Objective
In Railroad Ink, the goal is to create the most effective transportation network on your board over seven rounds, connecting roads and railways. At the end of the game, you score points for the longest continuous routes, connected exits, and the largest central network.
Game Components
- Each player receives a board.
- Special Dice: Generally four, showing combinations of roads and railways.
- Pens for drawing routes on the board.
Game Rules
- Round Overview:
- The game consists of seven rounds.
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In each round, the four dice are rolled to determine the road segments that all players must use on their boards.
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Filling the Boards:
- All players must draw the symbols from the dice onto their boards. Players can choose where to place the segments on their board.
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Observe certain restrictions: roads can only connect to roads, and railways can only connect to railways, unless connected through a special station.
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Special Structures:
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Each player starts with access to three special structures (e.g., stations that can be built on both roads and railways), which may be used only three times throughout the game.
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Network Expansion:
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Players aim to create a large, connected network structure by strategically placing the dice symbols to connect various entry and exit points.
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End of a Round:
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Once all players have filled their boards with routes, the round ends.
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Game End and Scoring:
- After seven rounds, players tally their points, scoring for:
- The longest continuous road.
- The longest continuous railway.
- Connected exits: the more exits connected to each other, the more points.
- Your largest central network also awards points.
- Special bonuses and penalties might be applied for connections or errors.
Strategic Tips
- Planning: Start with centrally located spaces and work outwards to create as many connections as possible.
- Use special structures wisely to overcome challenging connections.
- Watch out for potential gaps or unfinished ends that might lead to point deductions.
Railroad Ink blends strategic thinking with random elements through dice rolls, creating an exciting experience for players.
Player Count
- Minimum 1 player (can be played solo).
- Maximum 6 players are recommended based on the included components (you can play with more with additional boards).
