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1877: Venezuela

Designer: Toby Mao

Venezuela in a 1817 compressed to 2-3 hours, with short selling, arbitrage and financial sabotage.

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1. Setting and map
1830 covers the northeastern United States. 1877 takes place in Venezuela and is designed as a much more compact and faster (120-180 minutes) version of the financial style of 1817, not of 1830 directly. Even so, the differences from 1830 described in this sheet are equally valid.

2. There are no private companies
In 1830 the game begins with an auction of private companies that provide revenue and small perks throughout the game. In 1877 there are no privates: every company is born directly as a public corporation.

3. All companies IPO with 5 shares
In 1830, companies have 10 shares each. In 1877 every corporation IPOs with only 5 shares, a smaller, uniform size that doesn't vary from company to company.

4. Capitalization at 2.5x the share price, with 3 shares on the market
In 1830 a floated company receives par price × 10 and the remaining shares stay in the treasury or on the market depending on the case. In 1877, when a corporation IPOs, it receives 2.5 times the share value in cash and 3 shares are placed directly on the market, a capitalization formula of its own that doesn't match 1830's simple calculation.

5. Whoever wins the founding auction immediately takes another turn
In 1830 the turn normally passes to the next player after founding a company. In 1877, the player who wins the auction to found a corporation is entitled to an immediate extra turn, a founding reward that doesn't exist in 1830.

6. Trains can only be bought from the bank
In 1830 a company can buy a train from another company, not just from the bank. In 1877, corporations can only buy new trains directly from the bank, never from another company nor from the discard pile.

7. The game ends when the type 4 train is bought
In 1830 the game end is triggered by the bank running out of money. In 1877 the trigger is the purchase of the first type 4 train, a much earlier and more predictable cutoff point than 1830's.

8. Direct inheritance of 1817's financial tools
1877 includes short selling, financial arbitrage and sabotage mechanisms between companies, exactly in the spirit of 1817 but in a much smaller, faster-to-play package. None of these elements exist in 1830.

9. Corporations founded in the current stock round can buy a train immediately
In 1877, a corporation that has just been founded within the current stock round can, as a corporate action within that same round, buy itself a train. In 1830 a newly founded company has to wait for its first operating round to buy trains.

10. A game designed to last 2-3 hours
While 1830 usually needs several hours, 1877 is designed to be completed in 2-3 hours, offering all the financial tension of the 1817 style in a much shorter format.

1877 Venezuela — Schematic summary (vs 1830)

CONTEXT

COMPANIES AND CAPITAL

TRAINS AND GAME END

FINANCES