Gnaughty Gnomes
Gnaughty Gnomes Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Overview
Players: 4 (For 2-Player see Variant at end of rules)
Gnaughty Gnomes is a fixed partnership, may-follow trick-taking game in which cards played will impact a grid made up of 13 hex cards representing the four different types of mushrooms growing in the forest.
The game consists of a single hand of 8 tricks.
The result of each trick will grant the players different gnome placement options, based on their ranking within that trick. Each gnome placement is assessed for area majorities and scoring mushrooms as points. Clever teamwork and gnome placement will score the most valuable mushrooms and lead you to victory.
Components
- 32 cards (4 suits from 1 to 8)
- 4 X cards - 1 per suit
- 13 hexagon mushroom cards - 3 each of 4 types and 1 white card for the center space
- 4 suit strength discs
- 2 sets of team discs, 16 per team (blue and white). These represent the gnomes.
- 4 turn order cards
- 1 suit strength/VP card
- 1 2P Variant Player Aid card
Setup
- Partners should be seated opposite each other.
- Randomly determine a start player.
- Shuffle the deck of 32 cards and randomly deal each player 8 cards.
- Shuffle the deck of 4 X cards and randomly deal each play 1 card.
- Set the turn order cards within easy reach of all players.
- Give each player 8 of their team's gnome markers.
- Arrange the suit strength markers, 1 of each color, in a random order on the suit strength/VP card.
- Randomly place the 13 hex shaped mushroom cards with the white one in the center. If the same color is adjacent 3 times then move one of them to another location so that it is not adjacent to the same color. Your starting board should look similar to the image on the following spread.
Game Play
Gnaughty Gnomes is a may-follow trick-taking game. This means that a player may legally play any card from their hand on their turn. Each player will have a hand of 9 cards but only 8 will be played. Starting with the randomly selected start player, each player will play a card from their hand clockwise from the starting player. During trick resolution you determine where each player finishes on a trick based on the current suit strength track and the cards played this trick.
Note: The intention is for there to be no open communication between partners. However, players are welcome to decide to allow communication before starting if they so choose.
Determining Player Order
After all players have played a card, check the suits played. If multiple players played the same color suit, then check card rank (8 is the highest, 1 is the lowest). The player with the highest rank in the strongest suit represented takes the 1 turn order card. The player with the lowest rank in the weakest suit represented takes the 4 turn order card. The 2 and 3 cards are likewise assigned according to their position in the trick.
In the example below, player 1 plays the red 6 and wins the trick. They are given the turn order card marked with a 1 to show that they will take the first action. Player 2 has the 2nd highest card (Red 2) and takes the 2 card to show they will take the second action, Player 4 (Purple 5) has the next highest card and is given the 3 card, while player 3 (Black 1) has played the weakest card and takes the turn order card marked with a 4. Player 1 will take the first action.
X Cards
Each suit includes 1 X card. During setup each player is randomly dealt 1 X card to add to their hand. An X card can be played like any other card.
At the time that it is played, the player determines the rank of the X card. They will also announce if it is "high" or "low" in order to avoid any potential ties. For example, if an X card is played as an 8 and announced as high, an 8 from the matching suit in the same trick would be considered lower.
Suit Strength/VP Card
This track will have multiple purposes in the game. It will determine the suit strength and thus decide player order as previously described. It will also determine the current mushroom value in the form of victory points for each color (5,4,3,2) as indicated directly above each color.
Note: The track will be adjusted several times throughout the game and value of each mushroom color will change.
Finally, during the clean up phase, the track will be adjusted based on the color and rank of the winning card. The numbers on the bottom of the track (1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8) indicate the location that the winning suit will be moved to based on the rank of the card that was played by the trick winner. Please note that if a trick is won with an X card the track is adjusted as usual based on the rank assigned to the X card.
Gnome Placement
There are 3 placement options available based on turn order. The turn order cards are marked 1 (+1 Point), 2, 3, and 4 (Lead Next).
Note: The center white hex does not correspond to a suit and is not evaluated for control. All of the white hex's edges are considered "outer" edges.
Trick Winner
The player that played the strongest card on a trick (turn order card 1) will take the first action. First they immediately score 1 point for their team as a reward for winning the trick. They will next place one gnome from their team's supply on an open side of a hex whose color was represented in this trick. Due to winning the trick, their placement is restricted to a side that is not touching any other hex. In other words, they are allowed to place a gnome on an hex side on the outer edge of the board or a hex side touching the center hex of the board.
Whichever played card is used for this selection is then flipped over to show that it is no longer available for selection by players later in the turn order.
Middle
Players who finish in the middle of the trick, as indicated by turn order cards 2 and 3, will have a choice for their placement. They can either place a gnome on a side that is not touching any other hex (just like the Trick Winner) OR they can place a gnome on a side such that it is touching two hexes.
Whichever played card is used for this selection is then flipped over to show that it is no longer available for selection by players later in the turn order.
Trick Loser
The player who played the weakest card on a trick (turn order card 4) will take the last action. They will place one gnome from their team's supply on any open hex side of the remaining color that was played on this trick. Due to losing the trick, their placement options are the same as the Middle players OR they can place a gnome on any vertex (corners of hexes). In other words, they can place a gnome in any open space that is not currently occupied by another gnome.
Scoring
Each player checks for scoring immediately after placing their gnome. Every hex that is adjacent to the just placed gnome is checked for potential scoring. This will always be 1, 2, or 3 hexes depending on placement of the gnome as previously described.
New Majority
If a new majority is created, the team that just placed scores the full amount of current victory points for that mushroom. At least one of your opponent's gnomes must also be adjacent.
In addition, only new majorities score and only the team placing the gnome will have the potential to score. Therefore, if you already have the majority on a hex and your placement adds to that majority you would not score it again.
Ties
If there is a tie created between the teams for control of a hex, the team that just placed scores ½ (rounded down) of the current victory points for that color.
In the example shown on the next page, player 1 is 1st to act (turn order card 1) and they will do a Trick Winner action and immediately score 1 point and then place a gnome disc adjacent to one hex side (outer edge of the purple hex). The purple card is flipped over and now unavailable to the other players to select. They immediately would check for scoring and as there are no other gnomes (at that time) adjacent to that purple hex then no scoring takes place.
Player 2 is next to act and using a Middle action they select one of the available red cards and place a gnome disc on a side of the red hex that is also touching the adjacent purple hex. Scoring is now checked for both the adjacent red and purple hexes. This creates a tie for influence on the purple hex and that team would score 2 points as currently purple is worth 4 victory points and in a tie you score ½ (rounded down). The red hex does not score as at the time of placement there are no other gnomes on that hex. Player 2 flips over one of the red cards (it does not matter which).
Player 4 is next to play and using a Middle action they place a gnome adjacent to the black hex and flip over the black card that they used for that selection. They do not score for either the adjacent red hex or the black hex. The red hex already had a gnome for their team but not for their opponent. As a result they do not have a majority and are not eligible to score.
Player 3 is the last to act as the Trick Loser. They select the remaining card (red) and opt to place a gnome in a corner location adjacent to a red hex. This placement influences three different hexes (red/orange/black). All three hexes would then be checked for potential scoring.
The red hex is not scored as their team does not create a tie or new majority. The orange hex is not scored as they are the only gnome influencing that hex. The black hex does score as they have created a tie with the other team. They would score 1 point - ½ rounded down of the current victory points for black.
Clean Up
After the resolution of each trick, the suit strength track is adjusted. The color of the suit that won the trick is adjusted from its current position to the position of the suit strength track that corresponds to the rank of the winning card.
From the previous example, player 1 won with a red 6. After the trick is resolved, the red suit strength marker would be dropped to the next to last position on the strength track and as a result the new order would go: purple, black, red, orange.
All cards played on this trick are then discarded out of the game and the loser of the last trick will lead the next trick. All turn order cards are returned and assigned again during each trick resolution.
Game End
After the 8th trick has been played and scoring has taken place, the team with the highest score wins the game. Their gnomes are emancipated from the garden to dance and celebrate in the forest. The loser's gnomes stare at them, utterly sober, blinking.
In case of a tie, the team with the strongest card left in hand based on the final suit strength track is the winner. Their gnomes are still emancipated, but first gather at the loser's garden fence to jeer at them before dancing away to celebrate in the forest, freely but much less profoundly.
2-Player Variant
In the 2-player version both players will have a dummy partner. The game play will remain the same but set up will be modified to include the dummy partners, a minor modification during the clean-up phase and the use of 1 additional card to aid the playing experience.
Set-Up and Clean-Up Changes
Place the 2P Variant Player Aide card on the table and have the players sit in their respective places according to the card. Each dummy partner is considered as seated opposite their partner as normal. When a card is played it should be placed next to the appropriate side of the player aid card to reflect which player played the card (Player 1, Player 2, Dummy 1, Dummy 2).
Deal each player 8 cards and 1 wild card as normal. The dummy partners each get dealt 4 cards face down and then 4 cards face up on top of those cards. In addition, each dummy partner is dealt 1 wild card face up with no card below it. When a dummy partner card is played it can be any of their currently face up cards.
Trick resolution and actions are then followed as per the normal rules. During the clean-up phase any face down card for a dummy partner that is now uncovered is flipped face up and available for play.