1835 Example Game

Translated (written?) by Mike Siggins (?)

Introduction

Starting is always difficult.

The first time that you play 1835, you start off with a mountain of bits, none of which you've ever seen before. A game board, a share price table, tiles with railway track on them, shares, train cards, etc.etc. But, you also get the rules to the game, all is not lost! With these, and an hour's study, you will be quite able to play the game, and when the first guests arrive you'll be able to settle down to a full and interesting evening of games playing.

But why not try it another way?

Carefully separate all the pieces from each other and lay them all out on the table, you may find a side table for the bank helps. Now start playing! What's that? you've no idea how to, well that's no problem, simply play through the practice game in this leaflet, following the instructions exactly. You'll see exactly how the various parts of the game are played and you and your fellow players will progress from one section to another in an easy manner. 1835 is really not a difficult game. To get a full idea of the game you need only to play through this practice game, or more correctly, practice part-game, and this "terribly complicated" game will soon lose it's aura.

At the heart of 1835 are several simple mechanisms, The yellow, green and brown tiles are placed onto the board so as to build a rail network. As in real railway systems, the tracks connect stations. Trains run between the stations, and earn money. The more and the larger the stations on a train's route, the more it earns. Now trains, that are earning money, must belong to someone. Nowadays it's the German National Railway. Earlier it was the Empire Railway, and earlier still, in the time in which 1835 is set, a large number of large and small railway companies. In the game, you and the other players own these railways. They are either owned by one single player in the case of private companies and minor companies, or one or more players own shares in a major company. Here, the largest shareholder acts as director and decides how the railway is run. And that's it. It's no more complicated than that.

The Game

The test game is written for 4 players. This doesn't mean that a larger number can't play. Just play through the start game and then start again with the higher number. Give out the starting money. Each player receives 475M. Look at the sheet showing the distribution of the starting packet shares, and lay the shares out accordingly. 1825 starts with the first share round.

Four players, A, B, C, D. sit at the table. A is the banker and C has the lowest start number and so starts.

First Share Round

The first share round is somewhat different from all the following share rounds. Only the starting packet shares are available at first, those which you've laid out. Also, in the first share round, unlike later rounds, you may not sell shares, only buying or passing is permitted. Only the certificates on the uppermost row of the starting packet may be bought, unless only one certificate is available, when the leftmost of the certificates in the row directly underneath is also available for purchase. Complicated?, if you each take a role and play it through, you'll see how easy it is.

The first share round is now over. All four players have passed in turn. B takes the wooden locomotive, showing that he starts the next share round, since A was the last to buy something.

So, how's it going so far?

A has spent 414 M and is the director of the Bayerische railway (major company). B has laid out 400M and holds the directorship of the , as yet unfloated, Sachsische railway. C has spent 300M and D 410 M. The six minor companies are divided between the players. D seems at present to have the best chance of later obtaining control of the Preussische railway when it takes over the minor companies and some private railways, while C has spent least and so is well placed in the next share round. The minor companies were all sold and so are all in play. Marker (1) is placed on hex H2, marker (2) on E19 (Berlin), and so on. The owners take the sale price from the bank and place it onto the ownership certificate for each company respectively. The Bayerische railway is floated since 50% of its shares are in play. A as Bayerische (BY) director, takes the BY certificate of ownership and all the BY station markers. He puts one onto the marked square on the share price table(92). Another marker is laid onto the home station in Munich. He also takes as working capital, 460M, (50% of the total share price) and puts this into the treasury (betriebskapital) area of the certificate. The Sachsische railway is not yet floated, only 20% of its shares are in play.(director's share).

Don't worry if the only thing that you can understand at present is the stations. Everybody else is in the same boat and it'll soon get better.

1835 is divided into share rounds and railway rounds. In this early part of the game a share round is always followed by a railway round and vice versa. Since we've just had a share round, it must be time for a railway round.

The First Railway Round

In the railway rounds, the "companies", carry out their business. Who are the "companies"?, and what do they do. All railways are companies. Business, that means laying of track, buying trains, running trains etc. can only be carried out by the 6 minor companies, and the 8 major (share) companies. The private companies can't do business in this way. They are, The Hannoversche, the Braunschweigische, the Ostbayerische, the Pfalzbahnen and the Nrnberg-Frth. They receive a fixed income each railway round.

Now, who decides what the companies do? Each of the six minor companies belongs to one player. This player lays tiles for his company, buys trains and runs them. Who decides what the 8 share (major), companies do? The player who at that time is the director of that company. And the director is the player who owns the largest percentage of the shares in that company. As a symbol of his directorship, he has the share marked "director`s share".

Business always means that money is involved. In 1835 there are 2 sorts of money. The private cash of the player, and the company's money. why do you need private cash? To buy shares. why does a company have it's own money? To buy trains, to lay track over rivers or hills, to build stations. The two sets of money must be kept strictly separated.

Before we start on the first railway round of our example game there's one more basic rule to be explained. During a railway round the companies always run in the same fixed order. This is: first the minor companies, starting with number 1 and proceeding in number order to number 6. Then the major companies. First the company with the highest share price, then the company with the second highest share price and so on. This order must always be observed.

So who's got the number 1 minor company? STOP! our four players have forgotten something. B suddenly remembers that in a railway round, the private company's fixed payment is paid out first. In order, A gets 15M(Pfalzbahnen), B gets 45M (Braunschweigische and Leipzig-Dresdenener), C gets 15M (Ostbayerische), and D gets nothing. The 30M from the Hannoversche isn't paid out, since it has yet to be sold.

Right let's start. A, the owner of the (1) Bergische-Mrkische Bahn, knows naturally enough that the order of business for any firm always follows the same strict order.

  1. Place the turn marker on railway round 1.
  2. Place a tile or upgrade one, lay station markers.
  3. Run a train or trains and pay out or retain the appropriate earnings.
  4. Buy a train or trains.

(For the next section refer also to the example illustrations on side 2 of the German text.)

A for the Bergische-Mrkische, lays tile Y 202 on hex H2 (Dsseldorf). He puts the number 1 marker onto the white circle (station). Any trains run by this railway must use this station as part of their route. The railway has at present no train and no route so it can't run, he then remedies part of this problem by buying a "2" train from the bank for 80M. The cash comes from the operating capital of the company and goes straight to the bank. Operating capital = 0

D for (2) the Berlin-Potsdamer, Tile 8 on hex E17, (2) marker on hex E19, (Berlin, the home station for this railway), no route or train, buys a "2" train for 80M from the bank. Operating capital = 90M.

C for (3) the Magdeburger, Tile 57 on hex F14, (3) marker on the station, no route, no train, buys a "2" train for 80M from the bank. Operating capital = 0.

D for (4) the Kln-Mindener, Tile 6 on hex G5 (Dortmund, home station for this railway), (4) marker on the station, no route, no train, buys 2 "2" trains from bank for 160M. Operating capital = 0.

B for (5) the Berlin-Stettiner, Tile 8 on hex D18, (5) marker on hex E17. No route, no train, buys "2" train from bank for 80M. Operating capital = 0

D for (6) the Altona-Kiel, Tile 9 on hex B10, (6) marker on hex C11, no route, no train, buys "2" train from bank for 80M. Operating capital = 0

Now that all the minor companies have had their turn it's the turn of the major, share companies. At the moment the only one floated is the Bayerische. A major company is only floated and therefore only operates during a railway round, once a minimum of 50% of it's shares have been sold.

A as director of the Bayerische: Lays tile Y202 on hex O 15 and tile 8 on hex O 13. In the first phase the major companies may lay two tiles per turn. No route, no train, no need to decide therefore whether to pay a dividend. Earnings, 0. buys the last 2 "2" trains plus 2 "2+2" trains for a total of 400M from the bank. Operating capital = 60M.

The Bayerische share price is now adjusted downwards since the company failed to pay a dividend in this turn. This applies even if, as here, it would have been impossible to pay a dividend. The Bayerische share price marker on the share price table is moved one space to the left.

The first Railway Round is over! let's quickly go through what's happened.

  1. The Private Railways paid out their fixed dividend.
  2. The minor companies took their purchase price as operating capital. The major companies took as operating capital that percentage of their total purchase price that has been sold as shares. In this case, the Bayerische, 50% of shares sold, therefore 50% of total price taken as operating capital.
  3. The owners/directors of the railways have laid tiles onto the board and so started to form routes for their trains.
  4. The companies have bought trains which they can use in the next round to earn money.
  5. All nine "2" trains plus two "2+2" trains were bought. Several companies had enough money to buy a more expensive train, but as per the rules, the trains must be sold strictly in order, starting with the smallest and progressing through larger and larger trains. Hence the Bayerische had to buy "2" and "2+2" trains. It couldn't jump straight in and buy a "3" or "4" until all the smaller trains had gone.

Second Share Round

From this point on share certificates may be sold as well as bought.

This applies to all shares with the exception of the private railways and the minor companies.

The turn marker is placed onto share round (Aktienrunde). Who's got how much money? A has 76M, B 120M, C 190M and D 65M. B begins since he's got the wooden loco. Before Bayerische and Sachsische shares are available, the Hannoversche private railway must be sold, since it belongs to the starting packet, and that must all be sold before any other shares are available.

The Second Railway Round

The turn marker is placed onto the Railway Round 1 space (Betriebsrunde 1), The players take their income from the private railways from the bank. A 15M, B 45M, C now 45M, and D nothing.

A for the Bergisch-Mrkische. Lays tile 56 on hex H4. Route 40M. 20M to the owner, 20M to operating capital. Doesn't buy a train, operating capital = 20M.

Explanation: The "2" train, as it's name suggests, runs between two stations. In general in 1835, there's no train that can make a complete circuit of the board. Each train (train card), may only include in it's run the number of stations printed on the card. In this case the train runs from Dsseldorf to the small station on hex H4. The Dsseldorf station has a value at present of 30, the small station 10. The total income is therefore 40M. As stated on the ownership certificate, Minor companies pay half of their income to the owner and retain the other 50% as operating capital.

D for (2) Berlin-Potsdamer: Lays tile 8 on hex D16. Income 0, buys no train, Operating capital = 90M.

Since this company`s track only includes one station at present it's train can't run.

C for (3) Magdeburger: Lays tile 9 on hex F16. Income 40 20M to owner, 20M to operating capital. Doesn't buy a train, operating capital = 20M.

The "2" train runs from Magdeburg to Braunschweig, two 20 stations, therefore income is 40M.

D for (4) Kln-Mindener. Lays tile 3 on hex F4. Income 60M. 30M to owner, 30 to Operating capital. doesn't buy a train, Operating capital = 30M.

The Mindener railway owns two "2" trains. One runs from Dortmund to H4, the other from Dortmund to F4. Each run is 20 for Dortmund plus 10 for the minor station = 2*30M=60M. In each round a company may run as many trains as it owns as long as they all have separate routes. Different trains may use the same station as long as they don't use the same track. A single train may only use a station once per turn.

B for (5) Berlin-Stettiner: Lays tile 8 on hex C19. Income 50, 25M to owner, 25M to operating capital. Doesn't buy a train, operating capital = 25M.

The "2" train runs from Berlin to East Prussia, (Ostpreuen). All the red hexes are connections with foreign parts and are treated as large stations. They are marked with three numbers, which show the income obtained from them. The first number is the income in phase 1, the second in phase 2, and the third counts in phase 3.

D for (6) Altona-Kiel. lays tile 6 on hex A11(Kiel), Income 60, 30 to owner, 30 to operating capital, buys no train, operating capital = 30M.

A for the Bayerische Railway: Lays tile 6 on hex N12 (Augsburg), and tile 69 on hex N10. A puts a station marker onto the station on N12, (Augsburg and pays 40M to the bank.

Each major company owns several station markers in it's own colours. One of these is used to mark it's share price on the share price table, another is used to mark it's home station. The remaining markers may be used to build garrisons for that company. The home station is free but every other station marker placed must be paid for. This costs 20M per hex of the shortest distance between the new station and the home station. In this case Augsburg lies two hexes from Munich and so the marker costs 2*20=40M.

Income = 80M. One "2" train runs from Munich to Augsburg, the other from Augsburg to the small station on N10. Add the stations together and it comes to 80M. If A hadn't built the station in Augsburg, then the best route that he could have run would have been to run one of the "2+2" trains from Munich to N10 via Augsburg for 60M. Notice that each route run by a BY train includes a BY station. The two "2+2" trains are not used this turn. The 2+2 means that they can run through two large stations plus two small ones. the stations may be in any order.

Pay Dividend or retain profits. A decides to pay a dividend. The BY share marker is moved one space to the right.

Once a major company has decided to pay out it's income as a dividend then its share price rises. The marker on the share price table is moved one square to the right. If it is at the end of a row and so can't move rightwards then it moves upwards instead. If the director decides not to pay a dividend then the share price falls. The marker is moved one square to its left, or if this is not possible, one space downwards.

For each 10% Bayerische share, a player receives an 8M. dividend. thus A has 30% and receives 24M. B has 10% and receives 8M. and C has 20% and receives 16M. D has no BY shares.

Each major company is divided into shares, totalling logically 100%. When a dividend is declared, the owners of shares receive the proportion of the total payout equal to the proportion of the total shares which they own. You should also notice that the income of a major company profits not just one but often several or all the players. Each takes their portion and puts it naturally enough into their private cash.

No train purchase, Operating capital = 112M.

The second railway round is over, what's happened?

  1. All companies have earned cash for the first time. The private cash reserves of the players and the operating capital of the minor companies have increased.
  2. The rail network has been extended, stations have been built, that belong to no one company, and the BY has built a new station for itself.

Third share round

The turn marker is put onto the share round space. Now, who's got how much money? A should have 135M. B 106M. C 111M. and D 125M. Does that correspond with your game? if not, then perhaps you've forgotten something.

C has the loco. He begins. The choice for all players at present is between Bayerische and Sachsische shares.

As soon as a player owns a larger percentage of a company than the existing director then he takes over the directorship. The old director hands over the director's share and the ownership charter. In return he receives an equal percentage in the company made up in ordinary shares. This does not affect the share price.

At the same time the Sachsische railway floats since 50% of it's shares are now in play. C, as director, takes the charter of ownership, the station markers and 440M as operating capital. (50% of the total since 50% of the shares are in play). A SX marker is placed onto the home station (Leipzig), and another onto the start field for the SX on the share price table (88).

All now pass and D gets the wooden loco as C was the last player to buy a certificate.

In this case B's play has been unusual. Normally he would defend his directorship by selling a Bayerische share and buying another Sachsische out of the proceeds. On the other hand, the Bayerische share will pay out next turn, while the Sachsische will pay no dividend in it's first turn. You'll find your own strategies as you get used to the game.

Third Railway Round

The round marker is placed on railway round 1. The players receive their income from the private railways, A: 15M etc.

Now the major companies take their turns in share price order. In this case therefore the BY plays before the SX.

A for the Bayerische. Lays tile 8 on hex N16 and tile 4 on hex M15. Pays 50M for the river crossing on M15 to the bank. Were A, the BY director, also the owner of the Ostbayerische private railway then he wouldn't have to pay this. (see special features of the Private Railways). Income 150M. The BY could earn more. In this turn it is only using three of it's four trains. If the director had laid a station marker onto Nrnburg at a cost of 60M then the fourth train could also have been used. Pay dividend or retain? A decides to pay a dividend in this turn.

Income. Since the total earnings of the BY in this turn are 150M. each 10% share entitles it's owner to a 15M dividend. A has 40% and so receives 60M, B 30M for his 20%, C gets nothing since he sold his BY shares and D gets 15M for his 10%.

Operating capital grows by 30M. Since 2 10% shares are not owned by anyone, but instead are in the bank pool, the dividend earned by these shares is retained by the company as operating capital. The unsold share earns no dividend.

Buys no trains, share marker moves one space right to 94, total operating capital 368M.

C for the Sachsische Railway. lays tile 5 on hex H16(Leipzig), and puts the home station marker onto the station. Tile 9 on hex H18. No train, therefore no income, buys two "2+2" trains and one "3" train. (420 M operating capital to the bank.). share marker moves one space left to 84. operating capital = 20M.

And that's the end of the third railway round, what's happened? Well, firstly, another major company has come into play, the Sachsische Railway. It's bought some trains, and that action closed the Leipzig-Dresdener Private railway, (removed from game). Secondly, the first "3" train has been bought. This causes the game to move into phase 2. After the following share dealing round, there will be two railway rounds between each share round rather than one. Major companies may now only lay one tile per turn rather than two, companies may sell trains to each other at a mutually agreed price (minimum, 1M.) and green tiles are now available.

Fourth Share Dealing Round

The turn marker is put onto the share round space. A has 138M. B 114M. C 96M. and D 143M. D has the wooden loco. The choice available is between the new unsold BY and SX shares from the bank at their face value, and the two BY shares in the Bank pool at their price on the share value table of 94M.

What's happened here?. Well, B has taken the directorship of the Sachsische railway back from C by increasing his share holding in the SX until he owned more of the company than C. There was nothing C could do about this since he had neither free cash, nor saleable shares, with which to raise cash to buy more of the SX.

C however was able to take revenge on B by causing the SX share price to drop through the floor. By selling his SX shares singly rather than all at once he made a loss, he received 318M rather then 336M. but he caused the SX share price to sink to 66M rather than 80M.

A major companies shares were all sold at the end of a share round and so the company share price rose.

One SX share remains for sale from the bank, (rather than in the bank pool). Until this share is sold the next tranche of shares, Baden, Wrtemmburg and Hessische) are not available.

Shares which have been bought in a share round may then be sold, however, a player may not buy shares in a company when he has sold shares in that company in that share round. See the rule book for more details.

Now the fourth and fifth railway rounds are played before the next share dealing round.

Fourth Railway Round

The turn marker is placed on the space for railway round 1. Players receive their fixed income from the private railways. A gets 15M, B gets only 25 M since the Leipzig-Dresdener has been closed, C 45M and D nothing.

A for (1) Bergisch-Mrkische. Lays tile Y207(green) to replace tile Y 202 (yellow). Income 50M. 25M to private, 25M to operating capital. Buys a "2" train from the Bayerische railway for 15M. Total operating capital 50M.

Once the game enters phase 2 with the purchase of the first "32 train, green tiles may be used to replace yellow tiles. The only proviso is that the track already formed by the yellow tile must be preserved. The Bergisch Mrkisch holds on to 50M operating capital in order that it may develop Kln, a river hex which costs 50M. to develop.

And that's the end of our test game with our four example players. Now you can either play on from this point, (as long as you've got four players, or you can start again using this example game as a guide.

If you do decide to play on in this game, then don't forget that the next round is a second railway round and this must be played through before the next share round.

Whatever you decide to do we're certain that having played this example game, you'll be able to play 1835 properly. Some aspects of the game haven't been touched on, nationalisation, founding of the Preuische railway and some others since they don't enter the game until later. But what's important is that by playing your first game "properly", then you'll make no gross errors when you come to play your own games. Any problems you may come across can be resolved by looking at the rules.

So, we wish you lots of fun and many interesting hours playing 1835!. The "Gleichaustauschtabelle" is a list showing how tiles may be promoted. The first table gives the numbers of the yellow tiles and shows which green tiles can be used to promote them, ie a tile 1 can be promoted only to a tile 88. The second list shows how the green tiles can be promoted to brown. Tiles 87, 88, 203,204,14 and 15 may not be further promoted beyond green.

The "Phase card" explains the timing and consequences of the various phase changes. Each change is triggered by the purchase of the first of a new type train as shown below. All changes take place immediately with the exception of the change to the number of railway rounds between each share round. This takes effect after the share round following the train purchase. 

 Phase  !  Tiles Available  !  Train type ! Effects of phase change
        !                   !             !
   1    !  Yellow           !      2      ! Train limit for major
        !                   !             ! companies =4
        !                   !             ! Train limit for minor
        !                   !             ! companies = 2
        !                   !             ! major companies may lay 
        !                   !             ! 2 tiles
        !                   !_________________________________________
        !                   !      2+2    ! No changes
______________________________________________________________________
        !                   !             !
   2    !   Yellow          !      3      ! Trains may be sold between
        !   and Green       !             ! companies
        !                   !             ! After the next share round
        !                   !             ! there are 2 railway 
        !                   !             ! rounds between each share
        !                   !             ! round.
        !                   !             ! only one tile lay per
        !                   !             ! round
        !                   !_________________________________________
        !                   !     3+3     ! No changes
        !                   !_________________________________________
        !                   !      4      ! All "2" trains are
        !                   !             ! scrapped
        !                   !             ! Train limit, major = 3
        !                   !             !              minor = 1
        !                   !             ! The owner of the Berlin
        !                   !             ! Potsdamer may choose to 
        !                   !             ! convert his share into 
        !                   !             ! a Preuische share and so
        !                   !             ! float the Preuische.
        !                   !             ! Train limit Preuische = 4
        !                   !             ! Owners of other minor 
        !                   !             ! may then convert to 
        !                   !             ! Peuische shares.
        !                   !_________________________________________
        !                   !    4+4      ! "2+2" trains are scrapped
______________________________________________________________________
        !                   !             !
   3    !   Yellow          !      5      ! All private railways close
        !   Green           !             ! All minor companies must
        !   and Brown       !             ! be converted to Preuische
        !                   !             ! Train limit Preuen = 3
        !                   !             ! Train limit others = 2
        !                   !             ! three railway rounds
        !                   !             ! between each share round
        !                   !_________________________________________
        !                   !    5+5      !  No changes
        !                   !_________________________________________
        !                   !      6      ! "3" trains are scrapped
        !                   !_________________________________________
        !                   !    6+6      ! "3+3" trains are scrapped
______________________________________________________________________

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The Game Cabinet - editor@gamecabinet.com - Ken Tidwell