Cogito ergo null

The 18XX manage the below problem through the minimum investment needed to float companies. The first stock round of the game is entirely concerned with establishing the early companies. By the second or third round the cash strapped are still tied to the efficiency wheel of getting their companies deployed correctly (which usually sucks up every dollar). However those with a little free cash, even just one share’s worth, will go on a stock rampage, cycling across all other player’s companies buying what they can and then dumping it. This pattern isn’t a so much of a problem because companies pay dividends and the stock will ultimately appreciate (and is why the stock chart is wedge-shaped). In some games this pattern is even helpful as the pool shares then pay dividends into the company.

In contrast to this game there is no guaranteed long term appreciation. There’s no safety net that simply continuing to run the company and pay dividends will result in market appreciation. The primary dividends are the free money off ships with your pilot at your wharf, and those are tactical and not tied to future prospects.

Gahh. Methinks a core assumption will be rethought.