18Ruhr

About this board game

18Ruhr is a railway game in the 18xx series for 3–6 players, with a playing time of approximately 300 minutes. Players buy and sell shares in railway companies as those companies develop their networks and earn money for their shareholders.

Railway companies generate value through a combination of track laying, building stations, and running trains. These activities form the core of the game, connecting the management of railway companies with the changing industrial landscape of the Ruhr during the 19th century.

The defining feature of 18Ruhr is its inclusion of coal mines and steel mills. These are not simply parts of the railway companies: they are independent companies with their own shares, giving players additional businesses to buy and sell.

• Buy and sell shares in railway companies, coal mines, and steel mills.
• Develop railway companies by laying track and building stations.
• Run trains while managing the relationships between railways and industry.

Interdependencies between the railway companies, mines, and mills reflect the development of the Ruhr during the 19th century. The result is an 18xx game in which railway operations and industrial companies are closely connected.

Released in 2012, 18Ruhr offers a substantial railway-game experience centered on company shares, network development, and the relationship between transportation and industry.