Steam Power is a board game created by Martin Wallace. It takes the complex ideas from his famous game Age of Steam and makes them simpler. The goal is to make it a game that families can play together. However, it is not just a smaller version of the original. While many rules are easier to understand, Steam Power introduces some new ideas. These changes make the game feel fresh and unique. Some of these new elements are similar to another popular game called Brass.
In Steam Power, the main activity is building your own railway network. You are not just laying tracks; you are also constructing factories. Every city on the board allows for one specific type of factory. This means you have to plan carefully where to build. You cannot just put a factory anywhere. You must look at the cities available and decide which factory fits best there.
When you build a factory, you place five goods next to it. These goods are available for anyone to use. Players use these goods to complete contracts. A contract is a task that requires specific goods. If you can provide the goods, you complete the contract and score points. However, there is a catch regarding your factory’s score. Your factory will only give you points at the end of the game if all its goods have been used up. If there are leftover goods, the factory does not contribute to your final score.
Your railway network is very important for another reason. It does not score points directly. Instead, it gives you access to the factories. When you fulfill a contract, you can use any goods that are accessible through your own railway network for free. This is a big advantage. You do not have to pay to use the goods on your own tracks.
If you need goods that are outside your network, you have to pay. To get those goods, you must use your opponents’ railroads. This costs you money. This rule creates a balance. You want to build a network that reaches as many factories as possible. At the same time, you want to avoid paying your opponents to use their tracks. It encourages you to expand your network to cover key areas of the board.
The game ends when one player completes their 11th contract. This creates a race to finish tasks. You score points for several things. First, you get points for every contract you complete. Second, you get points for factories that are fully utilized. This means all five goods were used. Third, you score points for connecting to major cities. Connecting to these important cities gives you a bonus.
During the setup of the game, two city tiles are set aside. These tiles are not used on the board. Instead, they change the value of specific factory types. This means that in every game, different factories might be worth more points. This adds variety. You cannot use the same strategy every time. You must adapt to the setup of the current game.
Building your network is competitive. You are fighting for territory. You want to claim the best routes to cities and factories. Access to major cities gives you points, but access to factories is usually more important. Being able to reach a factory lets you use its goods for free. This saves you money and helps you complete contracts faster.
You are not limited to building factories only within your own network. You can build a factory inside another player’s network. You might do this if you see a demand for your goods. Even if your opponent knows that using your goods will help you score, they might still do it. If they need those goods to complete a contract, they will use them. This adds a layer of negotiation and tension to the game.
The design of Steam Power is very clean and smooth. Building factories is free. Building tracks is also free, as long as you avoid difficult terrain like hills and mountains. You do not use cash very often in this game. This cuts down on a lot of tedious bookkeeping. There is a lot of board play to consider. You must analyze where the goods are produced. This helps you decide how to start your network and how to grow it.
There is a race to expand your network across the board. At the same time, there is a race to fulfill contacts. You must watch your opponents closely. If you are not careful, the game might end before you are ready. You do not want the game to catch you off guard. Being aware of how many contracts your opponents have completed is key to winning.
Steam Power is quite different from Age of Steam. It is a lighter game. The pace is brisk and moves quickly. It is not as unforgiving as the original, but it remains competitive. This makes it work very well as a family strategy game. It is complex enough to be interesting for adults, but simple enough for younger players to learn.
The deluxe edition of the game is visually appealing. The board and pieces are very pretty. The artwork is welcoming and makes the game look inviting. It is a game that looks good on the table and plays well in practice.
