From: shoham@ll.mit.edu (Daniel Shoham)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: 1830:  More track construction
Date: 6 Jan 93 00:32:22 GMT
Organization: MIT Lincoln Laboratory

In article <C0E85s.7JI.2@cs.cmu.edu> rollins+@cs.cmu.edu (Gene Rollins) writes:
>
>Well, technically, the ERIE's hex is tinted yellow.  So, the ERIE CAN
>lay its token on its home base without laying a green tile on it.  It
>cannot make a legal route from that base until the green tiles are
>available. But, if the ERIE buys the D&H private company it can then lay
>its second token on the D&H hex and lay track from there forming a legal
>route.  I've never seen it done that way, but it is possible. ......gene

Of course, the D&H cannot be bought by the Eire until the 3 trains are
"broken" and availing the green tiles anyhow.

Nonetheless, I have seen (and used) plays that involve starting the Eire
prior to green tile availability (but only in very unusual games!). An
example of such a game (4 players) was one of those games where none of
the starting companies (B&O, C&O, PRR) wanted to buy out the last 2-trains
(realizing that as soon as the 3-trains are broken, the private companies
would be all bought out, new companies started and the 2-trains would be
outdated without even running once).
Our hero did not start a cooperation at first (too much money sank into the
private companies), but a bit later started the NYC (!). He then had the
NYC build toward the D&H (!) tile in it's 1st turns of operations (losing
a turn of income in the process!). Next, in the stock round, each player
started a new cooperation (hence getting all 8 companies into play before
the first 3 train was bought). Our hero started the Eire $high (he would
have preferred to start the CP, but as the 3rd player to move had to
choose between the Eire and the B&M). During the operating round,
the NYC moved 1st and continued building toward the D&H tile. The NYC
bought the last 2-train and three 3-trains. The Eire moved next and
played the D&H tile (without ever developing the home station). NYNH moved
next - but it was too late - it could not connect to the NYC starting tile
(Albany) before the Eire dropped it's last token there (next operating
round). After that our hero had control of the approaches to both northern
and southern New York. With the NYC and Eire stationed in both Albany and
the D&H tile, and having 5 trains between them - all of which had NY in
their run - our hero was raking in the cash.
Later in the game, the two companies had a 5 and a 6 train making the run
from northern New york to D&H to southern New York to Philadelphia {to
Baltimore} making $260 and $320 per operating round - not bad for a 5 and
a 6 train.
What's more, with the exception of the NYNH (which is allready there), no
other cooperation could gain access to the lucrative New York market.
The Eire home station was never placed (preventing other companies from
using that tile)!!
(Our hero, naturally, won by a wide margin - even after all three
opponents decided - late in the game - to join forces against him).

Rule question that that particular game raised:
Must the Eire place it's free token if it can? we assumed it is not
required to.


Dan Shoham               shoham@ll.mit.edu
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