18CZ: The Railway Comes to Czech Lands

1. Setting, map and number of players
1830 covers the northeastern USA for 2-6 players. 18CZ moves the action to the Czech lands (Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia), for 2-5 players in the base game, with additional variants for 2 players (the "Bohemia" map) and 2-3 players (the "Moravia-Silesia" map).

2. Three tiers of operating companies, each with a different share denomination
In 1830 every company has exactly 10 shares of 10% each. In 18CZ there are three sizes: small companies or Regional Railways (denomination 50%-25%-25%, small trains only, 3 stations), medium companies or Main Railways (denomination 40%-20%-20%-20%, small and medium trains, 3 stations), and large companies or State Railways (denomination 20%+8x10%, can use every train type, but only 2 stations).

3. Capitalization at floating depends on company size
In 1830 every company floats at 60% and always receives 100% of par value (10 times the par price). In 18CZ a company floats once just 50% is sold, but the amount it receives depends on its size: small companies get 4 times the par price, medium companies 5 times, and only large companies get the usual 10 times seen in 1830.

4. Eighteen "Local Railways" bought at a fixed price, not through an auction
In 1830 the six privates are awarded through an ascending auction. In 18CZ there are eighteen Local Railways (privates, six of each size) distributed in a Pre-Stock Round where each player simply buys one at its stated fixed price or passes. Once in a player's hands, they can only be sold to a company (never to another player) starting once the first "b" train is bought, at a price between 1 K and the current "Local Railways Price."

5. Local Railways owned by a company grant a one-time special power
A function that doesn't exist in 1830. When a company owns a Local Railway, it may, on its turn, activate its special power exactly once (lay an extra purple-edged tile, or ignore the terrain-building cost), without this stopping its regular income.

6. A company can fully acquire a smaller one
In 1830 companies never merge with or absorb each other. In 18CZ, after running trains, a larger company may acquire a smaller company outright if both directors agree, paying shareholders in cash a per-share price between 50% and 150% of the market price and absorbing its treasury, trains, and stations.

7. Three distinct train families, each tied to a company size
In 1830 every train follows the same rule of counting cities and towns passed through. In 18CZ "Normal" trains (red, for small companies) count exactly the revenue locations visited; "Plus-trains" (blue, for medium companies) have a total limit but with a sub-cap on cities/red tiles; and "E-trains" (green, for large companies) can freely skip as many towns as needed without them counting toward the total.

8. Obsolescence only affects trains of the same color/family
In 1830 every train shares a single obsolescence track. In 18CZ, buying a new train only scraps trains of its own color (red trains only scrap other reds, blue only blues, green only greens), so the three train families age independently of each other.

9. Game length is fixed by a price track, not by the bank or the last train
In 1830 the game ends when the bank runs dry or the last available train is bought. In 18CZ the "Local Railways Price" automatically rises by 5 K at the start of every operating round (from 40 to 120); once it reaches 120, that final operating round is played and the game ends, regardless of how much money remains in the bank.

10. Emergency financing is a one-time 100% surcharge, not liquidation
In 1830, if a company can't pay for a mandatory train, it can ultimately be liquidated. In 18CZ, if the director doesn't have enough personal cash to cover the shortfall, they borrow from the bank with a one-time 100% surcharge on the borrowed amount (not recurring interest); until that debt (not the surcharge) is paid off, the player cannot buy shares in any subsequent stock round.

18CZ — Schematic summary (vs 1830)

SETTING

• Czech lands (Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia)
• 2-5 players (variants for 2 and for 2-3 players with reduced maps)

COMPANIES

• Small (50%-25%-25%, 3 stations, red trains, capitalize 4x at floating)
• Medium (40%-20%-20%-20%, 3 stations, blue trains, capitalize 5x)
• Large (20%+8x10%, 2 stations, all trains, capitalize 10x as in 1830)
• General float threshold at 50% of shares sold
• A large company can fully acquire a smaller one by agreement between directors (50%-150% of price)

LOCAL RAILWAYS (PRIVATES)

• 18 total (6 of each size), bought at fixed prices in a Pre-Stock Round, not through an auction
• Only resellable to companies (never between players), at a price tied to the "Local Railways Price"
• When owned by a company, grant a one-time special power (extra purple tile or free terrain cost)

TRAINS AND PHASES

• Three families tied to company size: Normal (red), Plus-trains (blue), E-trains (green)
• Obsolescence only affects trains of the same family/color

GAME END AND FINANCES

• Fixed length: the game ends when the "Local Railways Price" reaches 120 (rising 5 K per operating round), unrelated to the bank running out
• Emergency financing with a one-time 100% surcharge and a share-purchase freeze until the debt is repaid