Preview ELFENROADS is the second game in the Elf Series. It is about young elves setting out on a mission of goodwill as a sort of initiation into manhood. During the journey, each elf must the limited and somewhat unusual means of transportation to travel from village to village. These include giant pigs, trollwagons, elfcycles, unicorns, magic clouds, dragons, and river rafts. The elf who is able to visit the most villages within eight months will be held in the highest esteem as a new warrior. Components include a gameboard showing the Land of the White Wind, 70 Transportation Cards, 42 Transportation Counters, 6 Elves, Gold Coins, 150 Markers, a First Player Dragon, and Rules. The game is for 2-6 players and the average playing time is 120 minutes, although several shorter versions are included in the rules. Rules Questions - Q: When do you draw one Gold Card, how much Gold do you receive?
- A: You get 3 Gold which is three copper coins, not three gold coins which would be 30 Gold.
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- Q: Each turn, does a player get 2 Gold or 2 gold coins?
- A: Each player gets 2 Gold which is two copper coins.
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- Q: Does a player using a Raft along a route with a Gold Counter on it double the value of the route?
- A: Yes. A Gold Counter affects both the land route and the river if there are both between the villages.
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- Q: Which Transportation counters may be kept face down?
- A: Only counters that you draw, one per Round, may be kept face down. Counters won in auctions must always be kept face up, even when saved from one Round to another.
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- Q: Can you place a Transportation counter on a route that you will not be able to use that Round?
- A: Yes. You would do this to try to prevent an opponent from using this route.
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- Q: Can you place a Transporation counter on a route that no player will be able to use that Round?
- A: Yes, although there is really no reason to do so.
Variants 1. Double Trouble
Both Trouble Counters may be played on the same route. The number of cards required to use this route is increased by two. 2. Multiple Counters
Any number or combination of Gold and Trouble Counters may be placed on the same route. After all Transportation Counters have been placed, Gold and Trouble Counters on the same route are removed in pairs (one Gold Counter and one Trouble Counter). The remaining counter type, if any, determines the final effect of the route. Example: Two Gold Counters and one Trouble Counter have been placed on a route. One Gold Counter and one Trouble Counter are removed. One Gold Counter remains, so the Gold Value of the route is doubled. 3. Golden Option
When you play a Gold Counter, you must now declare what effect it has on the route. It can either: 1) Double the Gold value of theroute per the normal rules, or 2) Reduce the number of cards needed to use that route by one. If used to reduce the number of cards by one, a player would need to play only one card on a route that would normally require two. On a route that would normally require one card, the player would not need to play any card, which would any player could use this route during the Round. 4. If you wish to use the Multiple Counters and Golden Option rules together...
...you will need to keep track of who plays each Gold and Trouble Counter. When removing pairs of counters, the player who played the Trouble Counter chooses which player's Gold Counter to remove with his Trouble Counter. After all pairs have been removed, if one or two Gold Counters remain, the player or players who played these counters then determine their effect. 5. Faster Auction
There are several ways to speed up the Transporation Counter Auction. - 1) Each player draws two counters each Round instead of just one. The number of counters auctioned each Round is reduced by two per player.
- 2) Auction two counters at a time instead of one. The high bidder wins both for one price.
- 3) Allow each player only one bid per counter. You may want to rotate the first bidder for each counter when using this option.
6. Split Bonus
A player has three possible choices instead of only two. 1) Take the full amount of Gold. 2) Draw two cards. 3) Take half the amount of Gold (rounded down) and draw one card. 7. Additional Shorter Game
At the start of the game, beginning with the First Player and proceeding clockwise around the board, each player selects one village, until all players have selected three villages each. As each village is selected, each player places one of his marker on this village. The game ends at the end of the Round in which at least one player has visited each selected village. Departures Here's some roads away from the Station towards more information about the elves. Boardgame Geek entry for Elfenroads The Game Cabinet from Mike Siggins Jae's World of Games has a great overview (with pictures) of this classic German game | 
