1830: Railways & Robber Barons was released in 1986. It is the highest rated 18xx game on BoardGameGeek. 18xx games are railroad-themed stock market and tile laying games. They consist of stock rounds followed by operating rounds.
During a stock round players are seeking to make the most money by buying and selling shares of railroad companies located in the eastern United States. Stock market manipulation is particularly brutal in 1830: Railways & Robber Barons, rewarding players for shrewdly investing in companies that should do well, and trashing the rest.
The player with the most shares in a company is its president, and gets to run the railroad during the operating rounds. Lay track tiles, build a network, and buy new trains. But be careful: as new trains become available, the old ones rust and have to be replaced.
The game ends when the bank runs out of money or when one player is forced to declare bankruptcy. The player with the greatest personal holdings wins.
In this, our third episode Todd, David, Greg, and Paul are all aboard to discuss this classic. Are we ready to be railroad magnates and stock racketeers? Give a listen to the only four-seater episode we’re going to produce and find out!
