West Riding (2000)

About this game

West Riding is a train game about building new lines in a section of the UK during the Industrial Revolution. It is the first entry in the Riding Series, all published by Winsome Games. In West Riding there are two types of shares, Basic and Grouping. The primary strategy of the game revolves around these, as Basic Shares can be traded in for Grouping ones at a 2:1 rate, and the grouping shares slowly gain in value as the game progresses. The mechanics of portraying the theme do result in some extra bookkeeping as the game's eight railroads' values need to be reassessed with each turn.

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 3 to 6.
• Rules load. At 3.5/5 this is a heavy game — read the rulebook before people arrive.
• Age. The publisher suggests 12 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.