In January of 2009 Mayfair Games will release Sutter’s Mill, an elaborate board game designed by Marco Teubner and based on the California gold rush.  In Sutter’s Mill, which is set in California in 1849, Teubner has created a game that can be enjoyed by families and serious game players alike.  The game will ship in mid-January and will have an end-of-the-month street date.

 

Set in the California gold town of Coloma, Sutter’s Mill allows players to experience the boom and bust cycle that was an integral part of the gold rush experience.  Players first build up the town, bring in new people and mine the gold, but when the vein is about played out, it’s time to gather their belongings and head off for greener pastures.  The mechanics of the game are fairly simple.  This is a game in which timing and judging the overall situation on the game board are of the utmost importance.

 

The Sutter’s Mill game, which comes in a colorful box with art by Harold Lieske, includes a large game board, 20 prospector game pieces, 52 “influence” cards, 8 “certificate” cards, 1 “adventurer” card, 84 gold counters, 4 rules overviews, and 1 rules booklet.