Age of Steam Expansion: Powerhouses of the North / Phase IV:March of the Ants (2025)

Overview

Two maps released for, and given out to all attendees of the inaugural Age of Steam UK weekend.

Powerhouses of the North takes inspiration from the city delivery and growth idea in the famous Splotter game Indonesia and interprets it onto the Age of Steam system. Cities start off with no set colour but as deliveries occur the colours are set for the game. Cities are either 2 or 3 cube capacity before becoming full until the end of the round. In goods growth, cities may also grow into level 2 or level 3 where they can accept a second or third set of deliveries.

Phase IV: March of the Ants takes the game down to the miniature level with the board setting as a picnic blanket. The players are part of a single colony of ants collecting and moving food scraps (cubes) from across the picnic and delivering them back to the nest. Only certain cities and cubes are active each round, which is randomised at setup. Cubes can also be delivered off board for collection and end game scoring. This score is dependent on how many soldier ants are delivered back to the graveyard of heroes