Bob Slaughter's Board Gaming Page

Board Games

I consider this the general game category. There are the 'common' games like Monopoly and Life. There are strategy games like shogi (Japanese chess) and go (also known by the Chinese name wei-chi). And their are the others: the "18xx" series (1830, 1835, 1870, etc.) of train games, and the Mayfair "Rails" series (Eurorails, British Rails, Empire Builder, Iron Dragon, etc.), and RoboRally.

Shogi

Shogi is game closely related to western and Chinese chess, all originally based on a now-forgotten game from India. Many of the pieces are similar in their moves to chess pieces, though a few are different. The key feature of shogi is that the opponent's pieces that you capture can be brought in on your own side later in the game, as a "drop" move. Thus the clearing of the board that happens in chess never quite occurs in shogi.

• Main Internet Shogi Link

Go

Go is a game of strategic placement and capture without moving pieces. If a piece or connected group of pieces are surrounded (all immediately adjacent spaces are occupied by enemy pieces), those pieces are captured and removed from the board. The object in go isn't to capture pieces, but to surround the largest space on the board with the fewest pieces, and to lose as few of your own pieces as possible. You score by counting the number of empty spaces your control, less the number of pieces you lost to the enemy.

• Major Internet Go site

18xx series train games

The "18xx" series of train games are based on very similar mechanics. The general idea of these games is to be the wealthiest player at the end of the game. Wealth is gained by the buying and selling of shares in train companies, and those companies paying dividends on their stock. Operation of the companies is done by the investor/player with the greatest share of stock in that in that company. Track is laid by placing hexagon-shaped tiles on the map board. Locomotives are run over the track, and income is based on the number and size of the cities connected. As increasingly faster locomotives become available, more complex track tiles are also available, making for longer or different runs, for increased cash. Cash can be kept to buy locomotives, or distributed as dividends to the players. As dividends are paid, share prices increase, tempting players to sell off those shares for quick cash, at the cost of future dividends. As shares are bought and sold, ownership of the train companies can change from turn to turn.

There are several games in the "18xx" series: 1830, from Avalon Hill, is set in the Northeast United States. 1835, imported into the USA by Mayfair Games, is set in Germany, 1825, also imported by Mayfair Games, is set in England, and 2038, from TimJim/Prism Games, is set in the Asteroid Belt. There are others as well, set in different times and places.

• The primary source on 18xx Rails Games

Mayfair "Rails" games

Mayfair Games has a series of train games in their "Rails" series. These games are based on running trains around a map delivering loads for profit. Rails are drawn on the map using crayons, and trains are run a set number of spaces per turn. Money can be used to build more track or buy faster trains. First player to reach a certain amount of cash (which varies by game) is the winner. Games in the series include Empire Builder, British Rails, Eurorails, Iron Dragon, Nippon Rails, and Australian Rails.

• Mayfair Rails Game page