Steam Board Game

Steam is the newest version of Martin Wallace’s classic train game design. It’s a streamlined game that comes in two versions: a quicker, easier Base game for players who are new to the system, and a challenging Standard game that forces players to win auctions for actions and plan their purchases very carefully.

Each turn, players will choose an action that will give them a specific advantage for the turn, purchase track, and move goods in order to gain income or victory points. Using either the New York/New England map (for fewer players) or the German Ruhr valley (for more players), you create networks of track that lets you earn more and more money for longer runs. Can you become the most successful rail baron?

WHAT’S NEW ABOUT STEAM?

Steam offers not one but two way to play! In the Base game, we eliminate auctions and random goods placement to make the game more casual, faster, and easier for new players to learn and enjoy. With the new Standard game rules, players who enjoyed previous versions will find the tension of predicting cash flow, turn order auctions and maintenance costs all present. Finally, the game removes the awkward income reduction phase with a single victory point track that forces players to invest points in either income or scoring.

WHAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN STEAM?

The core game will feature not one, but two maps, one of the New York/New England area (suitable for fewer players) and one of the Ruhr Valley (for larger groups). Wooden tokens are used for track ownership, and all of the necessary game information is available on the oversize board! Over 130 track tiles cover the gamut of building opportunities (no more town tokens), money tokens in different colors and sizes, a custom train turn marker, and more makes this a beautiful game when set up!