Area 1851 Express: Preview

Area 1851 Express: Preview

Information:

Mechanics: Drafting, Set Collection, Hand Management

Player Age: 14+ 

Player Count: 2 - 5 Players 

Time to Play:  30 - 45 Minutes 
Game Designer: Justin Blaske
Game Artist: Lucas Soriano

Publisher: Five24 Labs

BGG Complexity: 2.00/5

Disclaimer: A preview copy for the game was provided by the publisher.

Objective:

Aliens have landed in the wild west and it is your mission to create unique gadgets using a combination of alien tech, native tech and settler tech. Money is nice but what you are really seeking is the most reputation over three rounds.

Component Anatomy:

There are two types of cards; scrap cards and thing cards.

Scrap Cards:

There are several key elements to a scrap card. It can be played as a modification (mod) or a base card, where the only difference making it a base card is the base indicator on the top left of the card (see image below), and attachment points to the left and right side of the card. These attachment points are how you merge cards together to build gadgets. Each card also has an icon that will activate an effect or give you a token after the gadget and a reputation, these are both activated and scored when the gadget is completed by having no open attachment points when delivered.

Thing Cards:

Each of these cards are bases with 0 reputation and can be swapped out when drafting.

Tokens:

Some cards will depict token symbols that allow you to gain the corresponding token/effect once the gadget is completed and delivered. These tokens can then be used during the ‘select card’ phase for numerous effects such as drawing extra cards, modifying your gadgets in development, or keeping an unfinished gadget into another round (the stasis token).

Player Reference Board:

This board will explain every token or effect that can be awarded or that may occur once the gadget is delivered.

Setup:

- Each player takes a reference board
- Place the tokens, reputation and shuffled thing cards in piles within player reach
- Deal seven scrap cards to each player
- Create a draw pile with the remaining scrap cards

How to Play:

Area 1851 Express is a drafting game set over three rounds. Each turn will have multiple phases which are detailed below.

Selecting a Card:

Each player will simultaneously look at the hand of cards they have been passed, select one card and place it face down until all other players have done the same. Any of the tokens the players have gained throughout the game can be used during this phase.

Playing a Card:

There are several ways a card can be played; to start a new gadget, attach a modifier, attach scrap, add to your scrap heap, and discard for a thing card.

Start a New Gadget:
Any card with a base icon can be played as a new gadget, there is no limit to the number of gadgets one player may have in development.

Attach a Mod:
If one of the attachment points on a card matches another attachment point design on an ongoing gadget, the card can be placed in connection to that point.

Attach Scrap to a Gadget:
Any card can be attached as a mod by playing the card face down as scrap allowing for more attachment points.

Add to Your Scrap Heap:
You can add the card to your scrap heap. This scrap heap will be used at the end of the rounds or through various effects. It is primarily just a stash to use when needed.

Take a Thing Card:
The card you selected can be discarded to gain a thing card. This can be drawn and played as a new gadget or a mod. All thing cards are bases, so this is useful when there are no bases available.

Delivering Gadgets:
After playing a card, each completed gadget must be delivered. A gadget is completed if it has no unused attachment points. When the gadget is delivered, the player will gain reputation equal to the total of the gadget and will activate every effect on the card as well as gain all the tokens that are shown on the cards.

Passing Hands:

Until there are no cards left, the players will pass the leftover cards of their hand to the player on their left in round one and three, and to the player on their right on round two. Remember all hands should have an equal amount of cards.

End of the Round:

The first thing that occurs at the end of the round is each unfinished gadget can be completed by one card in the player’s scrapheap. When this gadget scores, no tokens are gained or effects take place because scrap had been used to fill places. At the very least you will get the basic reputation. Any unfinished gadget that does not have a stasis token on the gadget will be discarded, all scrap cards will be placed in that players scrap heap and all thing cards will be discarded.

Who is this for:

If you enjoy drafting games with a bit more going on than the basics, then here is one to keep an eye out for. The decision making becomes more beneficial with the use of tokens and the scrap heap in the later rounds. The game is also perfect as a beer and pretzel game, one to play while conversing with friends. Check out the Kickstarter with the link below to build your very own alien tech gadgets.

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Kickstarter
Five24 Labs
Area 1851 Express on BGG
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