Mine a Million facts for kids
The Business Game Box Cover
|
|
| Publisher(s) | Waddingtons |
|---|---|
| Players | 2–6 |
| Setup time | 5–15 minutes |
| Playing time | Approximately 1.5–3 hours |
| Random chance | Medium (dice rolling, card drawing) |
| Skill(s) required | Calculation, Resource management |
Mine a Million (also known as The Business Game) is a fun board game from 1965. It was made by Waddingtons. In this game, 2 to 6 players pretend to be in the tin mining business. Your goal is to dig up tin, move it to different markets, and sell it to make a lot of money. The "million" in the game's name means you need to earn a million dollars to win!
The game takes place in a country where moving goods around is super important. A special rule says that all transport vehicles must be completely full. This means you might need to team up with other players to fill your trucks or boats.
Contents
What's in the Box?
The game comes with a playing board. You also get 12 mine derricks, which are like small towers for mining. There are 6 lorries (trucks), 5 barges (flat-bottom boats), and 2 ships.
You'll find 90 pyramids and 94 cubes. These represent the tin you mine. The game also includes 26 Production Cards and 6 Canal Company Title Deeds. There are 2 Production Debit Cards, one die for rolling, and paper money in both British pounds and US dollars.
How to Play Mine a Million
In Mine a Million, players dig up, move, and sell "units" of tin. Each player starts with one mining derrick at their mine.
You produce tin by rolling the die. If you can move this tin to Newport, you can sell it for British pounds. You use this money to buy more transport vehicles. You can also buy a second mine derrick to produce more tin.
The game has three main stages:
Starting with Lorries
At first, you use lorries (trucks) to move your tin. The goal in this stage is to earn enough money. You also want to increase how much tin you can produce.
Moving to Barges
After a while, you will have enough money to start a canal company. Then, you can use barges on the canals. Barges are more expensive than lorries. However, they can carry more tin faster to Newport.
Transporting by Sea
Finally, players begin to move tin across the sea. You can use barges to go slowly around the coast. Or, you can use ships to go much faster. Overseas, at places like Race Bay, St. John’s, or Port Boston, you sell your tin for dollars. Before shipping by sea, you need enough pounds to pay for the journey.
Game Rules and Objectives
The main goal of the game is to make one million dollars. You earn dollars by selling tin units in the overseas ports. The easiest way to win is to get 10 units to Port Boston. This is the furthest port. Then, get 5 more units to Race Bay or St. John's.
Moving Your Tin Units
There are three ways to move tin: by lorry, barge, and ship. You don't buy these vehicles. Instead, you lease them. You must have enough tin units to fill them. Or, you can get other players to help fill them. The number of vehicles available changes. This adds a fun challenge as players compete for transport.
Lorry Transport
The first part of the game is the lorry phase. Lorries can carry two tin units. They can travel to the Newport Warehouse in the middle of the board. Lorries are cheap to use. Players start with little money and tin. So, lorries help you build up your starting cash.
Barge Transport
When you have enough money, you move to the barge phase. Barges are slower and cost more than lorries. But they can carry five units of tin. At least two of these units must be your own. Barges can also cross the sea to the other continent. There, you can sell your tin for dollars. A key rule is that you cannot use both barges and lorries at the same time.
Ship Transport
Ships are even bigger. They can carry 10 units of tin. Five of these units must belong to you. Ships travel across the ocean much faster than barges. They are also much more expensive. Ships cannot travel inland to the mines. You must first get your tin to the central warehouse. From there, ships can start their journey. It is possible to win the game without using ships.
Selling Your Tin
You must do all your money business before you roll the die. You can sell tin at your mine. However, the price there is very low. So, players usually don't do this unless they really need cash.
Instead, you transport tin to the Newport Warehouse. There, each unit is worth £20,000. Or, you can take it to one of the overseas ports. At Race Bay or St. John's, each unit sells for $40,000. At Port Boston, the furthest port, each unit is worth $80,000.
Special Cards
When you roll a one or a six, you get a special card. These cards have different events. Some are good, like free transport to an overseas port. Others can be bad, like an earthquake destroying tin in the warehouse.
Winning Strategies
One smart strategy is to get other players to help you. You can make them complete loads for your barges or ships. They pay you money for using your transport.
The End of the Game
The first player to earn one million dollars wins the game!
Game Versions
In 1970, Mine a Million was given a new name: The Business Game. The only real difference was the box size. The Business Game came in a smaller box. Its board folded into three parts instead of just two.
