Pioneer Rails
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Game info
Design & Art
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Pioneer Rails – Build your own railroad empire in the Wild West
In Pioneer Rails, you are an ambitious railroad tycoon, ready to push the tracks ever further west to connect cities, satisfy people's needs, and leave your name etched in history. Each card you choose pushes you to design new lines, but also to build your poker hand: railroad strategy and gambling intertwine in a unique experience.
It's a flip & write game for 1–80 players, where planning routes is the key to instant bonuses and end-of-game scores. Connecting cities and surrounding natural features on the map unlocks advantages, while card values build your poker hand, which is evaluated at the end of the round. And thanks to shared objectives , each game becomes a different challenge, pushing you to change course to emerge victorious.
Why Pioneer Rails is more than just flip & write
- 🚂 Rail expansion with ever-new routes and crucial decisions.
- 🃏 Dual-purpose poker card : extend tracks and build winning hands.
- 🎯 Variable objectives that make every match different and challenging.
- ⚡ Quick games lasting 30–45 minutes, ideal for large or small groups.
- 🌍 Up to 80 players thanks to the flip & write formula, also perfect for events and tournaments.
If you’re looking for a light but brilliant strategy game , with the tension of poker and the satisfaction of watching your railroad grow, Pioneer Rails will take you straight to the heart of the West… track by track.
In the frontier lands, every card is a choice. Every track, a conquest.
Pioneer Rails
Product Details
🐸 HOW TO PLAY
The West awaits you, railroader.
New lands open up before you, and the opportunity is unique: expand your railroad empire and become the pioneer who will connect the cities, saloons, and mines of the Wild West. In Pioneer Rails, you are the visionary owner of a railroad company, ready to shape the fate of the American frontier, rail by rail.
Poker and tracks, a duel with cards.
Each turn, you choose a card from the communal display: the suit tells you where to extend your railroad, and the value adds to your poker hand. At the end of the round, in addition to the connection points, your card combinations will also count, just like in a game at the green table.
Connections and opportunities.
Connecting cities gives you instant bonuses, while circling special locations unlocks valuable points for the finale. Each stretch of track isn't just a drawing on paper, but a strategic step that can pave the way to victory.
Common goals, different paths.
In each match, there are three public milestones that change the direction of your strategies: is it better to head straight for the juiciest bonuses or deviate to block your rivals?
A flip & write with a puzzle-like feel.
Combining the satisfaction of planning train routes with the thrill of poker, Pioneer Rails is a surprising mix of logic, calculation, and a pinch of chance. Perfect for those who love roll-and-write games but are looking for a fresh and different experience. 🚂
🃏 SACHETS
63x88mm - Quantity 35
The sleeve sizes listed are based on data from BoardGameGeek.com (BGG), the global board game community.
🐸 We at FroGames strive to provide useful information, but we cannot guarantee the complete accuracy of the data reported.
We always encourage you to check them based on the edition and specific content of the game. 💬
✨ If you have any further questions, please contact us: we'll be happy to help!
REGULATION ENG
Download the Regulations Here
Pioneer Rails
Squeeze every move. And leave only the peel for others.
Poker, tracks and strategic challenges in the heart of the frontier
Pioneer Rails – Build your own railroad in the Wild West
The wind of the West blows in your face, the terrain is still wild, and a map full of opportunities stretches before you . In Pioneer Rails, you are a railroad entrepreneur laying the first connections through villages, mines, and saloons, using poker cards as a tool to build your network.
Each turn is a choice between taking a risk with a high value for your hand or exploiting the suit to extend the railroad. Every line you extend promises new opportunities, every city you reach grants you a unique power, and every completed stretch brings you closer to victory.
A flip & write game that combines poker and railway construction.
Pioneer Rails is a flip-and-write board game set in the Wild West , created by Jeffrey D. Allers and Matthew Dunstan and published by Dranda Games. It can be played by 1 to 80 people (yes, even in huge groups!) with quick matches lasting 30-45 minutes.
The game's unique feature is the merging of two worlds: drawing railway lines on your personal map and building a poker hand for the final score. Each card you choose allows you to extend your network and, at the same time, contributes to the value of your combination.
Three shared objectives and a map packed with bonuses make every game different, while the puzzle-like feel of placement pushes you to always search for the perfect move. Ideal for those looking for a strategic and intelligent card game , with the lightness of flip & write and the depth of train games.
We played it… and we felt like true pioneers 🐸
In Pioneer Rails, we found ourselves drawing tracks crisscrossing saloons and mines , praying for the right seed to emerge to connect that damned isolated town. The fusion of poker and rail-building convinced us: it's not just a drawing game, it's an experience that truly makes you feel like you're building an empire.
The funniest thing? Watching your opponents ruin their hands just to keep you from getting the card you need. The West is ruthless, even on paper.
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I giochi da tavolo non servono a passare il tempo. Servono a viverlo meglio. – La Rana Saggia
Ogni regola è un’opportunità nascosta. Scoprila con occhi nuovi. – Il Girino Curioso
Non so come ho vinto. Ma è stato divertentissimo. Rigioca, se hai il coraggio. – La Ranarock Ribelle
Una buona mossa è silenziosa. La vittoria, inevitabile. – Ranaldo Stratega
Non serve vincere per giocare bene. Serve giocare per stare bene. – Zio Rospo Zen
I giochi da tavolo non servono a passare il tempo. Servono a viverlo meglio. – La Rana Saggia
Ogni regola è un’opportunità nascosta. Scoprila con occhi nuovi. – Il Girino Curioso
Non so come ho vinto. Ma è stato divertentissimo. Rigioca, se hai il coraggio. – La Ranarock Ribelle
Una buona mossa è silenziosa. La vittoria, inevitabile. – Ranaldo Stratega
Non serve vincere per giocare bene. Serve giocare per stare bene. – Zio Rospo Zen
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