18DO-Dortmund is a strategic economy game, which reflects the development of the most important industries in Dortmund during the 19^th century.

Dortmund has been a town of beer brewers since the medieval age. About 1840 the first underground mining started and the first steel mill has been build. The connection with the German railway net pushed the industrial development of Dortmund furthermore. The upgrading of coal mines and steel mills led to a population increase. From the latter the Dortmund breweries benefitted as the demand for beer boosted. At the end of the 19^th century the Dortmund breweries used refrigerator cars to transport the Dortmund Export beer by railway to distant regions.

In 18DO-Dortmund the players are investors who invest in both, breweries and Railway Corporations. Each player starts with a Minor Brewery. In addition every player may found a Railway Corporation. Coal mines and steel mills have a passive role only, but their locations have an impact on the game’s development. All breweries are located in the hex “Dortmund City”. They produce and supply beer and during the course of the game they improve their brewery equipment in order to scope with the increasing requirements of the beer market. The Railway Corporations are more dynamic. From their starting field at the border of the map they lay tracks to the coal mines and steel mills. On this tracks they run their trains virtually and achieve income according to the value of the hexes which are part of their trains’ routes. When connecting the locations of coal mines and steel mills with the railway network the demand for beer will be increased. This reflects that the coal mines/steels mills with a railway link are able to increase their capacities and the consequently needed higher workforce will trigger an increase of beer consumption.

While the railway companies start the game as corporations the brewery corporations will be founded later during the game. When a corporation pays dividends the owner of its shares receive the due payment by the bank. In addition the stock value of these shares will be increased. At the end of games all players accumulated their possessions’ which consists of their private cash plus the value of their share portfolio.  This richest player has won!

18DO-Dormund consists of several variants of different complexity.

• 18DO - The Introduction Game is designed for newbies which enter the complex world of 18xx games for the first time. This variant is based on an 1830 variant developed by Daniel W. Farrow, IV that has been published in the Rail Gamers Magazine.
• 18DO- The Railway Game is a classic 18xx game with some new features applying to the Dortmund area (see separate rules)
• 18DO - Heat, Sweat & Beer implements the Dortmund brewery industry into 18xx. This variant increases the complexity of the railway game due to the comprehensive new elements/rules for the breweries.
• 18DO – The Expert Game adds additional rules which increase the challenge.