18xx rule concordance

Compare the rules of 18xx games, side-by-side.

Based on this excellent document from Keith Thomasson.

These sections from the original rules difference list are not yet included here

  • 1.1 - How much cash do players start with?
  • 2.5 - What are the player certificate limits?
  • 5.3 - Must a tile replacement extend existing track?
  • 6.2 - Can you lay more than one station marker per turn?
  • 7.4 - Can one train run to two stations on the same tile?
  • 7.6 - Rules about villages
  • 7.7 - Must the maximum possible revenue be claimed?
  • 9.7 - Can a company buy more than one train from the bank per OR?
  • Section 12 - Game Phases
  • 15.1 - Total cash in game
  • 15.2 - Trains available
  • 15.3 - Tiles available
  • 15.4 - Other items in limited supply
  • Section 16 - Miscellaneous Points

Great, thanks for finding it.

If it's a problem with the version of the rules onhttp://www.fwtwr.com/18xx/rules_difference_list/single_list.htmthen please contact Keith Thomasson via the link on that page. That data is where the data for this page comes from.

If the data is correct on fwtwr.com then please let me know about the bug. I'm @h on the 18xx Slack, and @h on the HOGGS Slack too.

Excellent news!

The code for this project lives at https://github.com/hcarver/18xx_concordance. Please submit a Pull Request to that repository with your improvement.

What do I do?

Pick a game from the dropdown on the left, and another from the dropdown on the right. Then a table should appear listing the rules differences between the two games.

2.1 - Is there a specific order to buying and selling on your turn?No ( i.e. sell-buy-sell).Sell then buy, or buy then sell.
2.5 - What are the player certificate limits?
2345678910Comments
282016131111Shares in the yellow and other colored zones do not count towards the limit.
2345678910Comments
2820161311At the start
241714119When fewer than 10 companies remain in the game
2.6 - What are the player certificate limits for shares in one company?5 certificates. Shares in the orange and brown zones do not count towards this. Note that if you play the Reading variant you may hold 70% of the Reading.60%; may be exceeded by 'price protection'. Shares in orange and brown zones do not count towards this.
2.7 - Does the stock price drop when stock is sold?Yes, 1 row per share.Yes, 1 row per share, but if this means it would end up one row below the ledge, then it stops above the ledge. Share prices do not change until after a player's stock turn and any ensuing 'price protection'.
2.8 - Does the stock price go up at the end of the share dealing round for a fully-held corporation?Yes.Yes; and if already at the top, goes diagonally down and right.
2.10 - Can companies buy shares?Privates, in ORs, once a 3 train has been sold.Their own, by 'redemption', in SRs. Also privates, in ORs, once a 3 train has been sold, for half to double face value. The Mississippi River Bridge Company can be bought by the MP or the SSW in phase one for half to full face value.
3.2 - How many shares must be sold for a company to float?60%.60%; but 20% for the SLSF.
4.2 - If you sell shares so that their tokens end up in one stack, what order are they stacked in?New arrivals are placed below existing tokens.Unspecified.
5.1 - Where can you make an initial tile lay?After being laid, the tile must be reachable from one of the laying company's station markers by an arbitrarily large train. (rule 6.2.1)As for 1830. (pages 19, 20)
5.2 - Can you lay two tiles in a turn?Only by using the special property of a private.Yes, if both are yellow. Purchase of the MRBC by the MP or SSW can allow a third tile to be laid.
5.4 - Do villages upgrade?No.Single villages do, acquiring more connections and eventually scoring more. Double villages do not.
7.2 - Can you do a run that passes through a city completely filled by rival station markers?No.A destination marker can be placed in a hex completely filled by rival station markers, and then allows runs through that hex.
7.3 - Unusual rules about runningCompanies can make connection runs and place destination markers that double the value of the city if at the end of a route.
8.1 - Does stock move right for payment of dividends?Yes.Yes; and stays put for half payout.
8.2 - What dividend payments go into the company's treasury?Those for shares in the bank pool.Those for unissued shares and redeemed shares.
8.3 - Does stock move left for withheld earnings?Yes.Yes, but for a withheld connection run the price does not change.
8.4 - Can a company make a partial payout?No.It may make a 50% payout. Odd units are rounded in favour of the company.
9.4 - When a company is forced to buy a train and cannot buy one with its own means, what train may it then buy?The cheapest train available in the bank, or a train from another company at an agreed price not exceeding its face value.The cheapest train from the bank or bank pool.
9.6 - Can trains of the final type be purchased as soon as one train of the next-to-last type is purchased?Yes. This is stated in rule 6.6, but has been omitted from the Phase table on page 27, despite attempts to persuade them to include it.No.
10.1 - Are private companies purchasable between players?Yes, at any agreed price, in the buyer's or seller's turn in a stock round, or during emergency money-raising. (The 1830 computer game does not allow this action, but that appears to be an oversight.)Yes, at any agreed price, as the buyer's purchase in a stock round.
10.2 - Are private companies purchasable by share companies?Once a 3 train has been sold; at from half to twice face value.Once a 3 train has been sold; at from half to twice face value; the Mississippi Bridge Company may be purchased earlier by majors on the Mississippi at from half to face value.
10.3 - Does a private company prevent builds in its home hex(es) while it is owned by a player?Yes.Not applicable.
10.4 - Does using a private company's special property close it?Only the M&H, and the B&O when it buys its first train.No, except for making a closed port.
10.5 - When do private companies close?First 5 train.First 5 train, but the port and cattle tokens last to the first 6 train.
13.3 - What happens when stock first hits the top end of the market?Nothing.Nothing. But see variation described on p.26 of 1870 rulebook.
14.1 - Is a player's cash secret, or open for inspection?Open.Secret.
14.2 - Is a company's cash secret, or open for inspection?Open.Secret.
14.3 - Is the cash involved in transactions secret, or must it be made public?Not stated.Between-company train purchases secret, other transactions open.