Southern Rails
Southern Rails Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Components
- 1 game board (also called "the map")
- 1 progress board
- 36 railroad shares; 6 per railroad
- 96 track cubes; 16 in each of the six colors representing the railroads (red, blue, yellow, purple, green, and black)
- 24 scoring discs; 4 in each of the six colors representing the railroads (red, blue, yellow, purple, green, and black)
- 5 turn-order cards
- 5 reference cards; one in each of the five player colors (white, natural, gray, orange, and pink)
- 10 score markers; two each in each of the five player colors (white, natural, gray, orange, and pink)
- This rulebook
Setup
Place the game board in the center of the table, with the progress board nearby.
Fill the spaces at the top of the progress board with matching-colored track cubes.
Put one disc from each railroad on the "0" space of each of the four tracks at the bottom of the progress board; these will be used during the game to track the progress of the railroads as they build track during the game.
Sort each railroad's shares numerically, with the "1" card on top and the "6" on the bottom, and place them next to the progress board, as shown.
Note: The shares are numbered to assist players in determining the number of shares owned from each company. This is important during the scoring rounds. The railroad(s) with the fewest shares owned are the ones with the lowest number share still available.
Give each player a reference card in their chosen color, then place two matching-colored score markers on the "0" space of the map's scoring track. One marker will track Victory Points (VP) earned by each player in a given round, while the other marker will track the VP each player has earned over the course of the entire game.
Shuffle together one turn-order card per player, using only those cards that match the number of players in the game (e.g., in a three-player game, use cards 1-3). Deal one card randomly to each player, then return any remaining turn-order cards to the box.
Initial Stock Acquisition Rounds
Place one share from each railroad below the map. Starting with the first player and going in player order, each player will take one of these shares. Once each player has selected a share, replace any taken shares so that there is again one of each share below the map. Then, going in reverse player order, each player will take a second share which must belong to a different railroad than the one they selected in the first acquisition round.
After completing this sequence, each player should have two different shares of stock. Return any shares not chosen by the players to the stacks next to the progress board.
Note: regardless of its number, each card represents a single share.
Sequence of Play
In turn order, each player will build track by placing one track cube onto the map, as described in the "Building Track" section of this rulebook (see page 3). Whenever a railroad's 10th cube is placed on the map, it is followed immediately by a scoring round (see "Scoring Round," on page 3).
At the end of each scoring round (other than the final round), turn order will be adjusted and each player will acquire a new share of stock (see page 4).
Building Track
If a player has at least one share in any railroad that has unused track cubes, that player must place one track cube onto the map (if possible). If a player does not have a share in any railroad that has unused cubes, they must pass. If a player cannot legally place a cube on the map for any railroad in which they own a share, they also must pass. If all players are forced to pass consecutively, there will be a final scoring round, followed by the end of the game.
A railroad's first track cube may be placed on any hex. Any additional cubes belonging to that railroad must be placed in a hex adjacent to an existing cube of the same color. A railroad may have no more than one cube in any given hex, but certain hexes may hold cubes belonging to multiple railroads.
The number of track cubes each hex can hold is limited:
- Rural hexes (with no city names) may hold up to two track cubes
- Green cities (green hex marked 1) may hold one track cube
- Blue cities (blue hex marked 2) may hold up to two track cubes
- Red cities (red hex marked 3) may hold up to three track cubes
- Atlanta may hold one track cube from each railroad
When a track cube is placed in a city, that railroad's revenue value is increased:
- Green cities by $1
- Blue cities by $2
- Red cities by $3
- Yellow city (Atlanta) by $4
Keep track of each railroad's progress by moving its same-colored discs on the progress board. One disc should always show the company's revenue, while the others should indicate the number of cities of each color to which the railroad is connected.
Check for Scoring Round
When a railroad's 10th track cube is placed, proceed to a scoring round. Each railroad's 10th track cube can be identified on the progress board by its heavy white border.
Scoring Round
When a scoring round occurs, players will earn VP for each share they hold in a railroad that is the leader in each of the following categories:
- The railroad connected to the most green (green city) cities earns 1 VP per share
- The railroad connected to the most blue (blue city) cities earns 1 VP per share
- The railroad connected to the most red (red city) cities earns 1 VP per share
- The railroad with the highest revenue earns 2 VP per share
- The railroad with the most track cubes on the map (minimum of 11) earns 1 VP per share (note that this means that it is not possible to earn VP for the "most track" during the first scoring round of the game)
- The railroad with the fewest shares owned by players earns 1 VP per share
Important: if there is a tie in any category, no VP are awarded for that category.
If this was the fourth scoring round, or if this scoring round was triggered by all players passing, the game is over.
Adjust Turn Order for the Next Round
If the game continues, the player who earned the fewest VP this round receives the first-player card. The player who earned the next-fewest VP receives the second-player card, and so on. In the event of a tie, the tied players maintain the same relative order.
Example:
Current turn order: Anna, Beth, Connor, Dennis
Anna earned 4 VP; Beth, 3; Connor, 5; and Dennis, 4.
New turn order: Beth, Anna, Dennis, Connor
Beth earned the fewest VP, so she becomes the new first player. Anna and Dennis tied, so Anna stays ahead of Dennis (due to their relative turn-order in the previous round). Connor earned the most VP, so he will go last.
As each scoring round is completed, add all Round VP to the map's "Game VP" track and reset all of the Round VP markers to zero.
Acquire New Shares
Place one share of each railroad at the bottom of the map. Starting with the new first player and going in turn order, each player then takes one of these shares. A player may select any one of these shares, even if they already own one or more shares in that railroad. Return any shares not chosen by the players to the stacks next to the progress board.
The new first player will then start the next round by placing a track cube onto the map.
End of Game
If this was the fourth scoring round, or if the last scoring round was triggered by all players passing, the game is over. Complete the current scoring round; there is no end game scoring.
The player with the most Victory Points is the winner. If there are multiple players with the most Victory Points, they must reluctantly accept the result.