you'll never play the same again!

Gypo Logging
Pre-Work Instructions

Game Intro: Between the 1930’s and late 80’s was the heyday of the Gypo Logger. This was an era when a man, with very little or no formal education could get very rich in a short time span, with a lot of backbreaking work, some good luck and if he had a highball crew working for him. Many more Gypo loggers also went broke in their ventures due to poor planning, unforeseen expenses, plain old ‘bad luck’ and a multitude of pitfalls which this game only touches the surface of. The term ‘Gypo’ refers to haywire or make do methods that are not necessarily proper – in other words lots of duct tape and haywire is holding everything together and you’re probably not using the right machine or tool anyways but you’re still getting the wood out.

The Money Tree: the Money Tree tray includes all monies from: the bank, loan shark or FRBC (Funds Retained By Crooks). It also holds the Bone-Yard, where machines & tools not in use are stored. One player is selected as Money Tree Manager (MTM) – or better yet if it’s someone who isn’t playing the game.

Initial Set Up: Place the Mini Dire and Act of God or … Major Licensee cards over their corresponding spaces on the outer track. Tommy Moore and Molly Hogan cards can be placed on any of the landscapes on the inner board. Place $5000 in the center of the Marshall Yard, this is where all fines or penalties are placed unless otherwise stated. The axe and wrench are placed upon their resting places in the Marshall Yard. The wooden wedge blocks that represent machines and tools are placed in the Bone Yard. Each Gypo Logger receives a cool $279,000 from the MTM. Bill denominations given to each player are; 1-100K, 2-50K, 2-20K, 2-10K, 2-5K, 2-2K, 2-1K, 2-$500. Start with the each player rolling the dice to see who goes first – high roller is first. He/she selects a player token and places it at the START hand then rolls both dice and moves left (clockwise). Then the next player to his/her left repeats and so on.

Outer Board vs. Inner Board: the outer board is where all the contractors and businesses are located and where a Gypo Logger tries to amass as many desired business titles and cash as possible while avoiding titles owned by other players and the pitfall spaces. The inner board is when you become a worker again; however, in this area you may still cause many impacts to the other Gypo Loggers on both the outer and inner boards. Only one die is used in the inner board and the track around the Marshall Yard goes in the opposite direction to the outer board. There are only two ‘EXIT’ spaces from the inner board and you must land exactly on the ‘EXIT’ to roll out on the next turn. Upon exiting the inner board you must pick up a ‘Mini–Dire’ or ‘Act of God/Major Licensee’ card.

Corner Spaces: The starting corner space (hand) is also the ‘Pay Day’ square of the game. Be sure to collect your $50,000 pay every time you pass payday and $75,000 if you land right on it. After landing on any corner square the player then enters the inner board on his/her next turn but only uses one die until the time he/she exits.

Landing on another player’s title: you must pay the required fee to the holder of that title – you may also offer to purchase the title you landed on or trade for any amount – either the owner accepts or declines immediately.

Landing on your own Phase Contractor Title: you may purchase one (1) piece of equipment or machine for any one of your Full Phase or Minor Contractors.

Titles in Hock: Fees cannot be collected for a title that is in hock. The owner of the hocked title card may purchase it back at any time when it is his turn for the full value – even if he does not land on it. Other players can only purchase it by landing on it or if they receive a special Molly Hogan or Tommy Moore card. Stand the title card in the Bone Yard while it is in Hock.

Timber Harvesting Rights (TFL#83, FL#69, TS#107): you never actually own these – only a contract/permit to operate on them. If you own one of these titles and another player lands upon it, they must also pay fees for any major and minor phase contractor titles held.

If you have to miss a turn: you cannot collect fees if anyone lands on any of your titles or is ordered to pay you fees from a card (Mini-Dire, Tommy Moore, etc.)

CARDS: (NOTE: if any of the cards are involved in a persons turn then the first action is always to review the card first before carrying out any other actions, such as; spinning stumpage, paying fees, purchasing equipment, etc.

Choker Cards: Each of the four small card decks contains one ‘Choker’ which enables the holder to acquire one title card from the ‘Loan Shark’ or if none are available there, then you make take one from a player of your choice.

Tommy Moore & Molly Hogan: These cards are usually of a minor nature and quite often have positive consequences, usually aimed towards workers as they are in play when in the centerboard. Some of these cards are kept by the player to be used later in the game.

Mini-Dire: short for ‘Ministry Directive’ or the things that various ministries order ‘Gypo Loggers’ and their suppliers to comply with. On the outer track or coming out of the inner one, whenever you land on or pass over these you must take one. Many of these cards are of a negative nature and will be dreaded by all players.

Act of God or … Major Licensee: the Act of God cards are typically weather related or nature orientated and are usually negative to one party while being positive to another. On the outer track or coming out of the inner one, whenever you land on or pass over these you must take one. Half of the cards in this deck are from Major Licensees and they can often cause many impacts to the ‘Gypo Loggers’ that contract for them – that is what these cards portray.

Gypo Jargon: when a player rolls doubles then a player across from the dice roller pulls a ‘Gypo Jargon’ card from the box and reads the entire card to the roller. If he gets the correct answer he receives $5,000 from the money tree – if he/she answers wrong he/she pays each Gypo Logger $1,000. The player then moves his token the amount of the dice but does not roll again. (the correct answers are underlined on the cards)

Title Cards: when you purchase a shop, business or contractor you receive the title card for it which has information on the back regarding fees, machine costs and hock value, should you need to turn the title in to the loan shark.

ICONS:

Happy Face/Tool Icons: a space or receiving a card with this icon enables you to purchase one (1) machine or tool at regular cost to place on any one of your titles. TIP: buy machines/tools as often as possible.

Stumpage Setter Icons: If you land on a space or receive a card with this icon on it you must spin the stumpage setter.

Axe Icons: If you land on a space or receive a card with this icon on it you can take the axe from its home near the board center or from whichever gypo logger currently has it. The axe lets you be exempt from one stumpage levy against you – and then you must return it to its resting place.
Wrench Icons: if you land on a space or receive a card with this icon on it you can take the wrench from its home near the board center or from whichever gypo logger currently has it. The wrench exempts you from one shop fee if landing on an owned shop, an eco-vandalism attack or equipment breakdown levy against you – and then you must return it to its resting place.

Machines: may be returned (hocked) to the bone-yard at any time during your turn and you can receive ½ value for them of $1,000. Small wooden blocks with an “M” stamped on them represent a machine.

Tools: receive full price of $500 when they are returned to the bone-yard. Small wooden blocks with a “T” stamped on them for tools represent a shovel or a froe.

Object of the Game & Winning Strategies: As every real Gypo Logger would say “the business is usually 90% headache and 110% hard work plus a chunk of bad weather but it sure is fun”. This game will probably reinforce and refresh that belief. The object of the game is to have the highest total of assets (businesses, machines/equipment) and cash on the Score Sheet once tallied at the end of the game. To win at the Gypo Logging game here are a few points that may help – with a chunk of good luck of course;
· Try to combine more than one of the Shop titles
· Try to combine Jagger’s & Messo’s or the two small contractors, Silvie’s & Shakey’s.
· If you can get the title to one of the timber rights then it ties together all phase contractors you own and the machines or tools. This can be very profitable if even only a couple of phase titles are held.
· Pay attention to the board to be sure not to miss someone landing on your titles or missing an opportunity to purchase machines or tools.
· Don’t miss opportunities to get and use the axe or wrench.
· Keep your eyes open at all times – Gypo Loggers are known for trespassing, claim jumping, stealing and dishonest things too.
· Drink only Lucky Logger Beer and lots of it! Enjoy.

Registered Copyright © Trevor Bergstrom, November 29, 2004

SURVEY:
What would you
rather have?
a) Hug a Logger Shirt,
or
b) Gypo Logging Baseball cap?


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