After the last round of Mornington Crescent, I set out upon a quest to devise an alternative to the token rules, for reasons that become apparent if one peruses said thread.

I was speaking with Winston Huckleplough about this, and he brought to my attention that the entire Westminster Agglomeration was originally an attempt to accomplish such a task. All it accomplished - well, aside from adding a great deal of depth to the game, all it accomplished in that regard was an escalation of the number of tokens required, which necessitated farming them extensively. This turned out to be an interesting game in itself, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. So instead I thought about what would happen if tokens were so plentiful they could no longer be the focus of the game? The special abilities were too far-reaching, too powerful. But as Lord M (If I were to indicate just who this is, it could lead to his being asked some uncomfortable questions) demonstrated during a teaching game I happened to assist with, a vigorous offense is still quite possible without any tokens at all. But it wasn't terribly deep.

I wandered out of the hall, embarrassed by my distraction, among other things, and found myself confronted by a young gardener shoveling coins into a vending machine. It struck me (the vending machine, which he had just kicked, and then the idea) that the solution is quite simple:

1) you are assumed to have an unlimited number of base metal tokens, which you can only spend on line access.
2) if under the existing rules you would receive a precious metal token, you instead get 1 underground token. The same applies to colored tokens, which become, simply, tickets.
3) You cannot receive more than 1 underground token or ticket on any given turn (you may receive one of each), except that if you would have gained a platinum token, that doesn't count towards this limit (it's still just an underground token), and if you gain your first ticket on a turn from Heathrow (any), the secondary gains are unlimited except by the Jones/Tittleham Ruling.
4) No acquiring tokens and tickets off-turn, except through the Willesby protocol
5a) If you are spooned, you lose all tickets.
5b) If you enter a cross, you lose all tokens.

So far, it seems like there's no hope of offense, right?

6a) Connection hopping costs 2 tickets. If an inverse transfer, 2 tokens as well.
6b) in the triangle, sum the lateral and antiparallel quarters.

Defense is still clearly possible, with the Ashton Response, the Hillsborough Gambit, and the Whittlestone Defense - all normally second lines - now being the first. And if one player goes full turtle, there's always a Full Wicket threat.

7) Handicapped Access rules are in effect.
8) Silent acquisition of tokens is standard, though you may note it if you wish to point it out.

In summation, I believe this variant to be balanced, interesting, and fun. On theoretical grounds it appears to be solid - the Wensley Criteria are met - but I might be wrong on the latter two, and of course the Wensley Criteria are not airtight. Winston Huckleplough and I did try one game, which was satisfying, but this crowd does tend to stress-test the rules far more thoroughly than play between two somewhat staid players such as we*.

As I have been living in this space for several weeks, I cede the advantage by making an intentionally suboptimal opening move of Hornchurch (B9).

Please indicate the grid square of your move, for newer players.

Here is a link to the tube map.

* (I'm staid when faced with conventional strategies)

My goodness, Sir, you raise the bar rather high.

I would ordinarily quail at the thought of abandoning my long hours of grinding, giving up so many of my token-amassing strategies that have served me, if not well, at least in a minimally adequate fashion over the passing years, but the elegant simplicity of your approach to what I dare say is an almost complete inversion of the Smythington-Stokes principals that led to such baroque side journeys in the international standards tournaments of the late '90's--I can't help but be intrigued.

Please have all of the other players know that I do stand at somewhat of a disadvantage in this modern, rapid-fire and slashing style of play, but if you can cope with an old dog shambling about the periphery of your gladiatorial evolutions, I would be more than honored to attend your boldest of visions.

Of course, at the breakneck speed of which this should evolve, I have to plan rather farther than was traditionally my wont. Obviously the opener in my traditional games, as all of you with a passing familiarity with the Annals and Journal of Strategy are I am sure quite aware--would focus on optimizing access to the Aldgate curve, sealing off gambits from the Epping end, but I am afraid that is all quite obsolete.

Incidentally, I do greatly and humbly appreciate the sportsmanship shown by the move to Hornchurch. When debuting a new rule set I am sure there must be great temptation to lord it over hapless newcomers, but your munificent gesture has allowed us others to gain at least toeholds through the Leicester/Caledonian Road axis before, as they say, one ‘puts the hammer down.’

Beware, however, if your generosity costs you. Although I applaud your mercy, while I am in this game I know of no other way to play than with full-out aggression. It is a character flaw I am afraid, but I have to ‘punch for the vitals’ as it were, thus my opening sortie into none other than Heron Quays (D7).

This is an interesting variant. I've had to rewrite some of my predictive software to take this into account. I do have a question, though; many rules treat different coloured token differently (for example, moving to Golder's Green with a green token is very different from moving to Golder's Green with a purple token). If I have a ticket, how should I count it when moving to Golder's Green?

I believe that the best possible start, considering the number of people who are likely to join in at this point, would be Edgware (A4).

The colored token powers exist only in Westminster, which is not part of this ruleset.

To be more specific, I'm working from the 2003 Essex Clarification, except in those parts which don't make sense without colors and metals being distinct (i.e. we use sections 1-3 and 7-15, excluding any rule mentioning a specific color outside of parentheses before a semicolon). Sections 4-6 are not disposable; as Essex is however merely a clarification, I fall back on the rule set it is clarifying - the 1973 Gainsborough Core, including the 1983 Amendment (the 1988 Adaptation was in response to Westminster and so is not included). The section numbers even line up, which helps.

And you may notice that my rule 6b is Essex Clarification rule 5b2, though as that's a rather narrow scope I chose to restate it independently rather than refer you to it.

Incidentally, rule 5 was closely inspired by the Tokyo MCLV club's ladder game rules. I know, it's not proper MC as it's played on the Tokyo subway system, but it is sufficiently similar that when designing a ruleset it's useful to consider what they've discovered.

I am REALLY sorry. In light of your clarification, it seems that I mistakenly took possession of a mauve/ecru token. Do i need to be assigned penalty points, or can I follow the usual rolling remittance procedures?

Oh, you're basing this on Essex. My apologies; for some reason I thought you were basing this on Westminster. That makes a lot more sense then, yes.

I think it also means I should optimally have started at a different station, but I think my original strategy may still be viable, so I'll stick with it and see where it goes.

Naw, it's just retroactively a ticket.

Is this a small game, or will anyone else be joining?

Hmm. Featherstone will not be of much help, here. Camden Town (B5)

I see your Camden Town and move like lightning towards Burnt Oak (A4).

I do have one further query - I don't expect it to come up in game, but after the Bletherington-Wooster game of 1982 (and the controversial ruling regarding the sock drawer) Gainsborough was retroactively considered to include by proxy the tarnished copper token, which can count as either a copper (base metal) token or a green (coloured) token at any point.

As, in this variant, all players are considered to have unlimited base metal tokens, I presume that anyone acquiring a tarnished copper token must decide and declare when acquiring it whether to treat it as base metal (and ignore it) or coloured (and take a ticket)? If so, then this will of course make the Wooster Gambit impossible, but as your goal is to simplify token usage I imagine you consider that a positive aspect.

CCC: I had not considered that. Declaring right away seems best. The Wooster Gambit is beautiful, and it wouldn't take much of a tweak to allow it, but for now let's stick with your solution.

As Hornchurch provides little direct support, I need to set up a engage/transfer/disengage maneuver to get onto the Hammersmith and City route, which I choose to do at Plaistow (C8).

Hornchurch is, as I said, not globally optimal, but I believe that for a District start, it's either the best or close to it. Its indirect support will help me a great deal on the Hammersmith line, whether I end up approaching via Moorgate, Edgware Road, or Hammersmith itself. It also provides some defense against Hexnut, should he attempt subjection.

oooo. Drachefly, well-played, sir. I admit I did not see that one coming. There goes my hopes for a swift assault on Sloane Square and consequent obligatory Laura Ashley Floral ticket. But, I am not without a few tricks left. I now wend my way toward Barbican(c6). I am sorry, CCC, but as a consequence of that move, I now present my new tin/bismuth token!

I see the allure of clever play gets you excited even when there's no practical benefit. After all, it's one thing to simply have unlimited base metal tokens, but it's quite another to earn the more esoteric ones anyway!

So, by that I should take it to mean that within this rule set, there is no use working toward the periodic elements straight flush gambit as exemplified under the great Bovril-Lipton test matches of the '20's?

Since the discovery of the synthetic elements, that has been infeasible anyway, hasn't it? You need to acquire upwards of 10 tokens of different types, all in one turn before the token decays. Really. You can ignore most of the actual rules I've stated and just try to play a position game. That was kind of the point.

Colindale (A4)

I shall wear a red top hat and a bright yellow jacket.

Move along. Nothing important here.