|
Players 2-6 Times Played (1 x six player) Ini German game, American designer, trains, stocks and a hefty reputation. Also, not really a new game at all, being based on a previous effort from the same designer: Airlines. This should not put anyone off as this previous incarnation was also well received (although I have yet to play it and now, with Union Pacific on the shelf, I probably never will). For a game with such a dry theme, it is surprisingly straightforward to play. Each player plays the dual role of stock speculator and railroad executive; trying to make a killing in share deals while also building up rail networks across North America. The aim of the game is to make the most money. This is achieved by gaining share majorities in the 10 rail companies, with the companies boasting the largest networks paying out the most cash. There is also an eleventh company, the eponymous Union Pacific, which does not have a presence on the board but which pays out an increasing amount of cash to its shareholders as the game progresses. The game is largely card driven. These come in two varieties, track cards and share certificates. A player will generally hold a selection of each of these types. During a turn a player has two options, either extend one company’s rail network on the board and take some shares into his hand or invest in companies by playing shares from his hand onto the table. It is only the shares played on the table which count when calculating dividend payments. Players receive money for their shareholdings on four occasions during the game. These scoring rounds are triggered by dividend cards shuffled into the share deck from where cards are regularly drawn. A setup mechanism ensures these cards are spread relatively evenly throughout the deck, avoiding a situation where all four could turn up in quick succession. After the fourth scoring round, the game ends immediately. The track building mechanism has some subtleties and helps give each company a unique feel. The game board shows the major cities of North America, connected by a network of railroad spaces. To extend a railroad’s line from its starting station involves placing one of its colour-coded plastic train counters on one of the spaces on adjacent track sections which connect the cities. But most of these sections can only accommodate a small number of railroads. A race can develop as railroads attempt to break out past bottleneck sections to maximise the potential of their rail nets. It is quite possible for a company to get hemmed in, restricting its profitability and negating all the hard work a player might have put into building up a share majority. Not all companies are created equal. In terms of geography, some companies have got more scope than others to expand. Also, companies vary in maximum size, represented by limits on the number of train counters they can place on the board. The larger the company’s potential, generally, the more shares in that company are available in the share deck. Also, adding a final complicating factor, to build a track requires matching the track symbol on a players track card, to one of four symbols on the various track spaces on the board. Only one company can utilise all four types of track, while some of the smaller companies are restricted to only one type. Finally, there is the Union Pacific to consider. When it comes to making money, with the rest of the companies only the top two shareholders (or more if players tie) are eligible for a payout. In the case of the Union Pacific, only the lowest shareholder in a six player game will be out of the reckoning. Although the UP does not pay out in the first scoring round, its dividends escalate until, by the end of the game, it will probably be paying out the highest dividend of all. And that is the game. It is a clean system and the rules are clear. Each player is faced with a lot of decisions and has to keep track of other player’s holdings in order to maximise returns. The choice between whether to build track or buy stock is rarely straightforward, although I suspect it is a brave player who will ignore the Union Pacific stock while it is available, the rewards really are substantial. I suspect that a player who is not at least the third highest shareholder in the Union Pacific will not win the game. The real tension is generated by the decision frequently faced by the player over whether to get shares down on the table or hope to boost dividend payments by building more track before the next dividend card turns up. A player does have some control over the shares he picks up (a selection of four is always face up on the table, or he can opt for a blind draw), although you certainly will not always be able to get hold of the stock you want. In conclusion, a very nice game. It works smoothly, moves along quickly and even has that crescendo effect as the end of the name nears and everyone is hoping to make one last play before the final dividend card shows up. My only real negative comment would be on the different types of track which can be built. Since this involves matching card symbols with symbols on the board I think more effort could have been made to make these symbols stand out from each other a little more. As it is, all the symbols on the board are quite small and are all painted in some combination of black and white. I would have thought larger symbols, or ones that were colour coded, would have worked better. This is only a minor complaint, however, and should not put any potential purchaser. Since I have also recently played Stephensons Rocket I am in a position to compare the two. While SR is more abstract than UP I think I prefer its greater chaos factor. UP is just a touch over my dry limit for a game of its length. This is purely a matter of taste, however, and I would not object to playing it again. Moreover, unlike the Knizia take on things, UP seems happy to accommodate a wider number of players, and does not seem too stretched when operating at maximum capacity. Initial rating 7.5
|
tial Impression