BUS (2015) Board Game – Board Game Guys

BUS is a board game designed by Chris Handy and released in in 2015. It is a transportation and travel-themed game that allows 2-3 players to engage in strategic gameplay. The game features a modular board, open drafting, and pick-up and deliver mechanics, making for a dynamic and engaging experience.

Game Components of BUS

Game board featuring a town with various stops

Route markers for bus lines

Bus tokens to represent each player’s buses

Passenger tokens with different destination preferences

Action spaces on the board for placing workers

Time tracking mechanism

How To Setup BUS

To set up **BUS**, players start by placing the game board in the middle of the table. Each player chooses a set of bus tokens and places them on designated starting locations. The board is populated with passenger tokens, each indicating a preferred destination (work, home, or the pub). The time tracking mechanism is initialized, showing the current desired destination of the passengers.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Worker Placement: Players place their bus tokens on action spaces to perform various actions.
– Place new bus lines
– Increase bus capacity
– Add new passengers and locations
– Deliver passengers
– Stop time using the “Break the Space Time Continuum” action

Pick Up and Deliver: Players aim to transport passengers to their desired destinations.

Time Management: The desired destination of passengers rotates each round unless time is stopped.

Action Limits: Each action can be taken a certain number of times based on the number of buses a player has.

Objective: Deliver as many passengers as possible to their desired destinations to score points.

Player Experience

Playing **BUS** involves strategic planning and timely execution. Players must balance expanding their bus lines, managing passenger demand, and controlling the flow of time. The game is known for its unique mechanics, such as the ability to stop time and the dynamic action limits based on bus ownership. This creates a challenging yet engaging environment where every action counts.

Pros

Innovative Mechanics: Introduces unique worker placement and time management elements.

Strategic Depth: Requires careful planning and adaptation to changing passenger demands.

High Replayability: Different player actions and time management strategies ensure varied gameplay.

Engaging Theme: The public transportation theme is both fun and functional.

Cons

Complex Rules: While the core mechanics are simple, the game’s nuances can be complex for new players.

Limited Scoring Opportunities: Points are hard to come by, making the game challenging and sometimes frustrating.

Space-Time Continuum Risk: Stopping time too many times can end the game abruptly.

Personal Thoughts on BUS

**BUS** is a game tailored for fans of complex, strategic board games, particularly those who enjoy worker placement and pick-up-and-deliver mechanics. It is best suited for experienced players who appreciate deep gameplay and are willing to invest time in mastering its unique rules. Despite its age, **BUS** remains a fresh and innovative game that challenges players in a delightful and quirky way.

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