- BGG rank
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Monopoly: The Mega Edition
- 2–8 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2006
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Cartel
1973
Rules assistance for Cartel
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 90 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Cartel
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Cartel is a board game released in 1973 for 2–4 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Phil Orbanes Sr. and its main mechanics are Set Collection and Auction / Bidding.
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About the game
A Cartel, as used in this game, is an international collection of companies whose collective value is greater than the individual companies making up the combination. Beginning with a single company valued at 10 million dollars, you can build a cartel whose final value may approach or surpass one billion dollars within ten years (ten rounds of play). You can acquire one or more new companies each year, increasing your profits and the value of your unsold stock, making it possible to buy bigger and bigger companies as the game proceeds. Special bonus profits are gained whenever you buy companies situated adjacent to one another on the board, further increasing your rate of growth. By skillfully buying the right companies (using your cash, selling stock, and borrowing money with bonds), you win by having the cartel of greatest value at the end of the game.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Grow Jogos e Brinquedos
- Gamut of Games
Questions and answers
Cartel supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Cartel is 90 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Cartel for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Cartel has a complexity rating of 2.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Cartel belongs to these categories: Economic. Its main mechanics are Set Collection and Auction / Bidding. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Cartel are: Phil Orbanes Sr.. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Cartel as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.