1856: A Review
I've played 1856 a few times now, so I thought I would post and see if we could get some strategy discussions going. I highly recommend 1856, if any of you 18XXers haven't gotten it yet, or for railroaders looking for a new train game, or for anyone really. Possibly the best in the series so far, even better than 1830. [Paul: Individual taste will determine whether a particular person favors 1856 over 1830 or vice versa. 1856 does introduce some new twists to the familiar game mechanics! If you like the different style of game, then you'll like 1856 more. Otherwise, you're likely to continue to favor 1830.]
Anyway, my experience is with 5 & 6 players. More so even than 1830, I think it would be a dramatically different game with fewer; for one thing, the Bridge and Tunnel companies (which I don't think too much of) would be much more valuable since companies will have better capitalization and more money to spare to buy them off the owners. [Paul: Most of my experience has been with four player games, but I've also been in larger games. From my experience, fewer players simply accelerates what inevitably happens in the five and six-player games.]
Anyway, First the private companies. I can only see getting excited about the Great Lakes Shipping Company and the Wellington teleporter company. The +10 bonus for the tunnel and bridge aren't that significant (and are much less versatile than the +20 port), and hitting your company for $200 seems to be fatal, since companies are working with so little cash. Plus, nobody seems to want to buy those rights for $50 until it is too late, and in both cases there is only really one eligible purchaser! (LPS & Welland). So the two big ones aren't very attractive from where I stand. The Flos at $20/$5 is pretty insignificant and the Canada company at $50/$10 has a pointless special ability unless combined with the Wellington (these two together are probably a killer combination, since they add up to $90/$20, have complimentary powers and can be sold to companies in installments, but it won't happen with more than 4 players). [Paul: I agree that the shipping company is the most valuable private. Adding $20 to EACH train that runs to that port can be a huge advantage. The tunnel and bridge are just too expensive, both in terms of initial cash outlay and cost to the company that buys them. Although, in the middle of the game, you might be able to start a company, buy the private for double face value, and then fold the company into the CGR. Risky, and questionable return on investment, though.]
After the private companies, you have to figure out which railroads to start in the first stock round. Here are some of my observations:
Wellend: My, this is a tempting RR. It has significantly the highest early revenues, and is a prime candidate for use with the port. Unfortunately, the destination is very difficult to make because of the combination of hills and the need to hit the Buffalo box as many times as possible early. It always seems to end up folding into the CGR after a brief and glorious career, usually because it had to take out too many loans because it takes such a long time to get the bond back. If you're going to invest be careful you don't get stuck after everyone else has bailed and the stock price has been hammered. Still, an excellent early starter if shares of the CGR don't bother you. [Paul: I place the Welland in fourth
place in order of desirability for initial start up. Although it can do well in the early stages, it takes several turns to get the track laid (no-one to help). By that time, the "2" trains are usually dead, and you can't afford a large number of "3" trains or better. The destination difficulties are accurately noted, so there isn't a whole lot of cash available to buy privates with.]
CPR/Grand Trunk: These seem to be viable if both are started. If only one or the other is floating, The track development takes a while. GT seems to be the better bet (although the destination is much tougher), but I would only start one if a player ahead of me started the other, or I could start at a higher stock price and guarantee selling enough shares to easily buy two 2's and a 3, or if I had the Wellington private (maybe). If neither start than the north/northeast seems to languish a bit since there aren't many companies up there. [Paul: I rate the CPR as one of the best companies to float in the first stock round. It is the only company with the ability to run three trains in the second OR (after
laying two tiles, one in each OR). It's home town upgrades quickly, and once the Floss Tramway is sold, it can run four trains! In a six player game, it can pay off handsomely running lots of "2" trains, if few companies are floated. In a four player game, the "2" train will die quickly as the other players realize the power of the CPR and quickly buy the first "4" train, evening things out. The CPR also has additional tokens that the NYNHH doesn't have in 1830. Together with the Flos Tramway and/or the Wellington, the CPR is a VERY powerful company. If the GT also starts, however, the CPR can have difficulty reaching Toronto (its destination) quickly.]
[Paul(still): The Grand Trunk is a risky company to start early. The CPR and the GT cannot possibly help each other in the early stages of the game. The necessary track for one (towards it's destination) cuts off the other until the first "6" train is bought. It can be messy! If the CPR doesn't start (unlikely), then the GT is home free.]
CV: Hey, who can resist a company called "Credit Valley"? One step short of Credit Pit. Still, it has all the advantages of the NYNH&H in 1830 - it starts in Toronto (which is essentially identical to NY in 1830) and has a good centralised location - better yet, it has 2 extra stations. Seems to me to be a very solid investment, but it lacks flair and has a somewhat inconvenient destination. Still, with the Wellington private you could set up some killer diesel runs, and you are placed to gain access to the entire centre of the board. Good one to plan to run for the entire game, but also a valid early-debt to CGR candidate. [Paul: The Credit Valley rates IMO as a good middle game starter. Although it starts in Toronto,
it is extremely limited until some track gets built up. It does not have the advantage of the NYNHH in that it cannot lay a token early and run several trains.]
LPS: Teams up well with the port (GLSC). It would be a toss-up between the LPS and the Welland if I had the GLSC private. Easy destination means good survivability. Otherwise, I think I'd probably pass, although if other companies (like the GW) start up in the vicinity it helps a lot. Still, a solid middle-term company. I don't think it's wise to allow posession of the Tunnel company to lure you into starting this company. Better to let someone else run the LPS and pay you $50 for the rights (which they probably won't, which should tell you something). [Paul: I rate the LPS right up there with the CPR as a solid first round starter if you can get the shipping company. That $20 token increases it's home city to a value
equal to London or Barrie (home cities of the GW and CPR, respectively) when the green tiles come out. If the first "3" train is bought in the first two ORs, the LPS can run for $160 with the port on its home city (only takes two trains!). Easy destination, but only one additional token.]
GW: Location, Location, Location - the GW has it. Decent early runs (although not as good as the board edge people), teams up well with the GLSC, and is set up to get some nice east-west runs. The only non-trivial snag is that the destination is west (and quite a ways away too) and you really want to be heading east. Still, I think this is one that should always start on the first stock round - not that it would necessarily be my first choice. [Paul: Agreed, the GW has an excellent starting location. Still, I rate the GW as the second company to start. Teamed with the LPS, the GW can rack up healthy profits. If the other players let you get both the LPS and the GW with the shipping company, it's Katy bar the door:
you're on your way to a huge pile of cash! The drawback of its destination is the major reason the GW is not a good first SR starter.]
BBG, WGB: Not nearly as nice as the others. Early runs are not very good and you have a hard time using multiple trains effectively. Still, they have acceptable early runs and the long-term potential is excellent since they have good centralised locations. Still, I wouldn't start them early personally, although they would have a very high priority later. Lousy destinations are kind of a drag (WGB's is in the wrong direction, BBG's is an eternity away down in the Welland's mess). Now that I think of it, IF you are late in the starting order with 6 people and IF everyone is starting a company and IF you feel compelled to do so as well, these might be good choices since everyone is going to be pretty screwed in the
short term, getting multiple 2 trains will be unlikely anyway, and these RR's have better long-term potential. [Paul: BBG and WGB have a big handicap with their location and destinations. I rate them as good for the late game when the destination rule no longer applies. You can either fold them into the CGR (after transferring all their cash to your earlier company) or work with them to buld up a good diesel run.]
CA: LPS and GW are much better, so there isn't much point. Good later starter though, or good for the LPS/GW director to pick up as an early second start if they cash out a big private early. CA's only strong point next to the GW is a destination that is at least in the right general direction. This is non-trivial, but I'd still personally take the GW or LPS easily. [Paul: Agreed also. The CA should only be started if the LPS and the GW are already operating. If the three work together, lots of good things can happen. Try to get two of the three (LPS, GW, and CA) or all three! Also, try to prevent someone else from getting a majority of these companies if at all possible. The combination of several companies
working together is too powerful! These three companies have the best prospects for cooperation, so watch for it!]
TGB, THB: Forget it in the initial stock round (the latter for obvious reasons, the former because it is initially too isolated and has a lousy destination). THB becomes hot property in the middle game, while the TGB can either be OK if the CPR and the GT are building track that way, or a long shot at best if not. I haven't seen a situation where the TGB would be a good investment before the 5 trains are out. [Paul: Agreed again. The TGB is an excellent choice for folding into the CGR, while the THB (although it has only one extra token) is an excellent company for the late stages of the game. Hamilton, although inaccessible in the early stages becomes the second most powerful city because of it's central location
and three stations.]
In terms of general strategy, for the players the first stock round seems critical. There appear to be
several viable investment strategies:
For corporate strategy, it seems to me that you just have to know whether you plan to fold into the CGR or remain solvent right from the start - because if you plan to fold, you should burn the company for everything it's worth in the early going. Rack up the loans, turn over your private companies, and in general run up a huge debt and never withold. Nothing is worse than struggling to stay solvent and then having to fold into the CGR anyway, except maybe managing to stay solvent but then having to buy a Deisel out of pocket. The risk is that people will eventually dump, and if the company can't pay off its excess loans, you can end up in quite a bit of trouble. If you plan to try to run the company until the end of the game, the key is stock value and balance. You'll need to take out loans to finance trains and builds in the early going, but you want to minimize and reliance on loans and witholding by rapidly reaching your destination and getting some shares in the bank pool. If you can talk somebody in to buying through your stock because the par is higher than the market price, this is good if you will only take a few hits when he dumps because of the shelf (50% of the stock in the bank pool will do wonders for your company). Balancing the need for capitilization with the need to get the best bang for your buck early in the game is critical. I don't think a company that starts at $65 a share has a very good chance of surviving, but higher pars will limit the number of shares you can buy (and return on investment). Still, if you plan to survive, I would think $80 a share is reasonable. [Paul: Profit taking is essentially "buying through", and is a very lucrative tactic. In general, it is not good to fold into the CGR. You exchange shares 2:1, and you can lose your shirt. especially if the CGR must borrow a diesel. You get no income from those shares until that diesel is paid off.]
There comes a point in running a company when you realize that there isn't a very good chance of it surviving, and if it does, it might have a 4 train and very little cash. This is to be avoided at all costs. If you don't know where your permanent train is coming from, you need to rack up the debt and go insolvent. The CGR is your saviour - it means you won't have to cough up $600+ for a deisel out of pocket (or worse yet, an 8 if you are playing with that option). The earlier you realise you are in for it, the better - because you can stop witholding and start paying out. Even more than in 1830, you need to know ASAP where your permanent train is coming from - preferably the moment you buy the 4, because that will be your last good chance to go into debt if you need to. [Paul: Agreed, long term planning is a must. There are certain circumstances where folding into the CGR is desirable. Try to avoid those circumstances, though (unless you're deliberately transferring all of said companies cash to your other company). Keep an eye on the other companies' cash and situations. It will be crucial to timing things later on.]
When it comes to getting a permanet train, the same strategies apply as in 1830 - a second company is profoundly helpful. Either you can run up massive debt with your first company and transfer the cash to the second, assuring it's survival with a permanent train (and assuring the first's demise, an important consideration), or you can have a 3 and two 4's between two companies, thus guaranteeing you an open slot when the train of choice is available. If you are sitting on a single company with a 3 and a 4, you are in deep trouble unless you have a sufficient cash - read, at least $900 - or are in a negative net worth situation. [Paul: I would say that "profoundly useful" is an understatement. Especially in 1856, a second company, especially the RIGHT second company is crucial to success.]
The CGR itself is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, in a normal situation it will borrow a deisel, pay it off in 3 ORs (maybe 2), and run for 3 or 6 (or maybe even 9) ORs for a healthy profit. On the other hand, if 3 or 4 companies go insolvent, and one has a 5 train, the CGR will be unable to lease a D (because it must take the 5), have no cash, and probably OK runs (a lot of companies will have better). So, if you had an early starter that went massively in debt in order to increase payoffs and avoid witholding, trading it in for CGR shares is fine. On the other hand, you don't want to be the company that started at $90, has a stock value on the high end of the average, and has been trying to stay in the black. I would think it would be best to think of the CGR as somthing that will save you from insolvency rather than somthing to aim to control. Sure, it's a pretty strong company, but by definition it starts with no cash and can't raise any except by witholding. A company that has a permanent train and a high stock value at the purchase of the first 6 seems to be a much better bet than the CGR. Once again, it pays to plan. If you see a lot of companies folding and the CGR having really killer runs, it might pay to start up a new company at $70-$80 a share, immediately go into debt to buy a 4 (or 5, although this might cripple the CGR and be a strategy unto itself), and then convert to CGR shares as soon as the 6 is bought. Just don't start the par too high, lest everyone buys your stock and makes you solvent when the 6 is bought! This would be embarassing if you bought the 4. This works even better if you know who is going to buy that first 6 and thus who is going to do the first conversion - if lots of companies are insolvant, people can be denied CGR shares because there aren't enough to go around, but I think this is highly unlikely - 5 or 6 companies (maybe 7) would have to go under. Anyway, the CGR is no Prussian, by any stretch of the imagination. Which is good. [Paul: The variations on the CGR range from very good to very bad. For the most part, however, I believe the CGR to reduce your position dramatically, and thus, folding into the CGR should be avoided in general. When you have a specific purpose, then yes, but not every time. Most of the people who fold into the CGR are those who haven't prepared adequately. Have fun!]
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