Our household wasn’t happy with the official Mountain Movement rules. Something feels unrealistic with the mechanic; so we prefer these 2 House Rules:
1. Descent Rule: Move two squares on your first move that lands on a Descent square (per turn).
Examples: (‘S’ is starting position)
Entering a Descent with a 5 Energy…
Starting on an Descent with a 5 Energy…
2. Ascent Rule: Move twice on the same square on your first Movement that lands on an Ascent square (per turn).
Examples: (‘S’ is starting position)
Entering an Ascent with a 5 Energy…
Already on an Ascent with 5 Energy…
More Examples:(‘S’ is starting position)
Going from an Ascent to a Decent with 5 Energy…
Going from a Descent to an Ascent with 5 Energy…
These House rules often have us gunning it up a hill with extra energy to hit the crest and roll down the other side.
Sometimes we use a Descent to get extra movement out of multiple low energy cards, and sometimes we use a Descent as an opportunity to break-away with a high energy card.
Sometimes we get an opportunity to end a turn on the first square of an Ascent (to avoid a penalty until next turn).
EXTRA RULES:
When recycling cards: place the cards face down to the bottom of the matching rider’s energy deck, in any preferred order.
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This variation removes shuffling; and the energy decks just cycle through nicely, for smoother and faster play. It allows for a little extra strategy and planning. The Exhaustion cards still get littered into the energy decks, but you can at least try to spread them out a little bit when choosing which order to put cards onto the bottom of the deck.
Note: I also play a Variant (If a single race event) where Riders take TWO Exhaustion Cards, instead of ONE.
Both Exhaustion Cards go to the top of a Riders deck (they’ll both be drawn next round).