The Rules for Mine a Million Business Game

In this game, players are the owners of tin mines in a newly developing country. Their aim is to transport the ore from their mines to the coast and then overseas where it is sold for dollars.

Three types of transport are used-at first lorries, and later, as capital increases, barges and ships. In trying to make maximum profits, players will want to control the transport as often as possible and to prevent their rivals from doing so.

All working expenses are paid in sterling but the winner of the game is the first player to acquire one million dollars from his exports.

The game begins with the use of lorry transport only-this is called the "Lorry Phase." Do not try to understand everything before you begin to play-study the "Lorry Phase" rules and play the "lorry" game. By the time you are able to enter the "Barge/Ship Phase" you will have grasped the basic principles involved and the remaining rules will be much easier to follow.

Equipment
Playing board. 12 mine derricks (2 of each of 6 colours); 6 lorries; 5 barges; 2 ships; 90 pyramids (15 of each of 6 colours); 24 cubes (4 of each of 6 colours); 26 Production Cards; 6 Canal Co. Title Deeds; 2 Production Debit Cards; 1 dice; sterling and dollar currency.

The game for different numbers of players
If there are only two players it will be more interesting if each operates two mines. If there are only two or three players they should all operate mines in the same half of the board in order to produce competition for roads and canals.

Recommended ratios of transport
                           Lorries Barges Ships
For 2 players
(operating 1 mine each)...... 2     1     1
For 3 players
(operating 1 mine each)...... 3     2     1
For 4 players..
(or 2 operating 2 mines each) 4     3     1
For 5 players................ 5     4     2
For 6 players................ 6     5     2

Preparation
Place the lorries, barges and ships in their respective "Pools." Take out the Canal Co. and Prod. Debit Cards, shuffle the remaining Production Cards and place them face upwards on the board. Players can therefore see what opportunities or hazards are facing them at every turn. It is vital that these cards are watched carefully if players are to avoid being caught with insufficient cash to meet their liabilities. Players may, if they wish, use these cards stacked face downwards, thereby increasing the element of chance.

Appoint a Banker; his duties will be to control the exchanges of cash and the claiming and selling of Production Units. (These duties can, of course, be shared.) Each player selects a mine and a derrick of the same colour. Each player receives £10,000 in sterling.

First examine the various operating costs and values below:

Each pyramid represents... 1 Production Unit
Each cube represents... 5 Production Units

1 Prod. Unit at a mine is worth, and may be sold to the Bank for... £5,000

1 Prod. Unit at the Warehouse is worth, and may be sold to the Bank for... £20,000

1 Prod. Unit at Race Bay or St. John is sold for... $40,000

1 Prod. Unit at Port Boston is sold for $80,000

All the following payments are made to the Bank.

An extra mine working costs... £50,000

Establishing a canal company costs £50,000

To hire a lorry costs... each lorry £5,000

To hire a barge costs... each turn £7,500

To hire a ship costs... each turn £25,000

Production begins
During the game the throw of the dice will decide whether a player receives Production Units or not, but in the first round of turns only, every player receives some Production. The player to start, throws the dice and claims his "Production Units" according to the following scale:

With a throw of 1 or 2 he claims 2 Units.
With a throw of 3 or 4 he claims 3 Units
With a throw of 5 or 6 he claims 4 Units.

These Units are placed in his mine area and his turn ends. All the other players follow in turn. Every player now has two or more Units at his mine. All future play is governed by the rules that follow:

Players must now transport their Units in lorries to the Warehouse at Newport. Lorries carry 1 or 2 Units-never more. They follow the white road lines. Each "town" (grey circles) represents one space. The shortest route to Newport is a 7-space journey.

The player who began now takes his second turn. Before he throws the dice (a) he should examine the top Production Card to see what gain or loss will come to him if he has to take it. (b) he must carry out any financial transactions he wishes.

He will certainly want to hire one or two lorries. Suppose he has 4 Units. He can hire 1 lorry (for £5,000) load 2 Units into it and leave 2 Units at his mine-this gives him a cash reserve of £5,000 plus 2 Units, worth £10,000. Or, he can hire 2 lorries (£10,000) load 2 Units into each and so leave no cash reserve.

If the Lorry Pool is empty, players wanting transport must, of course, wait until lorries are returned.

Having paid for his lorry or lorries, the player throws the dice. The dice Is used to move transport, to bring more production and to bring the Production Cards into play.

Each time a player throws a 2, 3, 4 or 5 he only uses it to move his transport-if he has any, if he has no transport he takes no further action (but he is compensated-see Tax Rebate).

Each time a player throws a 1 or 6 he must (a) take the top Production Card, obey its instructions and place it face downwards on the discard pile. (b) claim 1 more Production Unit (which may be immediately placed in any lorry standing at the mine if it is not already fully loaded). (c) move his transport 1 space or 6 spaces according to the throw.

Once the dice has been thrown no financial transactions may be made except as demanded by a Production Card.

Each Production Unit at a mine is worth £5,000.

Lorries can only be hired if a player can immediately load at least 1 Unit into each. If more Units are available they must be loaded until all lorries at the mine are full. Players may never unload lorries (except at the demand of a Production Card) nor transfer loads from one to another-they may never have empty lorries standing at the mine.

Players may not share lorry transport and may not own lorries and barges at the same time. (they can own lorries and ships at the same time).

Lorries can only be hired from the Pool.

As soon as a lorry reaches Newport the load must be left in the Warehouse and the lorry returned to the Pool. The Units unloaded may not be sold until the player's next or a sub sequent turn.

The profit on a full load delivered to Newport is:
2 Units at Newport     £40,000
Less value at mine     £10,000
Less lorry hire        £5,000
                       £15,000
        Net profit     £25,000

Moving Lorries
Lorries may not pass one another nor may they reverse or turn round. Only one lorry may be at any one "town". To enter Newport an exact throw is not necessary.

A player may move only one lorry in each turn (unless instructed by a Production Card). If he has more than one lorry on the road he must move any lorry that enables him to use the full throw of the dice (entering Newport counts as using the full dice throw). If he is unable to use the full dice throw he may move any lorry he chooses.

Tax Rebate
There will be times when the mines bring no production. When this happens, and provided the player has no transport of any kind on hire either standing or in transit, each time he fails to gain Production Units he claims a tax rebate of £2,500.

Additional Workings
In a short time, provided they watch the Production Cards carefully, players will acquire cash, which will enable them to buy an additional working, bringing increased production. An extra working costs £50,000. A player may not own more than two. Each time a player with 2 workings throws a 1 or 6 he claims 3 Production Units.

What constitutes a turn
At each turn, in the following order, a player must-1. do any buying, selling or hiring. 2. throw the dice. If he throws a 1 or 6 he must-(a) take the top Production Card and obey its instructions. Then he may (b) claim his Production Units; (c) move his transport (if the Production Card has not already moved it.)

This game is set in developing country where transport economy Is vital. The Minister of Transport has decreed that all barge and ship transport must travel fully loaded. Therefore, when a player charters a barge or ship, if he cannot complete the load with his own goods he must complete it with the goods of another player, by sub-contracting, before the barge or ship may leave.

Barge Transport
Barges carry 5 Units and they must travel fully loaded. They are paid for "by the turn" (considered as a daily hire charge) at the rate of £7,500 per turn.

The hirer is hereafter called the "owner" and anyone sharing his transport is called the "lessee".

A player may only hire a barge if (1) he has at least 1 Unit of his own to load immediately (he can load more of his Units If he wishes); (2) he can complete the necessary load of 5 Units by taking Units from the mines of other players. (It will be realised therefore, that unless there are 5 Units visible at one or more mines, no one is able to hire a barge.)

An owner wanting other players' Units may take them from any mine he wishes, provided the owner can pay for the service (See Creditor's demands). These other players must allow their Units to be taken and they must immediately make the owner a single payment, according to the number of their Units he has taken and loaded.

The rates charged are:
For 1 Unit carried the lessee pays £10,000
For 2 Units carried the lessee pays £20,000
For 3 Units carried the lessee pays £30,000
For 4 Units carried the lessee pays £40,000

These charges are fairly high for three reasons:

(1) the owner has been clever (or lucky) enough to get control of the transport; (2) he takes the risk of the trip being a long one (if the dice throw goes against him) and therefore expensive; (3) whilst the owner carries the lessee's goods, the lessee Is free to move yet more goods In his own turn.

Enforcing Transport Sharing
If a player has Units available and he is called on to complete a cargo, but he cannot pay cash for the transportation, he must immediately sell other Units if he has any at the Warehouse or at his mine. For example: suppose A has 5 Units at his mine but only £5,000 in cash. B wants to complete a cargo. B can take 2 Units from A and compel him to sell the other 3. This will provide an extra £15,000 and so A can pay the £20,000 required.

If a player has no assets at his Warehouse or his mine, to cover transport costs, his Units must not be taken.

Moving Barges on Canals
Players may own both barges and ships at the same time.

The owner of a barge, as soon as he has completed the cargo and received payment from the lessee or lessees, must pay his first £7,500 before setting off. He pays a further £7,500 at each turn before throwing the dice. If, however, the owner does not wish to or is not able to move his barge (he may prefer to move a ship or he may decide to block a canal to frustrate a rival) he may leave it at the mine, or halt it in transit, on payment of £7,500 Standing Charges for each turn.

Players may own more than one barge but they must pay £7,500 for each one at every turn.

To show who owns the barges it is useful to place the owner's Units on the top of the front pile in each vessel.

If, before a barge sets off, the owner has to take a Production Card which compels him to lose some of the cargo, he may "lose" which Units he likes-he may keep his own and lose those belonging to the lessees.

Barges may not overtake one another in the same canal, nor turn back. Only one barge may be on any one space marker. On reaching Newport (an exact throw is not necessary), if the owner does not wish to continue the voyage to sea, the cargo is placed in the Warehouse and the barge is returned to the Pool. If the owner does wish to continue the voyage, and provided the lessee or lessees agree, the barge must remain loaded in the Barge Dock until the owner's next turn, when he may put to sea on the terms given below. It must, of course, be agreed what the destination is to be-Race Bay or St. John or Port Boston.

Barge Transport - Newport to Race Bay or St. John, and Port Boston.
(£7,500 per turn)

At any time, a player may hire a barge to carry Units from Newport overseas, provided he can load at least 1 of his own Units. Barges follow the coastal routes.

As with canal transport, he can compel other players to complete his load. He must declare which Port he is heading for-Race Bay or St. John or Port Boston, and ask for payment at the following rates:

                      To Race Bay     To
                      or St. John     Port Boston
For 1 Unit carried
the lessee pays          £7,500        £15,000
For 2 Units carried
the lessee pays         £15,000        £30,000
For 3 Units carried
the lessee pays         £22,500        £45,000
For 4 Units carried
the lessee pays         £30,000        £60,000

Moving Barges at Sea
The rules are exactly the same as for barges on canals-they must not overtake nor share a space marker.

The owner must put to sea in the same turn in which the barge is chartered, or he can leave it loaded in the Barge Dock, on payment of £7,500 Standing Charges at each turn.

To enter Race Bay, St. John or Port Boston an exact throw is not necessary.

All Units (owners' and lessees') must be sold for dollars immediately on arrival.

Ship Transport-Newport to Port Boston (£25,000 per turn)
Ships carry 10 Units and they must travel fully loaded. A player may only charter a ship if he can immediately load at least 5 of his own Units. If he cannot fill the ship with his own Units he must complete the cargo by taking from the Warehouse whatever Units of other players he wishes, provided their transport can be paid for.

Having completed the cargo he collects pay ments from the lessees at the following rates:

For 1 Unit carried the lessee pays.... £17,500
For 2 Units carried the lessee pays... £35,000
For 3 Units carried the lessee pays... £50,000
For 4 Units carried the lessee pays... £65,000
For 5 Units carried the lessee pays... £80,000

Moving Ships
Ships travel only to Port Boston-by the deep water channel (dark blue).
The owner must pay his first £25,000 before setting off. He pays a further £25,000 at each turn before throwing the dice.
If, however, the owner does not wish or is not able to move his ship from the dock, he may leave it at Newport on payment of £15,000 Standing Charges at each turn. If he leaves his ship standing at sea he pays the full £25,000 each turn.
Ships may not overtake one another nor share a space marker. To enter Port Boston an exact throw Is not necessary.
All Units (owners' and lessees') must be sold for dollars Immediately on arrival.
Dollars may never be exchanged for sterling.

Production Cards
When the last Production Card has been used the discard pile is shuffled and the cards used again.

Owning two types of Transport
Players may own lorries and ships at the same time, or barges and ships at the same time- they may not own lorries and barges at the same time.

If a player possesses two types of transport (lorry and ship or barge and ship) he is free to decide which he will move after his dice throw.

Sale of Units to other Players
Players may, In their turn, sell to the highest bidder their Units standing on the ground at their own mine, or In transport between mine and Newport. Units bought must be exchanged for units of the buyer's own colour.

Units loaded in a lorry or barge standing at the mine may not be sold to another player except to meet a debt.

When Units in transit are sold to another player, they are taken out of the transport and replaced by those of the buyer. If the owner sells all his Units from a lorry or barge in transit, the buyer takes possession of the transport. If it is a barge he must continue with the £7,500 payment at each turn.

Creditor's demands
Players must always reveal their sterling and dollar holdings. If a player has insufficient sterling to meet the demands of Production Cards or the Bank, or another player, he must sell what Units he can. If, after selling all possible Units, he is still in debt he must take a Production Debit Card. If he is operating transport which is emptied it must be returned to the Pool. If he is carrying lessees' Units they are returned to their owners at the point of departure.

Units loaded into ships or barges in dock or at sea, cannot be sold-except by the owner of the vessel. He alone may sell (his own) Units to the Bank if this is necessary to ensure the continuation of the voyage. If he cannot complete the voyage, lessees' Units must be returned to the Warehouse and the vessel to the Pool.

In debt to the Bank
To meet the demands of Production Cards or the Bank a player must sell his Units in the following order: (1) Units standing in the Warehouse or at his mine. If Units are sold from transport at a mine, any empty lorry, or barge not fully loaded, must be returned to the Pool. If other players' Units are in the barge they must be returned to their owners. (2) Units in transit between mine and Newport. If Units are sold to the Bank from a barge in transit it may continue its journey with an incomplete load.

Units in a barge at another player's mine cannot be sold.

In debt to another Player
A player in debt to another player must sell his Units in the same way as when paying the Bank, but Units sold from a barge in transit must be replaced by the creditor.

Copyright © 1965 by John Waddington Ltd.
Castle Gate, Oulton, Leeds LS26 8HG,
Makers of 'CLUEDO' Regd. Trade Mark
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