![\"Kap](\"https:\/\/www.westpark-gamers.de\/Ressourcen\/kap_t.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Publisher<\/b>: Adlung<\/p>\n
Author<\/b>: G\u00fcnter Burkhardt<\/p>\n
Tester<\/b>: Aaron Haag<\/p>\n
Game Tested<\/b>: German 2001 edition, 1st rule release<\/p>\n
Scenario<\/b>: Two to four players each try to build a railroad track through Africa
\n– from Cape to Cairo. The track needs to be built through different types of terrain –
\nfrom “easy” Savanna to “difficult” river crossings.<\/p>\n
![\"Kap\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.westpark-gamers.de\/Ressourcen\/KAP.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
The Game<\/b>: As with all Adlung games this one is a card game, too and as usual
\ncomes with German, English and French rules. Each player receives a train card and a
\ntreasury of 100 points which are later on used for bidding (there are no bills, tokens
\netc. provided so each player needs a pen and a piece of paper to keep track of his
\npoints). The second type of cards are the terrain cards which on their backside show a
\npiece of track.<\/p>\n
The game is played in two types of turns: a terrain bidding turn and building turn.
\nWhenever a player begins his turn with no terrain card in front of his train he starts a
\nbidding turn: he draws as many terrain cards from the facedown draw pile as there are
\nplayers in the game and all players secretly bid points for the first choice. The highest
\nbidder chooses the first card, reduces his point tally accordingly and places the card in
\nfront of his train (or at the end of a terrain card sequence should there be already
\ncards in front of the train). Terrain cards show the type of terrain, a point value and a
\nnumber of “bonus” tracks. Each type of terrain needs a different amount of
\ntracks to be covered starting with the Savanna requiring 6 tracks up to the river
\nrequiring 10 tracks. Any bonus track printed on the terrain card(s) in front of the train
\ncount towards that requirement. As a consequence terrain cards with three bonus tracks
\n(the highest bonus possible) usually go for a higher price than the ones with no track at
\nall.<\/p>\n
Now ![\"Kap\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.westpark-gamers.de\/Ressourcen\/Kap2.jpg\")
a building turn starts: the player who received the first card draws
\n another card from the draw pile. This time the terrain is not important but the
\n number of bonus tracks printed on the card. The player then decides if he takes that
\n card to cover the terrain immediately in front of his train. He may only do so if
\n the number of bonus tracks on terrain cards in front of his train plus the card he
\n just drew adds to at least the amount of track required for covering the card. Any
\n missing track may be made up by subtracting 10 points each from one’s point
\n tally – a very costly investment and only really worth it if one can finish (and
\n win) the game by doing so. If the player decides that the investment is just too
\n high he passes and the next player adds one additional card from the draw pile and
\n checks if he is able or willing to build using the set of both drawn cards. If not
\n the next player follows in clockwise order. Eventually, a player will build on his
\n terrain card by placing the terrain card in front of his train face down, moving the
\n train on top of that card and collecting the number of points printed on the card.
\n Any track cards used for building are discarded.<\/p>\n
Once a player has moved his train on the eighth terrain card the game is over and that
\nplayer wins the game.<\/p>\n
Playing Time<\/b>: Rules are explained in about 5 minutes – playing time is about 30
\nminutes.<\/p>\n
Similar Games<\/b>: Don<\/a> (Michael Schacht), Kuhhandel<\/a> (R\u00fcdiger Koltze)<\/p>\n Westpark Gamers’ Opinion<\/b>: The game requires clever bidding tactics based on As with many good card games one always has the feeling to be able to control Aaron’s Rating<\/b>: 8 (out of 10)<\/p>\n Westpark Gamers’ Rating<\/b>: 7.25<\/p>\n
\nones own terrain “portfolio” and the other players’ terrain patterns. At
\nthe same time one needs to keep a close eye on one’s point tally: its no good to save
\non points because they are not used for determining the winner. On the other hand it is
\nall too easy to spend too much on that “easy” Savanna only to find oneself
\nshort of points to be able to quickly build across the mountains or a river immediately
\nahead of the train. As soon as you are two or more covered terrain cards behind it will
\nbe very hard to win. More often than not I found myself in the unfortunate position to
\nhave spent too many points in the early rounds leaving all those very valuable Savannas
\nwith three bonus tracks that appeared later to other players.<\/p>\n
\none’s fate in this game, however there is a good portion of luck involved here as
\nwell. Nevertheless, the game is fun to play and since its very short playing time is an
\nideal starter for an evening of gaming or a perfect “last game” after a long
\nevening of 1830 or alike.<\/p>\n