- U p d a t e d 23rd September 2005
Design, Development, Production, Release and Withdrawal Notes of 18xx prototype games.
This page attempts to list all the known 18xx titles that are in the
process of being designed and tested. A few of them will never see the
light of day or will remain at the playtest stage of development, some
are just rumours or exist as thought experiments, others will be
abandoned over time, but hopefully many will reach a stage where
they are fit to be released in some form or other.
I have attempted to group the designs into categories which reflect
at what point they are in the design cycle. In which category a design
should belong can be open to interpretation, so please do not attach
to much importance as to where I have decided it belongs.
RECENTLY RELEASED DESIGNS
1862 : USA.
Designed by Helmut Ohley. RELEASED early 2001 by Helmut Ohley.
Gamekit now available. Have a look at Adam Romoth's web site
for details [ Link... ]
1826 : France and Belgium
Designed by David Hecht. RELEASED early 2000 by Chris Lawson.
Gamekit available. [ More... ]
1890 : Osaka, Japan
Designed by Shin-ichi Takasaki. RELEASED 2000.
1830/35 variant but in Japanese. Gamekit available but difficult to obtain
due to it originating in Japan.
18AL : Alabama, USA
Designed by Mark Derrick. RELEASED 2000, by Mark Derrick
Gamekit available. Short game variant of 1830 / 1870.
[ Link... ]
NEW ENTRIES
1846 : Indiana / Ohio, USA Updated
New design by Tom Lehmann. In DEVELOPMENT stage.
Currently being playtested. Looks a very interesting design, it looks like it will offer
a shorter play time (2 to 3 hours) but good depth and options in play. Based on 1834.
This has been playtested recently (August 2001) and it offers a very deep game for the 3
hours it takes to play (4 player). The general design seems to work but the Corporations
and Privates still need some balancing.
1855 : Australia New
New design by Frank Thuro. In DEVELOPMENT stage.
Playtesting about to start (August 2001). No further details at the moment.
1860 : Isle of Wight New
By Mike Hutton. In DESIGN stage.
Mike reports:
"It's still in the design stage, but I've pretty much finalised the map (41
hexes) and most of the tileset, a lot of which looks a bit strange. There
will be 8 companies, and it's probably best described as an 1825/1853
variant with bells and whistles. And not a lot of money.
I've included two non-historical companies (which were proposed but never
incorporated): the Shanklin & Chale, which was dropped in favour of the
Freshwater Yarmouth & Newport, and the Ventnor, Yarmouth & South Coast,
which was proposed at the end of the 19thC but never got past the proposal
stage.
I initially thought of strapping the companies of cash by using standard
levies and building costs. I'm increasingly of the opinion that all the
trains need to be expensive instead, with not a lot of variation in their
overall costs. The progression of trains will start off slow, but will
(hopefully) pick up speed to a ludicrous pace which will see most of the
companies in trouble, and herald the formation of the Southern Railway."
1895 : Namibia
New design by Adam Romoth. In DEVELOPMENT stage.
Available for playtesting. For 3 or 4 players, uses 'hex' trains (ala 1849 and 1826).
[ Link... ]
18MW : Mid-West, USA New
By Robin Barbehenn. In early DESIGN stage.
Available for playtesting. Rules and Map can now be downloaded.
[ More... ]
18VA : Virginia, USA Updated
New design by David Hecht In DEVELOPMENT stage.
Currently being playtested. Another interesting design meant for 3 to 5 players and
taking 3 to 4 hours to play. Features coal train (ala 1837) and ordinary trains both
which can build and connect large bonus runs (ala 1851). Received version
0.2 on 17th August 2001
This has been playtested recently (August 2001) and it offers a decent game for the 3
hours it took to play (4 player). The Corporations and Map still need some balancing
but since it is in the early development stage this is not to surprising.
Crisis : Downtown Subway Updated
New design by Robert Jasiek. Awaiting PRODUCTION.
The rules, testing and most of the graphic design are finished so now we
just have to wait for the game to be self-published by Robert. For 2 to 9 players
with a typical playing time of 5 hours. Pictures recently added to Crisis website.
[ Link... ]
OTHER 18XX PROTOTYPES
1826 : France and Belgium
See above
1827 : USA
By Federico Vellani. Design INACTIVE.
I have not had word on any progress for a while now so assumed the design
is no longer active.
1827 Jr : USA
By Federico Vellani. Design INACTIVE.
Smaller version of 1827. I have not had word on any progress for a
while now so assumed the design is no longer active.
1828 : Deutscher Zollverein (German Tax Union)
By Michael Brünker. In early DESIGN stage.
[ Link... ]
1831 : Northeastern USA
By Carl Burger. Awaiting PRODUCTION.
While this has been released in limited form, I have included it in the
Work In Progress section as there were rumours of Winsome Games releasing
it in a commercial form some time in the future. Unlikely since the death
of Carl Burger.
1832 : Southeastern USA
New design by Bill Dixon. Awaiting PRODUCTION.
Bill reports that the game is stable with just minor tinkering going
on. All it requires now is for someone to publish it.
1834 : USA, New England/Montreal
New design by Tom Lehmann. Awaiting PRODUCTION.
The game has two 'levels' and offers lots of new concepts and rules.
I have playtested this and it seems to work quite well, very different
to Tom's previous design of 2038.
1836 : Netherlands and Belgium
New design by David Hecht. In DEVELOPMENT stage.
The second of David's 18xx games, this time set in Netherlands and Belgium.
The development of this game has been handed over to Frederic Taton and his
playtest group in Belgium (August 2001).
1840 : Germany, Rhineland
New design by Joachim Quadflieg. Design INACTIVE.
Awaiting further details and playtest gamekit (version 0.3) from Joachim.
I have not had word on any progress for a while now so assumed it has been
abandoned.
1842 : Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein
Existing gamekit from Wolfram Janich, new production by Chris Lawson on HOLD.
Wolfram has agreed in principle that I can produce his gamekit,
currently I am waiting for a rules update from him. I have finished the
map, components and money (i.e. most of the gamekit), completion of the
project is in the pipeline for future consideration.
1846 : Indiana / Ohio, USA
See above
1847 : Pfalz
Existing gamekit from Wolfram Janich, new production by Chris Lawson on HOLD.
Wolfram has agreed in principle that I can produce his gamekit,
currently it is in the pipeline for future consideration.
1850 : Midwestern USA
New design by Bill Dixon. Awaiting PRODUCTION.
All this requires is for someone to publish it.
1852 : Kentucky/Tennessee
New design by Chris Lawson. In DEVELOPMENT stage.
Designed as an 1851 expansion, it will allow it to be played
with up to six players. This will be an expansion set to introduce
new corporations into 1851. This is still undergoing changes
which may change the original expansion design.
1854 : Austria
New design by Leonhard Orgler.In DEVELOPMENT stage.
I have playtested this design in 1999/2000 but have not seen any
further development recently. Possibly on hold.
1855 : Australia.
See above
1857 : Wisconsin
New design by Dan Chinnery. Design INACTIVE.
No news for a long time so have placed in the "On Hold or Abandoned" category.
1860 : Isle of Wight.
See above
1862 : USA.
See above
1848 : Continental USA
By Chris Lawson and Steve Thomas. In DEVELOPMENT.
New version of 1869: The Golden Spike. Getting closer to release,
still being playtested in mid 2001.
1866 : Midwestern USA
New design by David Earlywine. Awaiting PRODUCTION.
Waiting for Mayfair to publish.
1868 : Western USA
New design by Tony Leal. Design INACTIVE.
Tony doesn't expect this to progress any further, so the title is no
longer active. Work on a Fantasy 18xx (more details later) has started.
1868 : Bulgaria
By Michael Brünker. In DESIGN stage.
[ Link... ]
1869 : Continental USA
New design by Bill Dixon. Design INACTIVE.
Bill reports "No progress. Any variation I make does play as a game, but not as
a good game. The historical constraints make this a dull subject.
I may either ignore history or put the CPR/UPR track on the map
and start from there".
From this I assume the design is no longer active.
1869 : Continental USA
Design by Alan Moon. Design INACTIVE.
This is quite an old design, little prospect of any new development.
1872 : Japan
New design by Colin Barnhorst and Kristopher Marquardt. Design INACTIVE.
This is one of the two 18xx games I have heard of based in Japan,
both are naturally called 1872. No news for a long time so have
placed in the "On Hold or Abandoned" category.
1872 : Japan
New design by Thomas Huettner. Awaiting PRODUCTION.
This is one of the two 18xx games I have heard of based in Japan,
both are naturally called 1872. All it requires now is for someone to publish it.
[ Map ]
1874 : Lake Superior, USA/Canada
New design by Ryan Moats. Design INACTIVE.
No news for a long time so have placed in the "On Hold or Abandoned" category.
1876 version 2 : Trinidad
New design by Peter Jacobi. In DEVELOPMENT.
New version of 1876. [ Link... ]
1880 : Iceland
New design by Peter Qualle Hoffmann. Design INACTIVE.
Very little known about this except what's on Adam Romoth's web site.
[ Link... ]
1890 : Osaka, Japan
See above
1894 : Moon Surface
By Michael Brünker. In early DESIGN stage.
[ Link... ]
1895 : Namibia
See above
18AL : Alabama, USA
See above
18EU : Europe
New design by David Hecht. In DEVELOPMENT.
The third of David's 18xx games, this time set in continental Europe.
Received version 0.8 on 17th August 2001, this is still being playtested
by several groups and David is still active in the development.
18FB : Southern Italy
New design by Alessandro Lala. In DEVELOPMENT.
Uses square tiles and a host of new features. No news of recent progress.
[ Link... ]
18heXX : Variable Map Updated
New design by Mike Schneider. In DEVELOPMENT.
Variable "build your own map and game" design. Mailing list is open for those who
wish to playtest the design.
[ Link... ]
18MW : Mid-West, USA.
See above
18TN : Tennessee
Cutdown 1830 variant by Mark Derrick. Design INACTIVE.
I believe the design is currently on hold as there are still a few
problems with the design. 18GA and 18AL have their roots in this game.
18VA : Virginia, USA
See above
18xx : Powerrails
New design by Tom Schoeps. In DESIGN stage.
Very little known about this except what's on Peter Jacobi's web site.
[ Link... ]
1969 : North Sea Oil
New design by Trevor Dewey. Design INACTIVE.
This time we have the 18xx system simulating the exploration and development
of the oil industry in the North Sea. No news for a long time so have
placed in the "On Hold or Abandoned" category.
Crisis : Generic
See above
