Mergernaut05

The next site changes everything.

Place a site, resolve any new corporation or takeover, then buy up to three shares. The most money after final settlement wins.

Play on 108 sites (12 columns × 9 rows), with seven corporations with 25 shares each, and six private tiles per player.

Value: Anchor and Cobalt. Standard: Beacon, Drift and Ember (+$100 per share). Premium: Forge and Summit (+$200). The premium applies to purchases, merger payouts and final redemption.

Value prices by company size: 2 sites: $200; 3: $300; 4: $400; 5: $500; 6–10: $600; 11–20: $700; 21–30: $800; 31–40: $900; 41+: $1,000. Add the company’s tier premium.

North regions cover rows A–D; south regions E–I. West covers columns 1–6; east 7–12.

1. Two or more connected neutral sites found a corporation. Receive a founder share if one remains; it does not count against your three purchases. Founding is available from the first turn.
2. Contacting multiple corporations triggers a takeover. When influence is enabled, shareholders can spend influence to strengthen an unprotected company. Size plus twice pledged influence determines the survivor. With influence disabled, size alone decides; the active player breaks ties.
3. When safe companies is enabled, a corporation with 11 sites is safe and cannot be absorbed. Connecting two safe corporations is illegal. When disabled, all sizes can merge.
4. Defeated shareholders receive majority (10× price) and minority (5× price) bonuses; tied payouts round up to the next $100, then sell, exchange two shares for one survivor share, or keep shares for a later refounding.
5. At each completed round, companies with at least three sites in a region pay dividends. Dividends count up to two owned shares.
6. After a turn, 75 occupied sites, a 30-site company, or a full circuit without placement ends the game. Final bonuses and share redemption determine the result.

Standard play shows every investor’s money and total shares, but not their share types. History covers only the previous and current turn; purchases identify the company, quantity and cost. M&A reveals majority/minority recipients during settlement. Fog of war hides ordinary history; current-turn M&A decisions and disclosures remain visible. Your own shares and the bank’s remaining stock stay available. Board and cash changes can support deduction.

Each browser controls its own seat. Only your own hand is sent to you. The server saves every accepted move; reconnect in the same browser to resume.

Prototype rules ht-0.5.0. Influence and dividends remain proposals for playtesting. Games save on the room server as you act.