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18AL

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Michael Brandt edited this page Mar 15, 2021 · 33 revisions

Table of Contents

General Information
Rules Highlights
Rules Clarifications
Implementation Notes
Known Problems

General Information

Rules Highlights

Compare 18AL to another 18xx

If you want an Q&A about the differences of 18AL to "standard" 18xx, check out Appendix 1 in the rule book.

Here are some highlights of rules in 18AL (with references to the rule book):

  • Players may use their Buy action during an SR turn to buy a private company from another players. (§3.2.c.4)
  • Each corporation has a historical objective. When the corporation puts a token in that city, it receives $100 to its treasury. (§4.2.2.1)
  • Trains count towns for revenue but not for distance. That means that any legal route including up to a max number of cities/off-board maybe include any number of towns, both before, after and in-between. (§4.2.3)
  • During Phase 2 and 3 corporations can only buy one train per OR from the bank. (§4.2.5 f)
  • 4D trains are like a 4 train, that is it counts towns for revenue but not for distance. The difference compared to a regular 4 train is that it counts cities/off-board revenue double. Note! The 18AL 4D works as the 18MEX 4D, and not as the 18MS one. (§4.2.3.1)
  • The 4 trains are phased out, not rusted, when the 7 train is purchased. (§4.2.5.1)
  • If private companies are purchased by corporations during Phase 3 and 4, the price is 50%-150% of face value. (§4.6)
  • Besides bankruptcy and bank broken, the game can also end if any corporation's market value reach $300. In case of bank broken or market value max the game ends in the current OR. (§5)

Rules Clarifications

  • Must South & North Alabama RR have a train to assign the Warrior Coal Field token?
    • Yes. It must actually be able to make a route with one of its trains as well, but that is not enforced. Instead as long as the owner is not blocked it may do the assign. A log text is shown asking the players to verify it, and do undo if the assign is illegal.
  • Is it possible to use NDY during an emergency buy?
    • The intepretation is that it should be possible.
  • See the BoardGameGeek Rules Forum for more information.

Variants and Optional Rules

Variants and optional rules may be selected when creating a game (with references to the rule book, if appropriate).

  • Implemented:
    • Extra yellow: Allow corporation to lay 2 yellows its first OR (§7.1)
    • Move L&N home: Move L&N home city to Decatur - Nashville becomes off board hex (§7.2)
    • Unlimited 4D: Unlimited number of 4D. Note: 8 4D is the theoretical maximum as there are four other permanents, 6 corporations and a train limit at 2 in brown phase. (§7.3)
    • Hard rust: 4 trains rust when 7 train is bought (§7.4)
  • Not implemented:
    • None

Implementation Notes

  • What about the tiles for Birmingham and Montgomery?
    • Montgomery uses standard yellow cities. When upgrading to green it can only use the special green M tile (443a), and later the special brown M tile (444m)-
    • For Birmingham only B tiles can be used, and the only place they can be used. There exists a single B tile for every color up to gray. The brown B tile is similar to M but is called 444b instead.
  • Is it possible to use NDY during an emergency buy?
    • The interpretation is that it should be possible. But it has not been verified if the implementation support it.
  • I see no chits for Robert E Lee and Pan American trains. How do I activate this bonus for the trains?
    • It is done automatically, so if any route fulfills the requirement to get the bonus, $20 and/or $40 is added to the total revenue.
  • How do I use the Warrior Coal Field token?
    • This appear as an ability for the corporation. To activate it, at any time click on the South & North Alabama RR ability, and then click on one of the 5 city hexes that are highlighted (which is the 5 cities with a mining symbol). Then selection is done all other mining symbols disappear and the Warrior Coal Field bonus appear as an ability on the corporation charter.
  • How do I use the New Decatur Yard?
    • During train buy, click on the New Decatur Yard ability in the top part. This will show discounted price on applicable trains in the depot. If you buy for the discounted price New Decatur Yard is closed. If you do not want to buy for discounted price just click on the ability again and the normal price is restored.
  • How do I place the Lumber Terminal?
    • Click on the Brown & Sons Lumber Co ability in the top part, and then lay the tile in one of the highlighted swamp hexes.
  • Is "soft rust" or "hard rust" used?
    • The base rules uses obsoleteness for 4 trains, so they get to be used once when 7 train is bought. In 18xx.games this is called "phase out". This can be seen via the Info tab of an 18AL game. There are optional rules to use "normal" rust instead, but at the moment there are no support for optional rules at 18xx.games.
  • What about buying/selling private companies between players?
    • 18xx.games only support doing a buy of private companies during the Stock Round. If you look below the Player charters you should see available Privates to buy. It is expected that you have reached an agreement of the buy, and the price, when you do buy a private. It is your Buy action during your Stock turn. If it turns out you were not in agreement then you have to Undo the buy. Supporting Sell during your SR turn is not planned to be supported, but as Buy is supported it might be good enough. (Note: Buy/Sell of privates between players are a rare action.)
  • Where do the specific 18AL icons come from?

Known Problems

  • It is possible to assign a Warrior Coal Field token even though it might be out of range for a corporation's train. The players are expected to verify this themselves in the game, doing Undo if assign is illegal.
  • The Warrior Coal Field token bonus is included in any route the visit that hex. But it is not apparent.
  • The Robert E Lee and Pan American bonuses are added to the total revenue that is shown. It is not shown in any other way.
  • Emergency buy using NDY has not been verified if it works.
  • Open Issues
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