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1830: Railways & Robber Barons
The Avalon Hill Game Co · 1986
2–7180–360 min14+ yrs4.2/5 complexity7.9 BGG#312 BGG9,3 KStrategy
⚡ short answer
How do you play 1830: Railways & Robber Barons?
The objective of 1830 is to become the wealthiest player by the end of the game. Your wealth is determined by the total sum of your cash on hand, the current market value of all your stock shares (including president's shares), and the face value of any private companies you own. Assets held by corporations you control do not directly contribute to your personal score.
To find the best price for 1830: Railways & Robber Barons, howtoplay.ro compares deals from Romanian shops every day.
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the rules in 60 seconds▶ auto · 1/6
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01
Setup
Set up the game board with private companies, stock market, train cards, and money, distributing starting cash and priority deal to players.
The rules, step by step
Setup
To set up 1830, place the game board in the center. Arrange the private company cards, stock market board, train cards, and money in their designated areas. Each player receives a starting amount of cash, and the priority deal card is given to a designated starting player. Corporations are set up with their tokens on the stock market and their initial shares in the IPO (Initial Public Offering) area. Track tiles are sorted by type and placed within reach.
Objective
The objective of 1830 is to become the wealthiest player by the end of the game. Your wealth is determined by the total sum of your cash on hand, the current market value of all your stock shares (including president's shares), and the face value of any private companies you own. Assets held by corporations you control do not directly contribute to your personal score.
On your turn
The game proceeds in rounds, alternating between stock rounds and operating rounds. In a stock round, players can buy and sell shares of corporations, influencing stock prices and gaining control of companies. In an operating round, the president of each floated corporation makes decisions for that company, including laying or upgrading track, placing station tokens, running trains to generate revenue, and purchasing new trains. The order of operations within a corporation's turn is fixed. The game begins with a special stock round for auctioning private companies.
Scoring
Scoring occurs at the end of the game. Each player calculates their total wealth by adding their current cash, the current market value of all their stock certificates (including president's shares, which are worth 20% of the company), and the face value of any private companies they still own. Assets held by corporations (such as cash in their treasury or trains) do not count towards a player's individual score. The player with the highest total value is declared the winner.
Game end
The game can conclude in one of two ways. The first is if any player declares bankruptcy, at which point the game ends immediately. The second way the game can end is if the bank runs out of money. In this scenario, the game continues until the next stock round would normally begin, and then all play ceases. Once the game ends, players proceed to calculate their final scores to determine the winner.
Tips
In the special stock round, carefully consider which private companies to bid on, as they offer consistent income and unique abilities that can be crucial early on. During regular stock rounds, strategically buying and selling shares can help you gain presidency of corporations, which grants control over their operations, and allows you to manipulate stock prices to your advantage. In operating rounds, prioritize efficient track laying to connect high-value cities, place station tokens to secure routes, and run trains optimally to maximize revenue. Always keep an eye on the train limit for the current phase and plan your train purchases to avoid rusting older trains, which can be a significant financial setback. Balancing your personal cash with your corporations' treasuries is key to long-term success.
game anatomy
Complexity4.2 / 5
BGG rating7.9 / 10
Vibe
Strategy
Language dependence
Some text — easily memorized
Play time
180–360 min
Players
2–7
Recommended age
14+ yrs
BGG rank
#312
from Trișache · verified
Frequently asked questions
Q1What is the goal of the game?
The objective of 1830 is to become the wealthiest player by the end of the game. Your wealth is determined by the total sum of your cash on hand, the current market value of all your stock shares (including president's shares), and the face value of any private companies you own. Assets held by corporations you control do not directly contribute to your personal score.
Q2How do you set up the game?
To set up 1830, place the game board in the center. Arrange the private company cards, stock market board, train cards, and money in their designated areas. Each player receives a starting amount of cash, and the priority deal card is given to a designated starting player. Corporations are set up with their tokens on the stock market and their initial shares in the IPO (Initial Public Offering) area. Track tiles are sorted by type and placed within reach.
Q3How does a turn work?
The game proceeds in rounds, alternating between stock rounds and operating rounds. In a stock round, players can buy and sell shares of corporations, influencing stock prices and gaining control of companies. In an operating round, the president of each floated corporation makes decisions for that company, including laying or upgrading track, placing station tokens, running trains to generate revenue, and purchasing new trains. The order of operations within a corporation's turn is fixed. The game begins with a special stock round for auctioning private companies.
Q4How is scoring calculated?
Scoring occurs at the end of the game. Each player calculates their total wealth by adding their current cash, the current market value of all their stock certificates (including president's shares, which are worth 20% of the company), and the face value of any private companies they still own. Assets held by corporations (such as cash in their treasury or trains) do not count towards a player's individual score. The player with the highest total value is declared the winner.
Q5When and how does the game end?
The game can conclude in one of two ways. The first is if any player declares bankruptcy, at which point the game ends immediately. The second way the game can end is if the bank runs out of money. In this scenario, the game continues until the next stock round would normally begin, and then all play ceases. Once the game ends, players proceed to calculate their final scores to determine the winner.
Q6What tips are there for beginners?
In the special stock round, carefully consider which private companies to bid on, as they offer consistent income and unique abilities that can be crucial early on. During regular stock rounds, strategically buying and selling shares can help you gain presidency of corporations, which grants control over their operations, and allows you to manipulate stock prices to your advantage. In operating rounds, prioritize efficient track laying to connect high-value cities, place station tokens to secure routes, and run trains optimally to maximize revenue. Always keep an eye on the train limit for the current phase and plan your train purchases to avoid rusting older trains, which can be a significant financial setback. Balancing your personal cash with your corporations' treasuries is key to long-term success.
Q7How much does 1830: Railways & Robber Barons cost?
No store is currently tracking 1830: Railways & Robber Barons. Check the Prices tab — you can set a price alert to be notified when it appears.
Q8Where can I buy 1830: Railways & Robber Barons cheapest?
Check the Prices tab — howtoplay.ro aggregates offers from 7+ Romanian board-game stores and tracks price history.
Q9How do you play 1830: Railways & Robber Barons?
1830: Railways & Robber Barons is a economic game, for 2–7 players, taking ~180–360 minutes, featuring auction / bidding. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about 1830: Railways & Robber Barons — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q10How many players does 1830: Railways & Robber Barons support?
1830: Railways & Robber Barons is played by 2–7 players.
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Regatul JocurilorEnglish edition 2021easyboxCultural voucher
1830: Railways & Robber Barons (2021 English Edition)
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RON 319
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Price trend over the last 90 days: minimum 170 lei, maximum 319 lei, now 170 lei.
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