Steam
Age of Steam with softer edges and two maps in the box.
What it is
Martin Wallace's reworking of his own Age of Steam, sold by Mayfair as Steam: Rails to Riches. You lay hex track, turn towns into cities and improve your locomotive so deliveries run longer, then choose whether each one pays in income or points. The rulebook offers a shorter base game for newer players and a fuller standard game. A solid choice for groups who want rails without a full evening of debt.
What we love
- Every delivery asks you to choose between income and victory points.
- The double-sided board has a US and Canada map for 3 or 4 and a Rhine and Ruhr map for 4 or 5.
- New city tiles change what the map wants as the game goes on.
Honest trade-offs
- The rulebook includes pieces for six, but the two printed maps stop at five, so a sixth player needs an expansion map.
- It is an older Mayfair game, so check stock before you plan on it.
- Raising cash means cutting your income, which can trap new players.
AI summary of player sentiment
Across the tables we polled, players consistently praise the game's approachability and pacing. The most common complaint is the rulebook includes pieces for six, but the two printed maps stop at five, so a sixth player needs an expansion map..
This summary is regenerated from new reviews each week. Astra will wire the generation job to the Vercel Cron detailed in the handoff doc.
Content advisory
No content advisory.
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