Lords of the Sierra Madre (Second Edition)

About this board game

Lords of the Sierra Madre (Second Edition) is a board game for 2–8 players, with a playing time of about 240 minutes, set in northern Mexico beginning in 1898.

An economic boom, wide-open land, and a dictator who welcomes foreign investment create the conditions for one of history’s greatest capitalist free-for-alls. Each player takes the role of an hacendado, competing to build the largest possible empire across a rapidly developing region.

Expand your holdings through a broad mix of businesses and seek influence as you pursue wealth and power. The game’s central enterprises include:

• Railroads
• Mines
• Ranches
• Other businesses

Building an empire is only part of the struggle. Players can employ banditos, organize strikes, and use other sneaky maneuvers to tax, bribe, raid, and destroy their opponents. Police, federal troops, and even the US Army may become part of these hard-fought contests.

Political ambition offers another path to influence. An hacendado may get elected to the governor’s office or even reach the presidency itself—an act described as a crime in Mexico. These political possibilities add another dimension to the competition between rival entrepreneurs.

Released in 1995, Lords of the Sierra Madre presents a large-scale contest of business expansion, intimidation, military force, and political aspiration. Its historical setting and wide range of methods give each player the opportunity to pursue empire-building through commerce, confrontation, or a combination of both.