El Gaucho Game Rules

Welcome to the exciting world of El Gaucho, a game that will transport you to the magnificent pampas of Argentina. Join me on this adventure as we dive into the rules and strategies of this captivating game.

First, let’s talk about the objective of El Gaucho. The goal is to become the most successful cattle baron by amassing the largest herds of cattle. But beware! The fierce competition amongst players means that you must outmaneuver and outwit your opponents to claim victory.

Now, let’s delve into the gameplay mechanics. You start the game with a small herd of cattle that you can expand by acquiring more cattle cards. Each cattle card has a different value assigned to it, representing the quality and size of the cattle. Your aim is to collect cards with higher values to increase the worth of your herd.

But how do you acquire more cattle cards? This is where the market cards come into play. These market cards depict the different cattle breeds available for purchase. Each turn, a new market card is revealed, presenting an opportunity for you to add to your herd. However, keep in mind that the market is ever-changing, and the availability of certain breeds may vary.

Not only is timing crucial when acquiring cattle cards, but you must also carefully manage your funds. In El Gaucho, you have a limited budget, represented by coins. You must strategize and budget your coins wisely to ensure you don’t overspend and end up bankrupt.

Furthermore, it is essential to keep an eye on your opponents. Through careful observation, you can anticipate their moves and adapt your strategy accordingly. El Gaucho is a game of skill, wit, and intuition, where the ability to read your opponents can make or break your success.

As you progress through the rounds, you will notice that certain cattle breeds form herds. If you manage to build a complete herd of the same breed, you earn bonus points, enhancing your chances of victory. So, be on the lookout for opportunities to form complete herds.

Now that you have a solid grasp of the rules, it’s time to step into the colorful world of El Gaucho. Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of the Argentinean pampas, strategize your moves, and become the ultimate cattle baron. Are you up for the challenge? Let the game begin!

In “El Gaucho,” I become a cattle baron and send my gauchos to the Pampa to gather as many majestic cattle as I can.

My gauchos display their skills at the dice rodeo, where their performance in training determines how successfully they catch cattle in the field. I strategize and interfere with my opponents by using clever tricks to snatch the most valuable cattle right from under their noses or by swinging my lasso to steal one of their animals.

Back at home, I categorize my cattle by breed and gather them into herds, which I later sell for as many Pesos as possible.

The goal of the game is to make the most money by selling herds of cattle throughout the game and at the end. The larger my herd, the more money I earn. However, I shouldn’t underestimate the value of selling many small herds. It’s important to make use of special actions whenever I have the opportunity.

Now let’s talk about the components of the game.

• I have a game board that shows the Pampa, 6 Action Areas, and the Dice Rodeo.
• I also have 4 fences.
• There are 60 Cattle Tiles, with 12 tiles for each of the 5 races.
• I have 4 Scoring Tiles in the 4 player colors, with values of 100 and 200.
• I also have 32 Gaucho Tokens, 8 for each player color.
• I have 4 Money Indicators, one for each player color.
• And of course, I have 9 dice.
• Lastly, there’s a black Start Player Token.

Setup

To start, I place the game board on the table. Then, I assemble the 4 fence pieces so that they fit in the indentations on the game board. This encloses the Dice Rodeo.

If I’m playing a 2-player game, I need to remove 4 dice from the game. For a 3-player game, I remove 2 dice.

Next, I place the remaining dice inside the fenced-in area. Now, I’m ready to play!

When you’re playing a game with just two players, here’s what you need to do: take the 12 Cattle Tiles of one race and put 6 of them face down on the Pasture Spaces that have the symbol “not used in 2-player games.” This way, you know that those spaces are not available. The other 6 tiles of that race can be put back in the game box.

Now, take the remaining Cattle Tiles, shuffle them up, and place them face down in the Pampa. Here’s how you do it: start by filling the Pastures one by one, beginning with the smallest Pasture, which is number 4 (the bottom row).

For each Pasture, place one Cattle Tile face up on each Pasture Space, starting with number 5. But here’s the catch: you have to stop placing tiles in a Pasture as soon as the total Cattle Value of all the tiles in that Pasture adds up to 20 or more. So pay attention to those big numbers!

When playing a game with three players, it’s important to note that some spaces should not have any tiles placed on them. These spaces are indicated by the “not used in 3-player games” symbol.

Let me show you an example of how to properly place Cattle Tiles on the Pastures:

A) Take a look at the second Pasture from the top. If the total Cattle Value of the tiles in this Pasture is below 20, no more tiles should be placed here because it’s already full.

B) Now, let’s move on to the largest Pasture. The first two Cattle Tiles have a combined value of 18. To make the total value greater than 20, we need to add another tile. This additional tile has a value of 5. Since the total value is now above 20, we should not add any more Cattle Tiles to this Pasture.

Alright, here’s what you need to do to set up the game:

First, grab four Cattle Tiles and place them face-down on the Steppe space (that’s space number six). Then, take all the leftover Cattle Tiles and create a face-down draw pile next to the game board.

Next, it’s time to choose your player color. Pick the Scoring Tile and seven Gauchos of your chosen color. If you’re playing with two or three players, you’ll want to take all eight Gauchos of your color.

Now, let’s get your Money Indicator set up. Place it on space “0” of the Pesos Track (that’s number eight). Remember, the player who has most recently been in South America or rolls the highest number on two dice gets to be the Start Player and receives the Start Player Token.

Tip: Before diving into the game, I recommend taking a moment to explain the rules to everyone playing. It’ll make things go much smoother!

Preliminary Round

When we start the game, we all get a chance to choose some Cattle Tiles. We each draw 3 tiles (but the number is different depending on how many players we have). We take a look at the tiles we drew and decide which ones we want to keep. There are some rules about how many we can keep and their values.

If we choose to keep three tiles, they all have to be worth 4 or lower. If we keep two tiles, they both have to be worth 8 or lower. And if we only keep one tile, it can be worth any value. Any tiles we don’t choose, we have to remove from the game.

Once we’ve chosen our tiles, we place them face up in front of us. These tiles are the first members of our Cattle Herds. We put each race in its own row, so they’re organized and easy to see.

Imagine you and two friends are playing a game. To start, we need to set up the board. We’ll use two of the discarded Cattle Tiles to cover the unused Pasture Spaces.

When You Put a Gaucho on an Empty Action Space:

When it’s my turn, I pick one of my Gauchos to put on an Action Space that matches my color. It starts with the player on the right of the Start Player and goes in a counter-clockwise order. In this first round, each player has to pick a different Action Area.

How to Play

The Start Player rolls all the dice in the Dice Rodeo. When it’s my turn, I choose 2 dice from the ones available, and then I do the actions specified by those dice. After that, it’s the next player’s turn, and they also choose 2 dice and do their actions. This keeps going until everyone has had a turn.

Each time it’s a new player’s turn, there are fewer dice to choose from. Usually, the last player can only pick from 3 dice. When the round is over, the player to the left of the Start Player becomes the new Start Player, and we play another round just like before.

What I Can Do

In the game of Cattle Tiles, your goal is to collect as many of these valuable tiles as possible. To do this, you’ll need to strategically use the dice that are available to you. The dice allow you to claim Cattle Tiles from the Pampa, the open field where the tiles are located. But remember, you can only collect the tiles at the end of the round if all the tiles in a particular area, called a Pasture, have been claimed.

Each die you choose gives you the opportunity to take one action. You have a few options for what you can do with each die. You can also choose to combine multiple dice together and use their total value to perform a more powerful action. However, keep in mind that if you choose to combine the dice, you’ll only be able to perform one action instead of multiple.

Actions In The Pampa

The Pampa is where your Gauchos go to catch Cattle. Here are the three actions you can take:

Alright, here’s the deal. You gotta take one of those Gaucho figures you have and put it on one of those empty Cattle Tiles. It’s pretty simple, all you need to do is roll 1 or 2 dice and the total needs to match the big number on the tile, got it?

Okay, let me explain what you need to do. First, take a Gaucho from your supply and lay it flat on an empty Cattle Tile. You’ll need to use either 1 or 2 dice, and the total value of the dice must match the small number shown on the tile. It’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it.

Alright, let’s talk about raising Gauchos on Cattle Tiles. It’s a cool move you can make in the game. Here’s how it works:

First, you need to get one of your Gauchos and put them on a Cattle Tile. To do this, you can use 1 or 2 dice. The total value of the dice must be equal to the small number on the tile. For example, if the small number is 11, you’ll need to roll a 5 and a 6. Once you’ve done that, you can place your Gaucho on the tile.

But wait, there’s another way to do it! You can also achieve the same result in two steps. First, you use a die with a value of 5 to put a Gaucho on the Cattle Tile. Then, you use another die with a value of 5 to raise that Gaucho. This makes them even more powerful and gives you an extra advantage in the game.

So there you have it, two ways to raise Gauchos on Cattle Tiles. It’s a strategic move that can really make a difference in your gameplay. Give it a try and see how it works for you!

Putting Actions into Practice

Here’s what I think about putting actions into the action areas: it’s like taking a puzzle and putting all the pieces together to make a complete picture. The puzzle won’t make sense if some of the pieces are missing or don’t fit in the right places. Just like completing a puzzle, there are certain things I need to keep in mind when I want to put my actions into practice.

Firstly, I have to understand what the action areas are and how they relate to the overall goal. Each action area represents a different aspect of the goal, and they all work together to achieve a desired outcome. It’s like a team of superheroes, each with their unique abilities, coming together to save the day.

Once I have a clear understanding of the action areas, I can start brainstorming ideas for actions that I can take. This is where my creativity comes into play. I can think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions to problems. I don’t have to limit myself to what has been done before; I can create my own path.

Next, I need to prioritize my actions. Some actions may have a greater impact on the overall goal than others. By prioritizing my actions, I can make sure that I am focusing my time and energy on the things that will make the biggest difference. It’s like putting the most important pieces of the puzzle in first, so that the picture starts to take shape.

Once I have my actions prioritized, it’s time to take action! This is where the rubber meets the road, and I actually start putting my plans into motion. It’s important to stay focused and committed to my actions, even when things get tough. Actions are only effective if I follow through and see them through to the end.

Finally, I have to evaluate the results of my actions. Did they have the desired impact? Did they move me closer to my goal? If not, I may need to reassess and make adjustments. It’s like taking a step back and looking at the puzzle to see if everything fits together correctly. If not, I can make changes and try again.

Putting actions into the action areas is like a journey. It requires planning, creativity, commitment, and evaluation. But when I do it right, the end result is a complete and successful picture. So, remember to think outside the box, prioritize your actions, stay committed, and evaluate your progress. With these steps in mind, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your goals and making a positive impact.

Hey there! Welcome to the place where you can unlock some awesome moves for your future turns. Want to know the trick to victory? Well, here’s the tip: Special Actions are where it’s at!

All you gotta do is pick one of your Gauchos and put them on an empty Action Space that matches your color in any of the Action Areas.

So here’s the deal: when you roll a 1, 2, or 3 on a die, you can take one of three actions: you can either go to the Sort, Wish, or Immediate Sale Action Space. Now, the other Action Spaces have some specific requirements in terms of the dice value you need to roll.

But wait, here’s a little trick: if you roll a 2 and a 3, you can combine them to make a 5 and use that to occupy an Action Space. Pretty cool, right?

Now, there are a couple of rules you need to keep in mind. Firstly, you can’t put more than one Gaucho on any Action Space. So, choose wisely! Secondly, you can’t occupy an Action Space and use it on the same turn. That means you can’t use a Gaucho right after you place one, and you can’t place a Gaucho on a Space that you just used. However, you can place a Gaucho on one Space and use another on the same turn. It’s all about strategy.

Lastly, if you start running low on Gauchos, don’t worry. You can always remove one of your Gauchos from an Action Space or from the Pampa to replenish your supply. Easy peasy!

Just a friendly reminder: Always use dice that match the required values exactly. If you don’t have the right dice for the action you want to take, tough luck. Keep the dice you use in front of you.

Picking up Cattle at the End of the Round

Once the last player finishes their turn, it’s time to gather the cattle. Take a look at each pasture in the Pampa and check if all the cattle tiles in that pasture have gauchos standing on them. If a pasture is completely occupied, remove your gauchos along with the tiles they’re standing on.

Note: Cattle tiles with gauchos lying on them stay in their pasture.

In this field, we don’t gather all our animals because not all the spots are taken.

Here, the cowboys standing on the tiles come back to us along with the cattle tiles they’re on. The cowboys lying down stay in the field.

All the spots in this field are full, but none of them have a cowboy standing on them. So nothing happens here this time.

Put the cowboys you removed back in your personal supply. You can use them again later. Arrange the cattle tiles you collected in rows in front of you, with one row for each group. Each row represents a group of cattle. If possible, continue existing groups from previous rounds. Always add new tiles to the right of a group.

If you get more than one tile of the same group (from one or more fields), you can decide which order to add the tiles to the group.

The Meaning of a Herd:

A Herd is a group of Cattle that belong to the same race. These Cattle can be arranged in two ways: either in ascending order (like 3, 5, 6, 9) or in descending order (like 11, 10, 8, 2, 1), always from left to right.

If you ever need to add a tile to a Herd but it doesn’t fit, you have to start a new Herd with that tile. Then, you can sell the Herd that couldn’t accommodate the tile (refer to Handling a Sale).

Example: Selling the white Herd is necessary at this point, while the black Herd has the potential to expand. Unfortunately, the brown Herd cannot grow any further by adding more collected Cattle. It can only be sold when another Cattle Tile of the same race is about to be added, or at the end of the game. Keep in mind that there is an exception to this rule when it comes to Special Actions.

Tip: Selling your Herd at the right time can make a big difference in your strategy. Sometimes it’s better to wait until your Herd grows bigger before cashing in.

Selling Your Herd

When you have an inappropriate tile that doesn’t fit in your Herd, it’s time to sell. To sell a Herd, all tiles in the Herd must be in either ascending or descending order. Each tile in the Herd is worth a number of Pesos equal to the highest Cattle Value in the Herd. To calculate this, multiply the number of tiles in the Herd by the highest Cattle Value.

When you’re playing the game, keep an eye on the Pesos Track and make sure to move your Money Indicator accordingly. As you go around the track for the first time, place your Scoring Tile with the “100” facing up on the space of your color next to the “0” space. Then, when you complete a full circle for the second time, turn your Scoring Tile to “200”.

As you play, remember to remove any sold Cattle Tiles from the game. However, there’s one exception. If a Tile is inappropriate, keep it, as it will become the first member of a new Herd.

Now it’s time to refill the Pastures in the Pampa:

Start with the smallest Pasture that needs to be refilled. Take tiles from the draw pile and add them one by one to the empty Pasture Spaces. Keep adding tiles until the total Cattle Value of that Pasture reaches 20 or more, or until it becomes full. Once it’s reached the maximum, move on to refilling the next Pasture.

Hey there! Let me tell you about cattle tiles and special actions in the game.

Cattle Tiles and Pasture Value

Did you know that the cattle tiles already present in the pasture count towards its total cattle value? That’s right! If there are cattle tiles already there, they contribute to the overall value of the pasture. But here’s the catch: sometimes the pasture cannot be refilled at all because of the existing tiles. It’s like they’re blocking the way.

Using Special Actions

When it’s your turn, you can do more than just your regular dice actions. You can also use one or more of the special actions that you’ve claimed in previous rounds, including the preliminary round.

You have the freedom to choose the order in which you take your actions – it’s entirely up to you! Before using a special action, you need to remove the gaucho from the action space you want to use and put him back in your personal supply. But here’s the cool part: you can use that gaucho right away during the current action or save him for another action. And guess what? You can even remove a gaucho from an action space without actually taking the action associated with that space. It’s like having extra options at your disposal!

Let’s Take a Closer Look at the Actions:

Just a reminder: You can only take actions on your turn, with the exception of using the “sort” ability in the stall.

Sort (stall) action:

If you come across a Cattle Tile while playing, you can place it in your Herd wherever you like, even at the very beginning. You have this option when collecting Cattle at the end of a round or at the end of the game.

Here’s an example: Normally, you can only add Cattle with a value of 10 or higher to your Herd. However, if you use the “Sort” action, you can add Cattle of any value (as long as they are of the same race) anywhere in the row where it fits.

Wish (Hero of the Rodeo):

Here’s a cool trick you can try: you can pretend to have an extra die with any number you want on it! How cool is that?

Let me show you a couple of examples:

Example 1: Pretend you have a 6 on your extra die. Now you can place a Gaucho on the Steppe action without needing a real die!

Example 2: If you have two physical 4s and pretend to have another 4, you can claim a Cattle Tile worth 12.

Immediate Sale (estancia):

If you have a herd that contains at least 2 cattle, you can sell it right away and get an extra 5 pesos in return.

Take someone’s cattle (theft):

If you wanna swipe one of your opponent’s Cattle Tiles, just use your trusty lasso. Take the stolen tile and add it to the right of your Herd, but only if it’s the same race as your Herd. If it’s not a match, you gotta sell that Herd and start fresh with the stolen tile.

Oh, and here’s a tip: you can’t pull off this move and sell your Herd at the same time. That’s just too much action for one turn.

If you don’t have any Cattle of the same race as the stolen one, no worries. Just start a new Herd in a new row with it. But keep in mind, you can’t combine this with a Sort action. Sorting can only happen at the end of a round when you’re collecting all your Cattle.

Now, the poor sucker you stole from gets a little consolation prize. His insurance pays him back. He can move his Money Indicator on the Pesos Track a number of spaces equal to the value of the stolen animal. Not too shabby, huh?

Here’s an example of how you can quickly win and take cattle: I take my Gaucho out of the Steal Cattle spot and steal a Cattle Tile worth 10 from one of my opponents. They get 10 Pesos. I add the stolen tile to my Herd, which now looks like this: 4-6-9-10.

Next, I remove my Gaucho from the Immediate Sale spot to sell my Herd. I get 4 times 10, which is 40, plus 5, so I earn 45 Pesos. I move my Money Indicator accordingly. The Gauchos I took off the board go back to my supply.

Raising/Replacing Gauchos (overseer):

When you use this special ability, you have two options. First, you can choose to raise either one or two of your lying Gauchos in the Pampa. Alternatively, you can replace one of your opponent’s lying Gauchos with one of your own that stands up.

When you replace your opponent’s Gaucho, they get their Gaucho back and receive compensation from their insurance. They can then immediately move their Money Indicator a number of spaces equal to the value (big number) of the lost Cattle Tile.

For example: Let’s say you decide to remove your Gaucho from the Action Space. You choose to raise two of your lying Gauchos that are currently on Cattle Tiles with values of 10 and 9. After raising them, you return the Gaucho that you removed back to your supply.

Example 2: Imagine this scenario: you decide to take your Gaucho out of the Action Space and put him on a Cattle Tile. But here’s a twist – your opponent’s Gaucho is already there. Don’t worry, though. Your move still has some positives. First, your opponent gets 11 Pesos as compensation. And second, their Gaucho goes back to their supply.

Cattle in Secret Places:

Hey there! So, let’s talk about something really fascinating – secret cattle! Yes, you heard it right, cows that live in hidden spots, far away from the prying eyes of humans. It’s like they have their own secret society or something!

You might be wondering, “But why would cows need secret hiding places?” Well, it turns out that these secret spots in the vast, open grasslands called the steppes offer some amazing benefits for our bovine buddies.

First things first, the steppes are these wide, open spaces full of fresh, lush grass that cows absolutely love. These secret places are like hidden gold mines for them, where they can munch on delicious grass to their heart’s content. It’s like their own little cow paradise!

But that’s not all. These secret spots also provide cows with something really important – protection. You see, out in the open, cows are vulnerable to all kinds of dangers like predators or extreme weather conditions. By retreating to these hidden places, they can stay safe and protected from harm.

Now, let’s talk about the secret language of cows. Did you know that cows communicate with each other in their own unique way? It’s true! And these secret places in the steppes offer the perfect environment for cows to connect and interact with each other. It’s like a cow social club where they can moo and chat to their heart’s content.

So, imagine you’re a cow. You’re out there in the vast open fields, enjoying the sweet, abundant grass. You feel safe and protected, surrounded by your cow comrades, happily mooing away and having the time of your life. It’s a real cow adventure!

In conclusion, secret cattle and their hidden spots in the steppe are a fascinating phenomenon. It’s a world within a world, a secret society of cows enjoying the best of both worlds – delicious grass and a safe haven. So, the next time you see a cow grazing in a beautiful field, remember that there’s a whole secret world behind those innocent eyes. It’s truly a moo-velous secret!

Alright, here’s what you need to do in the Steppe. Secretly take a sneak peek at all the tiles available and pick either one or two of them. But listen up! If you choose to take two tiles, both of them better have a value of 4 or lower. Once you’ve made your choice, go ahead and put those tiles on any empty spaces in the Pampa that are designated as Pasture Spaces.

Now here’s the trickier part. For each of the tiles you chose, you gotta place one of your Gauchos on it. Just remember, if there aren’t enough empty Pasture Spaces left, you won’t be able to complete this action fully. And don’t you worry, after you’ve done all that, you’ll need to replenish the Steppe. Simply draw some new tiles from the pile so that you have four tiles available again.

Here’s an example to make it crystal clear: You decide to move your Gaucho from the Action Space and take a look at the four tiles in the Steppe. You choose two tiles, both with a small value (4 or lower), a “1” and a “3”. Then, you cleverly place these tiles in empty Pasture Spaces – the “1” goes in the smallest Pasture and the “3” ends up in the second smallest Pasture. Finally, you go ahead and place your Gauchos on each of those two tiles. Easy peasy, right?

The Final Round

Once all the Cattle Tiles have been drawn from the pile, we finish the ongoing round and then play one more regular round.

If we run out of tiles during a round because we need to replenish the Steppe, we finish that round and then play another one. However, if we run out of tiles at the end of a round while collecting Cattle, we simply play one more regular round.

After that last regular round, we have a final round without dice. It follows the same rules as a regular round, but we don’t roll any dice in the Dice Rodeo. This means we can only use the Action Spaces we have claimed but not used yet.

Let’s look at an example of the end of a 3-player game:

I’m the Start Player, followed by you and our friend. You use the Secret Cattle action, and when replenishing the Steppe, you draw the last tile from the pile. Since the pile is now empty, it triggers the end of the game.

Our friend carries out their turn, and then the round is over. We play another regular round with you as the Start Player. After we all finish our turn, we proceed to the final round without dice.

In this round, our friend is the Start Player. They use the Raise Gauchos action to raise 2 of their lying Gauchos, allowing them to collect the Cattle Tiles they were lying on. I use the Cattle Thief to steal a Cattle Tile from our friend, and then I sell a Herd via the Immediate Sale action.

Then, you use the WISH action to place a Gaucho on a Cattle Tile worth 6. In one of the Pastures, all the Cattle Tiles have been claimed, so they are now being collected. Finally, we move on to the Final Scoring.

Final Score Calculation

When the final round is over and there are no more dice to roll, it’s time to tally up your score. Start by gathering any remaining Cattle Tiles from the Pampa that still have Gauchos standing on them. Add these tiles to your Herds, either by selling off Herds that you can’t add to or forming new Herds as explained in the “Collecting Cattle at the End of the Round” section above. Disregard any Cattle Tiles that have Gauchos lying on them, as well as any Gauchos still on Action Spaces, if there are any.

Once that’s done, it’s time to sell off all your remaining Herds. Single Cattle Tiles, which are Herds with only one tile, are sold for their face value. For example, a single Cattle Tile with a value of 9 is worth 9 Pesos – that’s 1 times 9, following the regular rules.

Note: Remember that you can only sell single Cattle Tiles after the game has ended. Throughout the game, you can only sell Herds that have at least 2 Cattle.

The player with the most Pesos at the end wins! If there’s a tie, there can be multiple winners.