18XX

The term 18XX designates a number of railway business simulations that have been published as board games. The respective games try on the national maps the origin of a particular rail networks more or less accurately simulate.

  • 2.3.1 game phases
  • 2.3.2 Laying track parts
  • Build 2.3.3 Station
  • 2.3.4 operate locomotives
  • Realize 2.3.5 Einfahrergebnisse
  • Buy locomotives 2.3.6 2.3.6.1 locomotive types

Publications of the different variants

The 18XX series developed chronologically viewed from the model developed by the Englishman Francis G. Tresham and published in 1974 in its publisher Hartland Trefoil game in 1829, depicting the history of the railway in the south of England. 1981, 1829 then with a map of the north of England and Scotland. 1829 is a building game, which focuses on the construction and operation of a rail network. Next, followed in 1986 with the U.S. publisher Avalon Hill game 1830: Railroads & Robber Barons, which represents the construction of the railroad in America's Northeast and Southeast. 1830, although rail is the basic topic, especially a very tough economic and stock market simulation.

In 1989 published Tresham then the India variant in 1853, and was published in 1990 in Germany at the Hans im Glück in 1835 with Germany variant, which was not developed by Tresham himself.

Gradually, followed by several other variants of various game publishers, each of which simulated the construction of the national or regional rail networks. The variety of the series is due to the fact that players of different nationalities were animated by the re-enactment of the basic variants for the railway history of their own country also to design a game. Often these additional variants are sold by the respective authors only self-published in very small editions and are therefore difficult or in some cases no longer available.

Already with the first two versions (1829 and 1830 ) of the series of suspense throughout the 18XX series was mapped out. All 18XX games can be divided into games with a focus on construction activity ( linear development of stock prices as a function of Einfahrergebnisse 1829) or games with an emphasis on the stock market ( stock trading and special functions on the stock market, the Einfahrergebnis continues to play an important role 1830) divide.

Between these two extremes, there are a variety of 18xx variants, gave a mixture of both moving into their game system.

The highlight is certainly 18C2C that represents the complete USA map and drives the gameplay to the top with 34 lines, a board size of 1.70 mx 0.92 m and a playing time of about 11 hours.

More fundamentally gameplay

In essence, the various games have similar gameplay, but partly varies greatly with the individual games. Here are the basics of 18XX games are described.

Game Start and end

Each player receives at the beginning of a sum of money, a certain amount of money initially remains in the bank. If a player is bankrupt, he is out and the game ends; normally the game ends when the bank's money is spent. The aim of the game is to have the most money at the end. For this purpose also the market value of the shares that have the players should be counted.

Once the starting player and the seating order was determined, is in the game alternately one shares round and round operation. As the game progresses, the number of ORs is increased, so that each time after a stock round two or three rounds of surgery to be performed.

In a stock round, players perform actions in the operating round the railway companies. The one who has the most shares in a railway company, is Director and performs the operation round for the railway company from.

The game may end with either of the following events:

Depending on the variant played, then the game usually ends after the current round operation.

Stock Round

Starting with the first player, each player in turn must buy a stock of the Bank at the issue price or from the banking pool to the current share price. In addition, several shares may be sold at the current share price in the bank pool. If one shares a company sells, no stock of this railway company may buy more shares in this round of the player.

This continues until all players have consecutively not bought once (eg in 1835) and all players have consecutively fitted (eg in 1830). At the next stock round then is the one new starting player who first bought and fitted no share in this episode.

With each sale of shares of the stock price declines; if at the end of a stock round are no shares in the bank or in the banking pool of a society, the price rises. There must never be more than 50 % of the shares of a company in the banking pool are located.

Private companies

At the beginning of the game (smaller) private companies from the bank in a starting auction. Unlike public companies, they provide a constant income, do not operate it in operation round. Private companies are subject to variation depending on the specific rules that allow or exclude a purchase of the private railway companies by the corporations. Depending on the variant bring these private companies certain preferred shares of big companies or special properties with it. These special properties can be used by the owners (players or corporation) in the ORs.

Prussian Vorbahnen / Kleinbahnen

In some variants ( 1835/18EU/1880 ), there are other companies that are transformed or merged into large companies in the course of the game. These companies are represented by a 100 % equity interest in a player's hand. The player guides the web similar to a large corporation, the results are distributed to most as 50/50-Ausschüttung (50 % for the director, 50% for the Company).

Time course

Following the sale of private companies not immediately all railway companies offered for sale. The shares of different companies come only gradually in the trade. Thus, the historical time course of commissioning is simulated.

Commissioning of public companies

The first sold shares of a corporation is the director share. While stocks usually represent 10 % of the shares of the Company equal to the President's Certificate usually a 20% stake. Once a minimum share of a stock company was sold (often 50% or 60 %), the company is operating and is equipped with the money of the sale of shares of the bank. The Director is responsible for managing the company and then acts in the operation for this round. When starting up a home station is built by a railway station marker is placed on the board in the hometown of the corporation. The startup of a company another corporation is usually offered for sale.

Change of director

Does someone in the course of the game more shares in a company as the director, it will receive the President's certificate and will be the new director of the Company.

Operating Round

In each operating round the owners of the private railway companies receive their fixed incomes.

If present, then the act Kleinbahnen / Vorpreußischen companies in a specified order. The Director shall determine which performs the society actions. The actions are, with the exception of the last two actions are the same as the actions of corporations.

Then the intended operating public companies act in order of share prices. The Director shall determine in each case, which makes the society. The Director may

Some things cost money that will be paid from the working capital of the Company; There is not enough money available, the Director may add the missing shoot for the purchase money with his ( private ) capital. A direct deposit into the operating capital is not possible.

Phases of the game

Depending on the version, there are a different number of phases, the basic idea has been retained. The basic gameplay of an operation phase is in all phases of the same, there are different in most variants, the number of operating rounds between stock rounds, depending on the particular phase of the game. A phase change is initiated by the availability or the acquisition of a new Lokgeneration commonly. The phases are either after Leitlok ( the locomotive, the phase change initiates ) named or platelets color (yellow, green, brown, gray). A phase change can have an impact on the re-use of existing locomotives. ( For example, the use of the first 4- Lok can remove the 2- Startloks from the game ).

Laying track parts

The board shows a map that appears in a hexagonal representation. In some of the hexagons ( hexes ) circles are present, representing the (larger) cities. Here stations can be built. In other hexagons points are present, which represent the breakpoints (smaller cities).

At the beginning of the game just simple tracks (yellow plates ) can be placed on the empty hexagons. At a certain point of the game more complex tracks (green tile ) can replace the yellow platelets. Later can replace the green even more complex tracks ( brown flakes ) then. The brown flakes in turn can ( upgraded ), in some variants replaced by gray chips as the final stage.

Tracks on rivers or mountains are shown on the base map and cost in the development of Hexfeldes money, which is payable out of the working capital. The tiles must set from one of the stations of the company that wants to put this tile be accessible. There are close-grip or generous arrangements. The close-grip control requires that the operating company can negotiate all new track pieces without changing direction when replacing a chip. In the 1829 variants, there are the so-called work trains, preparing a track maintenance action.

The number of track parts that can be used per round operation is different from variant to variant. By default, the newly added per round a track or part of an existing track section can be replaced (with gray yellow through green, green with brown, brown) by a member of a different color. The replacement of the existing part may take place only if all existing connections are preserved. It may furthermore no track on the edge of the map or in an area of the border point to which no track part is shown.

The registered on the base map as a special train stations there are the so-called frontier stations ( off-board areas, or off-board station ). These stations are subject to a progression ( or digression ) of Einfahrergebnisses to be achieved depending on the current stage of the game. An example for that in 1835, there are the off-board area Alsace - Lorraine, in only one phase, historically, from 1871 to 1918, can be approached, bringing the already moving company revenue. This off-board areas can not be occupied with track parts.

Each game brings an overview of the existing track parts in the respective colors, and a table with the possible exchange tiles with.

Build station

The Director may, in the presence of free station marker ( pawn ) and a valid path, ie the free train station can be reached from another station his company, create a station marker in the free station and thus target or use the station for its society as starting station.

Operate locomotives

The Company may, starting from a station according to the type of locomotive and the Lokklasse a number of stations approach in an imaginary train. The Einfahrergebniss results from the value of the extended train stations per locomotive. In this case, no section of track must the same company in an Operating Round of various locomotives be traveled twice (except stations and crossings ).

Realize Einfahrergebnisse

The Einfahrergebnisse achieved by the locomotives can according to the will of the Director, either to be issued to the shareholders, or be saved. If the Einfahrergebnisse distributed as a dividend, the share price can flourish. There are also here again from variant to variant a variety of effects: Mostly a minimum dividend is sufficient so that the share price developed positively, but there are also versions in which large gradients are possible, or variants in which the Einfahrergebnis must be higher than the share price so that the course positively. Commonly results in a forfeiture of dividends by the Company at a price decline. Nevertheless, a saving can be useful to deal with the obtained direct working capital to finance a new locomotive for example.

Buy locomotives

The Directors may buy locomotives from the bank in order of appearance. A train purchase may cause a phase change and thus, eg old locomotives of scrapping out, or any other actions allow depending on the variant. A Company is committed to a locomotive (generally speaking, in some variants, this requirement applies only if the company has a valid route) at the end of an operation round to own. If there is not enough working capital to be present, the Director must pay the missing amount. Can not this, the player is bankrupt and out of the game from.

Locomotive types

On the cards that represent the locomotives in the respective variants, historical information is presented to the respective engines. However, the main information is the Lokklasse and the type of locomotive. The Lokklasse indicates the number of stations and / or breakpoints or hexes can be approached.

There are different types, in which you can pre-classifying the locomotives roughly:

  • Hexloks: A locomotive can drive indicated on their number of hexes wide.
  • Schmalspurloks ( 2M/2T ): locomotives, which can only drive on narrow gauge lines (1853 ). Number of stations that can be approached.
  • Standardloks (2): locomotives that can pull a printed number of stations / stops. Here much depends on the particular rule of the variants, whether breakpoints must be counted incorporated (eg in 1835) or in the Einfahrergebnis without counting against the station limit (eg 18EU ).
  • Plusloks (2 2): locomotives that can pull a printed number of stations ( 2) plus a number of support points ( 2).
  • Coal Railways ( 1T/1G ): Locomotives that a special train station (coal fields / mines ) and can travel several stations or a (for example 1837).
  • Expressloks (6e ): locomotives, which are able to drive on their route a number of stations and not others.
  • Diesel ( D): locomotives, which are able to run an unlimited number of stations, these stations are not blocked condition.

18XX variants

The 18xx variants differ within the general game mechanics of running different details and rules. It 's rare to find a completely new game concept application, but rather an adaptation and new composition known details and rules in a different constellation.

  • Home Auction: This can be done in various forms. The result may be relevant to the seating order (1898, 1853), but it does not.
  • Private railways, light railways, public companies: In different number with or without special rights, various special rights that may influence the gameplay.
  • Working capital of joint stock companies at the start: Full capital, half of capital, flexible capital as a function of the number of shares sold
  • Share types: valences of shares, differentiate between new and used stocks (the latter are shares which were of a player in the stock market ever sold ).
  • Share price / Start price: permanent start course; new shares are always output at the same price, or just share price
  • Joint-stock companies as shareholders: joint stock companies can even set up subsidiaries
  • Locomotive types: see above.
  • Mergers: small railways or public companies can be fused voluntarily or forcibly.

Publications

  • Francis G. Tresham produced over his publishing Hartland Trefoil between 1974-1998 his 18XX games as well as various extensions thereto. After the sale of Hartland Trefoil at Microprose in 1998 he founded Tresham Games to release new versions.
  • In the U.S. magazine "Train Gamers Gazette" published between 1994 ( Vol. 1) and 1998 (Vol. 5) 18XX different variants.
  • Edited by David Metheny American magazine "Rail Gamer" contained several 18XX variants. Nos. 1 to 15 published quarterly 1997 to 2000. The latest issues Nos. 16 and 17 probably published in 2002.
  • Chris Lawson ( Lawson Xris, XL Games) produced from 1996 to 2001 18XX different variants.
  • John David Galt produced since 2002 18AL and 18GA by Mark Derrick.
  • John A. Tamplin produced since 2004 18XX variants, since 2005, founded by him and his wife Game - on-demand publishing " Deep Thought Games".
  • Wolfram Janich ( Marflow Games) produces small runs of 18XX games since the mid-1990s
  • Helmut Ohley ( Double-O Games) also produces several 18XX games.
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