- BGG rating
- 6.6
Carthago: Merchants & Guilds – Golden Achievements
- 2–4 players
- 60–90 min
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,359
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Carthago: Merchants & Guilds
2017
Rules assistance for Carthago: Merchants & Guilds
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 60–90 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Carthago: Merchants & Guilds
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Carthago: Merchants & Guilds is a board game released in 2017 for 2–4 players, 60–90 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Bernd Eisenstein and Ralph Bienert and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Trading.
Expansions
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About the game
Carthage - about 800 years B.C. Founded as a humble trading post by the Phoenicians, the city quickly grew into an important trade hub where precious goods from around the ancient world were traded. In Carthago, players represent merchants who attempt to increase their wealth and influence while improving their status within the Merchant's Guild. Become the greatest merchant in Carthage by loading valuable wares, financing expeditions, and exerting influence in clever ways. An extraordinary card-driven game of tactics that demands making the right decisions at the right time! Discover and trade valuable goods to acquire special abilities. Gain influence by trading goods. Use your influence to battle enemies, secure more seats in the Merchant’s Guild, or unlock special achievements. Multi-use cards provide players various ways to improve their status within the Merchant’s Guild. The game’s components are language-independent.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Capstone Games
- Atalia
- Game's Up
- Irongames
Questions and answers
Carthago: Merchants & Guilds 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 Carthago: Merchants & Guilds is 60–90 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 Carthago: Merchants & Guilds for ages 12 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.
Carthago: Merchants & Guilds has a complexity rating of 3.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Carthago: Merchants & Guilds belongs to these categories: Card Game, Economic, and Ancient. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Trading. 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 Carthago: Merchants & Guilds are: Bernd Eisenstein and Ralph Bienert. 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 Carthago: Merchants & Guilds 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.