Double Header

Double Header is a variant of Locomotive Versus designed for teams of 2, though it can also be played 1 on 1. This utilizes the Locobase, a database created by Wes Barris and Steve Llanso, hosted at www.steamlocomotive.com. The data enclosed on this website is included on the rear of Locomotive Cards, though it has been modified and amended to suit and complete each card.

To Play, you need two or four players (Contestants). Judge(s) may be present to keep score, assist in research, and approve Style Points.

Setup:

One of the Judges, if any are present, should be tasked with keeping score.

The Contestants should be placed into two teams, by their own volition or by the Judge(s), and each Contestant should field a Locomotive Card, or Steamlocomotive Dot Com page, representing a specific Locomotive. Contestants are not allowed to look at one another's Steamlocomotive Dot Com pages or the rear of one another’s Cards, but they are allowed to look at any pictures of any engines in the game. 

Each Locomotive belongs to a specific Contestant, and they must call and respond to Statistics for that Locomotive. When given the opportunity to switch Locomotives, the Contestant with the Locomotive in use has sole authority to tag in their teammate.

Gameplay:

The Judge(s), if any are present, select the Team which will go first. Otherwise it can be decided by coin flip.

The “calling” Team, ie, the Team selected, must then decide which Locomotive they will use to call the first Statistic, and announce this to the opposing Team. The opposing Team must then decide which Locomotive they will respond with and announce this to the calling Team.

Play begins when the calling Team announces, or “calls” a Statistic from the rear of their Locomotive Card, or their Steamlocomotive Dot Com page. The opposing Team must reply with the value of the called Statistic from their chosen Locomotive. The calling Team will then reveal their Locomotive’s value for the Statistic, and scoring is done as described in Statistic Scoring. If the opposing Locomotive does not have a value for the given Statistic, but that Team’s other Locomotive does, the opposing Team must switch to their other Locomotive, and use that value. If not, it may not be called. A Contestant may not call a Statistic that their Locomotive does not have a value for, and each Statistic may only be called once.

Every Contestant has a Veto, which may be used once to deny a Statistic called against them. That Statistic may still be called, but not against the Contestant which vetoed it.

In the event of a tie, the opposing Contestant is given the option to tag in their teammate and use their Locomotive’s value for the Statistic if possible. No matter their decision, if a tie remains, the calling Team must do the same. If it is still a tie, the opposing team is considered the victor, but no points are awarded.

The Team which wins the Statistic is now the calling Team, and shall call the next Statistic. If they are behind in the points, they may change which Locomotive they are using before doing so. In the event of a tie, the Locomotive in use cannot be changed.

If there are at least 10 total points scored, the non-calling teammate on the opposing Team may elect to use a Booster. These must be used after a stat is called but before the opposing Contestant reads their locomotive’s value. If a Booster is used, the calling Team may also choose to use one of their Boosters in response. Each Booster can be used once per team in a game, and the Locomotives in play cannot be changed immediately afterward. There are three Boosters, with the following effects:

• 50/50: A coin is flipped and if it comes up heads, the opposing Contestant’s value is given as infinity. If it comes up tails, the opposing Contestant’s value is given as zero.

• Swap Orders: The value of the locomotive on the opposing Team that is not being used is given instead.

• Double Header: The values of the called Statistic for both locomotives are added together and given. If both teams elect to use their “Double Header” it is known as a “True Double Header” and the booster is not consumed.

If there are at least 20 total points scored, and the score is not currently tied, any Contestant may elect to call the Time Out. This gives both Teams the opportunity to switch Locomotives, with the team in the lead announcing their decision first. Play then resumes with a Statistic called by the calling Team. Each team is allowed one Time Out.

If there are at least 30 total points scored, and all four Contestants have called or responded to at least one Statistic, the calling Contestant may elect not to call a Statistic, and instead move to Style Points. Once this happens, no more Statistics may be called by either player. In the event that no further valid Statistics exist for any combination of Locomotives, the game moves to Style Points automatically. In the event that one team is leading by 20 or more points, Style Points can be skipped and the game ends.

Style Points has no specific structure, but turns should be taken if possible. Each Contestant may state what makes their Locomotive(s) stylistically or technologically superior to their opponents’ Locomotive(s). A point shall be awarded to the Team to whom the Style Point applies more. If a Style Point applies to both Teams equally, it is invalid.

See Stylistic Scoring below, or the Features table on the front of a Locomotive Card for examples of valid points, but any point is valid so long as the Judge(s) agree that it is. 

Once the Contestants are satisfied they no longer have valid Style Points to call, or the Judge(s) believe the Contestants no longer have valid Style Points to call, the game is over. The Team with the most points wins.