I got 1846 problems but a Navvy ain't one of them

[Oedipussy Rex]

Unlike (most) other 18xx games, instead of a fixed bank size and initial starting capital that varies with the number of players (usually by dividing a fixed amount by the number of players), 1846 has a fixed starting capital for each player and a bank size that depends on the number playing. Another difference is that with fewer players, corporations and privates are removed from the game. This, being a 5-player game, has everything in play with the full $9000 bank. Also unlike (most) 18xx games, 1846 uses a draft system to distribute the private companies instead of an auction. In the draft, starting with the last player and going in reverse order, the players get a random selection of private companies and number cards, chooses one, shuffles the rest, places them on the bottom of the "deck" and hands the deck to the next player. This is described on page 4 of the rules. Following is the process in the game with a brief explanation of the choice. Listed are only the companies, not the numbered cards, which will only be mentioned as "Pass X" where X is the number of passes made to that point. There are only a number of passes as the number of players. If, in this case, 5 passes have been made, then a player must select a private, unless it is the last company remaining.

The Companies: (descriptions and abilities are on page 12 of the rules)

Michigan Central (MC) $40, Income: $15
Ohio & Indiana (O&I) $40, Income: $15
Lake Shore Line (LSL) $40, Income: $15
Chicago & Western Indiana (C&WI) (Which always looks like "Chicago and Wisconsin" to me) $60, Income: $10
Meat Packing Company (Meat) $60, Income: $15
Steamboat Company (Steam) $40, Income: $10
Tunnel Blasting Company (Tunnel) $60, Income: $20
Mail Contract (Mail) $80, Income: $0
Michigan Southern (MS) $60+$80 debt (otherwise known as $140)
Big 4 (Big4) $40+$60 debt

Ephram: Mail, Meat, C&WI, LSL, Big4. A hand of seven and five of them are companies. A lot of options but really only one easy pick for a player in the 5th chair. In a five player game, Chicago can become highly contested. C&WI guarantees a spot regardless of which corporations remain to be chosen from after everyone else has had their pick. Choice: LSL

Dennis: Tunnel, MS, MC, O&I. With a good income and the cheaper cost to build certain locations, Tunnel Company isn't a bad choice. Choice: Tunnel

Charlotte: Mail, Big4, LSL, Meat, Steam. LSL provides easy access to two key cities, but a token in the middle of the board wins out. Choice: Big4

Ben: Steam, O&I, MC, MS. No intention of using, but the potential for a profit of $45, maybe $60. Choice: MC

Abigail: O&I, Meat, LSL, Mail. Two free track in the middle of the board. Choice: O&I

Ephram: Meat, Mail, LSL, MS, Steam. Chicago being one of the cities affected by the company, a perfect match for C&WI. Choice: Meat

Dennis: Steam, LSL. If you haven't played 1846 you don't understand how automatic the choice is. With both Steamboat and Tunnel Blasting, he will open Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Grand Trunk Railroad if B&O is already take. But it won't be. B&O is rarely opened early by a player who doesn't have at least one of these two minors. Choice: Steam

From here on out the options are MS, LSL, Mail, or 5 passes

Charlotte: MS and Mail  are out: too expensive. LSL can be good but... Choice: Pass 1

Ben: Money spent on privates is money not spent on shares. Choice: Pass 2

Abigail: A private train company? Yes, please. Granted, O&I isn't as good a fit for MS as it is for Big4, but it can work. Choice: MS

Ephram: Already spending $120. Choice: Pass 3

Dennis: An extra $10 for every city visited by a train? If only it weren't so expensive. Choice: Pass 4

Charlotte: Didn't take one last time around. Why would she now? Choice: Pass 5

Ben: If he must take one (and he must), make it the cheaper of two evils. Choice: LSL

At this point the only choice is Mail Contract at decreasing cost. Note that this is likely one of my personal biases at work. Mail Contract is a good company in the long term, but it can hamper the early game with it's high cost. Yes Big 4 and MS cost more, but they get a better RoI early with track lays and tokens. I almost never pay full price for Mail and rarely pay more than $50.

Abigail: nope

Ephram: Not at $70

Dennis: At $60 he'd have $240 to start a corporation. Four shares at an opening price of $60 should be low enough to get 2-trains (preferred for a Steamboat/B&O strategy), but with $300 he can get a fifth share, which makes up for the loss of $2/share. Pass

Charlotte: Price is down to $50. That's a $30 profit when bought in. Not bad. Pass.

Ben: Not even for $40

Abigail: Hell yeah, she'll take it for $30. Wait. $210 in privates leaves only $190 to start a corporation. Let's see, Illinois Central at $60 is three shares and first round capital of $240, with another $150 for issuing shares for a total of $390.... Yeah, ok.

Ephram: drat.


Next: Stock Round 1