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18XX is the generic term for a series of
board games Board games are tabletop games that typically use . These pieces are moved or placed on a pre-marked board (playing surface) and often include elements of table, card, role-playing, and miniatures games as well. Many board games feature a co ...
that, with a few exceptions, recreate the building of
railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
corporation A corporation is an organization—usually a group of people or a company—authorized by the state to act as a single entity (a legal entity recognized by private and public law "born out of statute"; a legal person in legal context) and ...
s during the 19th century; individual games within the series use particular years in the 19th century as their title (usually the date of the start of railway development in the area of the world they cover), or "18" plus a two or more letter geographical designator (such as ''18EU'' for a game set in the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...
). The games ''2038'', set in the future, and ''Poseidon'' and ''Ur, 1830 BC'', both set in ancient history, are also regarded as 18XX titles as their game mechanics and titling nomenclature are similar despite variance from the common railroad/stock-market theme. The 18XX series has its origins in the game ''
1829 Events January–March * January 19 – August Klingemann's adaptation of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's '' Faust'' premieres in Braunschweig. * February 27 – Battle of Tarqui: Troops of Gran Colombia and Peru battle to a draw. * Marc ...
'', first produced by
Francis Tresham Francis Tresham ( 1567 – 23 December 1605), eldest son of Thomas Tresham and Muriel Throckmorton, was a member of the group of English provincial Catholics who planned the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605, a conspiracy to assassinate King Jame ...
in the mid-1970s. 1829 was chosen as it was the year of the Rainhill Trials. '' 1830'' was produced by
Avalon Hill Avalon Hill Games Inc. is a game company that publishes wargames and strategic board games. It has also published miniature wargaming rules, role-playing games and sports simulations. It is a subsidiary of Hasbro, and operates under the company ...
in 1986, and was the first game of the series widely available in the United States; it is seen as the basic 18XX game by the U.S. audience. In addition to traditionally published games, the 18XX series has spawned self-published variants and games published by low-volume game companies. With few exceptions (such as ''2038''), 18XX titles are multiplayer board games without random variables in their
game mechanics In tabletop games and video games, game mechanics are the rules or ludemes that govern and guide the player's actions, as well as the game's response to them. A rule is an instruction on how to play, a ludeme is an element of play like the L-sha ...
.


Gameplay


Common features

''18XX'' games vary, but most follow this general pattern: * The objective is to enhance personal wealth, not the assets of any companies a player may be operating. Personal wealth consists of cash, company stock (which increases wealth both by receiving
dividend A dividend is a distribution of profits by a corporation to its shareholders. When a corporation earns a profit or surplus, it is able to pay a portion of the profit as a dividend to shareholders. Any amount not distributed is taken to be re-i ...
s and by
capital appreciation Capital appreciation is an increase in the price or value of assets. It may refer to appreciation of company stocks or bonds held by an investor, an increase in land valuation, or other upward revaluation of fixed assets. Capital appreciation m ...
), and other investments (such as private companies). * Players don't directly interact with the game board, but do so indirectly through companies they control. Generally, the player who owns the most stock of a company is the president of that company and makes all decisions on behalf of that company. The president is also often required to help fund the company when it lacks sufficient funds to satisfy a mandated expense (such as owning a train by the end of its turn). * Game play alternates between "stock rounds" and one or more "operating rounds". In a stock round, players buy and sell stock (some games have company actions during a stock round as well), while in an operating round players take actions on behalf of companies they control, including laying track, placing station tokens, operating trains, withholding income or paying
dividend A dividend is a distribution of profits by a corporation to its shareholders. When a corporation earns a profit or surplus, it is able to pay a portion of the profit as a dividend to shareholders. Any amount not distributed is taken to be re-i ...
s, and buying trains. * "Certificate limit": there is usually a limit to how many corporate shares and private companies a player may own, to keep the game competitive by preventing
snowball effect A snowball effect is a process that starts from an initial state of small significance and builds upon itself, becoming larger (graver, more serious), and also perhaps potentially dangerous or disastrous (a vicious circle), though it might be be ...
s resulting from early leads by some players. * The "President's certificate" (or "Director's certificate") represents control of a railroad corporation, usually represents a greater percentage of corporate stock than other certificates (e.g., 20% as opposed to 10%), and is usually the first one purchased for a company (with its purchaser setting the price, or "par value", for regular shares of stock in many titles in the series). If another player accumulates more shares in a company than the current president, they acquire the President's certificate (with attendant side-effects for both players regarding certificate limits) in exchange for their own lesser shares, and becomes the new controller of the corporation. * Certain games may impose restrictions on the order in which companies may be started (generally to impose a historical context upon the game), and they vary in how many shares must be purchased before the company may operate ("floats"). * The map is usually a
hex grid A hex map, hex board, or hex grid is a game board design commonly used in wargames of all scales. The map is subdivided into a hexagonal tiling, small regular hexagons of identical size. Advantages and disadvantages The primary advantage of a h ...
that depicts cities and
terrain Terrain or relief (also topographical relief) involves the vertical and horizontal dimensions of land surface. The term bathymetry is used to describe underwater relief, while hypsometry studies terrain relative to sea level. The Latin wo ...
features. Hexagonal "track" tiles (representing available land-rights) are laid on top of this map to represent the growth of railroad networks, and tokens are placed on the board to represent stations (as well as special abilities from private companies). Cities have values which can vary based on which tiles have been laid on the city, the phase of the game, their historical importance to a corporation, or type of train used to reach them. Different color tiles are available in succession, and in phases that are typically determined by the first purchase of a more advanced type of train. * A company's stock price is adjusted based on the revenues earned and whether the president chose to pay dividends or to withhold the earnings in the company treasury. Stock prices are usually also affected by actions in the stock round, and some games have other mechanisms that affect the stock price. * Scarcity (forcing future-turn planning by players) of available corporations, shares thereof, train types, and track tiles. * Trains eventually become obsolete and must be replaced by more-expensive trains that also have greater capacity for earning revenue. Purchase of a new type of train usually triggers other phase-changes in the game, such as the obsolescence of older trains, the availability of different sets of tiles, increased valuation of certain non-tiled cities, closure of private companies, and the ability to merge corporations or form them at higher valuations. * Game end is usually determined when the bank runs out of money, and also by player bankruptcy (when a player cannot pay the debt of a company they control). Some games do not end when a player goes bankrupt, while others add other conditions for ending the game such as when a stock reaches a certain value on the stock market, or the most advanced type of train has been purchased. Other games do not feature bankruptcy at all, and enable a player to place a moribund company in "receivership", or be incorporated into a government railway, and walk away from debts.


Differences

While adhering to common similarities (see preceding section), each ''18XX'' game differs from the others in subtle or significant ways in rule set as well as game map. As with games in general, each individual mechanic has probably been used before, but a new game can put together a set of mechanics which provide a new and interesting challenge. Some typical areas of difference are: * Initial Auction – there are many different ways to distribute initial private companies and starting major corporations. * Private Companies – most ''18XX'' games have
private companies A privately held company (or simply a private company) is a company whose shares and related rights or obligations are not offered for public subscription or publicly negotiated in the respective listed markets, but rather the company's stock is ...
which are entirely owned by one player, and represent the earliest companies in the game and/or provide special abilities. "Privates", as they are called, generally do little other than provide revenue, but in some games they control access to or enhance the revenue of certain hexes on the map. Some games have very similar private companies, some have very different private companies, and some dispense with having private companies at all. Some titles (e.g., ''1835'' and ''1861'') also have Minor Companies, which are again owned entirely by one player but play a more dynamic role than Privates. * Corporation Funding – some games have full funding for a corporation as soon as it floats, while others have the company receiving money only as each share is sold. Some games require the corporation to reach a historically relevant destination in order to receive some of its capital or earn the best level of income. * Company Types – some games have multiple company types. These types may vary based on how many shares are available for purchase, the funding model for the company, the number of station tokens available, or which types of trains may be purchased by the company. * Corporate mergers and demergers – some games feature optional, or forced, mergers or splits of one or more companies. * Corporate stock-ownership – some games enable companies to hold their own stock, purchase private corporations, and/or own the stock of other companies (even to the point of owning or as prelude to merger). * Train Types – some may offer multiple types of trains with distinct capabilities or lifetimes. ** Some trains may "degrade" into other train types upon certain events (for example, delayed obsolescence of 4-trains in '' 18MEX'', or normal trains becoming H-trains in '' 1844''). ** Trains may become available in unusual sequences. For example, in '' 1830'',
diesel engine The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-ca ...
s are available as soon as the first 6-train is purchased — all the 6-trains are not required to be purchased first. In '' 1824'', G-train availability is controlled by when normal trains are purchased. ** Certain trains may be restricted in terms of which locations they may run to or may count revenue from, or they may provide bonuses for running to certain locations. For example, in ''1844'', H-trains are prohibited from running to off-board locations. In ''
1854 Events January–March * January 4 – The McDonald Islands are discovered by Captain William McDonald aboard the ''Samarang''. * January 6 – The fictional detective Sherlock Holmes is perhaps born. * January 9 – The ...
'', only
Orient Express The ''Orient Express'' was a long-distance passenger train service created in 1883 by the Belgian company ''Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits'' (CIWL) that operated until 2009. The train traveled the length of continental Europe and int ...
trains may run to certain off-board areas. In ''
1889 Events January–March * January 1 ** The total solar eclipse of January 1, 1889 is seen over parts of California and Nevada. ** Paiute spiritual leader Wovoka experiences a vision, leading to the start of the Ghost Dance movement in t ...
'', diesels get special bonuses for off-board locations. In ''
1826 Events January–March * January 15 – The French newspaper '' Le Figaro'' begins publication in Paris, initially as a weekly. * January 30 – The Menai Suspension Bridge, built by engineer Thomas Telford, is opened between the island ...
'', E-trains and TGVs ignore dot-towns. TGVs in 1826 and 4D-trains in ''18MEX'' double the value of cities they count. In ''1824'', only G-trains may run to mines and the corporation always gets the value of the mine rather than it being potentially paid to stockholders. * Theme – a few titles eschew the common railroad/stock-market theme. For example, ''2038'' involves space exploration of the
asteroid belt The asteroid belt is a torus-shaped region in the Solar System, located roughly between the orbits of the planets Jupiter and Mars. It contains a great many solid, irregularly shaped bodies, of many sizes, but much smaller than planets, c ...
, while ''Ur, 1830 BC'' involves building dams and canals in ancient
Mesopotamia Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the ...
(in the latter game, "corporations", "presidents" and stock "shares" are represented by kingdoms, rulers and parcels of land).


Conventions and tournaments

A number of conventions have at least some emphasis on 18XX games, including the Chattanooga Rail Gaming Challenge, held in January or February in
Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020 ...
and run by Mark Derrick. 18XX games also figure prominently in various "RailCon" and " Puffing Billy" tournaments at many conventions.


Play by email and Online

18xx games are often played remotely using various tools that support play by email games. Many games in the genre are implemented o
18xx.games
which i
open-source
and supports both multiplayer and local play. Another open source project which supports a large number of 18xx titles i
BOARD18
BOARD18 was designed for use in play by email games and is not recommended for live play.


List of 18XX titles

Note: Many older titles are out-of-print and difficult to find. ;''1761: From Canal to Rail'': Self-published in 2011, and then in 2017 by All-Aboard Games and designed by Ian D. Wilson. ''1761'' is set in
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, with its early game focused on building canals and portrays the eventual fading away of canal companies as rail companies start to dominate. ;''1800: Colorado'': Set in
Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...
, the game was published in 2002 by David Methany in ''Rail Gamer'' magazine #17 and was later available in free print-and-play format. The game was designed by Antonio Leal. A mini-18XX game for 2–3 players, and consists of only nine playable hexes. ;''1817'': Designed by Craig Bartell and Tim Flowers and published by Deep Thought Games in 2009 and subsequently by All-Aboard Games in 2012 and 2020. ''1817'', set in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, is well-known as one of the heaviest 18XX title in term of complexity and game length. It offers a complex financial system with features such as
short selling In finance, being short in an asset means investing in such a way that the investor will profit if the value of the asset falls. This is the opposite of a more conventional "long" position, where the investor will profit if the value of the ...
, market-driven interest rates, and company liquidations. An expansion, ''18USA'', published in 2017 (self-published), 2018, and 2021 (by All-Aboard Games) offers new contents and a randomizing of elements of the game. ;''1822: The Railways of Great Britain'': Designed by Simon Cutforth and published 2016 by All-Aboard Games. Set in the
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It i ...
, the game offers several unique features such as historical destinations for companies, new local trains, and a "Lawsonian" bidding mechanism. The game was the winner of "Golden Elephant Award" for "Best Heavy Game of 2016" by Heavy Cardboard. ;''1822MX'': Inspired by ''1822: The Railways of Great Britain'', the game (set in
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
) was designed by Scott Petersen and published by All-Aboard Games in 2019. ;''1822CA'': Designed by Robert Lecuyer and Simon Cutforth, and published 2018 by All-Aboard Games. This game, also strongly based on ''1822: The Railways of Great Britain'', takes place in
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, features a larger number of private companies, and includes an innovative scale change halfway across the map to account for the larger expanse between cities in Western Canada. ;''1824: Austria-Hungary'': ''1824'' was published by Double-O Games in 2005. The game was designed by Leonard "Lonny" Orgler and Helmut Ohley, and is set in
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
. It is a smaller and simpler version of Lonny's ''1837'', and adds some ideas from his later ''1854'' and Helmut's ''1844''. Publisher Fox in the Box and Lonny Games re-implemented the game in 2019 under the title ''1824: Austrian-Hungarian Railway''. ;''1825'':
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It i ...
, released 1995 (Unit 1) by Hartland Trefoil, 2000 (Unit 2) and 2004 (Unit 3) by Tresham Games, designed by Francis Tresham. The game has subsequently had many revisions, reprints, add-on kits and variants. ;''1826: Railroading in France and Belgium from 1826'': ''1826'' was published by Chris Lawson in 2000 and Deep Thought Games in 2004 and set in
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
and
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
. As David Hecht's first design, it is the most conventional, and only one to use "traditional" green and brown plain track upgrade tiles. 1826 started out as "'' 1830'' on a different map", but rapidly evolved into a game of capital and technology management: the game's key decisions revolve around when to "grow" a company, and which trains to buy to optimize a company's final position. ;''1829 Mainline'':
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, released 2005 by Tresham Games, designed by Francis Tresham. ; ''1829 (South)'' and ''1829 (North)'': ''1829 (South)'' was the first game in the 18XX series, published by Hartland Trefoil Ltd (UK) in 1974 from an original design by Francis Tresham. A second version, ''1829 (North)'' was published in 1981. The game has subsequently had many revisions, reprints, add-on kits and variants. ;'' 1830: The Game of Railroads and Robber Barons'': ''1830'' was published by
Avalon Hill Avalon Hill Games Inc. is a game company that publishes wargames and strategic board games. It has also published miniature wargaming rules, role-playing games and sports simulations. It is a subsidiary of Hasbro, and operates under the company ...
in
1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 **Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal enter ...
, and its popularity led to the creation of many other 18XX games. The game has subsequently had many revisions, reprints, add-on kits and variants. The latest English editions were published in 2011 and 2021 by Mayfair Games and
Lookout Games Lookout Games is a German board and card game publisher. The company published, among other games, the board game Agricola, which was honored with the ''Complex Game'' award by the German Game of the Year jury in 2008. History The company was fo ...
, respectively, under the title ''1830: Railways & Robber Barons''. Set in
eastern United States The Eastern United States, commonly referred to as the American East, Eastern America, or simply the East, is the region of the United States to the east of the Mississippi River. In some cases the term may refer to a smaller area or the East C ...
. ;''1832: The South'': ''1832'' was published by Deep Thought Games in 2006. The game was designed by Bill Dixon and is set in the Southeastern United States. It retains the new rules Bill introduced in
1850 Events January–June * April ** Pope Pius IX returns from exile to Rome. ** Stephen Foster's parlor ballad "Ah! May the Red Rose Live Alway" is published in the United States. * April 4 – Los Angeles is incorporated as a city ...
and 1870 for share price protection, stock redeeming, and reissuing, while adding new rules to model the mergers that shaped the South's railroads. ;''1835'': ''1835'' was designed and published by
Hans im Glück Hans im Glück is a German board and card game publisher. Though many of their own games are language-independent they themselves publish only printings for the domestic market which include only German-language rules; English-language printings o ...
in 1990 and distributed in the United States by Mayfair Games. The game board covers most of
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. It was the first 18XX game use the concept of 'minor' companies, which operated like the normal stock companies (with some limitations) but are owned by a single person like a private company. ;''1837: Rail Building in the Austro-Hungarian Empire'': Set in
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
, self-published and designed 1994 by Leonard "Lonny" Orgler. It was subsequently republished in 2021 by All-Aboard Games. ;''1837 Saxony'': The game, an updated version of ''1837SX'' and ''18SX'' by the same designer Wolfram Janich, will be published in 2022 by Spielworxx. As the title suggests, it is set in the
Saxony Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
region. ;''1838: Rheinland'': Designed and self-published by Wolfram Janich in 2003, and set in the
Rhineland The Rhineland (german: Rheinland; french: Rhénanie; nl, Rijnland; ksh, Rhingland; Latinised name: ''Rhenania'') is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly its middle section. Term Historically, the Rhinelands ...
region. ''18Rhl-Rhineland'', a newer version, was published in 2007 by Marflow Games. ;''1839'': Published in 1993 by Diabolo and designed by Paul Stouthard and Rob van Wijngaarden. Set in the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. The designers hand-made only 32 copies of the game. ;''1840: Vienna Tramways'': Designed by Leonard Orgler and published through Lonny Games in 2020, the game is unique in that it focuses on the building of tram transport systems rather than heavy rails. It is set in
Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...
,
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
. Also innovative is the availability of the best trains from the very start, albeit with reduced income as they grow older. ;''1841: Railways in Northern Italy'': ''1841'' was published by Chris Lawson in 1996. The game was designed by Federico Vellani with assistance from Manlio Manzini and is set in
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
. With its complicated financial rules and very steep train gradient (i.e., the trains get very expensive very quickly), it emphasizes
stock manipulation In economics and finance, market manipulation is a type of market abuse where there is a deliberate attempt to interfere with the free and fair operation of the market; the most blatant of cases involve creating false or misleading appearances ...
and funding train purchases over route building. ;''1842: Schleswig Holstein'': Self-published in 1992 by Wolfram Janich through Marflow Games and set in the
Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein (; da, Slesvig-Holsten; nds, Sleswig-Holsteen; frr, Slaswik-Holstiinj) is the northernmost of the 16 states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Sc ...
province of Germany. ;''1844: Schweiz'': ''1844'' was designed and published by Helmut Ohley in 2003 and set in Switzerland. Peter Minder collected extensive background materials and drew the map. The game was republished (with revisions) as ''1844/1854'' in 2016. ;''1844/1854'': A 2016 Mayfair Games and Lookout Games republishing and re-packaging of ''1844'' and ''1854'' in one box with various changes. ;''1846: The Race for the Midwest'': ''1846'' was published by Deep Thought Games in 2005, with a second edition by
GMT Games GMT Games is a California-based wargaming publisher founded in 1990. The company has become well known for graphically attractive games that range from "monster games", of many maps and counters, to quite simple games suitable for introducing new ...
in 2016. The game was designed by Tom Lehmann and is set in the
Midwestern United States The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...
. It features a linear stock market (like
1829 Events January–March * January 19 – August Klingemann's adaptation of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's '' Faust'' premieres in Braunschweig. * February 27 – Battle of Tarqui: Troops of Gran Colombia and Peru battle to a draw. * Marc ...
), ''N''/''M'' trains (which count ''N'' cities but may run through ''M'' total cities) and a simplified private company distribution. Another unusual feature is that the number of corporations, private companies, and the bank size all scale with the number of players, and the resulting game is shorter than most 18XX games. ;''1847: Pfalz'': Set in the German
Pfalz Pfalz, Pfälzer, or Pfälzisch are German words referring to Palatinate. They may refer to: Places *Pfalz, the Palatinate (region) of Germany **Nordpfalz, the North Palatinate **Vorderpfalz, the Anterior Palatinate **Südpfalz, the South P ...
area, the game was self-published in 1996 by its designer Wolfram Janich. An Anniversary Edition was published in 2015. ;''1848: Australia'': The game was published in 2007 by Double-O Games, designed by Helmut Ohley and Leonhard "Lonny" Orgler. It is set in Australia. 1848 was unique in that it includes the Bank of England as a public company that extends loans and administers railroads that are in
receivership In law, receivership is a situation in which an institution or enterprise is held by a receiver—a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights"—especially in c ...
. A newer 2022 version was published by
GMT Games GMT Games is a California-based wargaming publisher founded in 1990. The company has become well known for graphically attractive games that range from "monster games", of many maps and counters, to quite simple games suitable for introducing new ...
. ;''1849: The Game of Sicilian Railways'': Set in
Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...
. The game was designed by Federico Vellani and released in 1998 by Chris Lawson. A newer 2021 version was published by All-Aboard games. ;''1850'': ''1850'' was published by Deep Thought Games in 2006. The game was designed by Bill Dixon and is set in the upper
Midwestern United States The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...
. It retains the rules Bill introduced in ''1870'' for share price protection and stock redeeming/reissuing. ;''1851: Kentucky and Tennessee'': Set in the
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
, the game was released 1998 by Chris Lawson, designed by Mark Derrick and Chris Lawson. It's a streamlined 18XX game designed for smaller groups with a shorter playing time. ;''1853'': Set in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, designed by Francis Tresham, and published in 1989 by Hartland Trefoil. Mayfair Games and Lookout Games released a revised, newer version in 2009. ;''1854'': ''1854'' was published by both Leonard "Lonny" Orgler in 2002 and Deep Thought Games in 2005. The game was designed by Lonny Orgler and is set in
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
. It features a hexagonal stock market, local railways which operate on a smaller map (which takes place on two hexes of the large map), mail contracts, 150% capitalization, and player share options. There are also tunnels which allow you to build under other track and terrain features, such as avoiding small cities. The local railways eventually grow up to be regional railroads operating on the main map, and the tradeoff between getting good revenues on the local map versus getting locked out of important locations on the main map is an important decision to make. The game was republished (with revisions) as ''1844/1854'' in 2016. ;''1856: Railroading in Upper Canada from 1856'': ''1856'' was published by Mayfair Games in 1995 and was designed by Bill Dixon. The game is set in
Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada (french: link=no, province du Haut-Canada) was a part of British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of th ...
, including the upper reaches of the
St. Lawrence River The St. Lawrence River (french: Fleuve Saint-Laurent, ) is a large river in the middle latitudes of North America. Its headwaters begin flowing from Lake Ontario in a (roughly) northeasterly direction, into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, connecting ...
, and the
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
to
Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
area for southern
Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...
. ;''1858: The Railways of Iberia'': ''1858'' was designed by Ian D. Wilson, and published in 2012 by All-Aboard Games. ''1858'' is set in
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
and
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
in the late 19th to early 20th centuries ;''1860: Railways on the Isle of Wight'': Set in the
Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight ( ) is a Counties of England, county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the List of islands of England#Largest islands, largest and List of islands of England#Mo ...
, the game was released 2004 by JKLM Games, designed by Mike Hutton.
Z-Man Games Z-Man Games is an American board game company, incorporated in 1999. It was named after its founder, Zev Shlasinger. The company is known for their ''Pandemic'' series of board games, as well as being the sole publisher for the English editions of ...
published a second edition in 2010, and All-Aboard Games published the newest edition in 2022. ;''1861: The Railways of the Russian Empire'': Set in
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
, the game was released by JKLM Games in 2006 and by All-Aboard Games in 2012. It was designed by Ian D. Wilson and features a non-player controlled government railway. ;''1861/1867: Railways of Russia/Canada'': Published in 2020 as a package containing the two games ''1861'' and ''1867'' by Grand Trunk Games. ;''1862'': ''1862'' was designed and published by Helmut Ohley in 2000. The game covers the entire width of the United States and parts of
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. ;''1862: Railway Mania in the Eastern Counties'': East Anglia, England; designed by Mike Hutton and published in 2013. The game was famous for a few unique features; among them was petitioning the parliament as a mean to float new companies and three different train types available. It was re-released by
GMT Games GMT Games is a California-based wargaming publisher founded in 1990. The company has become well known for graphically attractive games that range from "monster games", of many maps and counters, to quite simple games suitable for introducing new ...
in 2019. ;''1865: Sardinia'': Designed by Alessandro Lala and published by Gotha Games in 2011, ''1865'' is set in
Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label=Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after ...
and features the Dragon, a non-player foreign investor who trade in certificates between players. It also contains the Traffic system, which makes calculating company revenues easier. ;''1867: Railways of Canada'': Set in Canada and designed by Ian D. Wilson, the game was originally set as an expansion to ''1861'' in 2015 (published by All-Aboard Games), but was released as a standalone game in 2017 by Grand Trunk Games. ;''1870: Railroading across the Trans Mississippi from 1870'': The game is set in the
Mississippi Valley The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it ...
and central
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, released in 1992 by Mayfair Games, and designed by Bill Dixon. ;''1880: China'': Set in China and designed by Helmut Ohley and Leonhard "Lonny" Orgler, this game was self-published through Double-O Games in 2010 and 2016. Lookout Games worked with the designers to republish a new third edition in 2022. The game is unique in that the turn order for companies are set along with the starting par price, and players could manipulate the Stock Round-Operation Round ratio. ;''1882: Assiniboia'': Designed by Marc Voyer and published by All-Aboard Games in 2020, ''1882'' is set in the historical
Assiniboia Assiniboia District refers to two historical districts of Canada's Northwest Territories. The name is taken from the Assiniboine First Nation. Historical usage ''For more information on the history of the provisional districts, see also Distri ...
region of Canada and depicts the
Canadian Prairies The Canadian Prairies (usually referred to as simply the Prairies in Canada) is a region in Western Canada. It includes the Canadian portion of the Great Plains and the Prairie Provinces, namely Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. These provin ...
railway boom. ;''Shikoku 1889'': ''1889'' was published by both Wild Heaven Productions in 2004 and Deep Thought Games in 2006. The game was designed by Yasutaka Ikeda and is set in
Shikoku is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan. It is long and between wide. It has a population of 3.8 million (, 3.1%). It is south of Honshu and northeast of Kyushu. Shikoku's ancient names include ''Iyo-no-futana-shima'' (), '' ...
, Japan. The rules for ''1889'' are essentially the same as ''1830'', except on a much smaller and terrain-heavy map and different privates. The goal is to make a quick and relatively simple game which explores the history of railroads on Shikoku. A new 2022 version will be published by Grand Trunk Games. ;''1890'': Set in
Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...
metropolitan area, Japan, the game was designed by Shin-ichi Takasaki and released in 1999 by Nobuhiro Izumi. ;''1895 Namibia'': Designed by Helmut Ohley and Adam Romoth and self-published through Double-O Games in 2004, the game is set in
Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...
, one of the few 18XX titles to be set in the
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
continent. It will be republished in 2022 by Fox in the Box and Marflow Games. ;''1899'': A variant of the ''1830'' played on a new map set in China and
Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
. It was designed by Dirk Clemens and Ingo Meyer and released by Chris Lawson in 1994. ;''18??'': A variant in a form of add-on kit for ''1870'' played on a somewhat larger fictionalized map, with additional privates and other rules variations. Designed by Allen Sliwinski and self-published by Scott Petersen through All-Aboard Games. ;''18AL'': ''18AL'' was self-published by Mark Derrick in 1999 and later by John David Galt. It is set in
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...
, United States and aims to provide a quicker and simpler introduction to the 18XX series. It is very similar to ''18GA''. ;''18C2C'': ''18C2C'' (aka ''Coast to Coast'') was published by Designs in Creative Entertainment in 2003. The game was designed by Mark Frazier and covers the entire United States and Southern Canada. This is an extremely large game that attempts to model the entire history of railroading in the United States, and accordingly takes a long time to play. It consists of a 38"x68" map, 34 public companies, 18 private companies, and 108 trains. ;''18Chesapeake'': The game, designed to provide a full 18XX experience for newcomers to the series, was published in 2020 by All-Aboard Games, and designed by Scott Petersen. It's similar to ''1830'', with a smaller map focused on the
Chesapeake bay The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the Eastern Shore of Maryland / ...
area and a train export mechanic which improves gameplay pace. ;''18CZ'': Designed by Leonard Orgler and published by Fox in the Box and Lonny Games in 2017, the game is set in the
Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
. It features three different corporation sizes with their own share size distributions. Each company sizes own different sets of trains, and larger companies can absorb smaller ones. ;''18Dixie with 18MS and 18GA'': Published in 2015 by Deep Thought Games and designed by John Merrick, it is set in the Deep South US during the post-Civil War Reconstruction era. Also includes two upgraded smaller games: ''18GA'' and ''18MS''. ;''18DO: Dortmund'': Designed by Wolfram Janich and Michael Scharf and published by Fox in the Box and Marflow Games in 2020, ''18DO'' focuses on both the development of railway around Dortmund and its burgeoning breweries. ;''18EU'': ''18EU'' was published by Deep Thought Games in 2004. The game was designed by David G.D. Hecht, and is set in the heart of
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
, reaching from
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
and
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
to
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
,
Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...
and
Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
. ''18EU'' is a compact game, played on four map panels. Unlike most 18XX games, there are no private companies, and before the sale of the first 5 train, share companies may only be started indirectly. When the game starts, fifteen minor companies (similar to the "forerunner" companies in ''1835'', ''1837'' and ''1824'') are auctioned off. These companies represent regional or private-sector rail companies. There are eight possible share companies, and before the first 5 train at least one minor company must be merged into a share company to form it. ;''18FL'': ''18FL'' was published by Deep Thought Games in 2006. The game was designed by David G.D. Hecht and is set in
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, United States. It is very similar to Mark Derrick's ''18AL'' and ''18GA'' in that it is a simple game intended as an introduction to the 18XX game system for new players. Unlike the two mentioned games, the "ultimate" train is a 6 (or a 3E) train. This means that 4 trains never become obsolete, and the greatest difficulty in a small game (and the greatest deterrent for new players), a massive "train rush" when permanent trains are first available, is substantially mitigated. ;''18GA'': ''18GA'' was self-published by Mark Derrick in 1998 and later by John David Galt. It is set in
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
, United States and aims to provide a quicker and simpler introduction to the 18XX series. It is very similar to ''18AL''. The game was republished in a package with ''18Dixie'' in 2015. ;''18GB: The Railways of Great Britain'': ''18GB'' was published by Deep Thought Games in 2018. It was designed by Dave Berry and is set in
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It i ...
. It combines elements of ''1860'' and ''1830'', and features a twist to the usual 18XX rules for laying tiles. ;''18GL'': ''18GL'' was published by Deep Thought Games in 2006. The game was designed by Gary Mroczka and is set in the
Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lak ...
area of United States. It uses basically the same rules as David G.D. Hecht's ''1826'' (specifically, H-trains, loans, trainless companies get merged into a government railroad) except that there are no destinations, there is only one merger, and instead of TGV trains there are Diesel trains. The map is quite different, and the private companies have the effect of altering how the map develops depending on the combinations of private companies and corporations particular players get. ;''18GM: The 18XX GameMaster'': Self-published in 1996 by designers Colin Barnhorst and Kristopher Marquardt. ''18GM'' is an 18XX game development kit with modular boards which permits many different scenarios to be designed and played out. ;''18HeXX'': A variable-geometry 18XX map system, designed and self-published in 2000 by Mike Schneider ;''18Ireland'': Set in
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, the game was web-published in 2016 and designed by Ian Scrivins. It was republished in 2017 by All-Aboard Games. ;''18Kaas'': Set in
Utrecht Utrecht ( , , ) is the fourth-largest city and a municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, in the very centre of mainland Net ...
, Netherlands, and self-published in 1992 by Erno Eekelschot through ERJO Games. ;''18Lilliput'': Designed by Leonard Orgler and published by Fox in the Box and Lonny Games in 2018, this game was noted for its innovative elements which stayed true to the 18XX spirit but provides a fresh and light experience for players. Actions are picked based on a set of action cards in a common pool. As the title suggest, the game was set in the fictional land of Lilliput. ;''18Mag: Hungarian Railway History'': Designed by Leonard Orgler and published by Lonny Games in 2021, ''18Mag'' recreates the history of Hungarian railroads and companies. The game features, in addition to the usual operating railroad companies, seven service companies which provides special supporting effects to its owners. All trains are also available from the start of the game. ;''18MEX'': ''18MEX'' was published by Deep Thought Games in 2005 and by All-Aboard Games as a second edition in 2020. The game was designed by Mark Derrick and is set in
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
. The moderate length game features minor and major railroads, as well as
government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is ...
ones. ;''18MS: The Railroads Come to Mississippi'': The standalone version of ''18MS'' was published by All-Aboard Games in 2020 and designed by Mark Derrick. A lighter 18XX game set in
Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
and
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...
. The older 2015 version was only available in the same package with ''19Dixie''. ;''18NEB'': ''18NEB'' was published by Deep Thought Games in 2010. Designed by Matthew Campbell, it supports 2–4 players and plays in 2–4 hours. It is set in
Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...
, United States. ;''18NL'': Set in
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, the game was self-published in 1999 and 2005 by Wolfram Janich through Marflow Games. It uses the same system as ''1830'' over a new map. ;''18NY'': Designed by Pierre LeBoeuf, published by Deep Thought Games in 2011. Set in the
New York state New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. stat ...
and surrounding areas. All-Aboard Games will publish a new version in 2023 through its fifth Kickstarter wave of projects. ;''18OE: On the Rails of the Orient Express'': Designed by Edward Sindelar and published by Designs In Creative Entertainment in 2014. The large game (rivaling those of the likes of ''18C2C'') covers the entire Europe and features a staggering five types of companies. ;''18SA'': ''18SA'', set in
South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...
, designed by Peter Mette and published by Marflow Games in 2015, is a feature-rich and moderately complex entry in the 18XX series, such as different tokens for different kinds of trains, and extra costs for laying tracks across countries. ;''18Scan'': ''18Scan'' was published by Deep Thought Games in 2005. The game, set in the
Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...
, is one of the smaller 18XX titles, and was designed by David G.D. Hecht in order to introduce gamers to some of the more "exotic" systems used in other designs. ''18Scan'' includes ''1835''-style minor companies, an ''1835''-style merger corporation, ''1870''-style destination rules (for the minor companies), ''1856''-style company flotation rules, and market-priced incremental capitalization rules as in ''1851'' and ''1826''. ;''18SJ: Railway in the Frozen North'': Designed by Örjan Wennman and self-published in 2021 (with a newer edition publishing in 2023 by All-Aboard Games), ''18SJ'' is set in the
United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...
during the formative years of Nordic railways. The game features nationalization of public railway corporations. ;''18TN'': ''18TN'' was published by Deep Thought Games in 2006. The game was designed by Mark Derrick originally in 1996, and upon discussions with Chris Lawson it was modified and published by Chris as ''1851'' in 1998. The two games were sufficiently different that the publication of the original was warranted. It is set in Tennessee. ;''18US'': ''18US'' was published in 2006 by Deep Thought Games. The game, designed by David G.D. Hecht as an "advanced" 18XX game, is set in the continental United States. Unlike 18C2C or other, similar products, it is a very compact game: the entire "Lower 48" only takes up two map panels. ;''18VA'': ''18VA'' was published by Deep Thought Games in 2005. The game, designed by David G.D. Hecht, is a smaller 18xx game, originally intended to be similar in scope to Mark Derrick's "one-state" games ''18AL'' and ''18GA''. Set in
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
and
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, it is slightly more complex than the two mentioned. ;''18West'': ''18West'' was published in 2007 by Deep Thought Games. The game, designed by David G.D. Hecht, is set in the
western United States The Western United States (also called the American West, the Far West, and the West) is the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the meaning of the term ''the We ...
. Many of the mechanics are quite different from other 18XX games, such as three different kinds of companies (including the Grange Road) and subsidized track laying. All-Aboard Games published a new version of the game in 2020. ;''2038: Tycoons of the Asteroid Belt'': ''2038'', by Tom Lehmann, has the
game mechanic In tabletop games and video games, game mechanics are the rules or ludemes that govern and guide the player's actions, as well as the game's response to them. A rule is an instruction on how to play, a ludeme is an element of play like the L-sha ...
s of an 18XX railroad game but with an
asteroid mining Asteroid mining is the hypothetical exploitation of materials from asteroids and other minor planets, including near-Earth objects. Notable asteroid mining challenges include the high cost of spaceflight, unreliable identification of asteroids ...
theme. Its financial aspects are fairly similar to those of ''1835'', including a set of minor companies and a larger merger company. Its board features include asteroid mines that can be improved (the equivalent of cities), a small exploration reward for companies which explore asteroids (the equivalent of laying a tile, but requiring a spaceship/train), and two different types of corporations (those that start with full monetary assets and "growth companies", which start with fewer assets and a lower stock price but retain earnings from their unsold stock). The game was published in 1995 by Prism Games and TimJim Games. ;''21Moon'': Published in 2020 by All-Aboard Games and designed by Jonas Jones, the futuristic game is set in 2117 on the
Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
. Players must build a network of transportation to support the resource mining efforts on the Earth's natural satellite. ;''Poseidon'': Set in the
Aegean Sea The Aegean Sea ; tr, Ege Denizi (Greek: Αιγαίο Πέλαγος: "Egéo Pélagos", Turkish: "Ege Denizi" or "Adalar Denizi") is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It is located between the Balkans ...
during the
Ancient Greece Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of Classical Antiquity, classical antiquity ( AD 600), th ...
period, designed by Helmut Ohley and Lonny Orgler, with artworks drawn by Klemens Franz, and published through
Lookout Games Lookout Games is a German board and card game publisher. The company published, among other games, the board game Agricola, which was honored with the ''Complex Game'' award by the German Game of the Year jury in 2008. History The company was fo ...
and
Z-Man Games Z-Man Games is an American board game company, incorporated in 1999. It was named after its founder, Zev Shlasinger. The company is known for their ''Pandemic'' series of board games, as well as being the sole publisher for the English editions of ...
in 2010, is a shorter two-hours 18XX game with shipping lines instead of railroads. ;''Powerrails'': Designed and self-published by Tom Schoeps in 1999. The game, based on ''1830'' and ''1835'', uses eleven small A4-sized map boards with only a handful of hexes and a small set of special rules for each of them. ;''Steam Over Holland'': Set in the 1839
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, the game was designed by Bart van Dijk and published by Vendetta in 2007. ;''Ur: 1830 BC'': The game is loosely adapted from the 18XX series, and features
irrigation Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has been devel ...
and kingdom management in ancient
Mesopotamia Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the ...
. It was designed by Jeroen Doumen and Joris Wiersinga and published by Splotter Spellen in 2001. Its play centers around ownership of valuable networks, replacing the rail networks found in most 18XX games with irrigation canals, shares with parcels of land, companies with kingdoms, trains with irrigation technologies (such as reservoirs and pumps), and presidents with kings. Networks of canals and waterworks generate income by irrigating lands within kingdoms.


References


External links

* *
BoardGameGeek rules synopsis for 1870
(extrapolatable to other 'xx titles)
Boardgames With Scott 046
a video introduction to the 18xx family of games
Review
of 1853 in
Games International ''Computer Games Magazine'' was a monthly computer and console gaming print magazine, founded in October 1988 as the United Kingdom publication ''Games International''. During its history, it was known variously as ''Strategy Plus'' (October 19 ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:18xx Auction board games Railroad board games Economic simulation board games