Rail Roads & Robber Barons is a board/card game inspired by the 18XX series of games. All the fun and strategy of trains, stocks, delivery's, profits, and hand management, in about a fifth of the time!

The game is designed for 1 to 6 players. Solo play is handled by the use of AI decks to represent other players. There are standard AI decks, which are a challenge all by themselves, or you can chose to play against other legendary Barons, each with their own strengths and play styles.

Players take on the roles of Rail Roads and Robber Barons of the mid to late 1800's as rail lines grew to cover the United States and immense profits were there for the taking... with the right moves. The choice of which Baron and which Company to take at the beginning is very important, as each gives a player unique advantages.

The game is driven by Action cards, which the players use to guide their turn. Once an Action card is used, it can't be used again until you step back for a turn and retrieve them, so you have to plan ahead and pay attention to what your fellow Barons are doing. Don't get caught with that vital Action card you need unavailable to you!

As players place down their trains and complete the available contracts, they earn money that can be used to upgrade their trains or buy stock in theirs or other player's companies. Balance is required, because if you invest heavily in the stock market early, you may be caught short when your train is too slow to fulfill the remaining contracts. As a Baron completes contracts and upgrades their train, their stock becomes more and more valuable and it much more expensive for you to buy into. Stocks also pay out dividends when their Baron completes a contract, giving a player much needed cash, but careful decisions are required to manage the best use of a player's money.

Buying more powerful Engines is the key to making more money, but even here many choices face each Baron. The first train purchased in each strength is a prototype that comes with a special ability that allows the player to modify or even break the game rules, however these Engines are more expensive then the standard ones. A player can also pay extra when they purchase a train to skip a level or two and dramatically increase their engine power, but doing so costs much needed capitol. As stronger Engines are purchased, the price of the weaker engines becomes reduced. So, a player can be patient if they want, let others pay heavily to upgrade and then swoop in and buy that slower train at a hefty discount, then use their extra funds to buy stock or save to upgrade to faster Engine themselves at a later time. Both strategies, and many in between, can win the game, but the player has to adapt to what the other Barons are doing and flexibility is the key.

Even the completing of contracts requires decisions. Do you place one of your trains to claim the payout, or do you invest even more in the delivery and place one of your few City Station tiles instead. As you complete Routes, you will be placing cargo in the Depot, and your Routes with Cities in them give you even more crates in the Depot, which will result in larger payouts at the end of the game.... but if you spend too many resources on your Cities, you may lose valuable time while you replenish your hand, time other Barons are surely using to make more money.

In the end, players cash out their stock, count their funds on hand, receive bonuses for the trains they've purchased and the cargo they have waiting in the Depot. The Baron with the most money wins and becomes a legendary Tycoon!

—description from the designer

Games