| | | | | | | |

Carnegie (2022) Board Game

ByMichail

Carnegie’ is a board game designed by Xavier Georges and published by Quined Games in in 2022. It is set during the post-Napoleonic era, a time of rapid industrialization and growth in Europe. The game is named after Andrew Carnegie, a prominent figure in the steel industry during this period.

Game Components of Carnegie

  • Company boards:** Thick, accommodating interlocking slide-out project tabs.
  • Project Tabs:** Cardboard slides for construction discs.
  • Main board:** Features a map of the US, Donation sections, and a scoring summary.
  • Department tiles:** Printed on thick cardboard.
  • Employee tokens:** Representing workers in different departments.
  • Goods cubes:** Used for resource management.
  • Study points:** For advancing in research tracks.
  • Action Choice tokens:** Used to select actions, especially in multiplayer games.
  • Donation boards:** New addition in the “Departments and Donations” expansion.
  • Bidding sheets:** Introduced in the “Departments and Donations” expansion for setup variability.

    How To Setup Carnegie

    Setting up Carnegie involves several steps, now enhanced by the “Departments and Donations” expansion. Each player is given a bidding sheet and $50 in imaginary money. Players bid on various setup elements such as starting meeples, goods cubes, and initial worker movements. The player who bids the most becomes the first player, and any leftover money becomes their starting cash. The base game setup includes distributing Department tiles, setting up the main board, and assigning initial resources. The new expansion adds variability by allowing players to customize their starting conditions through bidding.

    Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

    Gameplay Mechanics

  • Action Selection:** Players choose one of four departments (Human Resources, Management, Construction, R&D) which triggers an Event (Donation or Income round).
  • Department Actions:** Each player must follow the chosen department action if they have active employees in that department.
  • Resource Management:** Managing goods cubes, study points, and cash to build projects.
  • Route-Building:** Constructing projects across the US map.
  • Engine-Building:** Upgrading departments to improve efficiency.

    Game Objective

  • Grow your company through shrewd investments in real estate, industry, and transportation.
  • Contribute to the country’s greatness through donations and philanthropic deeds.
  • The most successful player is determined by a combination of wealth and philanthropic contributions.

    Player Experience

    Playing Carnegie is a deeply engaging experience, particularly due to its action selection system and the need to anticipate opponents’ moves. The game feels semi-cooperative as all players perform the same action, but it is deeply competitive in strategy and execution. Players enjoy the cycle of moving employees to earn goods and research, and then using these resources to place projects. The game’s variability, especially with the new expansion, ensures that each playthrough is different and challenging.

    Pros

  • Engaging Action Selection:** Forces players to anticipate and react to opponents’ moves.
  • High Variability:** The “Departments and Donations” expansion adds significant variability to the setup and gameplay.
  • Strong Engine-Building:** Upgrading departments to improve efficiency and income.
  • (route-building:** Constructing projects across the US map is a fun and challenging mechanic.
  • Balanced Gameplay:** Success is judged by both wealth and philanthropic contributions.

    Cons

  • Learning Curve:** Can be steep, especially for new players.
  • Component Storage:** The non-deluxe version lacks adequate storage space for components.
  • Random Variance:** Departments can be knocked out of the game before it starts, adding randomness to the setup.

    Personal Thoughts on Carnegie

    Carnegie is an excellent choice for fans of economic euros, engine-building, and route-building games. It offers a complex yet intuitive gameplay mechanism that is both challenging and rewarding. The “Departments and Donations” expansion enhances the game significantly, offering new strategies and more variability. Carnegie is ideal for those who enjoy strategic planning, resource management, and competitive gameplay with a touch of philanthropy. While it may be more suited to experienced gamers, its solo rules and multiplayer options make it versatile for different gaming groups.

    We are supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, at no extra cost for you. Learn more. 

    • Michail, a seasoned tabletop enthusiast, dives headfirst into worlds of fantasy and strategy. Whether commanding a party of adventurers through perilous dungeons or engaging in tactical showdowns on the board, Michail is the maestro of the tabletop realm. Michail's gaming table is a realm where the clatter of dice and the shuffle of cards create a symphony of strategic chaos.

    Hobby: Miniature painting guru, turning pewter into masterpieces
    Preferred Game: Dungeons & Dragons, but always up for a board game brawl

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *