Nevada City

"Nevada City" is a worker placement board game designed for 2 to 4 players, set in the Old West during the 1800s. Players assume the roles of founding families aiming to develop the town by producing resources, constructing buildings, and fulfilling contracts. The game is played over four years, each comprising several rounds, with the objective of accumulating the most victory points to become the new mayor of Nevada City.

Gameplay Overview:

• Family Members: Each player starts with a family consisting of four members: mother, father, daughter, and son. Each family member has a unique set of skills and a specific number of action markers, determining the number of actions they can perform during a turn.
• Actions: On their turn, a player selects one family member and uses all their available action markers to perform various tasks, such as:
• Resource Production: Engage in farming, mining, or ranching to gather essential resources.
• Building Construction: Claim and construct buildings that provide benefits and victory points.
• Contract Fulfillment: Complete contracts that offer additional points and rewards.
• Market Interaction: Buy and sell commodities to optimize resources and finances.
• Events: Each year introduces event cards that can present challenges or advantages, such as droughts, fires, or opportunities for growth. Players must adapt their strategies to navigate these events effectively.

Components:

• Game Board: Represents Nevada City and surrounding areas, with spaces for building construction and resource production.
• Homestead Mats: Individual player boards where players manage their family members, resources, and properties.
• Building Cards: Cards representing various buildings that players can construct, each offering unique benefits.
• Resource Tokens: Tokens representing different resources like silver, crops, and livestock.
• Commodity Tokens: Tokens used for trading and fulfilling contracts.
• Event Cards: Cards that introduce random events affecting gameplay.
• Action Markers: Tokens used to perform actions during the game.

Objective:

The game concludes after four years. Players tally their victory points from constructed buildings, completed contracts, and other achievements. The player with the highest total is declared the winner and becomes the new mayor of Nevada City.

Additional Information:

• Age Recommendation: 14 years and up.
• Playing Time: Approximately 90 to 120 minutes.
• Designer: Alan D. Ernstein.
• Publisher: Rio Grande Games.

"Nevada City" offers a rich and immersive experience, combining strategic planning with thematic elements of the Old West. Its unique worker placement mechanics and variable events provide a dynamic and engaging gameplay experience.