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Iron Dragon
Date Played: 10/12/2006
Description: We were going to play 1835, but with only three people attending, the Dragon got the call. Sure, it's out of print. Yeah, we've played it before. And, yes, it is part of the already-reviewed Empire Builder series. But Iron Dragon is one great game, so here goes.
Description from Mayfair Games:
Fantasy and reality meet in this exciting offshoot of our popular game system. A must for any Empire fan looking for a new twist!
Science, fantasy, and trains mix in the popular game of fun and finances, Iron Dragon. Players lay track across a mythical realm filled with wizards, elves, and rainbow bridges. Genetically-engineered dragons pull boxcars loaded with jewels, magical items, and other treasures from city to city. Dangerous jungles must be crossed, rivers forged, and orcs bribed, as players plan routes and amass money in an attempt to create a fantasy empire.
Reviews for Iron Dragon :
Reviewer: Kay
Subject: What's my packing list today? Wheat, steel and...... dragon!
Review: If you liked the classic Empire Builder, there shouldn't be any reason you won't like Iron Dragon. If you LOVED Empire Builder and you are even up for something more challenging, you can be ADDICTED to Iron Dragon.
Making transition from Empire Builder to Iron Dragon is easy: the basic rules are the same. However, there are quite a few differences and some are strategically very important. The minor ones are that the lands are now imaginary and more exotic city names and items. The major ones are more kinds of terrains (including the ocean and the underground), and things associated with them, such as the cost of building rails with a foreman of the right or wrong ability, chances of natural disasters, etc. For the minor ones, it was fun to imagine "picking up a dragon" and transporting it on a freight train to "deliver it somewhere". Wait, the trains are also dragons. So, dragons are delivering dragons? It just makes me giggle. For the major ones, they were almost overwhelming for the first few turns. There were simply a lot more to consider. Having different foreman makes a difference in different terrains, sailing gives you more options to get from one place to another, and more cars are there for you to upgrade (this was my favorite one). More variables means more careful strategizing is required. For that matter, I think I made the transition in the right direction, from Empire Builder to Iron Dragon. Because, towards the end of the game, I started to appreciate the more complex system of Iron Dragon and actually take advantage of it (it was too late to be a contender, though). After getting used to Iron Dragon, some people may find Empire Builder somewhat less exciting. Although, I have a feeling that, even after just one game of Iron Dragon, the original Empire Builder will be the most beloved one for its incredible balance of the complexity of problem-solving and the simplicity of the rules. A food analogy of this comparison for me would be that Iron Dragon is fancy multi-topping focaccia, while Empire Builder is good old sourdough bread.
The components I consider improving are the same as Empire Builder: easier identification of cities and items, and less labor-intensive rail building and clean-up. I know it sounds silly and the board will be impractically expensive, but I just dream of "the high-tech board for lazy people". The board of my dream is an electric one and I can draw my railroad electronically so it's so much easier to draw and erase. The cities have lights and I can select a city, push a button, and the city on the board lights up, saving me an effort to look for it. Also, I can select items and instantly see where on the board I can get them. Yep, I'm lazy. (By the way, there is a computer game version of Iron Dragon online, though this is different from mine, which is still played manually.)
Playing Iron Dragon gets to be really fun when you know exactly what you are doing and play competitively with players who enjoy the game as much as you. So grab your caffeine-loaded beverage, sit at the tip of the chair, and clench that piece of crayon. You can be surprised how time flies and claim you didn't plan spending so much time on this game, but you won't regret.
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