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18ZOO

Designer: Paolo Russo

An 18xx starring anthropomorphic zoo animals, with an innovative stock market design and games of about two hours.

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18ZOO Contents

How it works

Setup
  • Choose a map: A-C (5 families) or D-F (7 families)
  • Cash by map and player count (map A with 3 players: 28$N)
  • 2 or 3 ZOOTickets per player, worth 4$N to 20$N
  • Initial round: from last player to first, each buys a power (1-3$N) or passes
Stock round ×3 (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday)
  • Order: whoever has the most cash starts
  • Sell, then buy one share or one power
  • Start a family: president's certificate (40%) at 5, 6 or 7; later at 9 or 12 with a bonus
  • The family lays track at home the moment it's started
  • Neighbour rule: each new family must be next to those already in play
  • 4 new powers every stock round
Operating round ×2 (×3 on Wednesday)
  • Each share in the market gives its family 2$N
  • Each family, highest share price first:
  • 1. Two yellows, or one yellow and one upgrade (hill 1$N, mountain 2$N)
  • 2. One station
  • 3. Run the squirrels (trains)
  • 4. Pay the space's fixed dividend or withhold
  • 5. Buy trains (must own one); powers at any time
↻ Repeats until the end
End
  • Fixed length: ends with operating round 3.3
  • Or at the end of the operating round in which a family reaches 24$N
  • Cash, shares and ZOOTickets (20$N each) score, minus penalties
  • No bankruptcy: the bank advances the shortfall and double is deducted at the end

Components

Players
  • Cash in $N (1$N = 25 nuts)
  • Family shares
  • ZOOTickets and up to 3 powers
Families
  • Crocodiles, giraffes, polar bears, penguins, lions, tigers…
  • 40% president + 20% shares; the sixth arrives on Wednesday
  • Incremental capitalisation: each share pays the share price into the treasury
  • Squirrels (trains) and up to 3 powers
Powers
  • 20 powers from 1 to 3$N, instead of privates
  • Each breaks a rule: illegal track, extra stations, bonuses…
  • Families can buy them from players
Bank and market
  • Unlimited bank
  • Each market space: price, route threshold and fixed dividend
  • On the blue row, an extra bonus for the president
Map
  • Ponds: 10 nuts and 1$N to the treasury, don't count as a stop
  • Hills and mountains that can't be upgraded
  • Red off-boards: 30, later 60

Where the money goes

  • Players Families Buying [IPO] shares, and money from a cashed-in ZOOTicket
  • Players Bank and market Buying powers and market shares
  • Bank and market Players Fixed dividend per share, president's bonus, sales
  • Families Bank and market Trains, hills, mountains and stations
  • Bank and market Families Withholding (1$N per 25 nuts), ponds, 2$N per share in the market
  • Families Players Buying a power from a player

Phases

2S
Start
2S · 7$N (one per player)
4-train limit
3S
1st 3S
3S · 12$N
Start at 9: +5$N and 2 yellows
4S
1st 4S
4S · 20$N
2Ss rust; limit 3
4S Perm
1st 4S Perm
4S Perm · 20$N
Start at 12: +10$N and 4 yellows
5S
1st 5S
5S · 30$N
3Ss rust; limit 2
4J
1st 4J or 2J
4J · 47$N or 2J · 37$N (double the route)
3S Long and 4S become obsolete
  • The share price only moves on if the route reaches the space's threshold: steadily growing revenue beats one big hit.
  • Buying a new train moves it on one space; if it's the first of its type, one more.

A round, step by step

Illustrative example with 18xx.games rules, map A with 3 players (28$N each). We follow [P1] and the Polar Bears [PB] through Monday: the initial round, the stock round and the two operating rounds.

  1. Before starting Cash and ZOOTickets Phase 2S

    Each player starts with 28$N and 3 ZOOTickets. Right now each ZOOTicket is worth 4$N; kept until the end, it'll be worth 20.

    A ZOOTicket can be cashed in during a family's turn: the money can go to the treasury and the change stays with the player.

    [P1] cash
    28$N
    [PB] treasury
    —
    [PB] share price
    —
    [PB] trains
    —
  2. Initial round A power Phase 2S

    4 powers are on offer. From last player to first, each buys one or passes. [P1] buys Leprechaun pot of gold for 2$N, which gives them 2$N straight away and 2$N more at the start of every stock round.

    [P1] cash
    28$N
    [PB] treasury
    —
    [PB] share price
    —
    [PB] trains
    —
  3. Stock round 1 (Monday) Whoever has the most cash Phase 2S

    At the start of the round, the Leprechaun pays 2$N. Stock round order is set by cash: [P1], with 30$N, goes first.

    The Midas power lets you skip this rule and jump to the front.

    [P1] cash
    30$N
    [PB] treasury
    —
    [PB] share price
    —
    [PB] trains
    —
  4. Stock round 1 (Monday) Starting the Polar Bears Phase 2S

    [P1] starts the Polar Bears [H3] at 7$N. The president's certificate counts as two shares: they pay 14$N, which goes to the treasury. The family immediately lays a yellow tile at home and will operate this Monday.

    The president's certificate alone is enough to float.

    [P1] cash
    16$N
    [PB] treasury
    14$N
    [PB] share price
    7$N
    [PB] trains
    —
  5. Stock round 1 (Monday) The neighbour rule Phase 2S

    Now [P2] can only start a family next to the bears: the Giraffes [H2] or the Penguins [H4]. They pick the Penguins, and from now on new families must carry on towards [H5], [H6]…

    With 5 players there's no neighbour rule.

    [P1] cash
    16$N
    [PB] treasury
    14$N
    [PB] share price
    7$N
    [PB] trains
    —
  6. Stock round 1 (Monday) One more share Phase 2S

    [P1] buys a 20% Polar Bears share at 7$N. With incremental capitalisation, the money goes to the treasury. Then everyone passes.

    [P1] cash
    9$N
    [PB] treasury
    21$N
    [PB] share price
    7$N
    [PB] trains
    —
  7. Operating round 1.1 Two tiles Phase 2S

    ZOOTickets are now worth 5$N. The bears lay two yellows; one is on a hill and costs 1$N.

    You can do yellow + yellow or yellow + upgrade, in either order.

    [P1] cash
    9$N
    [PB] treasury
    20$N
    [PB] share price
    7$N
    [PB] trains
    —
  8. Operating round 1.1 No squirrel Phase 2S

    They have no train yet: no route, zero withheld, and the share price moves back one space, from 7$N to 6$N.

    [P1] cash
    9$N
    [PB] treasury
    20$N
    [PB] share price
    6$N
    [PB] trains
    —
  9. Operating round 1.1 A 2S, and a step forward Phase 2S

    They buy a 2S squirrel for 7$N. Buying a new train moves the share price on one space: back to 7$N.

    [P1] cash
    9$N
    [PB] treasury
    13$N
    [PB] share price
    7$N
    [PB] trains
    2S
  10. Operating round 1.2 The route Phase 2S

    The 2S runs from home (20) to a red off-board (30) via a pond (10): 60 nuts. The pond doesn't count as a stop and also puts 1$N into the treasury.

    You need at least two real stops (stations or off-boards); ponds are added for free.

    [P1] cash
    9$N
    [PB] treasury
    14$N
    [PB] share price
    7$N
    [PB] trains
    2S
  11. Operating round 1.2 Short of the threshold Phase 2S

    The 7$N space needs a 100-nut route to move on, and they make 60. They pay out anyway: the dividend doesn't depend on the route, it's the space's fixed amount, 1$N per share. [P1] holds 3 (the president's counts double) and collects 3$N. The share price doesn't move.

    If they withheld, they'd collect 3$N (60 ÷ 25, rounded up) and move back one space.

    [P1] cash
    12$N
    [PB] treasury
    14$N
    [PB] share price
    7$N
    [PB] trains
    2S
  12. Operating round 1.2 The first 3S Phase 3S

    All three 2Ss have been sold. The bears buy the first 3S for 12$N and move on two spaces: one for a new train and one for being the first of its type. Phase 3S begins: green tiles are now available.

    A 3S will rust with the first 5S; the 2S, with the first 4S.

    [P1] cash
    12$N
    [PB] treasury
    2$N
    [PB] share price
    9$N
    [PB] trains
    2S + 3S
  13. Towards Tuesday What now? Phase 3S

    In Tuesday's stock round the Leprechaun pays another 2$N and ZOOTickets are worth 7$N. At 9$N, the bears need 150-nut routes to move on and pay 2$N per share. With 2$N in the treasury, a ZOOTicket might be needed to pay for the next train.

    [P1] cash
    14$N
    [PB] treasury
    2$N
    [PB] share price
    9$N
    [PB] trains
    2S + 3S

18ZOO — Summary

Capitalization type

  • Incremental capitalization throughout the game: the treasury only receives the money actually paid for each share sold, not a fixed amount on floating (unlike 1830).

Floating percentage and per-player share limits

  • Floats once 20% of shares are sold (single threshold for every corporation)
  • No player may hold more than 120% of a single corporation (single threshold for every corporation)
  • Certificate limit per player, depending on the chosen map block: Maps A-C (5 corporations) — 2 players: 10; 3 players: 7; 4 players: 5; 5 players: 6. Maps D-F (7 corporations) — 2 players: 12; 3 players: 9; 4 players: 7; 5 players: 6

Starting cash by player count

  • The game requires choosing one of six maps/variants (A-F): A-C (5 corporations) are recommended for 2-3 players, D-F (7 corporations) for 4-5 players.
  • Maps A-C — 2 players: $N40; 3 players: $N28; 4 players: $N23 or $N27 depending on the map; 5 players: $N22
  • Maps D-F — 2 players: $N48; 3 players: $N32; 4 players: $N27; 5 players: $N22
  • Unlimited bank

End game triggers

  • The game has a fixed length: it always ends when the third stock round and its set of operating rounds finish (OR 3.3)
  • If a company reaches the top cell of the market ($N24) before that, the game ends immediately at that point

Number of phases

  • 6 phases (2S, 3S, 4S, 4S Perm, 5S, 4J), triggered by the purchase of the first train of each type
  • The game always has 3 turns (Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday): 2 operating rounds in turns 1 and 2, and 3 in the last one

Train list and prices

  • 2S train — $N7 (one unit per player; rusts on the first 4S-train)
  • 3S train — $N12 (3 units; rusts on the first 5S-train)
  • 3S Long train — $N12 (1 unit; obsolete on the first 4J-train)
  • 4S train — $N20 (2 units; obsolete on the first 4J-train)
  • 4S Perm train — $N20 (1 unit; permanent, never rusts)
  • 5S train — $N30 (2 units)
  • 4J train (or 2J variant) — $N47 / $N37 (unlimited; ×2 revenue multiplier; buying the first one immediately rusts the buying company's own 3S Long and 4S trains)
  • 1S train — free (1 reserved unit; a special "Patch" train that saves another train from rusting)
  • Buying the first train of each new type bumps the buyer's share price up one space

List of private companies

  • 18ZOO replaces classic privates with low-cost "Powers" ($N1-3): Days off, Midas, Too much responsibility, Leprechaun pot of gold, It's all greek to me, Whatsup (all used during the stock round, $N1-3); and Rabbits, Moles, Ancient maps, Hole, On a diet, Shining gold, That's mine!, Work in progress, Wheat, Two barrels, A squeeze, Patch, Wings, A tip of sugar (used during the operating round, $N1-3)
  • Each Power alters one specific rule (extra or illegal tiles, additional tokens, revenue bonuses, rust protection, etc.); they're revealed in batches over the game rather than all being available from the start
  • On top of that, each player receives 2-3 personal "ZOOTickets" (depending on player count), which can be cashed in for money; their value rises from $N4 to $N20 as the game progresses

List of corporations

  • Up to 8 animal families available across the whole game (some are used or not depending on the map chosen): Crocodiles (CR), Giraffes (GI), Polar Bears (PB), Penguins (PE), Lions (LI), Tigers (TI), Brown Bear (BB), Elephant (EL)
  • All float at 20%, with 5 starting shares of 20% each (plus a sixth that activates in the final round, when "the cousins join the family")
  • Maps A-C use 5 of these corporations; maps D-F use 7

Game-specific mechanics

  • A stock market where every cell shows the price, the revenue threshold needed to advance, and the fixed dividend paid out, all at once; the thresholds rise as the price climbs
  • An extra dividend bonus exclusive to the president on the market's top ("blue") rows
  • The "neighbour" rule: every company founded after the first must be numerically adjacent to one already in play (this restriction doesn't apply in 5-player games)
  • Villages/dits and hills/mountains are terrain that can never be upgraded
  • Bankruptcy is disabled: if a player can't afford a mandatory purchase, the bank covers the cost and the player receives a penalty equal to twice that amount

Emergency sell

Follows the same order as 1830 — treasury, then the president's personal cash, then a forced sale of the president's personal shares — but with two twists: once a share of a given corporation has been sold, no further shares of that same corporation can be sold in the same emergency, forcing the president to spread sales across different companies; and if the president still can't raise enough after selling everything sellable, they can take an actual personal bank loan as a genuine last resort, something 1830 doesn't offer.

Comparison with 1830

1. Setting, map and length
1830 covers the northeastern USA for 2-6 players, in games of 3-4 hours. 18ZOO moves the action to a zoo populated by anthropomorphic animals, and cuts the length drastically: the game requires choosing one of six available maps (A-F), with 5 corporations for 2-3 players or 7 for 4-5, and always runs for exactly 3 fixed turns.

2. 20% shares, not 10%
In 1830 each company has 10 shares of 10% each. In 18ZOO companies start with just five 20% shares, and later (in the final round) a sixth share is added. Capitalization is incremental throughout the game, not delivered in one lump sum at flotation like in 1830.

3. A stock market that does the math for you
In 1830 the market chart only shows the share price: players have to calculate the dividend and check whether the price should rise. In 18ZOO every market cell shows three values at once: the current price, the revenue threshold a run must clear to advance to the next cell, and the fixed dividend paid out.

4. Privates become "Powers": rule-benders, not income streams
1830's six privates basically just pay a fixed revenue each turn. 18ZOO replaces them with around twenty "Powers/Inventions," priced at only $N1-3 each, each one bending a specific rule of the game; they're also not all available at once, but revealed in batches.

5. You can only found a company "neighboring" the last one launched
In 1830 a player can found any of the available companies as long as they can afford its president's certificate. In 18ZOO, after the first company is chosen freely, the "neighbour" rule requires every subsequently launched company to be numerically adjacent to one already in play (except in 5-player games).

6. A shorter train progression, with two special car types
1830 runs the progression 2-3-4-5-6-Diesel. 18ZOO's basic progression only goes up to the 5S-train, but adds 4J/2J trains (which multiply a route's revenue by 2) and a 4S Perm train that never rusts — mechanics with no equivalent in 1830.

7. Fixed terrain that can never be upgraded
In 1830, virtually any tile can eventually be upgraded as new colors become available. In 18ZOO, villages/dits and hills/mountains are deliberately never upgradable at all, permanently constraining the routes that pass through them.

8. No bankruptcy: the bank covers the debt with a penalty instead
In 1830 a company that can't pay for a mandatory train can end up bankrupt. In 18ZOO bankruptcy doesn't exist (BANKRUPTCY_ALLOWED = false): if a player can't afford a mandatory purchase, the bank covers the cost and the player takes a penalty equal to twice that amount at the end of the game.

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