18Texas (2024)

About this game

Welcome to the Lone Star State! The railroad development in Texas was concentrated in the east with the major cities of Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio serving as commercial hubs. 18Texas is one of the simplest 18xx games designed, but retains the core features of what makes 18xx game so engaging. Build your railroads from the Piney Woods in East Texas to the wide desert swaths of West Texas. The map primarily covers the eastern portion of Texas where the railroads were most abundant. The game starts with private companies that are much simpler than most 18xx games, but each game will be a little different with a random company selected by Jay Gould. This company will have a head start on the other companies because of this initial investment. However, the other players will have a chance to catch up with balanced private company powers of their own! Enjoy your time criss-crossing the state with twisting tracks! —description from the designer

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 3 to 5.
• Rules load. At 3.0/5 this is a mid-weight game — expect a proper rules explanation before you start.
• Age. The publisher suggests 14 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.