EUROPE
Released in 2005, Ticket to Ride: Europe takes place on a map of Europe as it was at the turn of the 20th century.
The old continent adds three new mechanics:
- The ferry routes: they require locomotive cards to be played when claiming them.
- The tunnel routes: What makes a tunnel special is that you are never quite certain just how long the route you are trying to claim will be! This new mechanic adds the risk that additional train cards may be necessary to complete the route.
- The train station: they allow you to use one of the routes belonging to another player! Stations may be built in any unoccupied city, but most importantly two players may never build a station in the same city.
Just like the USA 1910 DLC, the Europe DLC adds 3 new modes:
- Expanded: New destinations only.
- Mega: New and old destinations for more challenge!
- Big: With only the destination cards mentioning the big cities.
Get it here:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/108230/Ticket_to_Ride__Europe/
Travelling through Europe is one thing, visiting it is another! Let’s take a closer look at some specific country maps and their associated DLCs.
FRANCE
Dive into thriving French culture during Impressionism and the Industrial Revolution; street cafes, "Starry Night", Paris boulevards, and Notre-Dame.
The French railroad system is a blank canvas just waiting for your masterful strokes. However, before you can start claiming routes, you'll need to lay the tracks!
Alan R. Moon, creator of the game, has some very useful tips for your France journey:
“You will have to bluff some of the time by building tracks you don't really want. In addition, you may want to build tracks you don't need, forcing your opponents to collect color cards that are in short supply. This will be especially effective if you build lots of tracks of the same color in an area you know your opponents need and you don't. You will build a lot more tracks than you will claim in the game, so there will be many opportunities to bluff, mislead, and be clever. In addition, there is always a chance you can claim a route that another player has built, also making it harder for the opponent to finish his network.”
Try the France expansion:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/819410/Ticket_To_Ride__France/
GERMANY
Turn-of-the-century Germany... Through a fine autumn rain, a plume of smoke announces the arrival of the 4:15 train from Nuremberg in the Munich Central Station. The din of the massive engine grows more intense, culminating with a prolonged hiss as the locomotive halts at the platform, steam erupting in every direction. Already, porters in livery are rushing to unload baggage as passengers step from their cars. On the opposite platform, an operator pulls the cord for a three-chime whistle and another train begins chugging toward its next destination: Berlin, capital of the German empire.
New place, new opportunities: the German Empire is a place with very (very very very) long routes: it will take up to 7 wagons to build some of them!
In this country, when you take destination tickets, you will have to choose four among two stacks.
Long and short routes:
- 55 Short routes tickets, with a value of 3 to 11 points.
- 34 Long routes tickets, with a value of 12 to 22 points.
Visit Germany now:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/350272/Ticket_to_Ride__Germany/
Think wisely and always be one step ahead of your opponents, you will be tempted by big investments in long routes that can be wasted by a single missing segment.
You heard the whistle, let's now hop on the train before it leaves the station.
We're still not quite finished with the Old Continent, and we will meet again travelers!
Until next time...
