So you’re looking up caterpillar tower stuff and probably wondering what the hell this game even is. Fair question. Caterpillar: Age of Tank is this weird post-apocalyptic board game from 2009 where you’re driving solar-powered tanks around a destroyed Earth trying to deliver supplies. Yeah, it’s as specific as it sounds.
I stumbled on this caterpillar tower game at a local game store’s clearance bin like three years ago. Bought it because the box art looked cool and the theme was different. Turns out it’s actually pretty good, just nobody knows about it.
Here’s the setup: asteroids hit Earth in 2030. Everything’s destroyed. Roads? Gone. Cities? Only four left. The only way to move stuff around is with caterpillar-tracked tanks because regular vehicles can’t handle the terrain. Oh and fuel is scarce so someone invented solar engines. You’re basically playing Amazon delivery driver in the apocalypse.
What Makes Caterpillar Tower Different
The caterpillar tower concept is about building up your capabilities over time. Think of it like this – every upgrade you get, every resource you collect, every delivery you complete stacks on top of previous ones. You’re literally building a tower of advantages throughout the game.
Most pickup-and-deliver games have you just moving stuff from A to B. This one adds resource harvesting, limited solar power, and competitive job contracts. So you’re not just delivering – you’re deciding whether to take a contract, harvest resources, or upgrade your tank. Every turn matters.
The solar power thing is genius though. You can’t just spam moves. You have like 3-5 actions per turn depending on upgrades, and moving costs energy. This forces you to actually plan routes instead of just wandering around the board. I’ve lost games because I miscounted my solar power and got stranded one space away from a delivery.
How to Actually Play This Thing
You start with a basic tank and pick from available job contracts. Contracts say “deliver X resource from City A to City B for Y points.” Simple enough. But other players want those same contracts, and whoever completes them first gets the best rewards.
Meanwhile there are natural resources scattered around the wasteland. You can harvest these for points later or use them to upgrade your tank. This creates the core tension – do you focus on quick delivery points or build your caterpillar tower of resources for late-game scoring?
Your tank upgrades are where the strategy gets deep. Better movement lets you take longer routes. More cargo space lets you stack deliveries. Harvesting tools let you grab resources faster. Each upgrade compounds, which is why I call it the caterpillar tower system – you’re stacking improvements that all multiply together.
The board is a grid showing the four cities and the wasteland between them. Movement costs vary by terrain. Cities have job boards where you grab contracts. Resource nodes spawn throughout the game. Pretty standard stuff, but it works.
Caterpillar Tower Strategies That Work
I’ve played this maybe 15-20 times now. Here’s what I’ve learned:
The Speedrun Strategy Grab every quick delivery you can. Ignore resources, ignore upgrades initially, just pump out deliveries. This works great if you get lucky with contract draws early. Problem is if someone blocks your path or grabs your contracts, you’re screwed with no backup plan.
My buddy Jake plays this way every time and wins like 60% of games against new players. Against experienced players? Maybe 30%. It’s high risk high reward.
The Long Game Focus on harvesting resources and upgrading your tank. Yeah you’ll be behind on points early. But by turn 10 you’ve got this monster tank that can complete contracts way more efficiently. Plus you convert your resources to points at the end.
This is how I usually play caterpillar tower. I like the feeling of building something over time. Downside is you need to be really efficient with your harvesting routes or you fall too far behind.
The Opportunist No fixed plan – just adapt to whatever the board gives you. Good contract nearby? Take it. Resource node on your path? Harvest it. This is probably the smartest way to play but also the hardest because you need good game sense.
Why This Caterpillar Tower Game Flew Under the Radar
Honestly? The theme is weird. Post-apocalyptic tank logistics isn’t exactly a sexy sell. Plus it came out in 2009 when the board game renaissance was just starting. Games like Dominion and 7 Wonders stole all the attention that year.
The publisher (Visionary) isn’t exactly a household name either. They made a few games and then kinda disappeared. So there’s no marketing push, no big reprint, nothing. The caterpillar tower game just exists in this weird limbo.
Components are fine but not amazing. The tank miniatures are cool but the board is pretty bland. Artwork has this gritty vibe that works for the theme but won’t win any awards. For a 2009 game it’s decent. Compared to modern stuff? Feels dated.
The rules aren’t terrible but the rulebook could be clearer. I had to watch a YouTube playthrough to understand the resource conversion system. Once you get it though, it’s not that complicated.
Real Problems with Caterpillar Tower
The hidden information thing sucks Contract cards are drawn from a deck so you can’t plan long-term. You might be positioned perfectly for a delivery route and then the contract you wanted doesn’t show up. Frustrating as hell.
Downtime in 4-player games With four players everyone’s planning their routes and it bogs down. Turns take forever. Two or three players is way better for the caterpillar tower experience.
Runaway leader potential If someone gets ahead early and completes a bunch of contracts, they can snowball with upgrades. We’ve had games where someone clinched victory by turn 12 and we still played 6 more turns. Not fun.
Resource spawning feels random New resources appear based on card draws. Sometimes you get lucky and resources spawn near you. Sometimes you don’t. There’s strategy in positioning near likely spawn points but still feels swingy.
Limited player interaction You’re mostly doing your own thing. Sure you compete for contracts and can block paths, but compared to other games there’s not much direct interaction. Some people love this, I find it makes the caterpillar tower game feel a bit solitary even with 4 players.
Should You Buy This Caterpillar Tower Game?
Here’s the honest truth – it’s hard to find and when you do find it, the price varies wildly. I’ve seen copies on eBay for $30 and I’ve seen them for $80. At $30 it’s worth grabbing if you like the theme. At $80? Nah, get something else.
The gameplay is solid. It’s not groundbreaking but it’s good. The caterpillar tower mechanic of building up capabilities over time is satisfying. Route optimization is fun if you’re into that puzzle-solving vibe. But there are other games that do similar things and are easier to find.
If you see this at a game store or on BGG marketplace for cheap, grab it. It’s a conversation starter at least – nobody’s heard of it so you get to explain this weird game about post-apocalyptic tank logistics. That’s worth something.
But if you’re specifically looking for pickup-and-deliver games, Merchants & Marauders or Xia are probably better and more available. If you want post-apocalyptic theme, Wasteland Express Delivery Service is newer and easier to find. The caterpillar tower game is good but you’re not missing out on a masterpiece if you skip it.
Where to Find Caterpillar Tower
Good luck. Seriously. This thing is out of print and wasn’t widely distributed even when it was in print.
BoardGameGeek marketplace is your best bet. Check it every few weeks. Copies show up occasionally. I’ve seen them go for $35-60 depending on condition. Set up an alert so you get notified.
eBay sometimes has copies but expect to pay more. Also check if it’s actually the full game – some listings are just components or cards. Read carefully before buying.
Facebook board game trade groups occasionally have it. Post a “looking for” message. Someone might have a copy collecting dust they’re willing to trade or sell.
Local game stores – call around. Seriously. Some stores have old inventory in back rooms. I found a copy of this at a store 45 minutes away just by calling and asking.
Check BoardGameGeek Marketplace
Don’t pay over $50 unless you’re really into the theme or collect obscure games. At that price point there are better options.
Games Similar to Caterpillar Tower
If you can’t find this or just want something similar:
Wasteland Express Delivery Service – Also post-apocalyptic delivery! Came out in 2017 so it’s newer and more polished. Production is way better. Easier to find too. Honestly if you just want the theme and don’t care specifically about the caterpillar tower game, get this instead.
Merchants & Marauders – Pirates instead of tanks but same core idea. Pick up goods, deliver them, upgrade your ship. More combat, longer playtime, higher complexity. Really good game though.
Xia: Legends of a Drift System – Space trading and exploration. You’re building up your ship capabilities while doing jobs, which captures that caterpillar tower progression feeling. Sandbox-y and expensive but awesome.
Firefly: The Game – If you like the show, this nails the “scraping by doing odd jobs in a harsh universe” vibe. Less optimization puzzle, more story and theme.
All of these are easier to find than Caterpillar: Age of Tank. Just saying.
Questions People Ask About Caterpillar Tower
What is caterpillar tower? It’s both the game (Caterpillar: Age of Tank) and the strategy concept of building up your capabilities over time. Each upgrade and decision stacks on previous ones like building a tower.
How many players for caterpillar tower? 2-4 players. Two is tactical and tight. Three is best. Four is chaos and takes forever. Don’t play with four unless everyone knows the rules well.
Is Caterpillar: Age of Tank still available? Not in print. You need to find used copies through secondary markets like BGG or eBay. Expect to pay $35-60.
How long does caterpillar tower take? 60-90 minutes usually. First game will take 2 hours while you’re learning. Four player games can push 2 hours even when you know the rules.
Is this game hard to learn? Medium difficulty. Rules aren’t crazy complicated but the strategy takes a few games to understand. I’d say about 3/5 on complexity scale.
Can kids play caterpillar tower? Recommended age is 12+. The theme is fine for kids but the strategic depth is real. Smart 10-year-olds could handle it. Younger than that, probably not.
Why is it called caterpillar tower? The tanks have caterpillar treads (the tank tracks) and the strategy involves building a tower of improvements over time. Also probably because building your resource collection looks like stacking a tower.
Are there expansions? Nope. Just the base game. What you see is what you get with this caterpillar tower experience.
My Final Take on This Thing
After like 15-20 plays, I’d give caterpillar tower a solid 7/10. It’s good. Not amazing, not bad, just good. The theme is unique enough to be memorable, the mechanics work together nicely, and there’s real strategy depth once you get past the learning curve.
The caterpillar tower concept of steady progression appeals to me. I like games where you build something over time rather than just reacting to random events. Route optimization scratches that puzzle-solving itch. Solar power management adds tension without being punishing.
Main issues are availability and player count. At 2-3 players it’s great. At 4 it drags. And finding a copy is annoying. But if you stumble across one cheap, it’s worth grabbing.
Don’t go out of your way to hunt this down unless you’re really into post-apocalyptic themes or collect obscure games. There are similar games that are better and easier to find. That said, I’m glad I own it and it hits the table maybe once every couple months.
The caterpillar tower game is one of those “could have been bigger if circumstances were different” titles. Released in the right year with better marketing, maybe it would’ve been more successful. Instead it’s this weird cult game that board game nerds occasionally talk about in forums.
And honestly? That’s kinda cool. Not everything needs to be a massive hit.
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Updated December 2025
Disclosure: This has affiliate links. If you buy through them I might make a few bucks. I genuinely played this game though and everything I wrote is based on actual experience, not just reading the rulebook.
