Schwarzes Gold
Schwarzes Gold Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Material
- 1 double-sided game board version "1901" and version "1926"
- 20 oil rigs in 4 colours
- 4 trucks in the colours of the oil rigs
- 4 trains in the colours of the oil rigs (variants)
- 1 black train
- 60 black tokens (oil storage)
- 3 barrels
- 2 dice
We recommend to play the first game with version 1901. Nevertheless, also version 1926 can be played without variants.
The board is divided into 9 areas, which consist of 9 to 16 fields (version 1901). Their size corresponds to the probability to become active in these areas.
The player's trains are only used in the variants "Start or train" and "own trains".
Preparation
- The 60 tokens, 3 barrels and the black train are placed beside the unfolded game board (version 1901).
- Each player receives the truck and the 5 oil rigs (respectively 4 oil rigs when playing with 4 players) in the same colour.
- The player, who has been at a gas station last, begins the game. It is played clockwise.
Aim of the game
The aim of the game is to collect the most tokens.
How to play
The game is structured into 2 phases: 1. the setting phase and 2. the scoring phase. In phase 1, the player roll the dice and then place oil rigs, tokens, trucks or barrels on the board. In phase 2, the players decide in which order they evaluate their oil rigs (produce oil).
1. Phase: Rolling of the dice: discover oil or placing an oil rig or a truck or a barrel
The active player rolls both dice. The score indicates the area in which one of the following actions can be carried out (7 = middle):
A 7 corresponds with the bigger middle area. The nine fields of the 2/3 area correspond to the score 2 and 3; this is true for area 11/12 respectively.
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Discover oil (place tokens): The player places a token from the supply on a free field. Rolling a double: The token may also be placed on an existing token!
Tokens are neutral, i.e. they do not belong to any player, but will become to winning points in the end.
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Placing of an oil rig: The player places one of his own oil rigs on a free field.
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Placing of a truck: The player places his truck clearly horizontally or vertically on a free field.
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Placing of a barrel: The player places a barrel from the supply on a token. The barrel means one winning point.
The possible actions always apply to exactly one field in the selected area.
Repetition of rolling the dice: Is the player not satisfied with the score of the dice, i.e. he does not want to become active in the appropriate area, he may repeat the first throw. The second, however, he must execute!
End of phase 1: Phase 1 ends immediately,
- if all fields in one area are occupied or
- no more tokens are available in the supply.
The left neighour of the last active player receives the black train.
2. Phase: Producing oil
Now, with the oil rigs and the trucks, oil is produced. Starting with the player with the black train and continuing clockwise, the players choose one of their oil rigs or their truck for evaluation. When playing with 3 und or 4 players, after each round the order will be reversed:
- With 3 players: A, B, C, C, B, A, A, B, etc.
- With 4 players: A, B, C, D, D, C, B, A, A, B, etc.
So every token/barrel can only be scored by one player.
The player points at one of his oil rigs or his truck, takes the adequate tokens (possibly with barrel) off the board and places them as points in front of him.
- Oil rig: all 8 adjoining (also diagonal) fields; max. 8 tokens
- Truck: all fields in straight line (also behind the truck) up to the next barrier (oil rig or other truck); max. 9 tokens
End of the game and winner
After all scoreable tokens have been taken off the board, the game ends. Each token and each barrel count for 1 point. The player with the most points wins. In case of a tie, the player wins, who started the 2. phase last.
Variants
All variants can be played separately or in any combination. In change to the basic rules, the following supplements or alterations are valid.
Start or train
Playable on game board 1901 and 1926
At the end of phase 1, the players decide if they want to start phase 2 or if they want to place their train in the same manner as their truck. Starting with the left neighbour of the last active player in phase 1, everybody can choose: start or not?
- If a player chooses to start, he takes the black train.
- All other players may place their train exactly like their truck: roll the dice (once or twice) and place their train on a free field.
- A train not placed on the board counts for one point in the end.
- If no player decides to start the second phase, the player, who first had the possibility to decide receives the black train.
Shanty settlements
Playable on game board 1926
A connection between settlements by oil tokens immediately allows scoring safe points.
- On settlements, no tokens or oil rigs can be placed.
- An area is considered full, when all fields apart from the settlement are occupied.
With the appropriate score of the dice, the player can place his truck on a free settlement. As soon as a connection to another settlement with tokens is completed, the owner of the truck takes all appropriate tokens (shortest connection!) off the board. These are safe points.
- A connection is: the tokens must adjoin horizontally or vertically.
- The truck is taken off the game after scoring.
- Several trucks: If also in the connected settlement a truck is placed, the tokens are shared. The active player receives what cannot be shared.
- If at the end of phase 1 a truck is still in his settlement, the player may turn his truck by 90° in order to score in another row.
Wasteland
Playable on game board 1926
Temporarily blocks out certain fields and thus has consequences on the positioning of the oil rigs. These fields can be used only after all other fields in this area (beside a settlement) are occupied.
The trains
Trains ride along the tracks and can bring about advantages (player's train) or disadvantages (black train).
- Trains always move forward.
- When the tracks at the next stop are occupied, this stop will be "jumped".
- The same train may not stop at the same halt consecutively.
- If both trains, the black train and a player's train, become active in one round, the active player decides about which goes first.
- Train junctions (optional): in place of being allowed to turn off in each direction, in and out of the direction of train junctions, it is not allowed to turn off (going straight is allowed)!
Own (player's) trains
Playable on game board 1926
Allows the player to carry out two actions in the selected area.
- If in the selected area the station is free, the player can place his train there. The train has consequences with the beginning of the next round.
- If the score of the dice is appropriate to the area where his train is standing, the active player can carry out two, one or no actions instead of one.
- After that, the train moves furtheron to the next settlement respectively the next oil rig. At intersections, the player decides which direction the train goes.
Black train ("Curse of Spindletop")
Playable on game board 1926
Where the black train stops, oil fields dry out (temporarily) or oil rigs are in danger.
- In the beginning, the black train is placed in any direction on the station of the settlement in area 7.
- It is activated when rolling a double (selected throw of the dice): the black train moves to the next free settlement, respectively the next free oil rig. At intersections, the active player decides about the direction.
- The black train has consequences for the adjoining field next to the station/oil rig on the other side of the track:
- Oil tokens: removed to the supply.
- Free fields next to an oil rig: change, the active player may change this oil rig against one of his own on the board.
- Oil rig next to oil rig: no consequences.
- Free field next to settlement: no consequences.
- Free field next to settlement with truck: truck is removed to the supply of his owner (only when playing with variant "Shanty settlements").