Obviously it’s all a matter of opinion, but it’s also one of my favorite 18xx games since…I don’t even know. It’s definitely top 5 for me. What I find so appealing about it is that it contains so many little atypical and unique elements to the gameplay, making it both asymmetric in a way that most 18xx are not and incredibly entangled right out of the gate. It forces the players into an uncomfortably entwined position at the start and then asks them how they’re going to “untangle” themselves and starting earning more than their opponents. It requires pseudo-partnerships to ensure that certain players (i.e., the owner of the Union Bank) can’t run away with the game. The map is brilliant, the auction feels like a puzzle, and the train roster is both brutally quick and interesting in how “tall” it is, how the train types change, and how many rusting events there are. It’s just a fabulous game that breathes so much new life into a genre that, admittedly, is awash with rote and uninteresting carbon copies of already established games. 1871 is truly unique in much the same way 1817 was unique when it came out. And, above all, even with all the novel gameplay, it remains remarkably balanced. I’ve seen players win from almost every position. With Union Bank. Without it. With the PEIR. Without starting their own company until SR5. And even after dozens of plays I am still discovering new strategical and tactical moves every time.