# Carthago: Merchants & Guilds

## General Info
- **Year Published**: 2017
- **BGG Rating**: 6.7
- **BGG Rank**: #5261
- **Players**: 2-4 (Best with: 4)
- **Duration**: 60-90 min
- **Weight**: 3.00 / 5
- **Designers**: Bernd Eisenstein, Ralph Bienert
- **Artists**: Christian Opperer, Odysseas Stamoglou
- **Publishers**: Game's Up, Irongames, Atalia, Capstone Games
- **Categories**: Ancient, Card Game, Economic
- **Mechanics**: Action Points, Deck, Bag, and Pool Building, Hand Management, Pick-up and Deliver, Set Collection, Trading, Worker Placement

## Verdict
If you love card games with deep strategy and negotiation, Carthago is your next favorite.Card and action mixDynamic influence managementIntense interactionHigh‑quality componentsMedium complexityAttention to detail requiredHIGHLY RECOMMENDED

## Description
Carthago: Merchants & Guilds whisks you back to an ancient world where the city of Carthage rises as a massive trade hub. You take on the role of an ambitious merchant, seeking not only to amass wealth but also to gain prestige within the powerful Merchant’s Guild. The game blends cards, action points, and a deck-building mechanic that evolves over the rounds, allowing you to plan each move with care.

At the start, each player receives an initial deck of goods and action cards. During each turn, you can spend action points to buy cards, gather goods from a central market, deliver items to clients, or even trade with other players. The action cards are versatile: some allow you to finance expeditions that bring extra resources, others grant influence bonuses, and others let you place workers on strategic locations to secure resources.

The Pick‑up and Deliver mechanic creates a constant flow dynamic, as goods circulate between the market, the players, and the Guild’s objectives. When you deliver a complete set of goods, you earn influence points that can be used to buy seats in the Guild or unlock special abilities. Influence can also be used to block competitors or secure advantages in future rounds.

What sets the game apart is its strategic depth: poor decisions at critical moments can cost dearly, while a well‑orchestrated plan can catapult a merchant to the top. Player interaction is intense, as trading and worker placement generate indirect confrontations and bargaining opportunities. The components are high‑quality, featuring illustrated cards, influence tokens, and a central board representing Carthage’s market.

In short, Carthago: Merchants & Guilds is a title that blends card tactics with resource management and a touch of diplomacy, ideal for fans of economic games with plenty of interaction and critical decisions.

## FAQ
### How many players can play?
The game supports 2 to 4 players, offering a balanced experience for both pairs and full groups.

### What is the average game duration?
Each session lasts between 60 and 90 minutes, depending on player experience and adopted strategies.

### What is the complexity level?
The complexity is medium, requiring strategic planning and attention to cards and action points, but it’s not as intimidating as advanced board games.

### What are the main components?
The game includes a set of commodity cards, action cards, influence tokens, a central board representing the market, and worker tokens.

### Who is the target audience?
Ideal for fans of trade games, card tactics, and player interaction who enjoy making critical decisions.

### How do action points work?
Each player receives a fixed number of action points per turn, which can be spent to buy cards, collect goods, or perform other strategic actions.

### How do players interact with each other?
Interaction occurs mainly through trading, competition for resources, and the use of influence cards that can block or benefit other players.

## Price Comparison
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