THUNDER

ROAD

A d v an c ed
Rules
Version 1.0
THUNDER
ROAD A d v an c ed
Rules
By David O. Miller
With a lot of additional assistance and ideas from my son. Thanks Scott!
Other inspiration comes from various sources around the internet and from
several, very creative people on Board Game Geek including:

Aaron Tubb for allowing me to use his Special Powers variant

and alter them slightly to fit in with these additional rules.

Michael P. Owen and Powell Hall for the inspiration for oil slicks and other dropped, passive weapons.

The inspiration for Motorcycles came from a thread here on Board Game Geek. I can’t seem to locate that thread.
However, I’d like to acknowledge the person who had the original idea for them. They are a great addition!

Plus all of the people that have play tested this over the past few years. Thanks everyone!

Thunder Road ©1986 Milton Bradley Co. All Rights Reserved. No infringement or claim of ownership is implied in
these fan created, add on rules. These rules are free and are not to be, or intended to be, for sale.

Photos and Art ©2015 David O. Miller

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MATERIALS NEEDED TO PLAY
• 1 small, 6 sided die (for the Motorcycles).
• 1 very large, 6 sided die (for the 18 Wheelers). Note
that this die is NOT rolled but is only used to indicate
the speed that you choose to move your 18 Wheeler in a
turn. See the rules concerning the 18 Wheeler.
• 8 Molotov Cocktail counters
• 16 Caltrop counters
A d v an c ed
Rules
TURN ORDER
1. Roll the 3 yellow dice, the road die, and the small
motorcycle die
2. Assign dice to cars. If one of your cars has “Expert
Driver” you may re-roll the die assigned to it.
3. Based on one of your yellow die rolls, determine how
far your 18 wheeler is going to move. Place the very
large 6 sided die, with the assigned number face up,
next to the truck.

• 24 Oil counters 4. Move all vehicles.

• 4 Motorcycles 5. Make all attacks, including placing and attacking with

your chopper. Chopper placement (they don’t really
• 4 18 Wheelers (Model should fit in two squares, cab in “move”) is part of combat and the order of attacks can
one space, trailer in the second.) be determined as you make your attacks.

ST A R T IN G POSITIO N S
This diagram shows the new starting positions for all vehicles, including 18 Wheelers and Motorcycles. It is slightly
different than the original game and takes into consideration the addition of the new vehicles and their rules.

18 Wheeler Eliminator Avenger Buggy

Cycle 18 Wheeler Eliminator Avenger Buggy

Cycle

Cycle

Cycle 18 Wheeler Eliminator Avenger Buggy

18 Wheeler Eliminator Avenger Buggy

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START OF THE GAME
• Place vehicles in their starting positions using the new
starting location chart.
• Shuffle the three Bonus Ability card types into individual
piles, then randomly draw one Bonus Ability card for
your Buggy, Avenger and Eliminator.
• Arm the vehicles of your choice with Dropped Weapons
by placing the markers on the vehicles Bonus Ability
cards in any order, or any amount. Motorcycles and 18
Wheelers cannot use Dropped Weapons. Each player
starts the game with the following counters to distribute:
2 Molotov Cocktail counters
4 Caltrop counters
6 Oil counters
REPAIRS:
Any doubles rolled on the three yellow dice that are equal
to or greater than the vehicles rank can be used to fix that
vehicle.
MOTORCYCLES
• Motorcycles are Rank 3.
• Motorcycles roll a small, additional “Motorcycle” die
each turn. This small die may only be used for the
Motorcycle. The die does not count towards repairs.
• When Motorcycles move they may add in the road bonus
die, wether they are on road or off.
• Motorcycles cannot ram other vehicles. If they are
rammed Motorcycles have a Rank 3 to defend.
• Motorcycles can move through, or stop on, a space
containing 1 other running vehicle with no penalty. If
there are two vehicles in a space movement is blocked
as normal.
• All vehicles can move through a space containing 1
running Motorcycle, or 1 wrecked Motorcycle, with
no penalty. If there are two Motorcycles in a space
movement is blocked as normal.
• Motorcycles will only crash while moving through a
wreck if they roll a 1 on the 6-sided die.
• Motorcycles shoot as normal.
A d v an c ed
Rules
DROPPED WEAPONS
Dropped weapons are placed during movement. A vehicle
must have a dropped weapon marker on it’s card to be
able to place it. (Note: There are no reloads and you
cannot share the markers between your vehicles.)
You may only place one marker in each space, a space
cannot contain more than one marker. Dropped Caltrop
and Oil markers are dumped with the board.
You may place a dropped Caltrop marker in any space
that your vehicle has just vacated.
An Oil marker may only be placed on any road space that
your vehicle has just vacated.
CALTROPS:
As soon as your vehicle enters a space with
a Caltrop counter, and before any attacks are
made, roll 1 red die:
1-2 Vehicle is wrecked *
3-6 No effect
*18 Wheelers get a +1 to their roll
OIL:
May only be dropped onto road spaces. As
soon as your vehicle enters a space with an Oil
counter, and before any attacks are made, roll 1 red die:
1-3 Vehicle spins out *
3-6 No effect
*18 Wheelers get a +1 to their roll
SPIN OUT:
• Turn the vehicle sideways.
• Automatically ends movement.
• Cannot attack this turn.
• On your next turn you must assign the lowest rolled
yellow die to that vehicle. If you have two or more spun
out vehicles you must still assign the lowest dice to
those vehicles.
MOLOTOV COCKTAILS:
These explosive devices are used once and
then the marker is removed from the game.
Molotov Cocktails allow your vehicle to make a normal
attack against any adjacent space.
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T H E 18 W H E EL ER
• See the new starting locations for the 18 Wheeler.
General Rules:
• The 18 Wheeler takes up two spaces, the first space
contains the Cab and the second space the Trailer. (For
rule purposes each space is considered to be occupied
by one vehicle.)
• Whenever the 18 Wheeler would be wrecked, instead
of wrecking the whole truck, you may instead wreck
the Trailer (if its still attached to the Cab). A wrecked
Trailer can never be repaired and remains in the space
where it was wrecked. The Cab stays upright, can
continue taking turns, and can be wrecked as normal.
Moving the 18 Wheeler:
• The 18 Wheeler may move using the score of any one of
your yellow dice. This score may also be used to move
one of your other remaining vehicles as normal.
• If one of your vehicles has the bonus ability “Expert
Driver” you may apply the score of the re-rolled die to
the 18 Wheeler.
• When moving the 18 Wheeler you must take into
consideration the Trailer as well as the Cab when
switching “lanes”. You must always leave room for the
Trailer as you drift from side to side. If two spaces are
not available for both the Cab and the Trailer to fit into
then the 18 Wheeler cannot move into the new lane.
• As long as the Cab of the 18 Wheeler is on the lead board,
when the trailing board is dumped the Trailer will remain
with the Cab. It will hang off the edge of the board and
come back into play when the whole truck moves again.
OPTIONAL: OBSTACLES
Drifted Sand Piles:
• It costs 2 movement points to enter this space. If you
do not have 2 points left to enter the space then you
cannot enter it.
Debris:
• It costs 2 movement points to enter this space. If you
do not have 2 points left to enter the space then you
cannot enter it.
• You must also roll to see if you wreck, roll 1 red die:
1 Vehicle is wrecked
2-6 No effect
A d v an c ed
Rules
Pushing Wrecks:
• When plowing through wrecks the 18 Wheeler is only
wrecked on a roll of 1. Plus, if you roll a 4+ you may
choose to push the wreck into any forward (left, right or
straight), legal space. The pushed wreck will do a vehicle
ranked ram attack against any vehicle in the new space.
• A wreck cannot be pushed into a space that already
contains two vehicles, running or wrecked.
• A wreck cannot be pushed off the board in any direction.
Shooting and the 18 Wheeler:
• The 18 Wheeler has a Rank of 6 in combat. However,
when shooting, it adds +1 to it’s attack die roll.
• All shooting is determined from the position of the Cab.
Ramming and the 18 Wheeler:
• The 18 Wheeler has a Rank of 6 in combat. However, if
it is used to attack, or to defend in a ram attack, it adds
+7 to it’s roll, instead of the normal +6.
Caltrops, Oil, and the 18 Wheeler:
• 18 Wheelers get a +1 to their roll against Oil and Caltrops.
• If the 18 Wheeler fails its roll due to Oil only rotate
the Cab sideways in the space to represent the spin out,
leaving the Trailer aligned to the board.
OPTIONAL: CUSTOM TERRAIN IDEAS
• Bridge over a lake
• Crevasse that destroys the road
• Rock field: Every player gets 3-4 rocks. Place them
one at a time anywhere on the board. No rock can be
adjacent to another.
• Line of wrecks: Mid board, a line of wrecks all the way
across the board that players have to crash through.
• Ruined buildings
• A forest of dead trees
• Toxic filled craters that somehow dissolve tires
 ELIMINATOR CARDS - Cards are playing card size and will fit in a standard card sleeve, along with a playing card backing.
Abilities
B onu s

ELIMINATOR ELIMINATOR ELIMINATOR

MI S S ILE FLAME E X PE R T
L A UNCHER: THROWER: D RI V E R:
When shooting you may attack 1, 2 or 3 This Eliminator may attack Once per turn, after assigning your
spaces away, but only directly forward, twice per turn, but only into the yellow dice to each vehicle, you may
and even if there are intervening vehicles. space directly in front of it. re-roll the yellow die assigned to your
Or, you can choose to Or, you can choose to Eliminator. However, you must keep
attack 1 vehicle as normal. attack 1 vehicle as normal. the new result, even if it is lower.
THUNDER THUNDER THUNDER
THUNDER

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ROAD
ELIMINATOR ELIMINATOR ELIMINATOR
CHA INGUN: S WIVEL C O W C A T C HE R :
MOUNTED
When shooting with your chaingun MACHINE GU N: When plowing through wrecks this
you must attack all 3 forward spaces Eliminator is only wrecked on a roll of 1.
at once (left, right, and straight). Roll This vehicle can attack any If you roll a 4+ you may choose to push
separately for each affected vehicle adjacent space, including the wreck into any forward (left, right or
in these spaces, including your own. directly behind it. straight), legal space. The pushed wreck
Or, you can choose to will do a vehicle ranked ram attack
attack 1 vehicle as normal. against any vehicle in the new space.
THUNDER THUNDER THUNDER
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 DOOM BUGGY CARDS - Cards are playing card size and will fit in a standard card sleeve, along with a playing card backing.
Abilities
B onu s

DOOM BUGGY DOOM BUGGY DOOM BUGGY

EXPERT
DRIVER:
Once per turn, after assigning your
yellow dice to each vehicle, you may
re-roll the yellow die assigned to your
Doom Buggy. However, you must keep
the new result, even if it is lower.
THUNDER
THUNDER
MAKES HIFT
A RMOR:
This Buggy can ignore the first
hit on it. Afterwards the armor
is destroyed and falls off.
Once used rotate this card.
THUNDER
E X PL OS I V E :
Extra Ammo on this Buggy
explodes every time it is
wrecked, all adjacent vehicles
are wrecked on a roll of 5+ (roll
separately for each vehicle).
THUNDER

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ROAD
DOOM BUGGY DOOM BUGGY DOOM BUGGY
S IDE MECHA NIC: A L L T E RR A IN
A RMOR: T I RE S :
You can repair this
All vehicles need to roll a 5+ Buggy on ANY doubles. This Buggy cannot use
when shooting this Buggy. the road bonus die, but
Choppers still need to roll a 4+. it always adds +2 to it’s
movement, on road or off.
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 Abilities
AVENGER CARDS - Cards are playing card size and will fit in a standard card sleeve, along with a playing card backing.
B onu s

AVENGER AVENGER AVENGER

EXPERT ROOF C A R B ON
DRIVER: ARMOR: B R A KE PAD S :
Once per turn, after assigning your Choppers need to roll a 6+ You may choose to move
yellow dice to each vehicle, you may when shooting this Avenger. this Avenger less than it’s
re-roll the yellow die assigned to your full movement.
Avenger. However, you must keep the
new result, even if it is lower.
THUNDER THUNDER THUNDER
THUNDER

ROAD ROAD ROAD

ROAD
AVENGER AVENGER AVENGER
NI TRO: WHEEL S HA R P
BLADES : S HOO T E R :
Once per game you may double
the move die (but not the road Add +2 to the die when Add +1 to the die when
bonus die) for this car. ramming another vehicle. shooting with this Avenger.
Once used rotate this card.
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 THUNDER
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WEAPONS
DROPPED
WEAPON
MARKERS
These Dropped
weapon markers
are provided in
1” x 1” squares.

There are four

complete sets,
enough to equip
four players.

Print them out,

use spray adhesive
to attach them to
some matt board,
and carefully trim
them out using an
X-Acto knife and a
metal straight edge.
Art ©2015 David O. Miller
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PICTURES FROM OUR EVENT GAME AT GENCON, 2014!