Manual — Colt Express: Couriers & Armored Train

Contents 2
Principle of the game 3
Playing with an odd number of players 4
Setup 4
The Rounds 6
The Actions 8
The Armored Train 10
The Bandits 11
The end of the game 12
Rules
Game Designer: Christophe Raimbault
Illustrations: Jordi Valbuena
Publisher
Ludonaute
www.ludonaute.fr
contact@ludonaute.fr
Copyright 2022 Ludonaute – All rights reserved
{{Video Rules}}
{
This expansion can only be played
with the base game.
}

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x10x10 x10x10 x3x3
$$$
x5x5 x5x5
x10x10
Contents
The cards
10 Neutral
Bullet cards
21 Round cards:
7 Round cards for 2 to 4 Bandits
7 Round cards for 5 or more Bandits
7 Cavalry Charge cards (3 normal mode cards and 4 betrayal mode cards)
9 Nudge cards (1 for each Bandit from the base game, 1 for Mei - the Bandit from the expansion [Marshal & Prisoners] -, 1 for each Bandit of this expansion)
For Il Professore:
26 cards:
10 Bullet cards
10 Binocular cards
1 Rapid Fire card
1 Fire on the last Courier card
1 Nudge card
3 Scheme cards
The Armored Train
1 Locomotive
1 Tender Car
1 Armory Car
1 Infirmary Car
3 armored Cars and their Courier pawns
2 Gatlings
The tokens
The loot tokens
3 Gold nuggets (worth $0, $0 and $1500)
5 Bags (worth $300, $400, $500, $600 and $700)
3 Secret Documents (1 blue worth $4000, 1 red worth $4000, 1 neutral worth $0)
2 Purses worth $250
1 Strongbox worth $1000
Various tokens
10 Team badges (5 blue badges and 5 red badges)
Wild Bunch token worth $1500
[Follow the assembly instructions from the base game to assemble the Armored Train.]
2

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The new Bandits'
Contents
For each of the two new Bandits Misty and the Twinzz
23 cards:
1 Character card
6 Bullet cards
10 Action cards from the base game
1 Ride card and 1 Hostage card (can only be used with the expansion [Horses & Stagecoach] only)
1 Brilliant idea card, 1 Prisoner card, 1 Wanted card and 1 Marshal's Goal card (can only be used with the expansion [Horses & Stagecoach] only)
1 Character sheet
1 Bandit pawn
1 Character sheet
1 Il Professore Loot marker
1 Horse pawn (can only be used with the expansion [Horses & Stagecoach] only)

In this expansion, you play a Bandit member of one of two teams - blue or red - fighting for Loots. Your goal is to be part of the richest team at the end of the game. Besides the usual Loots, new Loots (Gold Nuggets, Bags and Secret Documents) and a new reward (Wild Bunch) will make you richer.

You'll start inside the train from the base game, called the Starting Train. The Armored Train from this expansion and the Starting Train will slowly pass one another round after round until they are clear of one another.

At the end of the game, only the Bandits on the Roof or in the Starting Train count their Loots for their team. The Loots of the Bandits on the Armored Train do not count for the team total and those players are eliminated.

If you're playing in Betrayal mode, one Bandit can be the only winner.

Principle of the game
What's this wonderful plan of yours, Professore?
It's simple…
… Attack a secure convoy with secret
… priceless documents,
… under my command!!!
Here's your mission
Are you re…
YEAAAAH !!
HA HA HA HA
3

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Setup
Equally split the players into two teams. Should you have an odd number of players, Il Professore joins the smaller team. Check the red boxes.
Sit around the table with one Bandit from the first team, then one from the second team, and repeat. 2 Bandits from a same team cannot seat next to one another, except when playing with an odd numbers of players.
One team will play in red, the other one in blue. Each player from both teams take a Team Badge matching their team's colors.
Set up the Starting Train:
Set the Locomotive followed by the 3 Cars from the base game in any order you like: the Restaurant, the Baggage Car and the First Class car.
Set aside as many $250 Purses as they are Bandits playing, then place the Loot tokens in the Cars following the usual rules.
Place inside the Caboose of the Starting Train all the pawns of the Bandits playing.
Take the Wild Bunch token and 23 Neutral Bullets (13 from the base game and 10 from the expansion) and put at the centre of the table.

Playing with an odd number of players
Il Professore
Il Professore always has a trick up his sleeve. Wounded during the war, he never could ride again and cannot attack a train himself. But he always keeps an eye on his team from his promontory using his Springfield Model 1861 rifle.
This Bandit has his very own content and acts automatically in the game. His purpose is to help the team with fewer players.

Setup
1. Place the sheet of Il Professore and the Team Badge from the smaller team between two members of the other team.
2. Do not give Il Professore a $250 Purse, but put his Loot marker on the lowest position of his Diabolical Plan ladder on his Character sheet.
3. Place Il Professore's 10 Bullet cards on his Character sheet.

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5
4
6
Set up the Armored Train:
Set up the Armored Train by putting first
the Locomotive, then the Tender Car, one
armored Car, the Armory Car, one armored Car, the
Infirmary Car and one armored Car.
Place the Armored Train's Locomotive next to
the Starting Train's Locomotive, going in opposite
directions.
Place 1 Gatling on the Roof of the Armory Car and
1 Gatling on the Roof of the Infirmary Car. Pick 1 Bag
at random and place it face down inside each of those
2 Cars.
Place at random 1 Secret Document, face down, inside
each of the 3 armored Cars.
Place at random 1 Bag, face down, on the roof of the
3 armored Cars.
Place the 3 Gold Nuggets, face down and without
looking at them, on the Tender Car.
Place 1 Strongbox inside the Locomotive.
Depending on the number
of players, choose 5 Round
cards at random to make a
deck: 4 Round cards for 2 to
4 Bandits, or 4 Round cards
for 5 or more Bandits, and
at the bottom of the deck,
1 Cavalry Charge card,
either in normal mode or
betrayal mode (see page
10 for the Cavalry Charge
cards).
Tip: use the normal mode Cavalry
Charge cards for your first few
games.
Take the contents
corresponding to the
Bandit you are playing:
your Character sheet, your 6 Bullet
cards and 1 $250 Purse token, placed
face down on your Character sheet.
Set up your personal deck with the 10 following Action cards: 2 Move, 2 Fire,
2 Robbery, 1 Punch, 2 Floor Change and 1 Nudge. (The Marshal cards are not
used for this expansion and can be put back in the box.)
Shuffle your deck and place it face down on your Character Sheet, next to your
6 Bullet cards.
You are ready to start the
game.
Take the Binocular cards based on the number of players and add them to the following cards to form Il
Professore's deck:
With 3 Bandits: 2 Scheme, 1 Rapid Fire, 1 Fire at
the last Courier, 1 Bonus Nudge.
Shuffle the card and place the pile face down on Il
Professore's Character sheet on the dedicated location.
Unused cards are put back in the box.
Place 1 Courier pawn on the roof on the first and last armored Cars, and 1 Courier pawn inside the central armored Car.
{Note for a 3-player game}: the Nudge card for the Bandit teammate with Il
Professore is removed from the game.
With 5 Bandits: 2 Scheme, 1 Rapid Fire, 1 Fire at
the last Courier.
With 7 Bandits: 3 Scheme, 1 Rapid Fire, 1 Fire at
the last Courier.
With 9 Bandits (if you have Mei or Silk): 3 Scheme,
1 Rapid Fire, 1 Fire at the last Courier.
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The RoundsThe Rounds
Apply the same rules as for a standard game and add the following rules.
The game consists of 5 Rounds, each one divided in the
2 usual phases: Schemin' (the plan), then Stealin' (the
actions).
During the Schemin' phase, Bandits
{can} communicate,
but remember than your opponents can hear you.
During the Stealin' phase, Bandits
{cannot}
communicate. Each Bandit must decide on their own
what to do with the Action card played or the Nudge
card.
The special turns
Diversion
During a Diversion turn, you can choose to
skip your turn and randomly choose one card
from each of your opponent's hands, without
looking at it. Your opponents, on the other hand,
can look at it before discarding it under their
personnal deck.
Skipping your turn means you cannot play or
draw Action cards during that turn.
{Note}: only one Bandit from each team can use
the Diversion effect during a Diversion turn.
Action plan
After the Schemin' phase ends, each Bandit can
keep one card from their hands for the next
Round. By doing so, they will draw one fewer
card at the start of the next Round and add the
card they kept to their Hand.
[(If you're playing
the Expert variant, ignore this icon).
]
End of a Round - Moving
the Starting Train
At the end of every Round and after completing the end of Round event, move the Starting Train 2 Cars from the Armored Train.
Schemin' phase
Il Professore is played like any Bandit: at each
round, the first card of his deck is added to the
common pile by the enemy Bandit sitting to his
right.
During a Speeding-up turn, the first
two cards of Il Professore's deck are
added to the common pile.
During a Tunnel turn, the first card
of Il Professore's deck is added face
down to the common pile.
Il Professore never benefits from the
Diversion or Action plan effects.
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End of rounds Events
Couriers in movement
All the Couriers pawns change floors.
If you are on the same spot as a Courier
after this Event, you must immediately
change floors and add a Neutral Bullet
to your personal deck.
Heavy fire
If you are on the Roof of the Starting
Train or the Armored Train at the end
of the Round, take a Neutral Bullet
and add it to your personal deck. Then
choose one of your Loots and put it, face
down, on your position.
Swivel Arm
If you are on the Roof of the Starting
Train or the Armored Train at the end
of the Round, move to the Roof of the
Caboose, without changing Trains.
Help!
In turn order, you can move your pawn
to the location of one of your allied
Bandits. You can change Cars and/or
floors, and even Trains.
Coordinated Action plan
If at the end of the round, you are on
the same location as a team member,
draw 2 additional cards at the beginning
of the next Round.
Note: if you are in the Armory Car at the end of this Round, only draw
2 additional cards (not 4). You can only benefit from one of the effects
of the Coordinated Action Plan and the Armory Car (see page 10).
Heal
If at the end of the Round, you are on the
same location as a team member, choose
up to 2 Bullet cards - either Neutral or
from the opposite team - from your game
(deck, hand, discard pile) and put them back in the
box. They will not be used for the rest of the game.
Note: if you are in the Infirmary Car at the end of this Round, only
discard up to 2 Bullets (not 4). You can only benefit from one of the
effects from Heal and the Infirmary Car (see page 10).
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Can move to the Roof of all the Cars visible on this picture.
Potential targets
Fire
{Inside} the train, if your Car is adjacent to the Car of the Train in front of you, you can also shoot a Bandit or a Courier located inside that Car.
{On the Roof}, the Line of Sight rule from the base game applies to the targets on your Train. You can target any Bandit or Courier located on the Roof of the other Train.
Punch
When punching, you can now send your target to the adjacent Car of the other Train, at the same floor (Intérieur ou Toit).
Reminder: when you Punch a Bandit, you choose and place one of their Loots, face down and without looking at it, on {your position}.
Nudge
This new Action is specific to the "[Couriers & Armored Train]" expansion and to team play.
During the Action phase, the Bandit who has played the Nudge card gives one of their team members one {Action from the base game}: Move, Floor Change, Fire, Robbery, Punch.
The chosen Bandit is then free to perform the Action how they prefer, or not perform the Action.
Example:
Django played a Nudge card.
He offers a Move action to Doc. Doc decides to move on the roof 2 Cars towards the back of the Starting Train.
Move
Inside a train, you can move one Car back or forth in your train, or move to the adjacent Car of the other train.
When on the Roof, one of your moves (out of the three possible) can be to go to the Roof of the adjacent Car of the other Train.
The Actions
There is an additional Move option:
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Robbery
Use the Robbery action to randomly take 1 Loot on your position. Place it face down on your Bandit sheet — you can look at its value.

The Gold Nuggets and the Bags
There are 3 Gold Nuggets on the Tender car's roof at the beginning of the game. One is worth $1500, the other two ones are worth $0.
There is a Baggage on the roof of each armored car and inside the Infirmary and the Armory cars at the beginning of the game. Baggages can be worth $300, $400, $500, $600 and $700.

The Secret Documents
Inside each armored car is a Secret Document at the beginning of the game. There are 3 kinds of Secret Documents: the blue team's goal, the red team's goal and a decoy.
Different situations are possible:
{1.} The Secret Document is your team's - place the token face down on your Character sheet.
{2.} The Secret Document is the other team's - put the token back on the Train, where it was, face down. You cannot keep the other team's Secret Document.
{3.} The Secret Document is the decoy - you can choose to keep it or put it back, face down, on your position.

You cannot show the value or nature of your Loots but you are free to say anything you want.

Il Professore's Action cards

Scheme
Move Il Professore's Loot marker one space higher on his Diabolical Plan ladder. If the marker is already on the last space of the ladder, nothing happens.

The Binoculars
Each Binoculars card targets a specific Bandit.
If the Binoculars target one of Il Professore's opponents standing on a Roof, Il Professore fires and the target gets a Bullet from Il Professore. If the Bandit is inside a Train, nothing happens.
If the Binoculars target a Bandit from Il Professore's own team, that Bandit can immediately do the base game Action of their choosing (Move, Floor Change, Fire, Robbery or Punch).

Bonus Nudge (only used when playing with 3 Bandits)
The Bandit on Il Professore's team immediately gets the base game Action of their choosing (Move, Floor Change, Fire, Robbery or Punch).

Fire on the last Courier
If there is no Courier on the Roof of the Armored Train, this Action has no effect.
But the Courier standing on the Roof of the Car closest to the Caboose of the Armored Train gets shot by Il Professore. Take one of Il Professore's Bullet cards and place it, face down, under the Wild Bunch token. That card counts when awarding the title (see p12, Final Scoring).

Rapid Fire
If there is no enemy Bandit on a Roof, this Action has no effect.
Il Professore fires at all the enemy Bandits standing on a Roof. Give each target one of Il Professore's Bullet card, to be added to their personal decks.

{{Il Professore's Action cards are shuffled at the end of every Round and make up a new deck.}}

Floor Change
Same Action as in the base game. You cannot change Trains when using a Floor Change card.

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The Armored Train
The Tender Car
Players can only go on the Roof of the Tender Car, never inside.
The Infirmary Car
If standing in the Infirmary Car at the beginning of a Round, you can discard up to 2 Bullet cards, Neutral or from the other team (from your draw and discard piles if playing the Expert version), before drawing your cards. The discarded Bullet cards are put back in the box and will not be used again during the game.
The Armory Car
If standing in the Armory Car at the beginning of a Round (before the Schemin' phase), draw 2 additional cards and add them to your hand.
The Gatlings
There are two Gatlings: one on the Roof of the Infirmary Car, the other on the Roof of the Armory Car. When playing a Fire Action on a Gatling location, you have two options:
you shoot the standard way and use one of your Bullets.
or you shoot with the Gatling: target everyone on the Roof on the Starting Train and in the Line of Sight on the Armored Train.
{If one or more Bandits are shot,} give them a Neutral Bullet and, without looking at its value, choose one of their Loots of their Bandit sheet and put it face down on their location.
{If one or more Couriers are shot,} do not put a Neutral Bullet under the Wild Bunch token and and make their Courier pawn change floors.
Bandits who are on the same location as you are cannot be targeted.
About the Couriers
Meeting a Courier
When on the same position as a Courier (after a Move, Floor Change, Punch, Fire or Event), {you must immediately change floors} and add a Neutral Bullet to your personal deck.
If there are no more Neutral Bullets in the deck, simply change floors.
Couriers never move between Cars, but will change floors after a "Couriers in movement" Event or if targeted by a Fire action.
Firing on a Courier
Take one of your Bullet cards and place it {face down} under the Wild Bunch token. This will be taken into account at the end of the game.
Make the Courier pawn change floors. If Bandits are on the Courier's new location, they must change floors and take a Neutral Bullet.
Note: if out of Bullets when shooting a Courier, nothing happens.
Example:
Doc shoots the Courier. He puts one Bullet card under the Wild Bunch token. The targeted Courier moves down and inside the armored Car, with Cheyenne, who is sent to the Roof and takes a Neutral Bullet.
When targeting a Courier:
If there are not enough Neutral Bullets left for all the targets, you cannot use the Gatlings.
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The Bandits
Django
Django's ability does not apply when he uses a Gatling.
When shooting a Bandit, Django makes his target move away from him to an adjacent Car. Django can make the target change Trains, but never change floors.
The following Bandits' abilities have been slightly modified.
Cheyenne
Cheyenne's ability applies to Bags and Purses.
Mei
Mei cannot change Trains when using her ability.
Tuco
Tuco's ability does not apply from one Train to another.
Misty
Misty's fists are her most faithful companions. No one wants to be in her way when she's in a bad mood.
During the Schemin' phase, you can play your Bullet cards from your hand on the common pile.
During the Action phase, those cards become Punch cards for Misty.
After using them, remember not to discard those Bullet cards and shuffle them back in your deck.
The Twinzz
The Twinzz are inseparable, fast and cunning. They have made it a habit of climbing on one another to be taken seriously by grown-ups and show them who the real bosses are.
During a Tunnel turn, you play twice in a row during your turn (just like in a Speeding-up turn) and can therefore:
draw 6 cards,
OR play 2 cards in a row face up,
OR draw 3 cards and play 1 card face up.
You can play the new Bandits Misty and the Twinzz with the Colt Express base game or any expansion.
Belle
A Bandit can target Belle if the other potential target is a Courier.
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The end of the game
Final scoring
At the end of the game, only Bandits located in the Starting Train add their tally to their team's total.
Here are the different ways of getting richer:
Each Bandit adds up the Loots placed on their Character sheet.
The Gunsling prize is different from the base game. Each Bandit whose barrel is empty at the end of the game earns $1000. If your barrel is not empty, you cannot win the Gunslinger prize.
The Secret Documents on the Character sheets are revealed. If the token matches the team's color, the team earns $4000. The decoy is worth nothing.
A new collective prize is in the game, the Wild Bunch prize, worth $1500.
To know the winner, check the Bullet cards placed under the Wild Bunch token (those are the Bullets fired on the Couriers by the Bandits) during the game. The team which fired the most Bullets at the Couriers wins the Wild Bunch title. If both teams are tied, neither wins the title.
End of the game
At the end of the game, Il Professore earns for his team as many dollars as indicated on his Loot marker's position on the Diabolical Plan ladder (between $0 and $1500).
Il Professore's Bullet cards placed under the Wild Bunch token are taken into account for his team's total.
Il Professore cannot win the Gunslinger prize, even if his Bullet cards' deck is empty at the end of the game.
The Cavalry Charge cards
The Cavalry Charge cards replace the Station cards. There are 2 different sets of cards: normal mode and betrayal mode. When setting up the game, the players choose together which mode they want to play.
In normal mode, the game will definitely remain a cooperation within the same team.
In Betrayal mode, members of the same team can have different goals at the end of the game. The Betrayal mode can only be played with 4+ players (Il Professore does not count as a player).
Normal mode
Understaffing
Any Bandit still in the Armored Train is granted one last Move action. With multiple Bandits still in the Armored Train, their moves will be performed in turn order.
Delayed assault
If at the beginning of the last Round a Bandit is in the Starting Train and has a Secret Documents token, the Schemin' phase ends after 2 turns. Otherwise the Schemin' phase lasts 5 turns.
Betrayal mode
Survival of the fittest (x2)
The richest team declared, only the richest Bandit on that team who is in the Starting Train, wins the game. Secret Documents are a collective Loot, they do not count in your personal tally. Same goes for the Wild Bunch title. Emptying your barrel does grant you personally $1000.
Double bottom
The Bandits with their team's Secret Documents and on the Starting Train win the game. Two Bandits can thus share the win. The decoy of the Secret Documents does not count for this winning condition. If there is no Bandit meeting these two conditions, the richest Bandit in the Starting Train wins the game.
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