Colt Express - Board game Asmodee - Free user manual and instructions

Product Type	Board game
Brand	Asmodee
Model	Colt Express
Category	Board Game
Number of Players	2 to 6
Recommended Age	8+
Playing Time	Approximately 40 minutes
Box Dimensions (approx.)	30 x 30 x 7 cm
Weight (approx.)	1.5 kg
Power Supply	None (manual game)
Main Functions	Strategic planning, card drafting, role selection, train robbery simulation
Game Components	Game board (train), character cards, action cards, bandit tokens, loot cards, marshal token, dice, train car tiles
Maintenance	Store in a dry place, keep components in the box when not in use
Cleaning	Wipe components with a dry cloth; avoid liquids
Safety Warnings	Small parts – choking hazard for children under 3. Not suitable for children under 8 years.
Spare Parts Availability	Replacement cards and tokens may be available through the manufacturer or retailers
Repair Policy	Contact Asmodee customer service for damaged components; not user-serviceable
Warranty	Standard manufacturer warranty against manufacturing defects
Language	English (manual)

Frequently Asked Questions - Colt Express Asmodee

How do I set up the Colt Express game?

Unfold the game board (the train) and place it in the middle of the table. Each player chooses a bandit character and takes the corresponding figure and player board. Shuffle the loot cards and place them face down near the board. Each player receives a hand of action cards as described in the manual.

How many players can play Colt Express?

The game is designed for 2 to 6 players, ages 8 and up.

What is the goal of the game?

Players take on the roles of bandits robbing a train. The goal is to collect the most valuable loot and escape with the most money (victory points) by the end of the game.

How does the action selection phase work?

Each round consists of a planning phase and an action phase. During planning, players simultaneously select a limited number of action cards from their hand. Then, in the action phase, they reveal and resolve the cards in sequence.

Can I move between train cars?

Yes, you can use move action cards to climb or jump between train cars. The train board shows the locomotive, passenger cars, and the baggage car.

What happens if I shoot another bandit?

Shooting causes the target to drop some of their loot. The shooter may then collect the dropped loot. However, the marshal (neutral character) can also shoot bandits, causing them to lose loot and move to the roof.

How does the marshal move?

The marshal moves according to special marshal action cards that are shuffled into the action deck. When a marshal card is revealed, the marshal moves and may shoot any bandit in the same car.

What is the end of the game condition?

The game ends after a set number of rounds (usually 5 or 6). The player with the most money (value of loot cards collected) wins. Ties are broken by loot cards with higher values.

Can I play Colt Express solo?

The official rules are for 2-6 players. There are no official solo rules, but some fan-made variants exist online.

Where can I download the full rulebook?

You can download the official rulebook in PDF format from the Asmodee website or from notice-facile.com if available.

USER MANUAL Colt Express Asmodee

11th of July, 1899: 10 A.M. The Union Pacific Express has left Folsom, New Mexico, with 47 passengers on board. After a few minutes, the sound of rapid footsteps is heard, coming from overhead; and then, gunshots. Heavily armed bandits are mercilessly robbing honest citizens of their wallets and jewelry! Will they be able to keep a cool head and dodge bullets? Will they succeed in Stealin' the Nice Valley Coal Company's weekly payroll, stored in strongboxes that are closely watched by Marshal Samuel Ford? Only one bandit will achieve his goal: becoming the richest outlaw of the gang.

CONTENTS

6 Train Cars

1 Locomotive

Note - Before your first game, carefully assemble the Train Cars and the Locomotive using the enclosed instructions.

Loot tokens of various value

• 18 Purses worth between \250 and \500
• 6 Jewels worth \$600 each
• 2 Strongboxes carrying \$1000 each

17 Round Cards:

• 7 cards for 2-4 players;
• 7 cards for 5-6 players;
  • 3 Train Station cards

1 Marshal pawn

13 Neutral Bullet cards

Player Pieces for each player (x6):

1 Character card

10 Action cards

6 Bullet cards

1 Bandit pawn

Set up the game for 3 to 6 players by following the instructions below. In a 2-player game, read the detailed adjustments page 6.

SET UP

★ Each player chooses a Character, takes the corresponding Character card and places it in front of him. He places the 6 Bullet cards of his colour below his Character card, in the order of the number of Bullets. Then he shuffl es the 10 Action cards of his colour and places them at his left: these cards are his personal deck.

Each player also takes a \$250 Purse from the stock and places it face-down on his Character card, keeping its value hidden.

Your 10 Action cards

Character card

One \$260 Purse

Your 6 Bullet cards arranged in order

At the beginning of the game, your gun's cylinder is full. You will be trying to fire at your opponents in order to slow them down. Each player has an identical set of 10 Action cards. During the game, you will stock your Loot on your Character card. The value of your Purses must remain hidden from your opponents, but you can look at your own Purses whenever you want.

In the centre of the table, place the Locomotive and as many Cars as there are players in a row. - Take the cars of your choice, placed in the order of your choice. Add the Locomotive to the front of the Train.

Place in each Car the number and type of Loot tokens indicated on its floor. The Purses are taken at random and placed face-down with their value hidden.

Place the Marshal pawn and a Strongbox inside the Locomotive. The remaining Loot tokens are put back into the box, except the second Strongbox, which is placed off the Train, near the Locomotive. It may come into play later.

★ Randomly draw 4 Round cards from those 7 which correspond to the number of players (either the Round cards marked 2-4 or those marked 6-6) and shuffi e them. Randomly select one of the three Train Station cards. Make a face-down deck with these 8 cards, making sure that the Train Station card is on the bottom. Put the remaining Round cards back in the box.

★ Place the 13 Neutral Bullet cards next to the Locomotive.

First Player

Take the Bandit pawns corresponding to the played Characters and draw one of them randomly. The player who has chosen this Character is the First Player for the first Round. This player takes the deck of the 5 Round cards and puts it in front of her.

Placing the Bandits

The First Player is Player 1, the player on his left is Player 2, and so on.

The players with an odd number place their Bandit in the Caboose.

The players with an even number place their Bandit in the Car next to the Caboose.

Example of a 4-player game :

Illustration of a train with a yellow airplane and a heart symbol, no text or labels present

The passengers in each Car have different Loot, ready for you to steal!

Throughout the game, the Marshal will stand in the way of the Bandits. It is up to you to be smart and draw him away from his Strongbox at just the right moment.

Number of Players

In this way, you get a sequence of 5 episodes that tell the story of the train robbery. You will discover them as the game progresses.

These are the injuries that either the Marshal or a special Event might give to the Bandits. These Bullet cards (the Neutral ones or those given to you by your opponents) are useless when you draw them. They just decrease your possible Actions, just like a wound would do.

Third Player

Fourth Player

Second Player

First Player

OBJECT OF THE GAME

To win, you must become the richest Bandit in the Old West. To reach this goal, you will try to get more Loot than your opponents...without being hit by too many bullets! The best shooter will receive the title of Gunslinger, worth \$1000.

SEQUENCE OF PLAY

There are five Rounds in a game. Each Round has two phases:

• Phase 1: Schemin'l The players play their Action cards into a common deck in the centre of the table.
• Phase 2: Stealin'l The Action cards played during Phase 1 are performed.

STARTING A ROUND

At the beginning of a Round, each player shuffles their deck and draws six cards. These cards form that player's Hand.

Then the First Player draws the top Round card and places it on the table so that every one can see it.

Starting with the First Player, each player plays their turn, followed by the next player in clockwise order.

On her turn, a player can:

• either play an Action card face-up (unless otherwise specified) from her Hand to the common deck;
• or take 3 additional cards from her deck and add them to her Hand.

The First Player takes the deck of Action cards that had been created during the Schemin'l phase and turns the deck over, without changing the order of the cards.

The Bandits' Actions are performed, one by one, starting with the top card (i.e., in the order they have been played).

This Round card shows the number of turns (the number of Card icons) there will be during this phase. It also shows how the turns will go (see box on page 6).

PHASE 1: SCHEMIN'!

The Schemin'! phase ends when the number of turns indicated on the Round card has been completed. Any unplayed cards remaining in a player's Hand are placed back on the top of her personal deck.

Example:
Doc is the First Player during the current Round. He plays a Move card from his Hand, then Belle, on his left, plays a Five card on top of Doc's card. Tuco, on Belle's left, decides to draw cards instead of playing a card. He takes 3 cards from his deck and adds them to his Hand. Finally, Cheyenne plays a Punch card on top of Belle's card.
Then the second turn begins.

PHASE 2: STEALIN ^1 !

Once performed, the Action card is given back to the player to whom it belongs. That player puts it back on his personal deck.

See page 4 for a detailed Actions description.

END OF THE GAME

The game ends after five Rounds.

Each player then adds up the value of the Loot tokens they have on their own Character card.

The Gunslinger prize is awarded to the player(s) who shot the most bullets (i.e., who has (have) the fewest Bullet cards of their colour left). This prize is worth \1000. If more than one player wins the title, each tied player gets \1000.

The richest player wins the game. In case of a tie, the winner is the tied player who has received the fewest Bullet cards from other players and Events during the game.

The Round card indicated shows that there will be 4 turns.

The Round card indicated shows that there will be 5 turns.

Illustration showing a central character surrounded by multiple playing cards with numbered annotations indicating sequence or steps.

Any Action programmed during the Schemin'! phase is now obligatory. During the Stealin'! phase, each player must use her action, if it is still possible.

ENDING THE ROUND

Each player shuffl es all his cards (10 Action cards and any Bullet cards he has been hit with in previous Rounds). Then he places his deck to the left of his Character card.

The player on the First Player's left becomes the new First Player. She puts the remaining Round cards in front of her. A new Round now begins.

THE ACTION CARDS

The Bandits can be inside the Train or on the roof of a Car or Locomotive. This there are always two possible locations for a Bandit: in or on a Car. At the start of the game, however, no Bandit can be on a roof.

Move

Move your Bandit:

from one Car to the next adjacent Car, forwards or backwards, if he is inside the Train; or

A distance ranging from one to three Cars (your choice), forwards or backwards, if he is on the roof. The Locomotive is considered to be a Car. You can be in it or on it.

If you have plotted this Action, your Bandit cannot stay where he is: you must move him.

graph LR
    A["Blue figure"] --> B["Red figure"]
    C["Blue figure"] --> D["Red figure"]
    style A fill:#fff,stroke:#000
    style C fill:#fff,stroke:#000
    style B fill:#fff,stroke:#000
    style D fill:#fff,stroke:#000

You have to move fast. Running on the roof saves you time.

FLOOR CHANGE

Switch the position of your Bandit from

Either the roof of the Car she's in to its interior;
or move her from the interior to the roof of the Car on which she's standing.

ROBBERY

Take the Loot token of your choice from the Car where you are currently located and place it on your Character card.

If your Bandit is on the roof of a Car, he cannot rob inside it, and vice versa.

If there is no Loot where your Bandit is, then the Robbery action has no effect.

Diagram showing a train with a silhouette and a yellow object, connected to a tablet device with a red arrow pointing to it.

FIRE

Choose one of your opponents to be your target and give her one of your Bullet cards. The targeted player places the Bullet card she has received on her deck. You cannot target a Bandit who is on the same spot as you.
When you are inside the train, you can shoot a Bandit who is in the interior of an adjacent Car, either to the rear of your Car or ahead of it. Bandits who are more than one Car away cannot be shot.

graph TD
    A["Train Train"] --> B["Game Board"]
    B --> C["Player Icon"]
    C --> D["Mobile Interface"]
    D --> E["Game Board"]
    style A fill:#f9f,stroke:#333
    style B fill:#ccf,stroke:#333
    style C fill:#cfc,stroke:#333
    style D fill:#fcc,stroke:#333
    style E fill:#cff,stroke:#333

When you are on the roof, however, you can shoot a Bandit who is in your Line of Sight and on the roof of any Car other than your own, regardless of the distance. A Bandit is in Line of Sight if there is no other Bandit between you and she. Two Bandits on the roof of the same Car are considered as being side by side, and not located one behind the other: you choose which one gets hit.

Ghost (White) can shoot Tuco (Red) or Cheyenne (Green), but not Doc (Blue). On the other hand, Tuco (Red) can shoot Ghost (White) or Doc (Blue), but not Cheyenne (Green), who is on the same spot as Tuco.

If there is no target to be shot, keep your Bullet card: the Fire action will have no effect.

If you run out of Bullet cards during the game, your Fire actions will have no further effect.

When you shoot a Bandit, you give him one of your Bullet cards. Th is allows you to compete for the title of Gunslinger. More importantly, your Action will handicap your opponent for the rest of the game. Indeed, the Bullet cards are useless to the injured player. Th ey are "dead cards" that will clog up his Hand.

PUNCH

Choose a target among the Bandits who are on the same Car and same floor as you are.

The targeted Bandit loses a Loot token if he has one: choose a Loot token from his Character card and place it on the floor where your Bandit pawn is located. If you choose a Purse token, you are not allowed to look at its value.

Then, move the targeted Bandit to the same floor of an adjacent Car (either forwards or backwards, your choice).

Illustration showing a train with cartoon characters and a red arrow pointing to a blue object, alongside a photo of people.

MARSHAL

Move the Marshal inside the train a distance of one Car in the direction of your choice. (See the box, The Marshal, to find out what happens if the Marshall meets a Bandit).

The Marshal is protecting the passengers: he never goes up on the roof.

THE MARSHAL

Caution! When a Bandit enters a Car where the Marshal is, or when the Marshal enters a Car where Bandits must escape up to the roof of the Car (even if they have just come down from there). A Bandit can never stay inside the Car where the Marshal is located.

Additionally, each one of those Bandits immediately receives a Neutral Bullet card which must be placed on each player's personal deck.

graph TD
    A["Stage 1: Black silhouette"] --> B["Stage 2: Purple arrow pointing up"]
    B --> C["Stage 3: Yellow figure pointing down"]
    C --> D["Stage 4: Red arrow pointing right"]
    D --> E["Mobile Screen 1: Image with 'X2' icon"]
    D --> F["Mobile Screen 2: Image with 'Y' icon"]

GHOST

During your first turn of each Round, you can play your Action card face down on the common deck. If you choose to draw three cards instead of playing an Action card during the first turn, you cannot use Ghost's special ability later in this Round.

BELLE

You cannot be the target of a Fire action or a Punch action if there is another Bandit who can be targeted, too.

THE BANDITS

CHEYENNE

When punching a Bandit, you can take the Purse he has just lost. If he has lost a Jewel or a Strongbox (your choice), the Loot just falls on the floor (as usual).

Tuco

When shooting a Bandit, make him move one Car in the direction of fire, bearing in mind that Bandits can never leave the train. If ever your Fire would make your target move beyond the Locomotive or the Caboose, he must stay where he is.

DJANGO

When you are the only Bandit in or on a Car, you can play the Fire action against any other Bandit of your choice anywhere along the whole length of the Train, provided the Bandit is on the same floor as you. Django ignores the Line of Sight rule if he is on the roof.

Doc

At the beginning of each Round, draw seven cards instead of six.

THE ROUND CARDS

The Action cards must be played face-up during the current turn.

Tunnel - The Action cards must be played face-down during the current turn.

Speeding-Up - During the current turn, each player plays twice (taking 6 cards or playing two cards in a row or taking 3 cards and playing a card).

Switching - The current turn is played counterclockwise, starting with the First Player.

THE EVENTS

Some cards make Events happen. These Events always take place at the end of the Round, after Phase 2: Stealin!

Angry Marshal Pickpocketing

The Marshal shoots the Bandits who are on the roof of his Car. Those Bandits get a Neutral Bullet card each.

Then the Marshal is moved one Car towards the Caboose. If the Marshal is already in the Caboose, he does not move at all.

Pivotable Pole

All the Bandits that are on roofs move to the roof of the Caboose.

Braking

All Bandits on roofs move one Car forward (towards the Locomotive).

Get It All!

Place the second Strongbox inside the Car where the Marshal is currently.

Passengers' Rebellion

The Bandits who are inside the Cars get a Neutral Bullet each.

Each Bandit who is alone in his spot can take one Purse token from that spot, if there are any Purses there.

Marshal's Revenge

Each Bandit who is on the roof above the Marshal loses the least valuable Purse token she has on her Character card. If a Bandit has no Purse, she loses if she has Jewels or Strongboxes).

Hostage-Taking Conductor

Each Bandit who is either in the Locomotive or on its roof receives \$250 ransom.

You can use Loot tokens from the stock to represent this money.

EXPERT VARIANT

If you wish to have more control in the game, each player can have a discard deck on the right of your Character card. The following changes would also be required:

• At the beginning of the Schemin'l Phase, discard any Bullet cards you have drawn. In this way, your Hand is lightened.
• At the end of the Schemin'l Phase, you are allowed to keep in your Hand the cards you are interested in holding for next Round. Discard only the Bullet cards and the Action cards you do not want to keep.
• During the Stealin'l phase, place the performed Action cards you get back from the First Player on your discard deck. The Bullet cards you received that turn from your opponents, however, go on top of your draw deck.
• At the beginning of each Round, draw cards from your draw deck and fill your Hand up to six cards.
• Each time your draw deck is depleted and you have to draw cards, shuffle the discard deck to make a new draw deck. You can look through your discards at any time.

CREDITS

You can never leave the train. If a Punch, a Tuco's Fire or an Event make you move beyond the Caboose or the Locomotive, you do not move.

If the Neutral Bullet cards' deck is depleted or if there are not enough to go around, the Bandits do not get Bullets when they meet the Marshal or when an Event at the end of a Round card causes Neutral Bullets to be filled. The Neutral Bullet deck is removed from the game then.

SPECIAL RULES FOR TWO PLAYERS

Set Up

Make the train by using the Locomotive and the four Cars of your choice.

Each player chooses a team of two Characters. He takes the corresponding cards and pawns. For your first game, we advise you to use the following teams: Tuco and Cheyenne vs. Django and Doc.

Place one Bandit pawn from each team inside the two Cars at the rear of the train.

Place the two Character cards of your team in front of you and place the six Bullet cards and a \$250 Purse on each of them.

From among the Action cards of each Character, get rid of all the cards in duplicate as well as one Marshal card from the Character of your choice. You will have 11 cards remaining in your Hand: 2 Fire (1 for each Character), 2 Punch (1 for each Character), 2 Move (1 for each Character), 2 Floor Change (1 for each Character), 2 Robbery (1 for each Character) and 1 Marshal. Shuffle all of them to make your draw deck Each player then plays with the mixed Action cards of the two Bandits.

Rules Adaptations

The game with two players is played with the Expert Variant described earlier. The goal of the game is to have the richest team at the end of the game. However, no one wins the title of Gunslinger in the 2-player game.

When a Bandit is shot, the Bullet card is placed on the top of the player's draw deck. It may very well happen that a Bandit will inadvertently shoot his own teammate! Dajngo can shoot his opponents if he is alone or with his team-mate at his spot.

THANKS

To my little brother Adrien without whom the idea for this game would never have germinated. To Cédric and Anne-Cécile who drove the train brilliantly! And to all the nice playtesters!

graph TD
    A["Top Position"] --> B["Top Right"]
    B --> C["Top Left"]
    C --> D["Bottom Right"]
    D --> E["Bottom Left"]
    E --> F["Bottom Left"]
    F --> G["Bottom Right"]
    G --> H["Bottom Left"]
    H --> I["Bottom Right"]
    I --> J["Bottom Left"]
    J --> K["Bottom Right"]
    K --> L["Bottom Left"]
    L --> M["Bottom Right"]
    M --> N["Bottom Left"]
    N --> O["Bottom Right"]
    O --> P["Bottom Left"]
    P --> Q["Bottom Right"]
    Q --> R["Bottom Left"]
    R --> S["Bottom Right"]
    S --> T["Bottom Left"]
    T --> U["Bottom Right"]
    U --> V["Bottom Left"]
    V --> W["Bottom Right"]
    W --> X["Bottom Left"]
    X --> Y["Bottom Right"]
    Y --> Z["Bottom Left"]