This map features multiple track gauges (narrow and standard), uniform income reduction, accelerated expenses, and a new twist on insta-production (previously seen on AoS:London). Early playtesting suggests that this makes just as good a 3 player map as a 4 player map. 5 players also looks good.

Looks nice, and since I live there I obviously hope it goes into production. Are there any plans yet?

One map-related question: as an English-speaking Welshman I'm OK with the Welsh-language placenames (even though I think of myself as living in Cardiff rather than Caerdydd), but for consistency shouldn't the map then be called AoS: Cymru rather than AoS: Wales?

Thanks!



Me too. I'd like it to be published, and I designed it with that goal in mind, but no contracts have been proposed or discussed.



Excellent point, and one I did think about. I used the welsh location names having spent many a great summer's day wandering about the hills around Machynlleth and simply liking the rolling sounds of the language. As such I used the welsh names for everything inside the border and the roman English names for those outside (Shrewsbury, Hereford and Culmington). I didn't use Cymru instead of Wales simply due to what I feared might be a bit of a surprise-gag reflex among potential buyers, What the heck does he mean Cymru? That some furrin' weird language? That's Wales! I liked the idea of the original welsh location names sort of breaking it in gently... But, maybe I'm wrong.

Can you give a quick idea what is meant by "uniform income reduction"? Thanks!

Randy...

20% income reduction every turn starting at $6. Simply, this means the removal of the $10 cliffs. It is really just a flavour item with no substantive impact on the larger game other than delaying the late mid-game by around half a turn to a turn. Oh, there are a bunch of relatively minor/subtle effects, like around 5/6 train runs and incomes near $5 multiples, but that's small stuff.

Having slept on it, I'd say stick with what you've got. Findling folk who know where Wales is on a map is hard enough; almost nobody is going to know about Cymru. And think how often you'd be asked how it's pronounced.

Okay!



Yep, that was part of my concern.



Hehn. Well, the first sentence of the rules text is Croeso! I'd like to expand that to Croeso ?? Cymru! but I don't know the welsh for "to" and I think I'm in trouble already.

I'm pretty sure that "Welcome to Wales" is "Croeso i Cymru", though we're now hitting the edge of my knowledge.

Google supports you!

Oh yes, very nice!

This also leaves scope for me to continue with the North Wales idea I had (though how likely that is going to happen depends a lot on various factors).

I have one question; what is the specific outline for the different gauges - or more specifically I take it that it is normally cheaper to lay small gauge track considering it's linkage is limited? Cheaper going through mountains is it?

Thanks!

I should give formal thanks to you to pointing me at the narrow gauge history of railroading in Wales, especially in and around Blaenau Ffestiniog. That pointer and the subsequent web research formed the core of the map. Thanks! If/when this gets published I'll have to see about sending you a map.



Excellent. I look forward to it.



Yes, narrow gauge track is cheaper to build in some (not all) cases. Players have distinct Narrow and Standard gauge Links values which are controlled separately, must pay expenses for both (which are non-linear), may deliver freely over both within the limits of their Links of each type, and can use a special action to upcast narrow gauge to standard gauge.

Is there a welsh language name for the town of St Harmon in mid-wales? How about for the Menai Straits up by Holyhead/Bangor/Caernarfon? I'd like to keep the pattern of using welsh names for all the locations in Wales, and English names for the ones across the border, but I've been unable to find the welsh names for St Harmon or the Menai Straits...