Pioneer Days takes players on a thrilling journey along the Oregon Trail, where they must lead a wagon train through the untamed frontier. Using a unique dice-drafting system, players gather resources, recruit townsfolk, and secure essential equipment—all while facing the unpredictable dangers of the wild. Every decision matters, as the dice you don’t choose, may trigger devastating raids, storms, disease, or famine.
Each round, players draw and roll dice, carefully selecting one to gain silver, hire settlers, or perform strategic actions. The available actions allow players to collect wood, medicine, cattle, equipment, and gold nuggets, all of which are crucial for survival. Townsfolk provide powerful benefits and contribute to end-game scoring, but they must be protected from illness and hardship. The dice left behind determine the progress of disaster tracks, and when a track reaches its limit, players must weather the consequences—whether it's losing silver to raids, feeding cattle during famine, or repairing wagons after a storm.
At the end of each round, players can earn favor from the towns they pass through, securing valuable rewards. Balancing risk and reward is key—those who can best prepare for disaster while pursuing their strategy will claim victory. With engaging decision-making, deep strategy, and a beautifully thematic setting, Pioneer Days offers a tense yet rewarding frontier adventure for lovers of dice-based civilization games.
Manufacturer: Tasty Minstrel Games
Year Manufactured: 2017
Item Weight: 3.27 pounds
Item UPC: 9781938146657
Saddle up and guide your wagon train along the perilous Oregon Trail! Build a team of hardy folk and gather resources and equipment with a unique dice drafting system. But dangers await in the dice you don't choose! You can hire townsfolk, buy wagons, pan for gold, and take on cattle — all the while preparing for inevitable raids, storms and famine. Who will best face the perils of the wild frontier and lead their wagon train to victory?
Pioneer Days is a dice-drafting game reminiscent of The Oregon Trail. While you pursue your strategy, you must be prepared for impending disasters such as storms, disease, raids, and famine.
Round by round, players draw dice out of the bag, roll them, then take turns drafting one to either collect silver, hire a townsfolk, or take an action based on the die value. Townsfolk confer immediate or constant benefits as well as end game scoring bonuses, while actions help you collect wood, medicine, cattle, equipment, and gold nuggets. The unchosen die each round advances one of the disaster tracks based on its color, and when a disaster gets to the end of its track, all players must deal with its effects:
- During a raid, you lose half of your silver.
- During a famine, you need to spend 1 silver per cattle or lose the cattle.
- During a disease, you need 1 medicine per townsfolk or lose the townsfolk.
- During a storm, you need 1 wood per wagon or suffer damage to your wagons.
At the end of each round, you can satisfy the current town's favor conditions to earn their favor. Prepare for the disasters while you pursue your strategy, and earn the most points to win the game!