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1849: The Game of Sicilian Railways

Designer: Federico Vellani

Sicily with three track gauges, terrain that always costs money, and trains that count hexes, not cities.

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1849: The Game of Sicilian Railways Contents

How it works

Setup
  • Starting cash: L. 500 (3 players), L. 375 (4) or L. 300 (5); L. 7,760 bank
  • Place cards set the order in which the companies come out (5 or 6)
  • Initial stock round: buy the cheapest private at its price or bid on a pricier one
  • The [RSA] comes with the president's certificate of the first company
  • The game starts in phase 4H
Stock round ×1
  • Turn: sell as many shares as you like, then buy one
  • Start the next company in line: price L. 68 or L. 100 (later 144 and 216)
  • The president pays for the 20% and up to two more 10%: it goes to the treasury
  • Treasury shares are bought at market price and the money goes to the company
  • At the end: shares in the open market go down; nothing left to sell goes up
Operating round ×1-3
  • Private income
  • Each company, highest share price first:
  • 1. One tile: lay or upgrade
  • 2. One station (already paid for on founding)
  • 3. Run trains: pay out or withhold
  • 4. Buy trains
  • 5. Sell treasury shares or buy one back
↻ Repeats until the end
End
  • A share price reaches L. 377: the game ends when that company finishes operating
  • The bank runs out: the set of operating rounds finishes
  • Only one player is left in the game
  • Most cash plus shares wins (–L. 750 per emergency loan)

Components

Players
  • Cash
  • Shares (max. 60% of a company)
  • Privates (count toward the certificate limit)
Companies
  • Incremental capitalisation: a treasury with shares to sell
  • 20% president, six 10% shares and a 20% "last certificate"
  • Three stations, paid for on founding
  • Treasury and trains
Privates
  • 5 privates with fixed income
  • Abilities: half-price track, port bonus, coastal station
  • Close with the first 12H train
Bank
  • L. 7,760 bank
  • Open market (max. 50% of a company)
  • New trains
Map
  • Broad gauge, narrow gauge and mixed track
  • Trains count hexes, not stops
  • Narrow gauge counts double (the reverse for the R6H)
  • Pricey hills and mountains; narrow gauge pays a quarter

Where the money goes

  • Players Companies Buying treasury shares, always at share price
  • Players Bank Buying privates and open market shares
  • Bank Players Dividends, private income, share sales
  • Bank Companies Withheld revenue, dividends on its own shares, sale of treasury shares
  • Companies Bank Trains, terrain and stations
  • Companies Players Buying privates (phases 6H to 10H)

Phases

4H
Start
4H · L. 100
Yellow; 1 operating round; 4-train limit
6H
1st 6H train
6H · L. 200
Green; 2 operating rounds; companies buy privates; L. 144 par price
8H
1st 8H train
8H · L. 350
4Hs removed; limit of 3; grey cities at middle value
10H
1st 10H train
10H · L. 550
Brown; 3 operating rounds; 6Hs removed; limit of 2; L. 216 par price
12H
1st 12H train
12H · L. 800
Privates close; Messina earthquake; grey cities at high value
16H
1st 16H train
16H · L. 1,100 · R6H · L. 350
8Hs removed; share price can enter the blue zone
  • The share price only rises if the total dividend is equal to or greater than the share price.
  • If a company reaches the closing space, it disappears and its shareholders lose everything.

A round, step by step

Starts with the rulebook's auction example (section 8, 4 players with L. 375) and carries on with an illustrative example using the real rules. We follow [PL1], who starts the [CTL] in Marsala, through the first two stock rounds and the operating rounds that follow them.

  1. Before starting Company order Phase 4H

    Place cards decide the order: here the first is the [RCS] (Palermo) and the second the [CTL] (Marsala). Nobody chooses which company to start: it's always the next one in line.

    [PL1] cash
    L. 375
    [CTL] treasury
    —
    [CTL] share price
    —
    [CTL] trains
    —
  2. Initial stock round Bids Phase 4H

    The [SCE] is on sale for L. 20. Instead of buying it, [PL1] bids L. 115 on the [SMS], [PL2] bids L. 120 and [PL3] bids L. 80 on the [CNM]. [PL4] buys the [SCE] for L. 20.

    Bid money is set aside until that private is resolved.

    [PL1] cash
    L. 375
    [CTL] treasury
    —
    [CTL] share price
    —
    [CTL] trains
    —
  3. Initial stock round The [SIGI] and the auction Phase 4H

    Now it's the [SIGI]'s turn, and [PL1] buys it for L. 45. That triggers the bids: the [CNM] goes to [PL3] for L. 80, and [PL1] and [PL2] fight over the [SMS]. [PL1] doesn't want to go to L. 125, passes and gets back the L. 115 they'd set aside.

    The [SIGI] pays L. 10 a round and, owned by a company, makes broad-gauge track half price on hills and mountains.

    [PL1] cash
    L. 330
    [CTL] treasury
    —
    [CTL] share price
    —
    [CTL] trains
    —
  4. Initial stock round The [RSA] Phase 4H

    [PL2] buys the [RSA] for L. 150 and with it the [RCS] president's certificate. No privates are left: shares can now be bought.

    [PL1] cash
    L. 330
    [CTL] treasury
    —
    [CTL] share price
    —
    [CTL] trains
    —
  5. Stock round 1 Starting the [CTL] Phase 4H

    [PL1] starts the company next in line, the [CTL], at L. 100. They pay for the president's certificate (20%) and a 10% share: L. 300, which goes to the treasury. The [CTL] pays L. 40 for its three stations and places one in Marsala.

    They could have bought up to 40% on founding. The other shares stay in the company's treasury.

    [PL1] cash
    L. 30
    [CTL] treasury
    L. 260
    [CTL] share price
    L. 100
    [CTL] trains
    —
  6. Stock round 1 A partner Phase 4H

    [PL3] buys a 10% [CTL] share from the treasury at L. 100. The money goes to the company. At the end of the round the [CTL] still has shares in its treasury: the share price doesn't move.

    [PL1] cash
    L. 30
    [CTL] treasury
    L. 360
    [CTL] share price
    L. 100
    [CTL] trains
    —
  7. Operating round 1 Income and Mazzara Phase 4H

    [PL1] collects L. 10 from the [SIGI]. The [CTL] lays a yellow town in Mazzara, next to Marsala. It's flat and costs nothing.

    Around Marsala there are mountains costing L. 160 for broad gauge, and just L. 40 for narrow gauge.

    [PL1] cash
    L. 40
    [CTL] treasury
    L. 360
    [CTL] share price
    L. 100
    [CTL] trains
    —
  8. Operating round 1 No train Phase 4H

    No trains, no revenue. The share price moves one column left: from L. 100 to L. 90.

    [PL1] cash
    L. 40
    [CTL] treasury
    L. 360
    [CTL] share price
    L. 90
    [CTL] trains
    —
  9. Operating round 1 A 4H train Phase 4H

    Since it has a route, it must own a train: it buys a 4H for L. 100. It can run up to 4 hexes of broad-gauge track.

    [PL1] cash
    L. 40
    [CTL] treasury
    L. 260
    [CTL] share price
    L. 90
    [CTL] trains
    4H
  10. Stock round 2 A quiet round Phase 4H

    With L. 40, [PL1] can't afford a [CTL] share (L. 90) and passes. The [CTL] has shares in its treasury and none in the open market: the share price stays put.

    [PL1] cash
    L. 40
    [CTL] treasury
    L. 260
    [CTL] share price
    L. 90
    [CTL] trains
    4H
  11. Operating round 2 The 4H runs Phase 4H

    [PL1] collects L. 10 from the [SIGI]. The train runs Trapani (20) – Marsala (20) – Mazzara (10): L. 50, using only 2 of its 4 hexes.

    A route needs two cities, or a city and a town. Narrow gauge counts each hex as two.

    [PL1] cash
    L. 50
    [CTL] treasury
    L. 260
    [CTL] share price
    L. 90
    [CTL] trains
    4H
  12. Operating round 2 Paying out Phase 4H

    The [CTL] pays L. 5 per 10%. [PL1] (30%) collects L. 15 and [PL3] L. 5. The 60% still in the treasury collects for the company: L. 30. Since L. 50 doesn't reach the share price (L. 90), it doesn't rise.

    Had it withheld, it would have moved left.

    [PL1] cash
    L. 65
    [CTL] treasury
    L. 290
    [CTL] share price
    L. 90
    [CTL] trains
    4H
  13. Operating round 2 A second 4H Phase 4H

    It buys another 4H for L. 100. Two are left in the bank: when they're gone the 6H comes out, and with it green tiles.

    [PL1] cash
    L. 65
    [CTL] treasury
    L. 190
    [CTL] share price
    L. 90
    [CTL] trains
    4H + 4H
  14. Operating round 2 Selling its own share Phase 4H

    In the last step, the [CTL] sells a 10% treasury share to the open market at L. 90. The money goes to the company and the share price drops one row: to L. 86.

    Not allowed in the company's first operating round. The 20% "last certificate" doesn't come out until no 10% shares are left.

    [PL1] cash
    L. 65
    [CTL] treasury
    L. 280
    [CTL] share price
    L. 86
    [CTL] trains
    4H + 4H
  15. Towards stock round 3 What now? Phase 4H

    At the end of stock round 3, if that share is still in the open market, the [CTL] will drop another row. [PL1] only holds 30%: if [PL3] gets more, they'll take the presidency. With L. 280, the [CTL] can think about crossing the mountains with narrow gauge, which is four times cheaper.

    [PL1] cash
    L. 65
    [CTL] treasury
    L. 280
    [CTL] share price
    L. 86
    [CTL] trains
    4H + 4H

1849 Sicilian Railways — Summary

Capitalization type

  • Incremental capitalization with no par value: when founded, the president buys the President's Share (20%) plus up to two more individual shares (40% total) in one block at market price, and all of that money goes to the treasury. From then on, the only way to raise more capital is by issuing shares later, never during the company's first operating round.

Floating percentage and per-player share limits

  • Floats once 20% of shares are sold for every corporation
  • No player may hold more than 60% (6 of 10 certificates) of a single corporation
  • Certificate limit per player: 3 players — 12; 4 players — 11 (9 with the optional reduced-corporations- at-4-players rule); 5 players — 9

Starting cash by player count

  • 3 players: L.500 starting cash
  • 4 players: L.375 starting cash
  • 5 players: L.300 starting cash
  • The bank always starts with L.7,760, regardless of player count

End game triggers

  • A player goes bankrupt: immediate end
  • The bank runs out of money: the current full operating round set is finished
  • A corporation reaches the highest space on the stock market (L.377): the game ends right after that corporation finishes operating (no need to wait for the rest of the set)

Number of phases

  • 6 phases (4H, 6H, 8H, 10H, 12H, 16H), triggered by the purchase of the first train of each type

Train list and prices

  • 4H train — L.100 (4 units; rusts once the first 8H-train is bought)
  • 6H train — L.200 (3 or 4 units depending on player count; rusts once the first 10H-train is bought; unlocks parring at L.144)
  • 8H train — L.350 (2 or 3 units depending on player count; rusts once the first 16H-train is bought)
  • 10H train — L.550 (2 units; unlocks parring at L.216)
  • 12H train — L.800 (1 unit; buying it closes the privates and triggers the Messina earthquake)
  • 16H train — L.1,100 (4 or 5 units depending on player count)
  • R6H train — L.350 (2 units, available from Phase 16H; a reduced version that only counts broad-gauge track)
  • Every train counts hexes of track traveled, not cities visited

List of private companies

  • SCE - Società Corriere Etnee — L.20, revenue 5, blocks Acireale (G13) while owned by a player
  • SIGI - Studio di Ingegneria Giuseppe Incorpora — L.45, revenue 10, the owning corporation builds or upgrades at half cost on mountain, hill, or rough terrain (standard gauge)
  • CNM - Compagnia Navale Mediterranea — L.75, revenue 15, the owning corporation may close it to place a permanent +L.20 marker on any port
  • SMS - Società Marittima Siciliana — L.110, revenue 20, the owning corporation may close it to "teleport" to any coastal city instead of its normal tile and token steps, building and/or tokening there
  • RSA - Reale Società d'Affari — L.150, revenue 25, cannot be sold to a corporation; comes with the first president's share of the associated corporation; closes when that corporation buys its first train (or otherwise at the start of Phase 12H)

List of corporations

  • AFG - Azienda Ferroviaria Garibaldi — no fixed home; the president chooses on floating among Caltanissetta (H8), Messina (B14), Ragusa (M11), Terranova (M9), or Trapani (C1)
  • ATA - Azienda Trasporti Archimede — home at M13
  • CTL - Compagnia Trasporti Lilibeo — home at E1
  • IFT - Impresa Ferroviaria Trinacria — home at H12
  • RCS - Rete Centrale Sicula — home at C5
  • SFA - Società Ferroviaria Akragas — home at J6
  • With 3 players (or 4 with the matching optional rule), one corporation is randomly removed during game setup

Game-specific mechanics

  • No par value: everything is bought and sold at the current market price
  • A share's price only rises if the dividend paid is equal to or greater than its current market price
  • Three track gauges: standard (black), narrow (hatched, terrain cost ÷4 but counts double in hexes), and dual/white (wildcard, adopts the type of the track it connects to)
  • Terrain cost is always paid, even when upgrading an already-built tile
  • The order in which corporations can float is determined randomly before the game begins
  • Semi-restrictive tile upgrades: must add new track or improve the value of an already accessible city
  • In the stock round, players sell first and then buy, with no alternating

Emergency sell

Matches the 1830 baseline — treasury first, then the president's personal cash, then a forced sale of any shares the president personally holds — with one added wrinkle: a corporation's own shares can't be sold to cover its own emergency until that corporation has already completed at least one operating round. Some editions also offer a voluntary Bonds system that lets a corporation borrow from the bank ahead of time to avoid ever reaching that point.

Comparison with 1830

1. Setting and map
1830 covers the northeastern United States with a large map. 1849 takes place in Sicily, an island with a more compact and mountainous map, where terrain (and three different track gauges) shapes every routing decision far more than in 1830.

2. There is no par value
In 1830 each company starts at a par price chosen by its founder. In 1849 this concept doesn't exist: all share trades always happen at the company's current market price, with no distinction between par price and market price.

3. The share price only rises if the dividend is high enough
In 1830, every time a company pays a dividend, its price marker advances one space automatically. In 1849 this isn't automatic: the price only rises if the dividend paid per share is equal to or greater than the share's current market price. If the payout is low relative to its price, the marker stays where it is.

4. Trains count hexes, not city revenue
In 1830, a train of a given size visits a set number of cities and adds up their revenue values. In 1849, a "6H" train, for example, runs through any six hexes of track—whether there's a city there or it's plain track—and the score depends on the route taken, not on how many stops "count." This completely changes how an optimal network is designed.

5. Three track gauges, with a wildcard
There is no equivalent in 1830. In 1849 there are standard tracks (black), narrow tracks (hatched, which cost a quarter of the usual terrain cost but count double for train length), and dual/white tracks, which act as a wildcard: connected to a black track they count as standard, connected to a narrow one they count as narrow.

6. Float order is randomly predetermined
In 1830, players freely decide which company to found and when. In 1849 there are six corporations, and the order in which they can be founded is determined randomly before the game begins: only the first available company in the queue can be floated, not whichever one a player wants. This distributes who gets access to which company based on the buying order in the stock round.

Related games

Expansions and variants

More games by Federico Vellani

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