18BE Pocket

18BE Pocket is a train game over the early belgian railroad network. Belgium was the first european continental country to have an operating railway, linking Brussels to Mechelen in 1835. The $tock Market Expansion is included, allowing for easy customization of the complexity level of the game. This is also a good way to progressively introduce players to more complex train games. The game was created for a publishing contest launched on BGG by Chad Ellis ($1,000 Budget Design Contest: Get Published!). It requires submissions to fit in a ziplock format, using at most 5 5x7" cards for the complete game. This format requires a very streamlined rules set, so this game is not a true member of the 18xx family of train games, hence the 'pocket'. It does however bring a full featured train game on the table, with network building, locomotives evolution, and if the $tock Market Expansion is used, an alternance of stock rounds and operating rounds.