How to Play Colt Express: Big Box

Object of the Game

In Colt Express Big Box, you're aiming to become the richest bandit in the Wild West. This means you'll be trying to grab more loot than your rivals, all while trying to avoid getting shot too many times!

If you're playing with the Marshal module, the game's objective changes for the Marshal player. The Marshal has 5 specific goals to complete. If the Marshal player successfully completes at least 4 of these goals, they win the game! If the Marshal fails to meet this condition, then (and only then) the richest bandit wins the game.

Preparation (Setup)

1. Train Assembly: Take the locomotive and 1 train car for each player (6 cars if there are 7 or more bandits). Arrange them in a row in the center of the table, with the locomotive at one end. The car farthest from the locomotive is the caboose.
   • For 2-player games, use 3 cars. For 3-player games, use 4 cars.
   • Marshal module: If playing with 2-4 bandits, use 4 cars; with 5-8 bandits, 5 cars.
   • Prison module: If playing with 2-4 bandits, use 4 cars; with 5-8 bandits, 5 cars. Add the prison car to the end as the caboose.
   • Stagecoach module: Place the stagecoach to the right of the locomotive.
2. Loot Placement: Set aside one $250 purse token for each player. Then, place loot tokens into each car as indicated on the car's floor. Purses are taken randomly and placed face-down, keeping their value hidden.
   • Marshal module: Set aside 1 token for each player minus 1 (as the Marshal doesn't start with a $250 purse).
3. Marshal and Strongbox: Place the starred Marshal pawn and a strongbox inside the locomotive.
   • Marshal module: Instead of a strongbox, place 2 mailbags face-down with their value hidden.
   • Stagecoach module: Place a strongbox on the roof of the stagecoach and the Shotgun pawn on top of it.
   • Whiskey module: Place a whiskey flask in each car except for the locomotive. Flasks are taken randomly and placed face-down with their value hidden.
4. Neutral Bullet Cards: Place the 13 neutral bullet cards in a pile next to the locomotive.
   • Stagecoach module: Add 3 more neutral bullet cards to the pile.
5. Player Character Setup: Each player chooses a character and takes their corresponding character sheet (or character card). Place it in front of you.
   • The Marshal can only be chosen when using the Marshal module.
   • For 2- and 3-player games, each player chooses 2 characters, but cannot control both Ghost, Doc, and Belle. A player cannot control both the Marshal and a bandit.
   • For Teams-of-2 games, a team cannot have both the Marshal and a bandit.
   • Each player also takes 1 set-aside $250 purse and places it face-down on their character sheet, keeping its value hidden.
     • Marshal module: The Marshal player does not take a $250 purse.
   • Each player takes the 10 normal action cards (all actions except Ride and Brilliant Idea) of their character’s color to form their deck.
     • For 2- and 3-player games, each player takes 1 copy of each different normal action card from each of their bandits’ deck, then sets aside 1 Marshal card and all remaining action cards. They will have 11 cards remaining: 2 Move of one bandit each, 2 Change Floor, 2 Shoot, 2 Punch, 2 Loot, and 1 Marshal. These form their deck.
     • Marshal module: Each player returns the Marshal card of their character to the box.
     • Prison module: Each bandit adds the Brilliant Idea card of their color to their deck.
     • Horses module: Each player adds the Ride card of their color to their deck.
   • For 2- and 3-player games, each player chooses 1 card from their deck and adds it to their hand.
   • Each player shuffles their deck and places it face-down on their character sheet.
   • Each player places the 6 bullet cards of their character’s color on the character sheet in ascending order of number of bullets to form the cylinder pile.
     • Marshal module: The Marshal has 2 cylinder piles, 6 bullet cards each, instead of only 1 pile.
     • Marshal module: Each bandit player places the wanted poster card that shows their character ($500 side up) in a place all players can see.
6. Marshal Module Specific Setup:
   • Place the 3 brawler cards (punch side down) in a pile on the Face zone of the Marshal's sheet with the Gold Punch card on top and the Bronze Punch card at the bottom.
   • Shuffle the arrest warrant cards of all bandits being played and draw 2, but do not look at them yet.
   • Shuffle the special target cards and draw 3, but also do not look at them. If playing with 2 or 3 bandits, do not use the Full of Lead and Arch Enemy special target cards.
   • The 3 special target cards and the 2 arrest warrant cards are then shuffled together and put face-down on the Upcoming Goals zone of the Marshal's sheet. The Marshal's player must NOT look at their goals at this point. Return the remaining cards to the box.
7. Prison Module Specific Setup: Shuffle all prisoner cards, draw 3, and place them face-up behind the prison car. Return the remaining cards to the box.
8. Stagecoach Module Specific Setup: Shuffle all hostage cards, draw as many as there are bandits minus one. Place them separately to the left of the locomotive. Return the remaining cards to the box.
9. Round Deck Setup: For your first game, randomly draw 5 round cards from the cards that correspond to the number of players and shuffle them to form the round deck. For subsequent games, randomly draw and shuffle only 4 round cards instead, then randomly draw 1 train station card and place it under the 4 round cards to form the round deck.
   • Note: The round cards show numbers corresponding to the number of players, not bandits. Use the 5-6 players round cards when playing with 7 to 9 players.
   • Optional Rule: Instead of drawing from all available cards, players can choose 7 round cards and 3 train station cards, then draw 4 round cards and 1 train station card from among them.
10. First Player and Initial Placement: Take the character pawns corresponding to the chosen characters and randomly choose 1. The player who chose this character is the First Player for the 1st round. Place the round deck in front of that player. Starting with the First Player and proceeding clockwise, players alternate placing their character pawns inside the caboose and the car adjacent to the caboose.
    • For 2- and 3-player games: Each player secretly places 1 of their character pawns in each hand, then all players reveal their pawns simultaneously. Players place the bandit pawns in their left hands inside the caboose, and the other pawn inside the car adjacent to the caboose.
    • For Teams-of-2 games: Player A of each team places their bandit in the caboose. Player B of each team places their bandit in the car next to the caboose. The First Player is drawn randomly among the Player As of each team.
    • Horses module: Skip this step and follow the placement method in the next step instead.
    • Prison module: Players alternate placing their bandit pawns in the car adjacent to the caboose and the car adjacent to that car that isn't the caboose.
    • Marshal module: The Marshal player is the First Player, but their pawn is in the locomotive as usual and so they don't participate in placing pawns.
11. Horses Module Initial Placement: Each bandit player takes a horse pawn along with their character pawn, then holds out a closed fist over the table with either the bandit pawn or the horse pawn inside.
    • For 2- and 3-player games: Each player hides in their fist either 2 character pawns or 1 horse pawn. Then the players reveal the contents of their hand(s) simultaneously. The players who have their bandit in their hand place it in the caboose. They must place their horse to the right of the train, next to the caboose. The players having their horse in the hand thus choose to go on riding. They hold out their fist(s) again, with their bandit(s) or their horse inside, choosing to enter the car next to the caboose or not. And so on... If there is only one player left, he or she can directly choose his starting car among the remaining ones.
    • Characters can start the game in any car except the locomotive, the prison car, and the stagecoach.
    • Once this step is over, the horses do not belong to a particular player. Any player can ride any horse.
    • The First Player is randomly chosen among the players who are in the furthest car from the locomotive.

Fluxo do Jogo

A game of Colt Express Big Box consists of 5 rounds. Each round is divided into two main phases:

Phase 1: Schemin'!

This is where players plan their moves. The First Player draws the top round card from the round deck and places it face-up for everyone to see. This card indicates the number and type of turns for the round, and potentially an event.

Each player then draws 6 cards to form their hand.

• For 2- and 3-player games, each player will have 7 cards in hand each round (1 chosen, 6 random).
• For Teams-of-2 games, each player draws one card from their partner's deck, then draws the rest from their own deck. The partner's card is returned to its owner later only if it is played. If not played, it is kept amongst the other cards of this player.
• Expert variant: Each player draws cards until they have 6 in hand (7 in 2- and 3-player games).
• Marshal module: The Marshal moves the top card from the Upcoming Goals zone to the Current Goals zone.

Starting with the First Player and proceeding clockwise, each player takes a turn. On their turn, a player must do one of the following:

• Play an action card (not bullet cards) face-up from their hand to the top of the central pile, unless otherwise specified by the round card.
• Draw 3 cards from their deck and add them to their hand.
• Prison module: Search their deck for a Brilliant Idea card and add it to their hand. Then shuffle the deck.
  • Expert variant: Search the discard pile as well.

The Schemin'! phase ends when the number of turns indicated on the round card has been completed. Each player places any unplayed cards remaining in their hand on top of their deck.

• Expert variant: Players may choose to keep any cards in hand for the next round. Place the rest in a face-up discard pile to the right of their deck instead of on top of it.

Cover rule (2- and 3-player game)

During a standard turn, if a player plays one of their bandit’s Shoot cards, they can immediately play one of their other bandit’s action cards. This second card cannot be a Marshal card. If the second card is a Shoot card, they cannot then play an additional card.

Phase 2: Stealin'!

The First Player takes the pile of action cards created during the Schemin'! phase and turns it over without changing the order of the cards. The bandits’ actions are resolved one-by-one, starting with the top card (i.e., in the order they were played).

All actions played during the Schemin'! phase are mandatory. Each player must resolve each of their actions if possible. The situation before/after performing an action can't be the same except if there's no other choice.

Once all actions have been resolved, the cards are returned to the players to whom they belong. Each player shuffles all of their cards (all action cards and any bullet cards received), then places the deck on their character sheet.

• For 2- and 3-player games: Before shuffling the deck, each player chooses 1 card from it and adds it to their hand.
• Expert variant: After a player resolves an action card, places it face-up in the discard pile. When a player receives a bullet card, places it face-down on top of the deck. Players don't shuffle their cards together once all actions have been resolved.

The player to the left of the First Player places the round deck in front of themselves and becomes the new First Player.

• For Teams-of-2 games: The Player A of the next team clockwise becomes the next First Player (and not Player B of the same team).

Resolve any event on the round card.

• Stagecoach module: Move the stagecoach one car towards the caboose (except if the stagecoach is already next to the caboose). If the Shotgun is on the train's roof, then move him one car to keep him to the left of the stagecoach.

Then the next round begins.

Ações e Como Jogar

Here's a breakdown of the actions you can take in Colt Express Big Box:

Move

• If your character is inside a car, move to the inside of an adjacent car.
• If your character is on the roof of a car, move to the roof of a car 1 to 3 cars away.

Change Floor

• If your character is inside a car, move to the roof of that car.
• If your character is on the roof of a car, move to the inside of that car.

Loot

Take 1 loot token (purses, jewels,