H-train movement

[Brett Warr]

Ian,

 

In the H-train type discription it states that the number given is the number of hexes a train can run.  The next sentence then states the number also indicates how many hex-sides the train may cross.  My confusion arises from the the fact that crossing two hex-sides would mean the train would run across 3 hexes.  And so it goes for the 4 and 6 H-train, the number of hex-sides would imply one more hex than the first sentence is allowing. Am I interpeting this wrong or is there something I am missing?

 

Brett

[Ian D Wilson]

Hi Brett, The rules say "H-trains ... run a distance". This is not the same as "run a number of hexes". Distance implies how far the train travels - which means from centre-of-hex to centre-of-hex. In order to clarify, I added the bit about hex-sides. 1844 is the only game I know which uses the other definition of how H-trains work. 1858 uses the standard definition, as invented by David Hecht in 1826 (I believe). Ian D --- On Fri, 18/5/12, Brett Warr <bret...@yahoo.com> wrote:

[Lord Warr]

Okay, the first part I get. It tells me a 2H can collect revenue on 2
hexes, a 4H, 4 hexes, etc. This follows the hex centre to centre
method. And it follows what 1826 rules state. The hex-sides part is
what it tripping me up here. If you say that a 2H train may cross 2
hex-sides, this to me is saying a train starting in hex A runs to hex
B, thus crossing one hex-side. So if it is allowed to run across one
more hex side, this would imply to me it could run to hex C, but this
would be three hexes breaking rule one. Is my definition of hex-side
wrong?

On May 18, 3:16 pm, Ian D Wilson <ianwilson...@btinternet.com> wrote:
> Hi Brett,
> The rules say "H-trains ... run a distance". This is not the same as "run a number of hexes". Distance implies how far the train travels - which means from centre-of-hex to centre-of-hex. In order to clarify, I added the bit about hex-sides.
> 1844 is the only game I know which uses the other definition of how H-trains work. 1858 uses the standard definition, as invented by David Hecht in 1826 (I believe).
> Ian D
>

> --- On Fri, 18/5/12, Brett Warr <brettw...@yahoo.com> wrote:

[JC Lawrence]

I normally express the two definitions of H-trains as:

-- Number of hex-edges crossed

or:

-- Number of hexes forming the route.

The first definition has always seemed the easiest to me.

-- JCL

[Chris Shaffer]

I think you've got it wrong, actually.  The normal way is for a 2H train to score a total of three hexes - the starting hex plus 2.

--
Chris

Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

[Lord Warr]

JCL,

I can see maybe we need to clarify what hexes the revenue is being
collected from and where the train is starting. If we are counting
the hex the 2H train starts in for the hex counting method, then it
travels hex centre to hex centre and collects from those 2 hexes.
However, if we say the train starts in hex A, but does not collect
revenue from A, then it runs accross one hex side to hex B to collect
revenue, then crosses its second hexside to hex C to collect its
revenue and must stop. So this would to me satisfy the crossing the
number of hexsides rule, yet would still be the more difficult way to
understand it.

On May 18, 4:31 pm, JC Lawrence <c...@kanga.nu> wrote:
> I normally express the two definitions of H-trains as:
>
>         -- Number of hex-edges crossed
>
> or:
>
>         -- Number of hexes forming the route.
>
> The first definition has always seemed the easiest to me.
>
> -- JCL
>
> On 18 May 2012, at 14:16, Ian D Wilson wrote:
>
>
>
> > Hi Brett,
>
> > The rules say "H-trains ... run a distance". This is not the same as "run a number of hexes". Distance implies how far the train travels - which means from centre-of-hex to centre-of-hex. In order to clarify, I added the bit about hex-sides.
>
> > 1844 is the only game I know which uses the other definition of how H-trains work. 1858 uses the standard definition, as invented by David Hecht in 1826 (I believe).
>
> > Ian D
>

> > --- On Fri, 18/5/12, Brett Warr <brettw...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > From: Brett Warr <brettw...@yahoo.com>

[Lord Warr]

Okay, I reread the 1826 rules, it does state the first hex an H train
starts in is not counted against its limit, but is used for revenue.
So Ian is saying this is how his trains for 1858 should be run I
believe. So how Chris Shaffer stated it is correct according to 1826
and what Ian is stating with the hex-sides. So the hexside example
collects from all three hexes the train runs from, through and to.
Got it.

[Barzai]

FWIW the definition originated with Federico Vellani, who had H-trains
in his 1827Jr prototype. In his explanation, he compared it to the
range factor in tactical wargames of the Panzerblitz type, where range
was calculated by counting from the origin hex to the target hex each
time you went out one hex--thus not counting the origin hex at all.

Nowadays, with so few 18xxers coming to the hobby by way of wargames,
I suppose the nuance would be gratuitous.