[Rails-devel] 1835 Prussian operation

[Erik V. <eri...@xs...>]

I have implemented the main Prussian peculiarity, once it runs: 
no dividend is paid out for shares that have been exchanged 
for precursors (privates, minors) that have run before in the same OR.

To get the details right, I have followed the clarification in Bill Stoll's
old FAQ 
(see
http://web.archive.org/web/20041024222224/www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Aren
a/5276/depot/1835f.htm):

<quote>
Q5.1 Can PR operation be denied after it has already been denied once?
    This question is in reference to section XIII "Bringing the Prussian
Railway into Service" in the 2nd Edition English translation of the rules.
This section says: "It is not permitted for the owner of a certificate to
gain a bonus by getting two lots of income for any certificate in the same
round. If therefore the Prussian Railway is opened at a point in the
operating round where its operation would result in a player gaining such a
bonus then the Prussian, although open, does not operate until the following
round."

    The game author, Michael Meier-Bachl, responded indirectly to this
question. Here is FAQ author's interpretation of what he wrote: (the game
author provided the example) "If the PR forms during an Operating Round
(OR), then: a) if the Minor #2 (M2) has already operated, the Prussian (PR)
does not operate until the next OR. That is the ONLY instance in which the
PR, although formed, does not operate. b) if a Private or Minor company
converts to PR in an OR after providing income or operating, then those
converted shares earn no PR dividends in that OR. The unpaid dividends stay
in the bank."

    "Example: M1 buys the first 4-train, M2 converts to PR before operating,
M1, M5 and Braunschweigische convert to PR shares. Then in this OR, M3, M4
and M6 operate. Then the Prussian will operate. If Prussia pays dividends,
the former M1 and Braunschweigische will not get dividends this round, and
the former M5 WILL get dividends."
</quote>

Implementing this feature required some refactoring: most of the payout
logic has moved from PublicCompany to OperatingRound.

Erik.