Diamond Mine

From Looney Pyramid Games Wiki
Diamond Mine
Sam Zitin
Collect Diamonds from hidden Veins
:Players Players: 2 - 4
:Time Length: unknown
:Complexity Complexity: Low
Trios per color: 5
Number of colors: 6 (2 must be opaque)
Pyramid trios:
Monochr. stashes: 6 (2 must be opaque)
Five-color sets:
- - - - - - Other equipment - - - - - -
Chess board, cards indicating numbers 1,2,3
Setup time: two minutes
Playing time:
Strategy depth: Low
Random chance: Some
Game mechanics:
Theme: Gem Collecting
BGG Link: [1] Diamond Mine
Status: Complete (v1.0), Year released: 2009

Summary[edit | edit source]

Diamond Mine is a game of diamond hunting for 2 or 4 players, utilizing Opaque pieces for hidden information, simultaneous programmed movement, and color dependency for scoring as notable mechanics. Players will set up the board by taking turns placing a large opaque piece that has been randomly filled with a medium and small colored piece onto the chess board. The players having placed the hidden information stashes on the board will then each turn place a card facedown on the table to represent how many spaces they would like to move. All players reveal this number simultaneously and may move any direction at that point but they MUST move that many spaces. If they cannot move that many spaces (due to board edges or exhausted veins or other players) they may not move at all. Players move to "veins" and search for colored diamonds. Diamonds of their own color will be worth extra points at the end of the game.

Components Required[edit | edit source]

6 or 7 Icehouse Stashes (2 of which must be Opaque), cards to indicate 1,2, or 3 as chosen by the players (An Ace, 2, 3 from playing cards work great), a Chess board, and an opaque bag for drawing pyramids.

Setup[edit | edit source]

Toss all small and medium colored pyramids into the bag and shake it up to ensure that they are nice and shuffled up. Each player should receive a different colored large pyramid to act as their pawn during the game. The 10 opaque large pyramids should be filled with one small and one medium colored piece to create a nest and then placed down on the table. This can be done by a non playing 3rd party or by placing one of the opaque pyramids into the bag and filling it by feeling and touch. Once all 10 nests are filled players take turns one at a time placing them on the board. They may be placed in any open space that is OUTSIDE the "quadrant" of that player's corner (i.e. outside of their territory in 4 player Martian Chess). A 4 player game will only have 8 nests so each player may place two. Once all the nests are placed, players place their pyramids in the space closest to them and opposite each other (the corners).

Movement[edit | edit source]

Players should have a hand of 3 movement cards, an Ace, 2 and 3 from a deck of playing cards are perfect for this. Each turn all players will select one of those three cards and place them down on the table, when all players have done so they will be revealed. A player MUST move that many squares in a STRAIGHT line. All players reveal their amount of movement simultaneously but will take those movements by taking turns clockwise. The first player to act in each round advances clockwise as well, the first to act in one round will be the last to act in the next. Movement is restricted by board edges, other players and exhausted (tipped over to indicate empty) veins. If a player finds themselves in a situation where they CAN move the amount they have indicated on their card they MUST even if the result is not desirable to them. If they find themselves in a situation where they CAN NOT move that amount then they may not move at all. Players may not move into another player's home square.

Diamond Collecting[edit | edit source]

When a player lands on an intact vein they may explore it by lifting up the opaque piece and showing to all players the colored pieces that are inside it. A player may also take any of those pieces that they can carry. Each player may carry up to 3 pips of pieces at one time (either a small and a medium or three smalls). A player may drop any of the pieces they are holding for free into an empty square at any point during their movement but only one piece at a time. Any player moving through a square with a dropped piece may pick it up during their movement for free. A player must move back to their home square to "offload" the pieces. As soon as a player touches their home square any diamonds they are carrying are automatically offloaded to be scored at the end of the game.

Exhausting veins[edit | edit source]

As soon as a vein is empty of all diamonds then it is considered to be exhausted. Tip it over on it's side to indicate this. Exhausted veins block movement and those squares become inaccessible for the rest of the game. The only exception to this is that exhausted veins adjacent to any players home square do not block movement for anyone.

Ending the game[edit | edit source]

A two player game ends when 6 veins are exhausted. A 4 player game ends when all 8 are exhausted.

Scoring[edit | edit source]

Small pieces are worth 1 point, mediums are worth 2. Any pieces that are of a player's color are worth DOUBLE. In a 2 player game, randomly determine which one of the colors not possessed by either player represent "Flawless" diamonds. Pieces of this color are worth TRIPLE. In a 4 player game, the players may elect to add in a 5th non opaque color to represent the "Flawless" triple scoring diamonds.

Entered in the Icehouse Game Design Competition, Spring 2009
Winner: Apophis 2nd: Landing Zone 3rd: 3-High
4th: Diamond Mine 5th: Who Made The Team