Irish Gauge
- Players
- 3-5
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 4 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 60 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 12+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.3 / 5
- Year
- 2014
About the game
Irish Gauge is a stock-based cube-rail game played on a map of Ireland, part of Winsome Games' celebrated railway series. On each turn, players can auction off a company share, build track for a company, upgrade a town to a city, or call for dividends, with payouts based on how many cities a company connects and how many shares are outstanding. Upgrade and dividend actions also influence how long the game lasts and how likely future payouts become. Designed by Amabel Holland, it rewards players who can balance building infrastructure against manipulating share value for the highest combined cash and stock total.
Hobbli's Notes
Irish Gauge is a lean, elegant entry in the cube-rail genre: quick to teach compared to full 18xx games, but retaining the same tense stock manipulation and route-building tension. Every action has ripple effects on game length and dividend timing, which keeps the tension high right to the end. Recommended for fans of economic strategy who want an 18xx-adjacent experience without the multi-hour commitment.
What we like
- Streamlined introduction to 18xx-style stock and rail mechanics.
- Every action affects both game length and future payouts, keeping tension high.
- Quick 60-minute playtime relative to genre norms.
- Elegant, tight ruleset with meaningful decisions each turn.
Keep in mind
- Abstract economic theme may not appeal to players wanting strong narrative.
- Requires comfort with stock valuation and route-building math.
- Player counts below 3 aren't supported, limiting flexibility.
Who it's for
Economic strategy gamers who enjoy stock manipulation and route-building; best for 3-5 players, ages 12 and up, in about 60 minutes.
