18Tokaido

1. Not a standalone game — it's an 18Chesapeake expansion
18Tokaido (All-Aboard Games) requires 18Chesapeake's components to play. Since 18Chesapeake is already a simplification of 1830, 18Tokaido inherits that base and adds its own map and opening rules.

2. No initial private auction
In 1830, privates are auctioned off at the start of the game. In 18Tokaido there's no auction: players can buy a private directly during their stock round turn, as just another buy action, from the very first round.

3. Privates are always bought at face value
As a consequence of having no auction, a private's price in 18Tokaido is always its printed face value, never more. In 1830, a private's final price depends on the winning bid and can far exceed its face value.

4. Seven companies, one fewer with low player counts
The game includes seven railroad corporations; in 2-3 player games, one is randomly removed at the start. 1830 doesn't reduce the number of available companies based on player count in the same way.

5. Trains "export" instead of all rusting at once
After each set of operating rounds (up through the first D train), the oldest train type still available in the bank is removed ("exported"), even if no company bought a new one. In 1830, a train type is only removed once the next generation is bought.

6. No bank-driven ending
Unlike 1830, where the game can end once the bank runs dry, 18Tokaido doesn't use that mechanism: the ending depends only on D trains and possible bankruptcies.

7. Game end calibrated around the D train
The game ends 3 operating rounds after the first D train appears; if the D train gets exported before being bought, it ends right after the following set of operating rounds; if a company buys it, there's still one stock round and one final set of operating rounds. 1830 has no such specific schedule tied to a single train type.

8. Designed to combine with other "All-Aboard" boxes
18Tokaido can be combined with 18Chesapeake's "Off the Rails" expansion, or even with two copies of 18Tokaido and one of 18Chesapeake for bigger games. This box-combining modularity doesn't exist in 1830.

9. Small box, built for quick games
With only 29 tiles and without the extra components of a full 18xx game, 18Tokaido is positioned as a lighter, faster experience than 1830.

10. Set on the Tokaido corridor, from Osaka and Kyoto to Tokyo
While 1830 takes place in the Northeastern USA, 18Tokaido moves the 18Chesapeake system to Japan's most iconic railway corridor.

18Tokaido — Schematic summary (vs 1830)

SETTING

• 18Chesapeake expansion (requires its components); inherits its simplified 1830 base
• Tokaido corridor map (Osaka/Kyoto–Tokyo); 7 companies (one fewer with 2-3 players)

PRIVATES AND TRAINS

• No auction: privates are bought directly in the stock round, always at face value
• Trains export every OR set (up to the first D train), not just when a new one is bought

GAME END AND MODULARITY

• No empty-bank ending: depends on the D-train schedule and possible bankruptcies
• Can be combined with "Off the Rails" or multiple copies for bigger games