← All games

1880: China

Designer: Helmut Ohley, Leonhard "Lonny" Orgler

19th-century China with fixed operating order and personal foreign investors for each player.

View on BoardGameGeek → View the rulebook → View on Ludoya →

1880: China Contents

How it works

Setup

From ¥600 (3 players) to ¥300 (7); ¥37,860 bank
Auction of privates P0-P7, in order
New seating order: the player with the least cash starts
Each player picks a foreign investor for free
Then the 14 companies can be started

Operating round Continuous

Income from privates, investors and companies, in list order
1. Track: 1 yellow (2 from phase B) or 1 upgrade, if it holds the permit
2. Station: ¥40, later ¥100
3. Trains + share price bonus
4. Pay out (right) or withhold (left)
5. Buy trains (mandatory)

Stock round When the last train of a type sells

Sell (¥5 fee per share) and buy one share
Start a company: 20, 30 or 40% director's certificate, price 70 to 100
The company receives 5× the price on floating and the rest later
Then the [OR] resumes where it left off

↻ Repeats until the end

End

The last 8-train goes (bought or removed): each company operates 3 more times
Company assets and privates don't count
Most cash plus shares wins

Components

Players

Cash, shares and privates
Up to 100% of a company
Can't go bankrupt: debt grows by 50%

Companies

14, with a fixed home (4 in Beijing)
The director picks the certificate size and, with it, the building permits
3 stations each
Operate in par price order, not share price

Foreign investors

One per player
Lease the current train and withhold
Join their player's first company once the networks touch

Privates

Income until phase B3
Ferries, Taiwan, rivers, extra permit, BCR, the Rocket of China

Bank

All unsold shares (there's no pool)
Trains in 11 types

Where the money goes

Players Bank Privates and shares
Bank Companies Capital: 5× the price on floating, 5× more when the bank holds 5 shares or fewer
Companies Players Dividends
Companies Bank Trains, stations, terrain and ferries
Bank Players Private income and sales (minus ¥5 per share)
Foreign investors Companies The investor's treasury when it joins

Phases

Start

2 · ¥100

Floats at 20%; only 5 shares

1st 2+2

2+2 · ¥180

1st 3

3 · ¥180

Green; 2 yellows; floats at 30%; all shares

1st 3+3

3+3 · ¥300

3 trains

1st 4

4 · ¥300

2s rust; communist takeover: share prices frozen

1st 4+4

4+4 · ¥450

Brown; 2+2s rust

1st 6

6 · ¥600

3s rust; the stock market reopens; floats at 60%

1st 6E

6E · ¥700

3+3s rust; 2 trains

1st 8

8 · ¥800

Grey; 4s rust; stations at double price

1st 8E

8E · ¥900

4+4s rust

1st 10

10 · ¥1,000

There are no fixed stock rounds: one only happens when the last train of a type is sold (or removed).
A company without a permit for the current phase can't lay or upgrade track.

A round, step by step

Illustrative example with the real rules, 4 players with ¥480. We follow [PL1] and the [JHA], based in Beijing, from the private auction to the stock round triggered by the last 2-train.

Before starting Provisional order Phase A1

Numbered cards are dealt to set a provisional order. Whoever gets the 0 takes the priority locomotive and opens the auction for P0.

[PL1] cash

¥480

[JHA] treasury

—

[JHA] share price

—

[JHA] trains

—
First stock round Private auction Phase A1

Privates are auctioned from P0 to P7, each auction opened by the next player. When [P4] comes up, [PL1] takes it at the minimum price, ¥70. It pays ¥20 per [OR] and cuts river costs by ¥20.

Privates stop paying when the first 4-train is bought.

[PL1] cash

¥410

[JHA] treasury

—

[JHA] share price

—

[JHA] trains

—
First stock round Foreign investor Phase A1

With the privates sold, the table is reordered from least to most cash and each player picks a foreign investor, for free. [PL1] picks [A4], the German, based in Qingdao.

When [PL1] starts their first company, one of its shares will go to [A4]. Once the two networks touch, they'll join up.

[PL1] cash

¥410

[JHA] treasury

—

[JHA] share price

—

[JHA] trains

—
First stock round Starting the [JHA] Phase A1

[PL1] buys the [JHA] director's certificate: they pick the 20% one and a ¥70 par price, and pay ¥140. With 20%, they get building permits for three consecutive phases: they choose A, B and C.

A 30% director gets permits for 2 phases and a 40% director for one.

[PL1] cash

¥270

[JHA] treasury

—

[JHA] share price

¥70

[JHA] trains

—
First stock round One more share, then float Phase A1

On another turn they buy one more share at ¥70. At the end of the round, the [JHA] floats (20% is enough in phase A1) and receives 5× the price: ¥350. Its home station goes in Beijing.

The other half of the capital arrives when, after the first 3-train, the bank holds 5 shares or fewer.

[PL1] cash

¥200

[JHA] treasury

¥350

[JHA] share price

¥70

[JHA] trains

—
Operating round 1 Income and investors Phase A1

Privates pay first: [PL1] collects ¥20 from [P4]. Then the foreign investors operate and, finally, the companies, from highest to lowest par price.

[PL1] cash

¥220

[JHA] treasury

¥350

[JHA] share price

¥70

[JHA] trains

—
Operating round 1 Towards Tianjin Phase A1

Beijing is already printed on the map. In phase A only one yellow can be laid: the [JHA] lays it at Tianjin, the neighbouring city. It also places a station there for ¥40.

[PL1] cash

¥220

[JHA] treasury

¥310

[JHA] share price

¥70

[JHA] trains

—
Operating round 1 No train, move left Phase A1

No train: it pays nothing and the share price moves one space left, from ¥70 to ¥65.

[PL1] cash

¥220

[JHA] treasury

¥310

[JHA] share price

¥65

[JHA] trains

—
Operating round 1 Two 2-trains Phase A1

A company must end its turn with a train. The [JHA] buys two at ¥100.

The train purchase marker goes next to the [JHA] on the order list.

[PL1] cash

¥220

[JHA] treasury

¥110

[JHA] share price

¥65

[JHA] trains

2 + 2
Operating round 2 The trains run Phase A1

[PL1] collects ¥20 again. One 2-train runs Beijing (20) – Tianjin (20): ¥40. The other can't find a route without reusing track.

Trains of the same company may not share any stretch of track, not even a junction.

[PL1] cash

¥240

[JHA] treasury

¥110

[JHA] share price

¥65

[JHA] trains

2 + 2
Operating round 2 Paying out Phase A1

It pays ¥4 per share. [PL1] holds three and collects ¥12. Bank shares and [A4]'s share get nothing. The share price moves right: back to ¥70.

Some stock market spaces give a bonus: 10× the small number, every [OR].

[PL1] cash

¥252

[JHA] treasury

¥110

[JHA] share price

¥70

[JHA] trains

2 + 2
Operating round 2 The last 2-train Phase A1

The [JHA] buys a third 2-train for ¥100. It was the last one in the bank: the [OR] pauses and there's a stock round.

If a full lap of the list goes by with nobody buying a train, the rest of that type are removed and there's a stock round too.

[PL1] cash

¥252

[JHA] treasury

¥10

[JHA] share price

¥70

[JHA] trains

2 + 2 + 2
Stock round 2 Buying in between Phase A1

[PL1] buys another [JHA] share at ¥70. When everyone passes, the [OR] resumes from the [JHA], which is still in its train-buying step.

Selling costs ¥5 per share and drops the share price one space per share.

[PL1] cash

¥182

[JHA] treasury

¥10

[JHA] share price

¥70

[JHA] trains

2 + 2 + 2
The OR resumes What now? Phase A1

The next train is the 2+2. With the first 3, phase B arrives: green, two yellows per turn and, if the bank holds 5 shares or fewer, the other half of the [JHA]'s capital. With the first 4, the communist takeover will freeze the stock market.

[PL1] cash

¥182

[JHA] treasury

¥10

[JHA] share price

¥70

[JHA] trains

2 + 2 + 2

1880 China — Summary

Capitalization type

Half capitalization, in two stages: upon floating (once 20%, 30%, or 40% has sold, depending on the size chosen by the director), the company receives only 5 times its par price from the bank. Once the remaining 5 shares have been sold and, in addition, type 3 trains are out, it automatically receives the rest of its capital (the other 5 times the par price).

Floats initially at 20% of shares sold; this floating threshold rises to 30%, 40%, and finally 60% as the game advances (phase events), for all corporations that haven't floated yet
No per-player ownership limit: a single player may hold up to 100% of a corporation
Certificate limit per player: 3 players — 20; 4 players — 16; 5 players — 14; 6 players — 12; 7 players — 11

Starting cash by player count

3 players: ¥600 starting cash
4 players: ¥480 starting cash
5 players: ¥400 starting cash
6 players: ¥340 starting cash
7 players: ¥300 starting cash
The bank is unlimited (no fixed amount of money)

End game triggers

The second-to-last 8-train (the second of the two available) is bought: 3 more operating rounds are played and the game ends

Number of phases

11 phases (A1, A2, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1, D2, D3), triggered by the purchase of the first train of each corresponding type
Building permits (B, C, D) unlock progressively and restrict which companies can lay track based on their current permit

Train list and prices

2 train — ¥100 (rusts with the first 4-train) — 10 units
2+2 train — ¥180 (rusts with the first 4+4-train) — 5 units
3 train — ¥180 (rusts with the first 6-train) — 5 units
3+3 train — ¥300 (rusts with the first 6E-train) — 5 units
4 train — ¥300 (rusts with the first 8-train) — 5 units
4+4 train — ¥450 (rusts with the first 8E-train) — 5 units
6 train — ¥600 — 5 units
6E train — ¥700 — 5 units
8 train — ¥800 — only 2 units (buying the second one triggers the game end)
8E train — ¥900 — 2 units
10 train — ¥1,000, unlimited
2R (Rocket) train — ¥250 — 10 units, available from phase C2 onward

List of private companies

Woosong Railway (P0) — ¥5 — a one-off payment of ¥40/70/100 when the last 2+2/3/3+3 train is purchased
Kaiping Railway (P1) — ¥10, revenue ¥5 — no special power
Yanda Ferry Company (P2) — ¥25, revenue ¥10 — the owner uses all ferries for free
Taiwan Western Line (P3) — ¥45, revenue ¥15 — Taiwan is worth +¥20 for the owner
Chinese Rivers Ferry Companies (P4) — ¥70, revenue ¥20 — ¥20 discount when building on river hexes
Jeme Tien Yow Engineer Office (P5) — ¥100, revenue ¥25 — grants a Phase D building permit to one company
Imperial Qing Government (P6) — ¥160 — the owner receives the BCR's 20% director's certificate
Rocket of China (P7) — ¥50 — can be exchanged for an available train, with a forced exchange into the second 4-train

List of corporations

Jingha Railway (JHA) — home at F8
Jinghu Railway (JHU) — home at F8
Jingguang Railway (JGG) — home at F8
Jinglan Railway (JLR) — home at F8
Binzhou Railway (BZU) — home at B8
Longhai Railway (LHR) — home at J2
Schichang Railway (SCR) — home at N12
Chengkun Railway (CKR) — home at O5
Baocheng Railway (BCR) — home at M3
Ningxi Railway (NXR) — home at J6
Hukun Railway (HKR) — home at K15
Nanjiang Railway (NJR) — home at K13
Qinshen Railway (QSR) — home at D12
Wunan Railway (WNR) — home at L10
Plus 7 "foreign investors" (shareless minors, one per player): Russian (A3), Japanese (E13), Belgian (H6), German (H14), British (Q15), Portuguese (P12), and French (Q7)

Game-specific mechanics

Fixed operating order based on the chosen par price, with no relation to stock market position, and it never changes afterward
The operating round ends when trains of a given type are exhausted, not when every company has operated
The director chooses a 20%, 30%, or 40% stake when founding, which determines how many construction phases the company can build during (3, 2, or 1 respectively)
Personal foreign investors that lay track and pay dividends directly to the player; they merge with that player's first floated company once the tracks connect
Only 4 slots available for each par price

Emergency sell

Starts the same way as 1830 — treasury, then the president's personal cash — and the president can still choose to sell personal shares as usual. But if cash is still short afterward, the game automatically extends the president a personal bank loan for the remainder, at the standard 50% interest, rather than requiring further share sales or risking bankruptcy. Cross-corporation train purchases during the emergency are blocked outright.

Comparison with 1830

1. Fixed operating order, determined by the par price
In 1830, the order in which companies operate is set by their position on the stock market and changes every round. In 1880, the operating order is fixed from the moment the company is founded, based on the chosen par price, and never changes again. There are only 4 slots available for each par price, so once they're filled, no other company can be founded at that price.

2. The operating round doesn't end when every company has operated
In 1830 an operating round ends when every company has taken its turn. In 1880 the operating round ends when all trains of a given type have been exhausted. This means that if trains are bought slowly, the same company might end up operating several times within a single round; and if they're bought very quickly, some company might not get to operate at all in that round.

3. The director chooses between three ownership stakes, with different construction phases
In 1830 the founder always buys 20% (the president's certificate). In 1880, when founding a company, you choose between a director's stake of 20%, 30%, or 40%. This choice isn't purely financial: a company with a 40% director can only build during one construction phase, a 30% one during two phases, and a 20% one during up to three phases. The smaller the initial stake, the more building flexibility the company has.

4. Personal foreign investors
A mechanic with no equivalent in 1830: each player receives their own "foreign investor," a sort of mini-company that can lay track and pay dividends directly to the player. A player's foreign investor becomes tied to the first company that player floats, and when the investor's track and the company's track connect, they merge, transferring all of the investor's money to the company.

5. Limited number of par price slots
Each available par price only has 4 slots. In 1830 there is no limit of this kind: any number of companies can be founded at the same par price (subject to certificate availability).

6. More rigid long-term planning
Since the operating order never changes once set, choosing a par price in 1880 is a much more permanent and strategic decision than in 1830, where market position (and therefore operating order) is constantly reshuffled based on each company's performance.

7. Unpredictable operating round pace
Since the operating round doesn't have a fixed number of turns per company, the pace of play in 1880 is more unpredictable than in 1830: you need to keep an eye on how many trains of a given type remain available in order to anticipate when the current round will end.

8. Theme and map: 19th-century China
1880's backdrop is the development of Chinese railways, with its own map and network of cities, completely different from 1830's northeastern US corridor.

Related games

More games by Helmut Ohley

More games by Leonhard "Lonny" Orgler

A term you do not recognise? They are all explained in the 18xx glossary. Glossary →