1848: Australia

Manufacturer: GMT Games

1848: Australia is a semi-historical railroad game for 3-6 people that covers 150 years of railroad construction and growth in southeast Australia. Beginning in the colonial period when private industries formed private railways, and stretching beyond 1901 when the Australian colonies united to create the Commonwealth of Australia.

1848: Australia is based on the game 1829 by Francis Tresham. Historical restraints have, as far as possible, been taken into account. In other areas, history will be written anew. 1848 features the inclusion of the Bank of England as a public company that extends loans and administers railroads that are in receivership, dealing with the different track gauges between states, and "The Ghan" special train.

1848 has simple mechanics at its base. The track tiles are placed on the map to from a network of routes, connecting stations together. The trains make notional journeys from station to station, thereby earning money. The more stations (and The more important the station) a train visits, The more money it earns for the company and its shareholders.

Players will compete for control of the six Private Companies, and invest in the eight Public Companies. The player with the most shares in a company is its Direction and decides what the company will do. You will operate your companies, invest in others, buy better trains, and compete for routes. At game-end, the player with the most wealth wins.

Contents:
1 Mounted Game Board
100 Track Tiles
32 Train Cards
1 Sheet of Tokens
8 Public Company Charters
1 Auction/Revenue Track
6 Private Company Certificates
72 Public Company Certificates
10 Bank of England Certificates
1 Corporation Charter for the Bank of England
13 Wooden Cylinders for Track Gauge & Operating Rounds
1 "First Player" Card
£1200 in Game Money
1 Set of Rules

Ages: 14+
Players: 3-6
Game Length: 180-240 minutes