finest non-alcoholic liquors are distilled from bovine ectoplasm.

A turn in High Moon is divided into 2 very simple phases:

• Place Card (Mandatory)

• Place Tokens or Pass

Throughout the game, a map will be built by placing cards over others. You will start your turn by playing the card you have in your hand onto the map.

For each ranch space of YOUR COLOUR that you cover, gain 3 tokens from your reserve.

For each ranch space of ANOTHER COLOUR that you cover, gain 1 token from your reserve, and the player with that colour (if applicable) gains 2 tokens from their reserve.

Place as many tokens as you want and are able to. With these tokens, you will create routes from your ranches to the distilleries.

The first token you place on your turn is free, but to place the second token you will have to discard 1 token, to place the third token you will have to discard 2 tokens, and so on.

Place a RANCH TOKEN to found a ranch on top of any visible ranch space of your colour on the map.

Place a COW TOKEN on an empty space orthogonally adjacent to any of your tokens, or orthogonally adjacent to a distillery connected to one of your routes.

When you establish a connection for the first time in the game between one of your ranches and a specific distillery on the map (either adjacently or using cow tokens), you gain a bottle of the liquor type shown on the distillery.

These bottles will allow you to execute extra, one-off actions during this or future turns.

You can only use one bottle per turn. To do this, flip it to its empty bottle side and place it on your player aid card to remember it.

When you cover a tombstone space on the map, move up the corresponding track on the tombstone board and execute the bonus, if there is one (gain 1 token from your reserve). If you cover a joker icon, you can choose which track to move up.

Moving up these tracks will increase your final score.

In this second phase, you can also choose to Pass to gain 3 tokens from your reserve instead of placing tokens.

Your turn will conclude by drawing the card you will play next and passing the turn to the player seated on your left.

Once you have placed all your cards, you will score for the FINAL Scoring Criteria Cards. You will be awarded Victory Points (VP) according to the conditions you fulfill, the number of bottles of each liquor type you own (used + unused) multiplied by your position on that tombstone track , and the position of your lowest tombstone track marker. Furthermore, during the game, you will score IMMEDIATE Scoring Criteria Cards.

Combo Games consists of four board game enthusiasts: Pablo, Manolo, Antonio, and Kortes, though in the board game "scene" we are better known as EsMokhar, Manhollow, Moonnoise, and... well, Kortes is always known as Kortes.

We were born with the objective of creating designer board games with an exceptional level of development, meeting the highest expectations of our target audience.

In the process of creating our games, we seek to maintain a special relationship with both authors and artists, taking care of and nurturing every detail. We focus on developing our own games, starting from the best ideas and prototypes, to make our games the best possible play experience through intellectual, visual, and tactile stimulation.

To date, we have successfully launched 3 games: Keyframes, Neko Syndicate, and our recent Kilauea. If you haven't heard of them, run to your game store to grab a copy!

After having worked with some of the most prestigious authors in the country, this time we are launching the ópera prima of an author we have seen grow since he created it.

High Moon is the work of Antonio Guillamó “Guilla”, a Spanish Physical Education teacher who has always had a great interest in creativity and play. Over the years, his passion for board games has gone from a hobby to designing his first board game. This has led him to this first publishing experience, and hopefully, it is just the beginning of many more ideas to come!

For this project, Pablo Sanz, our art director, was eager to take charge of the artistic part entirely. After handling the graphic design, iconography, and detail drawings for our previous 3 games, he has painted this one from start to finish.

+ Info

Follow us on our website (under construction. Yes, still): https://combogames.es/

Follow High Moon on BGG: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/456332/high-moon

And our social networks:

X: https://twitter.com/ComboGamesES

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/combogameses/

Where Will Your Contribution Go?

We have already made most of the investment related to the costs of development, illustration, graphic design, and the actual manufacturing of the game (yes, the game is already being printed). Therefore, we are now asking you to help us finance the game’s transportation and the costs of its promotion and distribution.

Planned Schedule

The game development is complete, and all files have been sent to the factory in China, which is already undertaking the full production of the game. Our most optimistic calculations tell us that we could have the game in March, but the world is experiencing moments of turmoil, and the short-to-medium-term future is somewhat uncertain. Therefore, we are committed to two things:

1- Delivery will be made before June 2026, so you can start the summer enjoying the game (1).

2- Games will be delivered to backers before they go on sale in retail stores (2).

(1) The game will be put up for early sale during the InterOcio Fair at a price of €25. If you want to collect your game during InterOcio, you must select the “1 Game with delivery at InterOcio 2026” reward or write to us if you want to collect more than 1 copy there. If you choose a collection at InterOcio and ultimately do not do so, there will be a small surcharge so we can ship it to you. If you select the reward with shipping, it will not be possible to collect it at InterOcio. This presentation during InterOcio is very important to us, so we ask for your understanding regarding us selling the game in advance during this event.
(2) This means that the only stores that will receive the game at the same time as you will be the backer stores.

Risks and Challenges

We have already established contractual relationships with our manufacturers and distribution partners. This will help us get started immediately after the campaign ends. All campaigns are unique and will present their own challenges along the way. We are committed to managing them quickly and keeping the interests of our backers in mind.

Refunds and Cancellations

You can request a refund for your pledge. If your request is made before the campaign closes, you will receive 100% of your contribution, and it is processed through the Verkami platform itself. Once the campaign has ended, you can request cancellation via email, and you will receive 80% of your contribution. Once shipping begins, no refunds will be possible.