- BGG rank
- BGG #1,543
- BGG rating
- 7.6
18Chesapeake
- 2–6 players
- 150–210 min
- Complexity 3.8/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #16,402
- BGG rating
- 7.1
18CLE
2016
Rules assistance for 18CLE
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–6 players
- 180–270 min
- 18+
- Complexity 4.0/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for 18CLE
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
18CLE is a board game released in 2016 for 3–6 players, 180–270 minutes per game, and ages 18 and up. It was designed by Richard McGuire and its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding, Tile Placement, and Network and Route Building.
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About the game
Trolley Car companies of Cleveland, Ohio. This is an 18xx style train game that begins in 1848 and ends in 1980. There are nine public trolley car companies and one government controlled company. The game also includes eight private companies that are auctioned off at the beginning of the game. Players struggle to keep their trolley car companies from falling into the government controlled railroad. The game ends when the $12,000 bank runs out of funds. The player with the most personal money plus stock share value wins the game. The game has eight phases. The first permanent trolley car is the '8'. Phases 4 and 5 represent the Great Depression and revenue declines during this period of the game in which brown tiles are available. Brown tiles only contain one station space. Upgrading a two station space green tile to a single station space brown tile removes a station marker from the board, which simulates trolley companies shrinking during these two phases. Another unique feature is that a board of directors (3 players) controls the government railroad, which is determined by the player that controls the priority deal card from the previous stock round. This will change at the end of each stock round assuming a different player holds the priority deal card.
Designers
Publishers
- (Self-Published)
Questions and answers
18CLE supports 3–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for 18CLE is 180–270 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists 18CLE for ages 18 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
18CLE has a complexity rating of 4.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
18CLE belongs to these categories: Economic and Trains. Its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding, Tile Placement, and Network and Route Building. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of 18CLE are: Richard McGuire. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists 18CLE as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.