Dark Horse

About this board game

Dark Horse is a Wild West board game for 1–4 players with an average playing time of 90 minutes. Each player leads a unique character in charge of a small territory, using special abilities and a starting bonus to pursue the most victory points.

Players begin with one city and two towns. By collecting and using resources, they expand their territory with additional towns, cities, and railroad connections. Gold, territory growth, and Influence Points earned from certain actions all contribute to the final score.

Each turn, players roll two colored dice and place one or more dice on a single action on the game board. Available actions can include drawing cards, collecting resources, building towns and cities, and taking special roles such as the Sheriff, Mayor, Trader, or Tycoon.

• Use dice placement to develop your territory.
• Spend limited tools, including Wild Die tokens, to modify dice results.
• Build railroad connections efficiently to maximize your end-game score.
• Watch opponents closely, as the game can end in several different ways.

Some actions require a particular natural die roll, while others depend on the total value of the dice. Built-in actions and tokens give players ways to make the most of their rolls, supporting fast turns while creating meaningful choices about when to adjust a result.

As the game progresses, players must balance expansion, resource collection, influence, and railroad development. In Dark Horse, careful planning and attention to the other territories are essential for claiming the highest victory-point total when the game ends.