Carnegie is a heavy economic euro game for 1 to 4 players. In this game, players compete to build and expand their businesses, generate and invest income, and establish transportation chains across the U.S. over 20 rounds, aiming to score the most points.

Gameplay

The Action System

The game features four core actions managed by a unique action-selection mechanism. All four actions are displayed on an action board, and the active player selects one, which all players must then take in turn. This cycle continues for 20 rounds until the game ends. Unlike many popular action-selection games, the active player gains no extra advantage beyond simply choosing the action.

When an action is chosen, two things happen: first, income is collected from one of four regions on the board, or players can make a donation (more on donations later). Second, each player’s departments connected to that action activate. Departments contain one to three workers, activating once per worker present.

This mechanic is excellent and adds depth to the game. For a strong strategy, players need to prepare for the actions their opponents might choose by ensuring they have enough workers in the right departments and sufficient resources to make the most of each action. At times, a player may select an action that isn’t optimal for themselves but could disrupt their opponents if they lack the resources or workers for that action. The action system overall adds a layer of strategy and tension that is both rewarding and challenging.

Departments and Player Tableaus

Much of the decision-making happens on each player’s board, which features five pre-printed departments and ten empty spaces for custom departments. Depending on the player count, a range of department tiles is available for players to build. Each department is linked to one of the four main actions and activates whenever that action is taken. This allows players to customize their strategy, focusing on one or two main actions or diversifying across all four.

However, that’s just part of the puzzle. Most departments require at least one worker to activate. Departments can hold between one and three workers, and activate once per worker. One of the game’s actions allows players to move workers between departments, but moved workers require a one-time training fee in most cases.

Certain departments also require sending workers on missions to one of the four regions on the main board to gain benefits. While these workers generate income, balancing between deploying workers on missions and keeping them in departments is essential. Sending too many on missions can limit department activations and weaken future actions.

Constructing Projects and the Income System

The income system employs an engine-building element. Each player has four project tabs that slide into their player board. One primary action allows players to slide these tabs out and place project disks on them, and another lets them construct projects by placing the disks on cities across the main board. These disks serve three functions: they create a network for endgame scoring, grant city-based rewards or victory points, and uncover income benefits that trigger with each income phase. These project tabs connect two primary actions and progressively increase income, which is crucial for doing more in the game. Each tab provides different benefits on either side, adding variety to the setup.

Donations

Donations are a key part of scoring in Carnegie. Each donation secures an endgame objective and can score up to 12 points. Over the course of the game, there are eight opportunities to donate, with each opportunity becoming more expensive than the last. The action board triggers these opportunities, and in our plays, we’ve rarely managed to donate more than six times. Besides the increasing costs, players also need to have funds ready when a donation action is triggered by opponents, which isn’t always possible.

Everything Else

For a game of this complexity, the rules are surprisingly straightforward. Learning and teaching the game was easy; the 13-page rulebook is concise and filled with illustrations and examples. While setup can be a bit tedious for lower player counts, especially two, as certain cities and donation spots need to be blocked, it isn’t a major issue. Additionally, mistakes in this game can be punishing. Allowing opponents to force underwhelming rounds due to a lack of workers in key departments or insufficient resources can have serious consequences. Planning ahead and staying prepared for any action chosen by other players is crucial, so this might not be a game for players who don’t enjoy thinking about their future turns.

Artwork and Components

Ian O’Toole’s artwork and graphic design shine in Carnegie, showcasing his signature clarity and visual appeal. The publisher complements this with high-quality components, using thick cardboard for the main board, department tiles, and banknotes, along with a brilliant design for the player boards, featuring tabs that slide in and out. These tabs are an excellent choice, keeping everything organized and making it easy to track progress and income. It’s hard to imagine a better way of implementing this concept.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Carnegie is a brilliant game that ticks nearly all the boxes for us. With deep, engaging gameplay, straightforward rules, high-quality components, and beautiful artwork, it’s an excellent choice for fans of heavier euro games. After countless hours of play, it’s clear this game is a permanent addition to our collection, and we highly recommend it to any fans of strategic, economic board games.

Please note that we received a review copy of this game from our friends at Zatu Games, who have been wonderful to work with. Their shipping is prompt, and they also offer frequent sales. Check them out!

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