Age of Steam Deluxe Expansion: New England/Pittsburgh & Switzerland Maps — How to Play

Objective of the Game

In Age of Steam, players act as railroad tycoons competing to build an efficient rail network. While the core goal involves transporting Goods to their destinations to earn Victory Points, the specific maps of Switzerland, New England, and Pittsburgh introduce unique environmental constraints and scoring variations that shape your strategy for dominance.

Preparation (Setup)

The setup varies significantly depending on which map you are playing:

Switzerland

• Place 4 Goods in Zurich, 3 in Basel, and 2 in all other cities.
• Consult the manual for details about this section.

New England

• Place 3 Goods cubes in every city.
• Roll the dice to randomly determine the White Player. The White Player is the First Player on turns 1, 3, 6, and 8; the Black Player is the First Player on turns 2, 4, 5, and 7.

Pittsburgh

• Place 3 Goods in all cities.

Game Flow

The structure of the game depends on the specific map being played:

Switzerland

• Consult the manual for details about this section.
• Note that the St. Gotthard, Lötschberg, and Raron hexes are special; Tunnels, Tracks, and the Town in these hexes do not exist until Turn 5. At the beginning of Turn 5, they are automatically created and may be used.

New England

• Consult the manual for details about this section.

Pittsburgh

• The Turn Order Action is replaced by the Commonwealth Grant Action.
• The game ends after Turn 8 is completed.

Actions and How to Play

Switzerland

• Place, Replace, or Redirect any Track hex: Costs $4.
• Place or Upgrade any Town: Costs $4.
• Issue Shares: Consult the manual for details about this section.
• Buy Back Shares: In a turn where a player does not Issue Shares, they may buy one Share back for $8. A player may not have less than two Shares issued.
• Move Goods: Zurich is a Black City and accepts Black Goods. The 3 multicolor City hexes accept every Good, including Black Goods.
• Goods Growth: Zurich receives one extra Good every turn, in addition to any from the Goods Display.

New England

• Building Track: Only Completed Railway Links may be built; Unfinished Track sections are not allowed.
• Move Goods: Each player may Move Goods three times.

Pittsburgh

• Commonwealth Grant Action: This action reduces the cost of one $10 Track build to $7.
• Placing Track:
  • Simple Straight Track: $10.
  • Complex Track (that introduces straight track): $10.
  • Simple Curved Track: $3.
  • Complex Track (that does not introduce straight track): $4.
• Replacing Track:
  • Simple Straight Track: $10.
  • Complex Track: $10.
  • All other Replacements: $4.
• Redirecting Track:
  • Simple Straight Track: $10.
  • Complex Track: $10.
  • All other Redirections: $4.
• Towns: Costs $0.
• Goods Growth: Cities 1-6 receive Goods from both the light and dark sides of the Goods Display.

End of Game and Scoring

Switzerland

• Consult the manual for details about this section.
• Victory Points: Each Track is worth 2 Victory Points (not 1).

New England

• Consult the manual for details about this section.
• Victory Points: In addition to the other Victory Points, players receive 1 VP for every $20 at the end of the game.

Pittsburgh

• The game ends after Turn 8 is completed.
• Consult the manual for details about this section.

Tips for Winning

Based on the specific map rules, consider these tactical points:

• In Switzerland: Be aware that the St. Gotthard, Lötschberg, and Raron hexes are impassable for Tracks until Turn 5, when they are automatically created.
• In New England: Efficiency is key, as you are limited to moving Goods only three times per turn.
• In Pittsburgh: Use the Commonwealth Grant Action to reduce the cost of a $10 Track build to $7 to optimize your spending.