1846: The Race for the Midwest

2005

1846: A captivating board game of railway expansion and economic strategy. Control corporations, build tracks, manage finances, and outpace competitors in the race to dominate the Midwestern United States.

240
minutes

3 - 5
player(s)

14+

Medium Heavy

About the game

1846: The Race for the Midwest is an immersive, strategy-based board game that transports players back to the 19th century, specifically the year 1846, during the rapid expansion of the American railway system in the Midwest. This game, designed by Tom Lehmann, offers a unique blend of historical context, economic strategy, and competitive gameplay.

The setting of the game is the American Midwest, with the map including cities like Chicago, Detroit, and St. Louis, among others. The game’s theme centers around the railway boom, where players take on the role of entrepreneurs, aiming to build the most successful railroad companies.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

The board game ‘1846: The Race for the Midwest’ includes a variety of components, each with its own unique function and role in the game. Here is a detailed description of each:

1. Game Board:

The game board represents the Midwest area of the United States and is divided into hexagonal spaces that represent different cities or terrains. The players will place their track and station tokens on this board to create railroad routes and claim cities.

2. Share Cards:

These cards represent shares in the various railroad companies. Players buy and sell these during the Stock Round to gain income and control of the companies.

3. Company Charters:

Each railroad company has a charter that provides a visual summary of the company’s status. It has spaces for the company’s share cards, train cards, and station tokens, and it tracks the company’s current stock price and income.

4. Train Cards:

These cards represent trains that the companies can buy. They define the number of cities a company’s route can connect and how much income this route can generate.

5. Station Tokens:

Each company has a set of station tokens. Players place these on the game board to claim cities for their company. A city can only be used in a company’s route if it has one of the company’s station tokens.

6. Track Tokens:

These tokens are used to build railroad routes on the game board. Different types of track tokens are used for straight tracks, curved tracks, and junctions. The route a company can build is limited by the number and types of track tokens it has.

7. Company Certificates:

These certificates represent the ownership of a company. The player with the majority of shares becomes the president of the company and gets the corresponding company certificate. This player controls the actions of the company.

8. Money:

This represents the wealth of the players and the companies. Players use money to buy shares, companies use money to buy trains and station tokens, and the goal of the game is to have the most money at the end.

9. Private Company Cards:

These cards represent private companies that provide players with special abilities and additional income. They are auctioned off at the start of the game and can later be sold to the railroad companies.

10. Priority Deal Card:

This card determines the player who will start the next Stock Round. It is given to the player who first passes in the current Stock Round.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

1846: The Race for the Midwest is a strategic board game which is centered around the growth and development of railroads in the Midwest. The following is a step-by-step guide on how to set up the game:

Step 1: Board Placement

Firstly, lay the game board in the center of the playing area. Make sure all players can easily reach it. The map on the game board represents the Midwest region where your railroads will be built.

Step 2: Sorting the Tiles

Organize the tiles into piles based on their type. Each tile represents a different type of track. The yellow tiles are used to build the initial tracks, green tiles are used for upgrades, and brown and grey tiles are used in the later stages of the game.

Step 3: Sorting the Trains

Separate the train cards into piles based on their phase (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and D). Place these piles next to the game board in ascending numerical order.

Step 4: Initial Resources

Each player starts with $400. This money is used to bid on private companies in the initial auction, and later to buy shares in the public companies. Place the bank’s money next to the board.

Step 5: Private Companies

Shuffle the private company cards and deal them out face up next to the game board. These companies provide players with additional resources and special abilities. They will be auctioned off in the first part of the game.

Step 6: Public Companies

Place each of the public company charters and matching tokens in a pile next to the game board. During the game, players will be able to start these companies by buying shares in them. There are eight public companies in total.

Step 7: Player Roles

Each player is a business investor looking to make the most money from the growing railroad industry. Players will bid on private companies, invest in public companies, build railroads, upgrade their tracks, and run trains to earn revenue.

Step 8: Random Elements

At the beginning of the game, the private companies are auctioned off. The order in which they are auctioned can have a big impact on the game. To add a random element, shuffle the private company cards and deal them out in a random order.

Once the setup is complete, you’re ready to start playing 1846: The Race for the Midwest! Enjoy the game.

Game flow Round and round we go

1846: The Race for the Midwest is a strategic board game where players take on the roles of presidents of various railroad corporations, with the goal of earning the most money. The game is divided into a series of rounds, each composed of a Stock Round and one or more Operating Rounds.

The Stock Round

The Stock Round is the first phase of each round. Players take turns to perform one action each, in order of their current standing on the priority deal track. During a player’s turn, they can:

Buy a Share: A player may purchase a share in any corporation, provided it has been floated and there are shares available.
Sell Shares: A player can sell any number of shares they possess, affecting the stock market value of that corporation.
Start a Corporation: A player can choose to start a corporation, setting its par value and buying the President’s share.
Pass: If a player chooses not to, or cannot perform any action, they pass. If all players pass in succession, the Stock Round ends.

The Operating Rounds

Following the Stock Round are one or more Operating Rounds, depending on the current phase of the game. The number of Operating Rounds between Stock Rounds increases as the game progresses. During an Operating Round, each corporation operates in order of their current standing on the Stock Market, from highest to lowest. The operation of a corporation involves several steps, performed in order:

Lay or Upgrade Track: The corporation may lay a new track tile or upgrade an existing one, paying the cost to the bank.
Place a Station Token: The corporation may place one of its available station tokens on a city spot on a tile where it has a track.
Run Trains: The corporation calculates and runs its trains over its track network, determining its revenue.
Pay or Withhold Dividends: The corporation may choose to pay out its earnings as dividends, increasing its stock value, or withhold them, reducing its stock value but adding the money to the corporation’s treasury.
Buy Trains: The corporation may purchase new trains from the bank or other corporations, if available.

After all corporations have operated, another Operating Round is played, or if all Operating Rounds for the current set have been played, a new Stock Round begins, and the cycle continues until the end of the game.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In the game ‘1846: The Race for the Midwest’, a player’s turn is characterized by the opportunity to perform a variety of actions, each with its own strategic implications. This breakdown walks you through the different steps in a player’s turn, outlining the actions that can be performed and their potential effects on gameplay.

Stock Round

The player’s turn begins with a Stock Round, where players can buy and sell shares in the available corporations. This is the backbone of the game’s economic system.

Buy Shares: A player can purchase shares from the Initial Offering (IPO) or from the bank pool, which can provide them with dividends and control over corporations.
Sell Shares: A player can also choose to sell shares back to the bank pool to raise capital, although this can result in a decrease in the corporation’s stock value.

Operating Round

The Stock Round is followed by one or two Operating Rounds, depending on the phase of the game. During these rounds, corporations (controlled by the players) can perform several actions:

Lay or Upgrade Track: This action allows a corporation to expand its network on the map, potentially connecting to more cities and increasing its income.
Place a Station Token: This action can secure routes for the corporation and block competitors, providing a strategic advantage.
Run Trains: This action generates income based on the cities the corporation’s trains are connected to. The income can be distributed as dividends to shareholders or retained for corporate use.
Buy Trains: Corporations can purchase new trains to replace obsolete ones or to expand their service. This is a critical part of the game, as it can trigger phase changes with significant effects on gameplay.

End of Turn

The player’s turn ends with the Bankruptcy Check. If a player cannot meet a financial obligation and goes bankrupt, the game ends immediately. Otherwise, the game proceeds to the next player’s turn.

Each decision made during a player’s turn in ‘1846: The Race for the Midwest’ can have far-reaching consequences. Whether it’s buying or selling shares, expanding a corporation’s network, or managing train purchases, every action has strategic implications that can shape the outcome of the game.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game ‘1846: The Race for the Midwest’ ends when one of the following conditions is met:

The Bank runs out of money: The first time the bank runs out of money, the game continues until the end of the current Operating Round, then proceeds for one more set of Operating Rounds. After this, the game ends.
All private companies are purchased: If during the game, all private companies are purchased by the public companies, the game ends at the end of that set of Operating Rounds.

Once the game has ended, players need to perform the following actions for final scoring:

Cash in Hand: Each player counts the cash they have in hand. This is added to their final score.
Company Value: Players add up the current market value of each of their public companies. This is determined by the location of the company’s token on the stock market board. This total is also added to their final score.
Private Company Value: Any private companies owned by the players are also added to their final scores. The cost of these companies is printed on their respective cards.

The player with the highest total score is declared the winner. In the case of a tie, the player with the most cash in hand wins.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

The game ‘1846: The Race for the Midwest’ has a comprehensive scoring system. Players earn points in a variety of ways, and the game also includes specific rules for breaking ties.

Points Awarded:

Stock Value: At the end of the game, each player adds up the value of their shares in each corporation. The value of a share is equal to the corporation’s current stock market price.
Private Companies: Players also add the face value of any private companies they own to their final score.
Cash: Finally, players convert their remaining cash into points at a rate of $1 = 1 point.

The player with the highest total score is declared the winner.

Tie-Breaking Rules:

In the event of a tie, the following rules are applied in order:

Cash on Hand: The player with the most cash on hand wins the tie.
Stock Value: If the tie persists, the player with the highest total stock value wins.
Private Companies: If there’s still a tie, the player with the most valuable private companies wins.
Turn Order: If a tie remains even after applying all these rules, the player who is earlier in the turn order wins.

It’s important to note that the game rewards strategic planning and careful resource management. The scoring system is designed to reflect these aspects of gameplay.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

1846: The Race for the Midwest is a complex board game that requires a detailed understanding of its unique rules and exceptions. Here are some notable ones:

1. Starting Capital: Unlike many other 18XX games, 1846 has a variable starting capital. The amount of money with which companies start is determined by the initial auction of the Private Companies.

2. Track Laying: In 1846, track laying is more liberal than in other games. A company can lay a track even if it does not connect to its existing route, as long as it starts in, passes through, or ends in a city where the company has a station.

3. Train Purchase Rules: A corporation may purchase more than one train per operating round, provided it is financially capable. However, a corporation cannot own more than four trains at any time.

Exception: The 2-train does not count towards this limit.

4. Stock Round Rules: During a Stock Round, players can sell then buy stocks, or just buy stocks. However, they cannot buy then sell stocks in the same turn.

Clarification: A player cannot sell shares of a corporation in the same round that they purchased those shares.

5. Train Rush: The train rush in 1846 can be sudden and brutal. When a 3/5/6 train is bought, all 2/3/4 trains become obsolete and are removed from the game.

Exception: 2-trains never become obsolete.

6. East-West Routes: A route is considered an East-West route if it includes a city in the west (Chicago, Erie or Wheeling) and a city in the east (Baltimore, Columbus, Charleston, Huntington, or Detroit).

Clarification: These routes earn a $20 bonus for the corporation.

7. Floating Corporations: A corporation is considered to be floated as soon as the President’s certificate is bought. It will operate in the same Operating Round, assuming that all prior corporations in the stock market have operated.

8. Bankruptcy: If a player is obligated to pay money (for a train, for example) and is unable to do so, they declare bankruptcy and are eliminated from the game.

Clarification: The game continues with the remaining players.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies:

One key strategy in ‘1846: The Race for the Midwest’ is to always keep an eye on your opponents. Although it is a game of building and expanding your own railroad empire, you can’t ignore what your opponents are doing. If you notice an opponent is about to complete a lucrative route, you might want to consider blocking them with your own route.

Another advanced strategy is to maximize your income by investing in companies that are likely to pay high dividends. This is a long-term strategy that requires careful planning and foresight, but it can pay off handsomely in the end.

Beginner Tips:

As a beginner, it’s important to understand the rules and mechanics of the game thoroughly. Don’t rush into making decisions, take your time to plan your moves carefully. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for advice or clarification from more experienced players.

It’s also a good idea to start by focusing on building a solid foundation for your railroad empire. Invest in reliable companies and build routes that will generate a steady income. Once you have a stable income, you can start taking more risks and making more aggressive moves.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

One of the most common mistakes in ‘1846: The Race for the Midwest’ is overextending. It can be tempting to try and build as many routes as possible, but this can leave you stretched thin and vulnerable to your opponents.

Another common mistake is neglecting to invest in companies. While it’s important to focus on your own railroad empire, you also need to keep an eye on the wider market. Ignoring companies can mean missing out on valuable opportunities to increase your income.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Always plan your moves in advance: Know what you want to achieve in your turn and plan the most efficient way to do it.
Keep an eye on the market: Watch the companies that other players are investing in and be ready to jump on opportunities when they arise.
Communicate with other players: ‘1846: The Race for the Midwest’ is a social game, and good communication can be a key to success. Discuss your plans and strategies with other players and try to form alliances when it’s to your advantage.