Logger

From Looney Pyramid Games Wiki
Logger
Designed by Erik Dresner
A lumberjack-themed game for 2-4 players
:Players Players: 2 - 4
:Time Length: unknown
:Complexity Complexity: Medium
Trios per color: 3 to 5
Number of colors: 3 to 5
Pyramid trios:
Monochr. stashes: 3 to 5
Five-color sets: 3 to 5
- - - - - - Other equipment - - - - - -
Volcano caps, 5x5 board
Setup time: 2 minutes
Playing time:
Strategy depth: Medium
Random chance: None
Game mechanics:
Theme: Lumberjacks
BGG Link: Logger
Status: Complete (v1.0), Year released: 2008



Background[edit | edit source]

Four rival lumberjacks are competing to chop down the most trees for their business. However, standing in their way are tree-hugging hippies protesting the deforestation.

Materials[edit | edit source]

::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML ::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML
::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML ::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML
:Volcano ::S::S::S::S
A total of 64 pyramids are needed
  • 20 large, 20 medium, and 20 small pyramids in any color(s) to represent trees.
  • 4 small pyramids in their own distinct color to represent hippies. (That is, distinct from any of the tree-colors you are using.)
  • 4 of anything in 4 different colors to represent the loggers, one for each player. (In the examples the loggers appear as medium pyramids that are different colors than the trees.)

Glossary[edit | edit source]

The following terms are used in Logger:

::L ::ML ::SML ::L ::ML ::SML
Seedling Sapling Mature Tree generic "tree"
::S ::M ::M
Protester 2 Loggers

Tree - Any seedling, sapling or mature tree on the board.

Seedling - A large pyramid

Sapling - A large pyramid with a medium pyramid stacked on it

Mature Tree - A stack of pyramids. From top to bottom: small, medium, large.

Protester - Denoted by a volcano cap

Logger - A piece representing the player. Denoted by a medium pyramid of a color not used for trees. Non-Icehouse pieces like meeples may be also used.

Setup[edit | edit source]

Place a seedling in the center square of the board. The remaining pyramid pieces from the Rainbow stash are kept aside in a common pool of tree pieces. Starting with the first player, each player places his logger on a corner of the board. Each player also starts with 1 protester in his or her supply (2 protesters for a 2-player game). Remember who went first as this will be important at the end game.

::SML::SML::SML::SML::SM
::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML
::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML
::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML
common pool
::MPU ::MPU
::LPU
::MPU ::MPU
Seedling center, loggers in corners
::S
::S
::S
::S
Protesters

Note: the color of pyramids in the common pool does not matter. For trees, only the size is important.

Goal[edit | edit source]

The winner is the player with the most points at the end of the game. Though scoring 10 points triggers the end game, having 10 points may not be enough for victory.

Gameplay[edit | edit source]

No Diagonals - Diagonals do not exist in Logger. Any rule pertaining to adjacency or movement is orthogonal only.

Each player's turn consists of three parts: Movement, Growth and Action.

Movement - Move your logger up to two spaces. Loggers may not occupy or walk through spaces occupied by trees or other loggers.

Growth - All trees in the same row and column your logger occupies grow 1 stage. All seedlings become saplings and all saplings become mature trees. Mature trees produce 1 seedling in any space adjacent to them if able. Please note growth of all trees is considered simultaneous, so no tree should experience two stages of growth in one turn, nor should any seedlings newly spawned from a mature tree this turn. All trees in your logger's row and column must grow or create a new seedling if able.

Action - There are three options in the Action phase: Plant, Protest and Chop. You must perform an action if able. This phase is skipped if your logger is unable to perform any action.

Plant - Plant one seedling in any space adjacent to your logger.

Protest - You may place one or more protesters from your supply onto mature trees. Protested trees may not be directly chopped down by any player.

Chop - Chop down an unprotested mature tree adjacent to your logger by removing it from the board. Chopping will create a domino effect. Any mature tree behind the first chopped tree will also be considered chopped and so on regardless if they have protesters on them not. This process stops when either the edge of the board or a space occupied by anything other than a mature tree is reached. Score 1 point for each mature tree removed in this way. Add any protesters from felled trees to your supply.

For example, a given row can have this formation: Player-Mature Tree-Mature Tree-Sapling-Mature Tree. When the player chops the first tree, the second one will be removed as well. However, the domino effect ends at the sapling because it is not fully mature. The sapling and the last mature tree remain on the board.

Top-down view
::MPU ::SMLPU ::SMLPU ::MLPU ::SMLPU
Side view
  ::M     ::SML     ::SML     ::ML     ::SML  

Example Chopping: When the player chops the first tree, the second one
will be removed as well. However, the domino effect ends at the sapling
because it is not fully mature. The sapling and the last mature tree remain
on the board.

End Game[edit | edit source]

Logger is a game of equal turns. When a player reaches 10 points, the end game condition is reached. All players who have not had a turn this round will get one final turn. (Example: Player 2 reaches 10 points. Players 3 and 4 will receive one additional turn, but Player 1 does not. However, if Player 4 reaches 10 points, the game ends immediately.)


::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML
::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML
::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML
::SML::SML::SML
Player one: 10 points Player two: 8 points
Player one wins with more points


::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML
::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML
::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML
::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML
Player one: 10 points Player two: 11 points
Player one triggered game-end but Player two
chopped 2 more trees on his final turn. Player two wins.


::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML
::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML
::S ::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML
::SML::SML::SML::SML::SML
::S::S
Player one: 10 points Player two: 10 points
Players tie in points; Player two wins with more protesters


The player with the most points at the end of the game wins. In case of a tie, the player with more protesters in reserve wins.

External Links[edit | edit source]

Rules available in French at jeux-icehouse.

Featured in Pyramid Arcade 22 More Great Games
Little Else Required
Apophis · Egyptian Solitaire · Freeze Tag
Gleebs and Grues · Logger · Timelock · Penguin Soccer
More Pyramids Required
Icehouse · Quicksand · Torpedo · Undercut
More Pyramids + Other Stuff Required
Alien City · Blam! · Builders of R'lyeh · Gnostica
Pikemen · Pylon · RAMbots · Stack Control
Subdivision · Synapse-Ice · Zendo
Entered in the Icehouse Game Design Competition, Summer 2008
Winner: Ambush 2nd: Logger 3rd: Albiorix 4th: Virus_Fight 5th: Atom_Smasher
6th: Dog_Eat_Dog & Martian_BattleSpires 8th: Pass_The_Pyramids 9th: T-Minus 10th: Tresurion