Halfling Heist is a fast-paced game that pits four rival Halfling thieves against each other to steal the tastiest meal from the infamous pub, the Cockatrice Corral. The Halflings must snatch as much food as possible and escape before the City Watch closes the venue and catches them red-handed. It’s quick and brutal as they dodge the barroom brawl and try to outgrab and outscore their fellow Halflings.
Halflings move throughout the Cockatrice Corral, resolving Brawl cards as they navigate the Brawl in their quest for food. Often Brawl cards result in the Halfling being bumped a square, thrown across the room or picked up and being used as a weapon. Brawl cards are often brutal and stop a Halfling in their tracks. Every time a Halfling is forced to Stop by a Brawl card, they draw a Luck card. Different Luck cards are used to Yoink another Halfling's food, ignore Brawl squares or bribe the City Watch guards loitering by the pub exits.
The game ends when the Brawl deck runs out - inevitably when the fight has died down and it is safe for the City Watch to come in and mop up. Halflings have to escape the pub before the Brawl ends. Any Halfling still on the board at the end of the game automatically loses and does not get to score their meal.
Different types of food are worth different amounts of points. There are also recipes that that give different combinations of food bonus points. Any unused Coin Purses from the Luck deck are also worth additional points. The player with the greatest amount of points at the end of the Heist wins.