[Rails-devel] Teleporting Privates: Implementation issues

[Stefan F. <ste...@we...>]

In the following it is rougher longish list of attributes for all 
privates with teleporting powers.

By collecting those I came up with some implementation issues in Rails 
that I would like to fix in 2.0.

So please feel free to comment where you agree or disagree. I know this 
has been discussed before, but from what I have seen there has been no 
definite decision yet. Sometimes it got blurred that privates in 
different games behave differently but were discussed as being 
identical. And I have to include myself here ;-)

*** Rails  and the "teleporting" privates.

Those are privates that provide a special power to lay a base token.

In Rails there are currently 1830 (D&H), 1835 (NF, PfB), 1856 (W&SR), 
18GA (W&S), 18Kaas(D&H) implemented.

Rails implementation issues are:

A) Laying tokens on hexes/tiles without track

For all except NF in 1835, the token is laid on a hex that initially 
does not contain any track.

Question is if it is allowed to lay the token without a tile is laid before.
Unfortunately this nearly never addressed in the rule book, in most 
cases the answer is given by a rules clarification.

There are several variants:

1830/D&H: I have not found any precise ruling here. However it is very 
unlikely to lay the token without laying the tile.
1835/PfB: The tile has to be laid (and the BA choose her station first).
1856/WS&R: No need for tile lay first.
18GA/W&S: No need for tile lay first.

* My suggestions for implementation in Rails:

=> 1830/D&H: Only offer the special token lay if the special tile has 
been executed in that turn. Later it is not possible anymore (see 
Mayfair rules).
(Same is true for 18Kaas/D&H)

=> 1835/PfB: Only offer the special token lay if the tile is laid 
(regardless by whom and how) and the BA token is placed.
And change the closing condition to token lay only.

=> 1856/WS&R: Nothing to change here

=> 18GA/W&S: Nothing to change, except fix bug (Rails offers a special 
tile lay similar to D&H in 1830, this is wrong).

B) Tile or Token phase for 1835/NF and 1835/PfB?

Remark: I think there is agreement, that those are the two relevant phases.

It is relevant if the token laying company can start tile laying from 
the newly established token head.

* My suggestion:

=> Default should be Tile Lay phase, however provide option to change it 
to Token lay phase (Rick Westermann rule)


*** APPENDIX

Below I have summarized all attributes of the special company as given 
by the game rules (or clarifications).

* The attributes are:

For tile lay:
tile: if a specific tile is allowed/required to lay?
when: in which phase the tile lay is allowed?
extra: if tile lay is in addition to the standard tile lay allowances?
connected: if tile has to follow usual tile laying rules with respect to 
connectivity?
free: if the tile lay would usually require payment of terrain cost - if 
it is free of that charge?
reserved: if the hex is reserved for the tile lay through the special power

For token lay:
when: in which phase the token lay is allowed?
extra: if token lay is in addition to the standard token lay allowance 
of that turn
   [Remark: Rails always assume that home token are extra lays]
connected: if tile has to follow usual tile laying rules with respect to 
connectivity?
free: if the token lay would usually require payment of some costs - if 
it is free of that charge
reserved: if a slot is reserved for the special power of the privat company
   [Remark: This would be similar to the reserved slots of home tokens, 
no current private has this power]
requires tile laid: if there has to be a tile laid before the token can 
be placed

General (if private has both Tile and Token powers)
Private closes: When does the private close (after execution of all, 
any, none, or a specific power?)
Separate execution: Can the powers be executed separately? (in different 
turns, by different companies?)


*** 1830:

* D&H - Delaware & Hudson [Tile & Token]

Location: F16

Ownership: only available to owning company

Tile lay:
tile - 57 (not reserved)
when - in Tile Lay phase
extra - no
connected - no
free - no (cost of mountain = 120)
reserved - no (except blocking before bought by company)

Token lay:
when - in Token Lay phase
extra - no [AH General Clarification]
connected - no
free - yes
reserved - no
requires tile laid: ??? (current implementation allows token lay without 
tile lay - similar to W&SR)

Private closes: never

Separate execution [Mayfair]:
After other company lay tile, special token lay no longer available
After own tile lay, token lay no longer available in future turns
After own token lay, tile lay in future turns: ???

*** 1835:

* NF - Nuernberg / Fuerth [Token only]

Location: L14 (preprinted green double cities with 2 narrow curves)

Ownership: available to all companies of owning player

Token lay:
when - (anytime, especially) in Tile Lay phase
[optional: only in Token Lay phase / Rick Westermann supplemental rule]
extra - yes
connected - no
free - yes
reserved - no
requires tile laid - N/A (already on map)

Private closes: after special token lay

* Pfb - Pfalzbahn [Tile & Token]

Location: L6 (yellow double cities)

Ownership: available to all companies of owning player

Tile lay:
tiles - all available (green phase only)
when - in Tile Lay phase
extra - yes
connected - no
free - yes (however there is no cost on L6 anyway)
reserved - no

Token lay:
when - (anytime, especially) in Tile Lay phase
Remark: station marker of BA has to be laid first [german rules 2nd ed]
[optional: only in Token Lay phase / Rick Westermann supplemental rule]
extra - yes
connected - no
free - yes
reserved - no
requires tile laid - yes [german rules 2nd ed]

Private closes: after special token lay

Separate execution:
yes, token after tile lay possible, even by different companies

*** 1856

* W&SR - Waterloo & Saugeen Railway [Tile & Token]

Location: I12 (yellow double cities)

Ownership: only available to owning company

Tile lay:
tile - 59 (not reserved)
when - in Tile Lay phase
extra - no
connected - no
free - no (however there is no cost on I12 anyway)
reserved - no (except blocking before bought by company)

Token lay:
when - in Token Lay phase
extra - no
connected - no
free - yes
reserved - no
requires tile laid - no [Lou Jerkich rules clarification]
Remark: owner tile laying company chooses token location

Private closes: after either tile and token lay

Separate execution:
no, as private will close after either action

*** 18GA

* W&S - Waycross & Southern [Token only]

Token lay:
when - in Token lay phase
extra - no
connected - no
free - yes
reserved - no (not even blocked for tile if owned by player)

Remark: Bug in Rails: Allows Special tile lay


*** 18Kaas

* D&H - identical to 1830/D&H, except location = K16