Great Western Trail: Second Edition

2021

Immerse yourself in the 19th-century American ranching life with Great Western Trail. Herd cattle, hire staff, and strategically navigate the old west for victory!

150
minutes

1 - 4
player(s)

12+

Medium Heavy

About the game

Welcome to the captivating world of Great Western Trail: Second Edition, an immersive strategy board game that transports players back to the era of cowboys and cattle drives. Step into the boots of a rancher trying to make your mark in the untamed American West of the 19th century.

In this game, you will embark on a journey along the historic Great Western Trail, driving your herd of cattle from Texas all the way to Kansas City. But this isn’t just a simple cattle drive. Along the way, you’ll encounter a variety of challenges and opportunities that will test your strategy and decision-making skills.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

1. Game Board: The game board depicts a map of the western United States, marked with various paths and locations. Players move their cowboy figures on this board to take actions such as buying cattle, building structures, and more.

2. Player Boards: Each player receives a board to track their personal resources and actions. This includes spaces for cattle cards, workers, and buildings.

3. Cowboy Figures: Each player has a cowboy figure that represents them on the game board. The cowboy is moved along the trail to perform actions at different locations.

4. Cattle Cards: These cards represent different types of cattle that players can buy and sell during the game. Each cattle card has a breed and a value. Players aim to have the most valuable herd of cattle by the end of the game.

5. Building Tiles: Players can build structures on the game board using these tiles. Buildings provide various benefits and can also be used to block other players’ paths.

6. Worker Tokens: These tokens represent the workers that players can hire to help manage their cattle and buildings. Workers can perform actions such as improving buildings or increasing the value of cattle.

7. Money Tokens: These tokens represent the currency in the game. Players earn money by selling cattle, and can spend it to buy new cattle, hire workers, and build buildings.

8. Objective Cards: These cards provide players with specific goals to aim for during the game. Completing objectives can earn players additional points.

9. Hazard Tiles: These tiles represent various obstacles that can appear on the trail. Players must pay money or use certain resources to overcome these hazards.

10. Station Master Tiles: These tiles represent different station masters that players can hire. Each station master provides a unique benefit, such as extra points for certain types of cattle or discounts on building costs.

11. Train Tokens: Each player has a train token that they can move along the train track on the game board. The train allows players to deliver cattle to distant locations for a higher profit.

12. Market Price Tokens: These tokens are used to track the current market price of different types of cattle. The market price affects how much money players earn when they sell their cattle.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Setting Up Great Western Trail: Second Edition

This guide will walk you through the setup process for the board game Great Western Trail: Second Edition. Players take on the role of ranchers in the Old West, herding cattle from Texas to Kansas City, where they are then shipped by train to various cities across the United States.

Step 1: Unfold and Position the Game Board

Start by unfolding the game board and placing it in the center of the table. Ensure all players have easy access to the board.

Step 2: Prepare the Supply Board

Place the supply board next to the game board. Sort the coins by value and place them in their respective spaces. Do the same for the workers, sorting them by color.

Step 3: Arrange the Buildings and Station Master Tiles

Shuffle the station master tiles and place them face-up on the corresponding spaces on the game board. Then take the neutral buildings, shuffle them, and place them on the marked spaces on the game board. The remaining neutral buildings should be placed next to the supply board.

Step 4: Set Up the Job Market

Sort the job market cards by type, shuffle each stack, and place them face-up on the job market spaces on the game board. The number of cards in each stack depends on the number of players.

Step 5: Prepare Player Materials

Each player chooses a color and takes the following components in that color:

Rancher figure
Engine
Player discs
Cattleman
Player board
Five starting cattle cards

Step 6: Initial Resources

Players place their rancher figure, engine, and a disc on the starting spaces on the game board. They place their remaining discs on the marked spaces on their player boards. Each player then shuffles their starting cattle cards and forms a draw pile next to their player board.

Step 7: Random Elements

Shuffle the hazard tiles and place them face-down next to the game board. Similarly, shuffle the cattle cards and form a draw pile next to the game board. Finally, shuffle the objective cards and deal 4 to each player. Players choose 2 to keep and discard the others.

Now, you’re all set to start playing Great Western Trail: Second Edition!

Game flow Round and round we go

Great Western Trail: Second Edition is a strategic board game that is not divided into specific rounds or phases. Instead, players continuously take turns, moving along a trail and performing actions until the game ends. The game’s structure can be broken down into several key elements: Movement, Actions, and End of Game.

Movement:

Every turn in Great Western Trail begins with the active player moving their marker along the trail. The number of spaces a player can move depends on their player board, but typically ranges between 1 to 3 spaces. Some spaces on the board have multiple actions, and players can choose to stop on any space, even if they have remaining movement.

Actions:

After moving, players perform the action associated with the space they landed on. There are several types of actions available, which include:

Building: Players can construct buildings on designated spots along the trail, which provide them with additional actions or bonuses.
Trading: Players can trade with the natives to acquire new cattle or other goods.
Hiring: Players can hire staff, such as cowboys, engineers, and craftsmen, to enhance their abilities.
Cattle Market: Players can buy new cattle cards to improve their herd.
Railroad: Players can advance their train marker on the railroad track to gain bonuses and control over cities.

The space a player chooses to land on and the subsequent actions they take play a huge part in their strategy and progression throughout the game.

End of Game:

The game ends when the job market deck is exhausted. The job market deck is depleted as players hire staff throughout the game. When the game ends, players add up their points from cattle, buildings, staff, objectives, and the cities they control on the railroad track. The player with the highest total score wins the game.

Note that while the above provides an overview of the flow of the game, each action involves additional rules and strategies that players will need to learn and master to do well in Great Western Trail: Second Edition.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

The gameplay of ‘Great Western Trail: Second Edition’ revolves around players taking turns to navigate a vast trail with their herd, aiming to deliver cattle from Texas to Kansas City. A player’s turn consists of three main steps: Movement, Actions, and Hand Management. These steps provide a variety of strategic choices which can significantly impact the gameplay.

Movement

At the beginning of their turn, a player must move their cowboy figure along the trail. The number of steps the cowboy can move is determined by the player’s current player board.

Move to a Building: The player can move their cowboy to a building on the trail, belonging to either them or another player.
Move to a Hazard: The player may choose to move their cowboy to a hazard, such as a flooded river or rockslide, which typically requires a payment.
Move to a Town: The player may move their cowboy to a town, where they can interact with the town’s specific features.

Actions

After movement, the player can perform actions based on their current location. The actions available to a player vary depending on whether they landed on a building, a hazard, or a town.

Building Actions: These may allow the player to trade cattle, build new structures, hire workers or gain resources. Some building actions also provide the ability to upgrade the player’s train.
Hazard Actions: While typically detrimental, some hazards provide the opportunity for the player to benefit, often at a cost.
Town Actions: Towns often have unique actions that can be performed, such as trading specific types of cattle, or gaining special abilities.

Hand Management

The final part of a player’s turn is managing their hand of cattle cards. The player may have the option to draw new cattle cards, discard existing ones, or even purchase new cattle to add to their herd. The composition of a player’s herd can greatly affect their strategy, as different types of cattle are worth varying amounts of points.

Understanding and strategically choosing from these available actions during a player’s turn is key to mastering ‘Great Western Trail: Second Edition’. The choices a player makes during their turn can greatly affect not only their own gameplay, but also the opportunities and challenges presented to their opponents.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of ‘Great Western Trail: Second Edition’ ends after a player places all of their cattle tokens on the board. This action triggers the final round of the game. All players, including the one who triggered the end, get one final turn. Once these turns have been completed, the game ends and scoring begins.

Victory Conditions:

The player with the most victory points (VPs) at the end of the game wins. Victory points can be earned in a variety of ways throughout the game, and additional points are calculated at the end for certain achievements.

Cattle Cards: Players earn victory points equal to the total value of all their different cattle cards in their deck.
Building Tiles: Players earn VPs for the building tiles they placed on the game board during play.
Objective Cards: Players earn VPs for the objective cards they completed during the game.
Station Master Tiles: Any station master tiles a player has collected during the game will earn them VPs.
Delivery Bonus: Players earn bonus VPs for deliveries made to cities.

Final Actions:

Before final scoring, players must perform these actions:

Deck Sorting: Each player arranges their deck and reveals the total value of their different cattle cards.
Objective Completion: Players reveal any remaining objective cards and confirm if they have met the conditions. If so, they earn the VPs. If not, they lose VPs as indicated on the card.
Tile Count: Players count the VPs on their building tiles on the game board.
Station Master Scoring: Players add the VPs from any station master tiles they have collected.
Delivery Bonus Scoring: Players add the bonus VPs earned from deliveries to cities.

After all of these steps have been completed, the player with the most victory points is declared the winner of ‘Great Western Trail: Second Edition’.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Scoring in Great Western Trail: Second Edition is a comprehensive process that takes into account various aspects of the game. The points are awarded in the following manner:

1. Herd Value:

First, players score points equal to the value of their cattle at the end of the game. This is calculated by adding up the values of all different types of cattle in a player’s herd.

2. Station Master Tiles:

Next, players score points for any Station Master tiles they have collected. The points are awarded according to the value indicated on the tiles.

3. Objective Cards:

Players then score points for any completed Objective cards. The points are awarded as specified on the cards. However, players lose points for any incomplete Objective cards.

4. Buildings:

Points are also scored for the buildings a player has built on the game board. Each building’s point value is indicated on the building itself.

5. Hazard Tiles:

Finally, players score points for each Hazard tile they have removed from the game board. The point value is shown on each tile.

After the points from all the above categories have been tallied, the player with the highest total score is declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the following tie-breaking rules are applied:

The player with the most money is the winner.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most Station Master tiles wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most completed Objective cards wins.
If there is still a tie, the player who is first in player order wins.

Note: Some elements of the scoring process may change slightly depending on the number of players or specific variants being used.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

The ‘Great Western Trail: Second Edition’ board game, like all others, has some rare rules, special exceptions, and rule clarifications that players should be aware of. These help to ensure the game is played correctly and everyone has a good time.

1. Rare Rules

A rare rule to note in ‘Great Western Trail: Second Edition’ is the use of the Private Building tiles. These tiles are not initially available in the game set-up but can be acquired throughout gameplay. Their position can greatly affect your strategy:

Private Building Tiles 1 and 2: These can be placed on any vacant building spot on the game board and could obstruct the path of other players, forcing them to pay tolls.
Private Building Tiles 3 and 4: Unlike Tiles 1 and 2, these can only be placed on your own player board, providing distinct advantages and bonuses.

2. Special Exceptions

Special exceptions within the game mostly lie within the use of the Kansas City space. For example:

Selling Cattle: Players must reach Kansas City to sell their cattle, however, if a player’s deck is empty when they reach Kansas City, they can reshuffle their discard pile to make a new deck and draw from it.
Train Movement: While normally a player’s train can only move forward, if a player’s cowboy is in Kansas City, the train can be moved backward up to the number of railheads the player has.

3. Rule Clarifications

There are also some rule clarifications that often need to be addressed in ‘Great Western Trail: Second Edition’:

Player Interaction: Players cannot directly attack or harm each other in the game, but they can impact each other’s progress indirectly through building placement, market manipulation, and race to Kansas City.
Hazard Tiles: Players do not need to pay the cost of a hazard tile if they are simply passing over it. The cost only applies if the player chooses to stop on the hazard tile.
Hand Limit: At the end of the turn, if a player has more than their hand limit in cattle cards, they do not need to discard down to the hand limit. Instead, the hand limit only applies when drawing cards.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies for ‘Great Western Trail: Second Edition’

1. Strategic Building: Purchase and construct buildings that enhance your strategies. For instance, if you’re focusing on a cattle strategy, buildings that provide additional cow cards or bonuses for selling cattle would be beneficial.

2. Effective Train Movement: Utilize your train effectively. Advance your train as far as possible on the track to gain numerous benefits such as new station master tiles and the ability to skip undesirable locations.

3. Diversify Your Strategies: Don’t stick to one strategy. Diversify your strategies to keep opponents guessing and to adapt to any changes in the game.

Beginner Tips for ‘Great Western Trail: Second Edition’

1. Understand Game Mechanics: Understanding the game mechanics is vital. Familiarize yourself with the rules and the purpose of each location on the board prior to beginning the game.

2. Prioritize Cattle Cards: Prioritize buying high-value cattle cards early in the game. They’re worth more points and will allow you to sell your cattle for higher prices.

3. Utilize your Cowboys: Cowboys are essential for buying cattle. Ensure you have enough cowboys to buy the high value cattle you need.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in ‘Great Western Trail: Second Edition’

1. Ignoring the Train: Ignoring your train can be a crucial mistake. The further your train moves along the track, the more benefits you receive.

2. Neglecting to Diversify: Focusing on one strategy can be costly. Always diversify your strategies to adapt to the changing dynamics of the game.

3. Not Utilizing Station Master Tiles: Neglecting to use station master tiles can result in missed opportunities. These tiles offer significant bonuses that can greatly enhance your gameplay.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay in ‘Great Western Trail: Second Edition’

1. Efficient Route Planning: Planning your route efficiently can save time and resources. Avoid taking unnecessary detours and focus on reaching your objectives as quickly as possible.

2. Optimal Use of Workers: Make sure to optimally use your workers. Each worker type (cowboy, craftsman, engineer) has a specific function and using them effectively can lead to better outcomes.

3. Regularly Review Objectives: Regularly review your objectives and adjust your strategies accordingly. This will ensure you are on track to achieving your goals and not wasting resources on irrelevant actions.