1830 map in "The Big Game"

As we are making plans for "The Big Game" expansion set to combine 
1830/1832/1850/1870 into a single game, I was wondering if there were a 
preference for any 1830 variants.  Obviously, the map will need to be 
changed somewhat for 1830 just so it can connect to the other two and 
already having access to 1832's West Virginia Coal Fields and the N&W in 
Norfolk will have some of the flavor of the Coalfields variant.  The 
components will be two map boards for the 1870 area that connect to 
the1832 map, two map boards for the area of the 1830 map, and overlays 
that connect 1850/1870 and 1830/1850, along with any necessary 
shares/etc and a set of rules for running the combined game.  Ownership 
of all four games will be required, as the charters, shares and tokens 
will be needed from each.

Including the Reading Railroad would be no problem (possibly even as 
tiles to lay on the map so you could play with or without it), and the 
C&O could be migrated to the SE corner of the map as in the Coalfields 
variant.  Having only played 1830MAX once (which incorporates all of the 
variants), my feeling is that the C&O is better left in the west or else 
the east gets too crowded, especially since there will be more to build 
to the west with the 1850 map there.  Also, since companies in 1850 can 
move into the western portion of the map, I don't believe any of the 
additional western company variants are required.  Also, I think either 
the variant B tile which has two token slots or a special Baltimore tile 
will be needed, or else Baltimore will be too much of a bottleneck 
between 1830 and 1832.

Does anyone have a strong opinion about changes that should or should 
not be made to the 1830 portion of the map?

Note that this question does not mean publication of the combining kit 
is imminent -- there is much playtesting to be done to determine exactly 
how the maps should connect and the rules for starting up the game.  My 
guess at this point would be sometime next year, but we need to make 
some components to get started on the playtesting.

--

-- 
John A. Tamplin					jat@...
770/436-5387 HOME				4116 Manson Ave
                		 		Smyrna, GA  30082-3723

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