#932 – Carnegie [Mini] – What's Eric Playing?

I will say, Board Game Arena has been an absolute dream for me getting heavier games played. No setup requirements, I can play with my other ... August1,2022September5,2022•What'sEricPlaying? Baseprice:$70.1–4 players.Playtime:90–180minutes.BGG|BoardGameAtlasLoggedplays:7 Fulldisclosure:AreviewcopyofCarnegiewasprovidedbyPegasusSpiele. Iwillsay,BoardGameArenahasbeenanabsolutedreamformegettingheaviergamesplayed.Nosetuprequirements,Icanplaywithmyothercontentcreatorfriendswithouthavingtoleavemyhouse,andasynchronousonlineplaymeansthatmyhouse’sbeautiful,blessedlystupidcatdoesn’ttrytoeatthepieces.Allwins,inmybook.So,withthatinmind,I’mabletotakealookatthedecidedly-chunkyCarnegie,comingtotheUSviaPegasusSpiele.I’mgladtoseethey’rehandlingtheirowngames,sinceI’veplayedabunchofthemfromotherUSpublishersandhaveenjoyedthem,sothecentralityhelps,alot.Eitherway,let’sgettoit. InCarnegie,youtakeontheroleofcompanyowners,lookingtomakeacountry-widebusinessoutoftheirhumblebeginnings.Bydevelopingyourcompany,expanding,hiringmoreemployees,andengaginginphilanthropy.Asyoudo,you’llstarttobecomeincreasinglyimportant,andseethestrengthofyourtransportnetworksdevelopaswell.Eachround,you’llhaveyourchoiceoffouractions:HumanResources,Management,Construction,orResearch&Development.TheseactivatedifferentDepartmentsinyourCompany,whichcandoeverythingfromgettinggoodstomovingEmployeesaroundtosendingsaidEmployeesonMissionsacrossthecountry.Asyoudo,you’llslowlydevelopnewprojects,anduseConstructiontobuildtheminvariouscitiesindifferentregionsacrosstheUS.Theseprojectswillnotonlyearnyouincome,butconnectingtheminonemassiveroutewillearnyouevenmoreinfluenceandprestigeasyoudo.There’sawholeeconomytodevelop,ifyouplanandexecutecorrectly;willyoumanagetobecomeatitanofindustry? Contents PlayerCountDifferences Strategy Pros,Mehs,Cons Overall PlayerCountDifferences TheonemajorthingtoknowaboutinCarnegieisthatwithmoreplayerscomesfewerchoicesofactionsforyou,specifically.Thegame’s20rounds,nomatterhowmanyplayersthereare.WithmoreplayerscomestheadventofActionChoicetokens,whichallowyoutochoosewhichofthefouractionsyou’dliketotake(insteadofgoingwithwhatyouropponentpicked).However,noteveryplayergetsone,andifyoukeepyoursuntiltheendofthegame,yougetabonus3points.Sothere’sabalancethere.Toincreasethetension,attwo,there’saneutralplayerthatstartsthegameblockingmanyofthepossibleprojectlocationsandDonations,soyouneedtoworkaroundthem(andyouropponent,whoisalsovexedbythis).Bothareinteresting,butbotharealsochallenging.I’mabigfanofCarnegieattwoplayers,however.Idon’tdoubtI’dstillenjoyitwithmoreplayers,buttheadditionaltimetoplaymakesmeabitlesskeenonthefour-playergame.MaybeonBoardGameArena,thoughthatwouldtakeweeks.Eitherway,I’veenjoyedCarnegiethemostattwo,butIhadfunwiththree,aswell. Strategy Don’tslouchonyourR&D.Thisisacriticalpaththatplayerscanoverlook,largelybecauseitdoesn’trevealimmediategainsthewaytheotherpathsdo(ortheHumanResourcespath,whichsetsupyourEmployees).Thethingis,Research&DevelopmentunlocksadditionalProjectsforyoutoplaceandithelpsbolsteryourTransportLevel,whichleadstomore(andmorediverse)income,whichcanconsequentlymakeiteasierforyoutobuildthoseProjectsandplacethoseEmployees.Youcanusuallycatchatleastoneotherplayerwhoisn’tpayingattentiontotheirR&D(orhasmistakenlyprioritizedsomethingelse)andrunthatactiontowasteabigturnforthem.Keepaneyeonyours! Youridealstrategyistokindofmoveinsyncwithotherplayers.Ideally,you’relookingatwhatthenextplayerismostlikelytopickandsettinguptheflowofyourgametomatchtheirs.Whentheybenefitthemselves,theybenefityou,aswell.Theabsoluteidealisthatyoucanrideotherplayers’wavesandsuccessfullymaneuversuchthattheydon’trideyours,butifyou’replayingaperfectgamealready,asectiononStrategythatsomeguywroteprobablyisn’tdoingyouanyfavorsinparticular. Movementisniceforgettingyourworkerswheretheyneedtobe,butitonlymatterssomuchifyoudon’thavethemoneytobackthingsup.Youabsolutelyhavetohavesomewhereinthe$10rangeofpettycashifyouwanttomakeyourEmployeemovementmatter.Youcan,inapinch,getthemwheretheyneedtogoandactivatethemlater,butifIseeaplayerwithabunchofinactiveEmployeesjunkinguptheirDepartments,youcanrestassuredI’mthinkingabouttakingthatActionthefirstchanceIget.Ifyou’relookingtoconservegoods,youcanmoveEmployeesontospaceswithoutDepartments,andthenbuildaDepartmentontothatspacelatertogetaonecubediscount.IfyouhavesurplusEmployees,itmightbeworthit. Similarly,placingsomeprojectsearlyinthegamecanpaydividends,sinceyougetthatadditionalprojectincome.ThisissomethingthatIdidn’tunderstandforabit,butwhenyoupullanEmployeebackwho’sonaMission,youget(inadditiontoregion-specificincome)incomefromallcurrently-placedprojects.WithenoughCommerceandIndustryprojects,you’regettingalotofmoneyandgoodscubeseveryround,shouldyouprudentlyplaceyourEmployees.There’ssomeincentivetoevenleavingsomeofthembehindsothatyoucancollectfromthesamelocationagain,shoulditcomeupintherotation. GettingaConstructionDepartmentthatcangetyougoodscubescanpairnicelywithbuildingprojects.MypersonalfavoriteistheDepartmentthatletsyoubuygoodscubesata$1:1rate(SupplyChain).Usingthat,youcanspend$3andsendthreeEmployeesonMissionstogetthreeCommerceorHousingprojectsplacedinoneturn(assumingyoudon’thaveanotherConstructionDepartment).Thatreallyspeedsupyourplacementpotential!And,consequently,yourincome,ifyoucanplayitright. Youprobablyshouldn’tprioritizeblockingyouropponents,sinceit’sratherexpensive,butyoucanpotentiallythrowoffamajormoveifyoumanagetoplaceontherightlocationattherighttime.Watchforopponentswhomaketheirroutesvulnerabletosabotage.Ifyou’vealreadycompletedyourmajorroute(orjustfeellikebeingajerk),sometimesit’sgoodtotaketheSmallCitythatyouropponenthastheireyeonforcompletingtheirroute,forcingthemtobuildaroundyou(iftheystillcan).Ifyouplayitright,youcancostthemalotofpoints,thoughtheymaybeprettyreasonablyupset. TrytokeepaneyeoutforwhatspotsontheTimelinearelikelycandidatestobepickednext,soyoucanplaceEmployeesthereandgainincomenextround.Preempt!Or,rather,justkeepaneyeonthegeneraltablevibe.Again,youwanttogowiththeflow,soifyouseeaplayermovingtheirEmployeestoConstruction,youmaywanttotryandcollectsomegoodscubes(andmoveyourEmployeesthere,aswell).IgenerallykeepmyR&DDepartmentconstantlystaffed,butthat’sjust,Ithink,agenerallygoodidea. AddingnewDepartmentscanbeprettygood,yes,buttherearedifferentthingstoprioritizebothintermsoftheirabilitiesandtheirgenerallocationforpoints.YoucouldstartwithNewLobby,tohelpyoumoveEmployeesaroundfaster(itgivesnewandreturningEmployeesanewstartinglocation),oryoucouldtrytohaveupgradedversionsofstartingDepartmentsplacedneartheirolderversionstomaketransitionseasy.OrjustgoforincreasedMovementtosolveallofyourproblems!Youonlyhave15Employees,maximum,though,sotrytoprioritize.Towardstheendofthegame,youmaynotgettouseyournewDepartmentsagain,soitmaybeworthbuildingthemalongthetoprow,wherethey’reatleastworth3pointseachattheendofthegame. Sometimesit’sworthittopickanactionnotbecauseit’sparticularlyusefultoyou,butitisextremelynotusefultoyouropponent(andthey’llhavetotaketheactionyoudidn’tpicklater).IfyouknowthatanopponentneedstouseHumanResourcesformovement,well,whynotmakethemdoitontheirturn?Youcanuseyourturnforother,moreimportantthings.Ifyoudon’texplicitlyneeditandtheydo,thenjustletthemwastetheirowntime.Don’tgiveyouropponentsgiftsunlessyoufeelthatitbenefitsyoumorethanithelpsthem. Don’tsleeponDonations,either!IthinkIgotover40pointsinthelastgameIplayedfromDonations?Youcanreallymakethemworkforyou.Evenmoreso,ifyouplaywiththeSideBProjectTabs.Attheirmaximumlevel,theyadd3pointstoyourmaximumscoringlimitforDonations,whichmeansyoucanearnevenmoremoneyforeachDonationyoumake.Justtrytofindonesthatyou’realreadydoing!Generally,unlessyou’recommittedtothesamethingasyouropponent,Iwouldn’trecommendtryingtoracethemfortheDonation. Pros,Mehs,andCons Pros Ireallylovetheroute-buildingofthisgame,andthelimitsofhowyoucanplaceprojects.IappreciatethecycleofmovingEmployeestogetGoodsanddoResearchsothatyoucanplaceProjects,andthenhavingtothinkaboutthetypesofProjectsyou’reresearchingsothatyoucanplaceamoreeffectivechainacrosstheUS.It’saverysmartsystemanditgivesplayersalotofleeway. Howincomeandprojectsintersectissuperinteresting,aswell.Thistookmeafewgamestofigureout,whichisashame,consideringit’sprettycritical,butplacingprojectsleavesyouwithemptyspots,givingyouextraincomewhenyoumanagetopullbackEmployeeswhoareonmissions.That’saveryinterestinginteractionflow,sinceitcanallowyoutochoosehowyougainincometocompensateforareasthatyoumaynothavebeenabletogetDepartmentssetuppreviously. Whenthegameflows,it’sincredible.It’sreallysatisfyingtoexecuteonalong-termplan.Iparticularlylikewhenyoucansuccessfullygetonthesameflowasotherplayers.Ifyoucandothat,youcanrackupatonofpoints.Generally,beingonthesamepageassomeoneisideal,soyou’renotdoingalltheworkofpoweringyourcompany(bypickingtheidealactions)yourself. IalsoappreciatehowmuchworkittakestogetDepartmentsupandrunning.YouhavetogettheGoodsinplace,theEmployeessetup(andpayfortheiractivation!),andthenyoustillhavetopicktheactionthatlinesupwiththatDepartmenttogetitworking.Iappreciatetheresultwhenyoucanmakeitallwork. Therearealotofwaystobesuccessful.Imean,generallyspeaking,there’salotofpointstobemadefromDonationsandProjects,butthewayyougettothatisprettyinteresting.YoucangoforDepartments,youcantryandleverageaperfectcycleofMissionsandIncome,oryoucandropalotofProjectsearlyandaccruealotofmoneyandgoodssothatyoucangettheDonationsandProjectsforthosepointsyoucrave. Asyou’dexpectfromanIanO’Toolegame,Carnegieisabsolutelybeautiful.Ireallylikethecolorscheme;it’sverypleasanttolookat,andfeelslikeyou’relookingatsomethingthat’sgenuinelyclassicinvibeandfeel.Ithinkthere’ssomeexpansioncontent,andI’dlovetoseewhatthatlookslike,aswell.It’sjustanice-lookinggame.Itmakesmehappywhenheaviergamesdon’tnecessarilylookdrab. Theprojectconstructiontabsaregoofy,butfun.Ilikethemalot.It’sjustaverysillyphysicalsetup.You’vegottheseplayerboardswithcardboardfeetonthebackandapieceofheavypapercoveringthatup,andtheprojecttabsarethesedouble-sidedtabsthatslideintothespacesbetweenthosefeet,whichisveryfunny.It’salittlebitgoofy,butIappreciatetheeffortputintomakingthegamefeelprettyseamlessinthatregard.Theyarecool,whenyou’reusingthem,thoughwhenIwasdoingphotographyIhadtothinkaboutthemaximumextensionlengthofthetabsandhowthatwouldeffectmyphotography. I’vebeenplayingCarnegiealotonBGA,andIdoappreciatehowmuchofthesetupittakescareof.Thegameplaysprettyquicklyandefficiently,there;I’veplayedtheoverwhelmingmajorityofmyplaysonBGAand,comparedtomyin-personplays,it’sveryquick.Granted,that’sbecauseithandlesprettymucheverypartofthesetupandmechanicalportionsofplay,butit’sappreciated. There’salsojustalottodo,whichisalotoffun.Ihavehadsixwildlydifferentgames,whichhasbeengreatforme.Ineedtotrystartingindifferentcities(IkeepstartinginChicago,whichiscomfortable,forme),butIreallyenjoythepracticeoftryingdifferentDepartmentsandProjectTabsidesandcombinationsandsuch. Surprisinglyintuitive,whichIrespect.Isaythismostlybecause,blessher,SuzSheldontaughtmethisgameoverahandfulofBGAgames,andIdidasignificantly-worsejobreadingtherulesthanIthoughtthatIdid.Ibasicallyunderstoodnothingfromthefirstgame,andmanagedtofigureitoutbygamethree,which,foraheaviergame,isarealtestamenttothedesign,Ithink.CouldIhavereadtherulebookmorethoroughly?Sure.DidI?No.Andwasthatokay?Thistime.I’mnotplanningtomakeahabitofit. Mehs IthinkIwouldhavelikedabitmorehistoricalcontexttothingsyouweredoingasplayers.Justnamesofcompaniesorprojectsthatyoubuiltinvariouslocations;Ithinkthatwouldhavebeennice.LearnsomethingaboutCarnegiebeyondmereadinghisWikipediapageforthisreview.Seemslikeafunopportunity. Ifyouplayagamewhereyouandyouropponent(s)arecompletelyoff-sync,itfeelsprettybad.Essentially,whathappensisthatyougettoplayasignificantlysmallerportionofthegame.It’s…notgreatwhenthathappens.It’slikewalkingwearingshoesthataretwodifferentheights.Thatsynchronizationwasprettycritical. Cons Itcanbeabitannoying,attwoplayers,forDepartmentsthatIliketogetknockedoutofthegamebeforeitstarts.It’snottheworstthingintheworld,granted,butthere’sdefinitelysomevariancethatcanoccurbetweengamesifyou’relosingsixteenDepartmenttilesbeforethegameevenstarts.ThereareafewtilesthatIlikehavinginmyCompany,andlosingthosetorandomchanceisgentlyfrustrating. Overall:8.5/10 Overall,IthinkCarnegieisablast!Aswithmanygamesofthisweight,it’sabitoutsideofmynormalgamingspace,butIappreciatethatplatformslikeBoardGameArenastillgivemeameansbywhichIcanenjoythem(justbecausemymostproximalgaminggroupswon’tnormallybeaskeenonplayingthisone).Thatsaid,there’salottolikeaboutthisone.Route-buildingisoneofmyfavoritemechanicsinboardgaming,andIthinkthattheprocessofbuildingacoast-to-coastsetofprojectsisreallyfun!There’ssomuchtodotoactuallygetthere,andexecutingonthatstrategyisintuitivetolearnandextremelysatisfyingasitprogresses.It’s,essentially,amulti-stepengine;youbuildupDepartmentstohaveEmployeesgoonMissionstoearnyoumoneyandgoodscubessothatyoucanbringthoseEmployeesbackandhavethemgooutagaintobuildprojects.Thoseprojectsearnyoupointsandboostyourincomesoyoucanrepeatthecyclealloveragain.Thegameismademoreinterestingbyanactionselectionprocesswhereeachplayerchoosesanactionforeveryonetoperform,makingthegamefeelsemi-cooperativewhenit’sgoodanddeeplycompetitivewhenthingsaren’tgoingyourway.Learningtointuitwhatyouropponentswantandprofitingfromthatisdeeplysatisfying,though,andIthinkthat’swhatmakesthecoreofCarnegiefeelsofun.Ifyouropponentishavingagoodturn,fine,butifyou’rehavingagoodturnaswell,itfeelslikeagift!IwasimpressedbyhowclearandintutiveIfoundCarnegie,butthatmaybeacreditofgoodgraphicdesignandaverypatientcoplayerformyfirstfewgames.Ifyou’relookingforsomethingonthemorecomplexsideofboardgaming;youenjoysomeengine-building,actionselection,andeconomicalgames;oryoujustwanttobuildamassivecompanythatrunslikeawell-oiledmachine,Carnegiemightberightupyouralley!I’vecertainlyenjoyedplayingit. IfyouenjoyedthisreviewandwouldliketosupportWhat’sEricPlaying?inthefuture,pleasecheckoutmyPatreon.Thanksforreading! Sharethis:ClicktoshareonTwitter(Opensinnewwindow)ClicktoshareonFacebook(Opensinnewwindow)Likethis:LikeLoading... Related LeaveaReplyCancelreply Enteryourcommenthere... Fillinyourdetailsbeloworclickanicontologin: Email(required)(Addressnevermadepublic) Name(required) Website YouarecommentingusingyourWordPress.comaccount. ( Log Out /  Change ) YouarecommentingusingyourTwitteraccount. ( Log Out /  Change ) YouarecommentingusingyourFacebookaccount. ( Log Out /  Change ) Cancel Connectingto%s Notifymeofnewcommentsviaemail.Notifymeofnewpostsviaemail. Δ Postnavigation #931–Similo:WildAnimals [Mini]#933–Wormholes Follow Following What'sEricPlaying? Join3,857otherfollowers Signmeup AlreadyhaveaWordPress.comaccount?Loginnow. What'sEricPlaying? 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