Koplopers & Dwarsliggers

Koplopers & Dwarsliggers Rulebook

Table of Contents

Introduction to the Game

In Koplopers en Dwarsliggers every player may construct up to three trains and each of those trains can transport up to 500 passengers. During the game you pick up passengers at stations and put their tokens at your train organizer card in the corresponding box. And then you try to transport your passengers to their destinations, after which you collect their tokens in your tray. Each turn you may spend five action points that you can use for constructing or scrapping trains, but you may also combine trains, split them up again, or reverse them. You can pick up passengers, transport them or have them change trains, and finally you can play obstruction cards or perform an emergency repair. The player who has brought the highest number of passengers to their destination wins the game.

1 Game board
1 Red disc
1 Black train
12 Trains in 4 colours
3 Round obstruction tokens (marked A, B and C)
4 Trays
50 Passenger tokens
4 Train organizer cards
4 Cards with abbreviations
4 Emergency Repair cards
32 Obstruction cards
1 Rulebook

Preparing the Game

Put the game board in the middle of the table.

Randomize the passenger tokens and put them bottom up on the white circles on the game board. The bottom of the tokens shows the colour of the area in which the tokens must be placed. After being placed in the correct areas the tokens are reversed to show their upper side. Each upper side shows a number of passengers and the abbreviation of the station they want to travel to.

Put the red disc in obstruction box A on the game board. (This disc shows which obstruction token is next to being moved). The obstruction tokens are placed next to the board.

Put the black train on the starting position of the track at the edge of the board; you use this track to keep up the number of rounds played. The game ends after a maximum of 20 rounds with 4 players and after a maximum of 25 rounds with 2 or 3 players.

All players receive a set of 3 trains of the same colour, 1 train organizer card, 1 card with abbreviations, 1 emergency repair card, and 1 tray for collecting passenger tokens.

The obstruction cards are shuffled; 3 cards (5 with two players) are dealt to each player; the remaining cards are put as a face-down deck in the corresponding box on the game board.

Standard Game

We advise players to play the standard game first. After a few games you may want to spice up the game by playing the advanced version; the rules of this version follow at the end of this rulebook.

Starting the Game

The player who was the last to travel by train may start the game; this player is the start player. (In case of doubt the players decide who will be start player). He receives the train organizer card with the black train printed on it. Each time when it is his turn, he moves the black train on the game board one space ahead on the game track until the end of the game.

A Game Turn

When it is his turn a player can perform a number of actions, for a total of 5 action points. You may only spend these points to your own trains, and when possible you must spend at least one action to each of your trains, including empty ones. This obligatory action may, however, be a free one. You may combine actions with each other; points not spent are forfeited and cannot be used in future turns. At the end of your turn you bring back the number of your obstruction cards to 3 (or 5 in the case of 2 players).

Actions – Which Actions Can You Perform?

You can choose from the following actions, which will be further explained later in the rules.

Constructing a train (3 action points)
Scrapping a train (1 action point)
Riding a train for one section (1 action point)
Reversing a train (1 action point)
Playing an obstruction card (1 action point)
Playing an emergency repair card (1 action point)
Pick up passengers (free)
Deliver passengers (free)
Have passengers change trains (free)
Combine trains (free)
Split up a combined train (free)

Important

When a train has used a free action, it may no longer be moved in that turn.
If you have spend a free action to a train, you must not spend another free action to it in the next round until it has moved again.
If a segment directly ahead of your train is occupied by a train of another player, or when it is obstructed, you are not obliged to spend an action to that train; consequently you may spend the action point elsewhere.
You only need to spend one action to a combined train.

Constructing a Train (3 Action Points)

You may only construct a new train at an empty construction site. There are 10 of those construction sites – the red sections on the game board. A newly built train has its rear facing to the station.

Exception: In the first round all players must construct a train in their turn. The first player must construct a train on one of the construction sites '1'. The second player must construct on one of the construction sites '2', the third on one of the locations '3' and the fourth on one of the locations '4'. Thus, every player may choose from two different construction sites. When constructing a second or third train, the numbers at the construction sites have no significance.

Important

A newly built train must be reversed to arrive at the station. If that train doesn't move any further, you must pick up any passengers at that station.

Scrapping a Train (1 Action Point)

You may choose to scrap an empty train. This can only be done at an empty construction site (red segment). You take the train from the board and put it in front of you.

Important

Scrapping of a train is only allowed at a construction site.
The train must be empty: it must not have passengers on board.
A scrapped train may be reconstructed later in the game, but this again will cost 3 action points.
Scrapping a combined train will cost 2 action points, one per single train.

Riding a Train for One Section (1 Action Point)

You ride a train by moving it one section forward; this costs 1 action point.

Each section of track can accommodate only one train, but you may pass another train by choosing the Riding action more than once. You are allowed to pass stations without calling there.

[Diagram: a stretch of track divided into sections, labelled "split between 2 sections" and "section".]

Important

When you don't call at a station, you cannot perform any actions there, such as picking up or dropping passengers.
When you decide to call at a station or you end your turn there (with the front of your train facing to the station), you call out the name of the station. Any passengers in the train with this station as their destination step off the train, before any new passengers step in. If you have called a station, passengers will always enter the train if they fit in.
After a free action you are not allowed to move that train (again).
During the game you may only enter a construction site (red section) to scrap the train.
After a ride you may no longer reverse that train.

Reversing a Train (1 Action Point)

You may only reverse your train at a station (the front is facing the station) or at a construction site. In that case you reverse front and rear side of your train so that the rear is now facing the station.

Exception:

Only when the next station on a route has an obstruction, you may reverse on the track rather than at a station.

Important

After a reversal you may continue to move that train.
After a free action you are not allowed to move that train (again).
After a reversal you must have moved your train for at least 1 segment, before you may reverse it again.

Example

Ronald has a train at the section Meppel-Zwolle, facing Zwolle station. He reverses the train, which now faces Meppel. In the next turn Ronald may not reverse this train again, but he must move to Groningen or Leeuwarden first.

Playing an Obstruction Card (1 Action Point)

Obstruction cards (various colours except grey) show the name of a station and a text with the type of obstruction. This text is chrome; all cards have the same effect. When a player plays an obstruction card, there will be a serious problem at the station mentioned on the card. The red disc on the board shows which obstruction token will be placed there. (The first obstruction token to be placed is token 'A'). The obstruction token with that letter will be placed in the corresponding station on the game board. Then the red disc is moved to the next letter (A ⇨ B ⇨ C ⇨ A).

The obstruction card played is discarded to an open discard pile next to the board. At the end of their turn players replenish their hands to 3 (5 with 2 players) obstruction cards. If the deck of obstruction cards is exhausted, the discard pile is shuffled and turned over to form a new deck.

Important

In any turn you may play only one obstruction card.
Obstruction tokens remain on the game board until they are moved as a result of a future obstruction card or of an emergence repair card.
When a station is obstructed, all trains that border at that station (either with their front or rear) can no longer move.
Trains can no longer call at obstructed stations, nor can they pass those stations.
When a train borders with its rear to an obstructed station and with its front to an unobstructed station, this train cannot be combined or split-up. Passengers may however change trains at the unobstructed station.

Playing an Emergency Repair Card (1 Action Point)

Grey cards are emergency repair cards. When you play an emergency repair card you may remove an obstruction token of your choice and put it next to the game board. This token comes into play again as soon as it is its turn (letter!) again.

Important

Emergency repair cards that have been played are removed from the game.

Example

Corrie is being troubled by obstruction token A. The red disc shows that obstruction token B is next to be moved, thus it may take some time before token A will be placed elsewhere. Corrie decides to play her emergency repair card and removes token A from the board. The obstruction has now been resolved. Obstruction token A will not enter the game board again until three obstruction cards have been played.

Pick Up Passengers (Free)

When you call at a station you must pick-up all passengers waiting there – as long as you have enough room left in your train. The number on the passenger token denotes the number of passengers, and the letters on it denote the destination station – please consult the card with abbreviations. Take the token from the game board and put it on your organizer card in the box of the corresponding train.

Important

Each train can accommodate 500 passengers.
Passengers that have arrived at their destination leave the train before new passengers enter.
If the train cannot accommodate a passenger token, the token remains on that station.
A train that has picked-up passengers may not move any further in that turn, nor may it be reversed.

Deliver Passengers (Free)

When you call at a station passengers that have this station as their destination (consult the card with abbreviations) will leave the train. Take the passenger token from your train organizer card and put it into your tray.

Important

The total number of passenger you have successfully transported to their destination determines how well perform in this game.
As soon as passengers have left the train at their destination, it may not move any further, nor may it be reversed.

Having Passengers Change Trains (Free)

You may have passengers change trains when two of your own trains have arrived at the same station. You may now exchange passenger tokens between these trains.

Important

After the exchange both trains may have a maximum of 500 passengers on board.
When passengers have changed trains, both trains involved may not move any further in that turn, nor may they be reversed.
When you call at a station where another player is already present, you may negotiate and have some or all of your passengers to change between those trains.
Changing trains counts as an action for both trains involved.

Example

Seb has arrived with two trains at Amersfoort station. Train 1 has passengers for Leeuwarden, Zwolle and Maastricht, train 2 for Stavoren, Arnhem and Sittard. In this case it would be convenient for him to have some of his passengers to change.

Combining Trains (Free)

If two of your trains are at the same station, you may combine them. You take one of them from the game board and move it, together with its passengers, to the box of the other train on your train organizer card. Your combined train may now transport a maximum of 1000 passengers.

Important

After combining the combined train may not move any further in that turn, nor may it be reversed.
An already combined train may not be combined with a third train.

Splitting Up a Combined Train (Free)

If you arrive with a combined train at a station you may split it up again. You put the train that resided on the train organizer card, back on the game board at a free section next to the same station, with its front pointing to that station. Now you divide the passenger tokens among the two trains in such a way that no train exceeds its maximum capacity of 500 passengers.

Important

After splitting up a combined train, both trains involved may not move any further in that turn, nor may they be reversed.
Splitting up is only allowed when there is a free segment next to the station.

Examples of Play

Example 1: Leonie builds a train in Heerlen (HRL) for 3 action points. Then she reverses the train for 1 action point. Now she can choose to move to Sittard (STD) or Maastricht (MT), both for 1 action point, or she remains in Heerlen to pick up the passengers there (free action). Leonie decides to do the latter. Leonie has as yet no other train that can be moved, but for the remaining action point she may choose to play an obstruction card.

Example 2: Corrie has two trains at Eindhoven station (EHV). She can have passengers from those trains to change, or she can combine the two trains. She decides to combine the trains, removes train 2 from the game board and puts it on her train organizer card in the box of train 1, together with the passengers from train 2.

Example 3: Ronald is unable to combine his trains in Eindhoven (EHV), since the rear (and not the front) of train 2 faces the station. Train 2 is therefore not at Eindhoven station. For the same reason he is also unable to reverse train 2. Only when there is an obstruction at Venlo (VL), he may reverse on the track.

Example 4: Seb (red) wants to split up train 2 in Zwolle (ZL). He puts train 3 back on the game board, in this case on one of the arrowed segments. Since the splitting-up takes place at Zwolle station, the front of the train will face Zwolle. In addition Seb may negotiate with Corrie (green) to have some of their passengers change between their trains.

Example 5: There is an obstruction at Leeuwarden (LW). Leonie's train is in Leeuwarden and suffers from this obstruction; it may not be moved and has to wait until the obstruction has been removed. She can accelerate this by playing an obstruction card herself, or by playing her emergency repair card. Seb's train has not been blocked, although it may not enter Leeuwarden. But he may reverse his train at the track since the station before the train suffers an obstruction.

He may also opt to stay where he is. When the segment in front of him is occupied or the station before him is obstructed, he is not forced to spend a compulsory action to that train.

Example 6: Ronald's train 1 suffers an obstruction and cannot move. In addition, he cannot combine or split up this train. In principle, he may have its passengers to change, since the train is at Tilburg station (TB). But unfortunately, it is at the wrong platform – the one towards Breda (BD), which city suffers from an obstruction.

Example 7: Corrie moves three segments with her train, thereby passing Ronald's train. She arrives at Utrecht and calls at the station to enable her passengers to leave the train; she puts the passenger token in her tray. Her train can now accommodate new passengers who immediately enter the train.

End of the Game

The black train on the games board is used to register the number of rounds played until the maximum number of rounds. The latter is 20 for a 4-player game and 25 rounds otherwise. As soon as the black train has reached that number, the last round commences – all players have then one turn to go.

The game can however end before its maximum number of rounds. When a player has no more passengers in his trains (no passenger tokens on his train organizer card) and there are 5 or less passenger tokens left on the board, than the last round is on. As soon as the start player would have its turn, the game ends! (All players will always have an equal number of turns).

[Diagram: a red signal and a train on a track, with the sign "Einde 4 Spelers" ("End 4 Players"), marking the end of the track for a 4-player game.]

The player who transported the highest number of passengers to their destination wins the game (count the number of passengers on the tokens in your tray). In case of a tie the number of passengers still in your trains (on your train organizer card) are counted and subtracted from the number in your tray. If there is still a tie, the player with the highest number of tokens in his tray wins the game.

Advanced Rules

Experienced players may spice up the game by applying the following rules changes:

When you construct your first train you may choose any construction site.
When you call at a station you are not obliged to pick up passengers.
At the end of game you always subtract the number the passengers still in your trains from those in your tray.