Gamehelppioneerrails

The game is played over 4 rounds. Each round consists of 5 turns.

Turn Structure

Three cards are drawn. The dealer reserves 1 to use for their turn.

All other players choose 1 of the remaining 2 cards (multiple players can choose the same).

Card Value

The value of your card (10, J, Q, K or A) is written on the next available space at the bottom of your sheet. At the end of each round, the five values you have chosen that round form a poker hand. Better poker hands score more points.

Card Suit

The suit of your card dictates the railway you will extend from this turn. Draw 3 tracks on the edges of hexes extending from that railway’s station or from the end of existing tracks of that station. A station can have multiple lines, but two railway lines may never meet, except at a Town.

After drawing 3 tracks, check to see if any features are now activated (usually by drawing an amount of tracks along the edges of their hex).

Features

Saloons (2 edges)

The next Saloon symbol is circled. At the end of the round, you score double points for that hand.

Cattle Ranches

Activate by separating from all other Cattle Ranches via tracks, the river, mountains and the edge of the map. The next Cattle Ranch symbol is circled. At the end of the game, score points equal to the rightmost circled Cattle Ranch symbol.

Forts (4 edges)

The next Fort symbol is circled. At the end of the game, score points equal to the rightmost circled Fort symbol.

Mines (1 edge)

The next Gold Nugget symbol is circled. At the end of the game, score 1 point for each circled Gold Nugget (even if crossed off).

Banks (3 edges)

Cross off up to 4 circled Gold Nuggets. Multiply by the number shown in the leftmost Bank. At the end of the game, score points equal to the sum of your Banks.

Rail Yards (3 edges)

The next Rail Yard symbol is circled. At the end of the game, score points equal to the highest number of Towns on a single railway line or network, multiplied by the multiplier shown on the rightmost circled Rail Yard symbol.

Towns

Activate by drawing a track to make a railway terminate at a Town. You cannot continue a railway once it reaches a Town. If this is the first time the Town has been reached, the next Town symbol is circled. You can cross off a Town to activate a Town benefit (see below). At the end of the game, score 1 point for each circled Town (even if crossed off).

Town Benefits

Town symbols can be crossed off, each giving you 1 extra bonus track AND one of 5 special benefits to be used this turn:

Bridge

One of your tracks can be drawn over the river.

Tunnel

One of your tracks can be drawn between 2 mountain hexes.

Shortcut

One of your tracks can be drawn connecting opposite corners of a blank land hex.

Switch

One of your tracks can branch off of a line to start a new line.

Suit

Change the suit of your card to draw ALL of your tracks on a different railway.

Goals

In each game, 3 Goal cards are drawn. At the end of a turn, if you are the first to complete a Goal card, the 10 points star in the corresponding Goal box scoring area is circled. All other players can still complete it in future turns but they are now only worth 5 points.

Forest Sheet

The forest sheet introduces the following changes to features:

Saloons (2 edges)

Choose a poker value to circle. The the rest of the game, when poker hands are scored, each card with that value scores an additional point.

Jails (3 edges)

Choose a Jail symbol to circle. The jail cells next to it are now available.

Bandits (1-2 edges)

Catch it by drawing 2 tracks along the hex on the same turn and choose an available Jail cell to circle. If you only draw 1 track along its hex on a turn or don't have available Jail cells, the Bandit will escape (the next -1 symbol is circled). At the end of the game, score points equal to the values in circled Jail cells and minus 1 point per escaped Bandit.

Forts

At the end of the game, score 2 points for each edge marked on the Forts.

5+ Players

In games with 5 or more players, only 2 cards are placed into the display each turn. An additional card is drawn and immediately discarded. Then ALL players (including the dealer) get to choose one of the two cards. As always, they can choose the same or different cards. As such, there is no dealer advantage in 5+ player games.