30 Rails

A raliway building game for one to four players

Designer: Julian Anstey

Object
Players build a network of rail lines to connect as many stations as possible.
Longer lines score more, as does connecting higher numbered stations. Extra
points are awarded for lines passing through the bonus square. Players also score
bonus points for each station connected to the mine.

Setup
Each player receives a Map Board, Scoring Sheet and Pen.
Place the Mountains
Roll the white dice once for each row on the map board.
After each roll, all players draw a mountain symbol on their map board in the
corresponding column of that row. For example, if the first roll is a 3 then draw a
mountain in column 3 of row 1. If the second roll is a 4 then draw a mountain in
column 4 of row 2. One die roll may be ignored, and a mountain is not drawn on
that row.
Example 1 2 3 4 5 6
Rolls were: 3, 5, 6, 2, 2, 4
The player chose to ignore the second roll (5) 1 
and no mountain was drawn in row 2. 2
3 
Note: Dice rolls are shared between all players.
During setup and throughout the game all players 4 
use the same dice roll results. But when placing 5 
mountains each player makes their own decision 6 
as to which dice roll to ignore.

Place the Mine 1 2 3 4 5 6

Each player places a mine on their map board by
choosing any space orthogonally adjacent to a 1 
mountain and writing an ‘M’ in that space. This
2 M
represents the mine.
3 
Players will earn bonus points for connecting
stations to the mine. 4 
5 
6 
Place the Stations Advanced Scoring Example
Each player writes each of the numbers 1 to 4 in 1 2 3 4 5 6
one of the grey squares around the edge of the
map. Each number represents a station. One
3 ? +2 Σ
number must be written on each of the four
1 2 
sides of the map. 2
3
M

Score 7 for line 1-2 1 2 1 6 7 6
11
Each player makes their own choices about
where to place the stations on their map.
Longer lines between stations score more and
4
5

 4
Score 6 for line 1-3 1 3 2 6 2 10 3
6
higher points are awarded for connecting 
higher numbered stations.
6
1
No shares in line 1-4
This line scores 0 1 4 3 8 11
Choose a Bonus Square
Each player chooses one square on their map to
Stations not connected
This line scores 0 2 3 3 4
1 2 3 4 5 6
be the bonus square. Mark the bonus square
3
by drawing around the outline or shading the
corners: 1 2 
2 M
or 3 
4 
Bonus points are awarded for completed lines
5  4
which pass through the bonus square.
6 
1
Overview
These main rules describe the basic game. See the Advanced Game section for
details of the advanced variant.
The game consists of 30 turns. Each turn, both dice are rolled. The black die
indicates the type of track. The white die indicates the row or column where the
track must be placed. Each player draws the indicated track piece on their map,
aiming to create railway lines which connect stations to each other and the mine.
At the end of 30 turns, players calculate their score using their scoring sheet. The
player with the highest score is the winner.
Note: Regardless of the number of players, the dice are only rolled once each turn
and the results are shared. All players use the same dice results when placing
their track.
Advanced Game Black Die
The advanced games uses the ‘Shares’ column of the scoring sheet and there are The black die indicates the type of track that must be placed:
no overrides. The rules are the same as the basic game except as follows:
Curve Straight
Gameplay Draw a 90 curve. It may be Draw a straight. It may run
oriented in any direction. north-south or east-west.
There are no overrides.
Instead of laying track, a player may choose to buy shares in a railway line. In this
case, take the highest of the two dice and write the value in any one square of the
shares column of the scoring section. If the selected square already has a value, Double Curve Crossover
add the new value to the existing one. Draw 2 opposing 90 curves. Draw a crossover. This
When a player chooses to buy shares, they must also nominate a square of the They must not be connected. consists of 2 straights at right-
map that will never have track built on it by drawing an ‘X’ in any empty space on They may be oriented in any angles. The two tracks are
the map. There is an icon above the shares column of the scoring sheet to remind direction. or separate and do not meet.
you of this. One passes over the over via a
bridge.
Example
2 and 5 were rolled. A player may choose to buy 5 shares (the higher Y Junction Junction
of the two rolls). Draw two 90 curves, joined Draw a junction. It may be
at one edge. The junction may oriented in any direction. Any
In this case they are added ? +2 Σ be oriented in any direction.
Any railway line that passes
railway line that passes
through this square may use
to 6 shares previously or
through this square may use either the straight or the
bought in line 1-2.
1 2 1 6
11 either the left or the right
branch.
curve.

An ‘X’ is drawn on the map.

White Die
X The white die indicates the row or column in
1 2 3 4 5 6
which the track must be placed. Players select
an empty square in either the row or column 3
Scoring corresponding to the value on the die. If every 1 2 
During scoring, for each completed route, score the lowest of the sum column and square in the indicated row or column is already 2 M
the shares column. If there is no value in the shares column, that player scores already filled, a player may select any empty 3 
nothing for that line, whether or not the stations are connected. square on the map. 4 
The mine is scored as normal. Example 5  4
A 4 is rolled on the white die. The track may be 6 
placed in any of the shaded squares. 1

Not used Not used

Overrides Scoring - Continued
Twice during the game a player may override the rolled value of a die and use any Write the sum of the first three boxes in the fourth column. (The fifth column is
value of their choice. This may be done once for the white die and once for the only used when playing the Advanced Game.)
black die. The two overrides may both be done on the same turn, or each on Count the number of stations that are connected to the mine by a continuous line.
separate turns. Write the indicated number in the corresponding box. e.g. 3 stations connected to
Each player uses their overrides separately. If one player overrides a die, the the mine scores 12 points.
value rolled is not affected for the other players. At the bottom, write the total of column 4 plus the score for the mine. This is the
When an override is used, the player crosses out the final score.
corresponding ‘Override’ die symbol on their map board.
Scoring Example – Basic Game
Game End
After 30 turns, each player’s map should be completely filled. Scoring now takes Taking the section of map
shown left, the relevant parts
M 
place. The player with the highest score is the winner. If playing solo, rate your
score as follows: of the scoring sheet are
completed as shown below.
1 3
Over 40 – Okay; Over 50 – Good; Over 60 – Excellent.
2
Scoring
Each player completes their scoring sheet as follows:
Check each pair of stations listed on the scoring sheet. ? +2 Σ
If the stations are connected by a continuous line, that pair of stations is scored.
Only direct routes are couted; it is not permitted to reverse at a junction or to go
via an intermediate station.
Line 1-2 passes through 3 squares. 1 2 1 3 4
It is not permitted for a line to pass over the
same length of track twice. However, a line
may pass through the same square twice via
  X Line 1-3 passes through 6 squares
including the bonus square. 1 3 2 6 2 10
a crossover or double curve.
If two stations are connected, write the number indicated in the first column of
the scoring sheet. e.g. connecting stations 1 and 3 scores 2 points.
Stations 2 and 3 are not
connected. This line not scored. 2 3 3
Count the number of squares the line passes through and write this number in the
second column. If more than one route is possible, only the shortest route is
counted. If a route legally passes through the same square twice, the square is
Only one of the stations (station 3)
is connected to the mine. ? M 2 6 12 20
counted both times.
If the line passes through the bonus square, write a ‘2’ in the third column. If two
routes are equally shot but one passes through the bonus square, the bonus is Σ 16
scored. The bonus is only counted once per line, even if the route passes through
the bonus square twice.

Not used Not used