Tabletop games
Colt Express
LudonauteChristophe Raimbault2014
- players
- 2–6
- minutes
- 40
- years
- 10+
In the box
1 cardboard locomotive and carriages to assemble · Bandit and Marshal figures · Action cards and Bullet cards · Round cards · Loot: purses, jewels and strongboxes · Scenery pieces
Official rules (PDF, publisher's site)
Box details
- Designer
- Christophe Raimbault
- Artwork
- Jordi Valbuena
- Publisher
- Ludonaute
- Mechanics
- ProgrammingHand ManagementTake ThatArea MovementOnce-Per-Game Abilities
- Expansions
- Colt Express: Horses & Stagecoach · 2015
- Colt Express: Marshal & Prisoners · 2016
- Colt Express : Convoyeurs & Train blindé · 2022
Where to buy it
Near you and online
In a shop
Within 50 km.
Online
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The basics
Each player is a bandit robbing the passengers of a train to become the richest in the West. Each of the five rounds has two phases: first, in turn, you place an Action card on a common pile (or draw three cards), then the pile is turned over and the cards are carried out in order to move, change floor, rob, punch or fire. After the fifth round, add up your loot, plus $1,000 for whoever fired the most bullets, and the richest player wins.
The rules, step by step
Setup
10 Action cards, 6 Bullet cards, 1 carriage per player
- Build the train: the locomotive, which holds the Marshal and the strongbox, and one carriage per player, each stocked with the loot shown.
- Each player takes their bandit, their ten Action cards, their six Bullet cards and a starting purse.
- The bandits start at the back of the train.
- Prepare the Round cards: four drawn at random, then a Train Station card to finish.
How to play
5 rounds, Program your cards, Then carry them out
- The game lasts five rounds, each in two phases.
- Schemin': everyone shuffles their cards and draws six. In turn, following the Round card, you place an Action card on the common pile (face up, or face down in a tunnel), or draw three cards instead.
- Stealin': the pile is turned over and the cards are carried out in the order in which they were placed.
- Move: one carriage (inside) or up to three carriages (on the roof).
- Change floor: climb onto the roof or go back down into the carriage.
- Robbery: take a loot token where you are.
- Punch: a bandit in the same place drops a loot token and is pushed into a neighbouring carriage.
- Fire: a bandit in your line of sight receives one of your Bullet cards, which will clutter their hand.
- Marshal: he moves one carriage; any bandit who ends up with him takes a neutral bullet and flees onto the roof.
Scoring
Value of your loot, Gunslinger $1,000
- Add up the value of your loot: purses, jewels, strongboxes.
- The player or players who fired the most bullets win the Gunslinger bonus: $1,000.
End of the game
After the 5th round, Richest wins
- After the fifth round, the richest player wins.
Going further
Frequently asked questions · In the same family
Frequently asked questions
Is an action that cannot be carried out lost?
If it has a possible target, you must carry it out, even if it works against you. Otherwise, it has no effect.
Why keep the bullets you receive in your hand?
You have no choice: they are shuffled in with your cards and take the place of useful actions.