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1822: The Railways of Great Britain

Designer: Simon Cutforth

The full 1822: all of Great Britain in constant auction of privates, minors, and major company concessions.

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1. Setting and map
1830 covers the northeastern USA. 1822 takes place across all of Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland), with a very extensive map and a much denser network of cities, designed for games of up to 7 players.

2. Everything is bought at auction: privates, minors, and major "concessions"
In 1830 only the privates go up for initial auction; major companies are founded freely afterward. In 1822, in every stock round, privates, "minor" companies (2 shares), and "concessions" to found major companies are all auctioned simultaneously. Players have a limited number of bidding chips and can only keep a bid open in a limited number of auctions at once, so they must choose where to compete.

3. A minor's par price depends on the auction, it isn't chosen
In 1830 the founder freely chooses the par price. In 1822, in phase 1, a minor always starts at a fixed price of 50, regardless of the winning bid. From phase 2 onward, the money from the winning bid goes into the minor's treasury (up to a maximum of 200) and determines its par price (up to a maximum of 100, rounded down to the standard market values).

4. Minors merge into majors to create or grow them
This concept doesn't exist in 1830. In 1822, a minor (a 2-share company) must have operated at least once before it can be absorbed by a major; the major absorbing it must be able to trace an unblocked route to the minor. Payment to the minor's shareholder can be made with shares from the major's treasury and/or cash. As a result, many majors are "born" by absorbing infrastructure already built by a minor.

5. Initial "L" trains and conversion to 2-trains
In 1830 the first generation of trains is already the normal 2-city train. In 1822 the game starts with special "L" trains (only one station, cost $60) that can be converted into 2-trains for $80 before they become obsolete. This initial step has no equivalent in 1830 and sets a very different opening pace.

6. Priority order by cash on hand, not by turn order
In 1830 buying priority in the stock round passes cyclically to the left of the previous buyer. In 1822, after the initial auction, the priority order for stock rounds is determined by how much cash each player has (typically, whoever has the least goes first), which rewards having spent heavily in earlier auctions.

7. Many more companies in play simultaneously
Between privates, minors, and majors available for auction each round (typically several of each type until they run out), 1822 supports far more active entities at once than 1830, with a much more gradual and staggered pace of expansion.

8. Numbered phases up to 7
1822 progresses through numbered phases (1 to 7) triggered by purchasing certain trains, similar in spirit to 1830 but with more intermediate steps and special trains (such as the initial "L" trains) that don't exist in 1830.

9. Auctions with limited bidding chips
Each player has a fixed number of bidding chips per round and can't bid all of them at once: they must spread their attention across the open auctions. In 1830 the initial private auction is simpler and doesn't have this chip limitation.

10. Scale and length
With all of Great Britain as the map and up to 7 players, a full game of 1822 tends to run longer than a standard game of 1830, although the rules engine (actions, ORs, stock market) remains recognizable.

1822: The Railways of Great Britain — Schematic summary (vs 1830)

SETTING

AUCTION AND STOCK ROUND

MINORS AND MAJORS

TRAINS AND PHASES

SCALE