- BGG rating
- 8.8
City of the Great Machine: On the Verge
- 2–4 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 4.0/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,137
- BGG rating
- 7.7
City of the Great Machine
2023
Rules assistance for City of the Great Machine
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 60–90 min
- 14+
- Complexity 3.6/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for City of the Great Machine
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
City of the Great Machine is a board game released in 2023 for 1–4 players, 60–90 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by German Tikhomirov and its main mechanics are Area Movement, Modular Board, and Cooperative Game.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 8.2
City of the Great Machine: Stand-In Heroes
- 1–4 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2023
- BGG rating
- 8.3
City of the Great Machine: The Confrontation
- 1–4 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 4.0/5
- 2023
- BGG rating
- 8.2
City of the Great Machine: The Escalation
- 1–4 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2023
- BGG rating
- 8.2
City of the Great Machine: The Escalation Kickstarter Exclusives
- 1–4 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 4.0/5
- 2023
- BGG rating
- 9.8
City of the Great Machine: The Story Unfolds
- 1–5 players
- 60–120 min
- 2027
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About the game
City of the Great Machine is a strategy game set in a grim universe of technocratic Victorian steampunk. The game features the conflict between the Great Machine, an artificial intelligence network, and an alliance of Heroes. The Great Machine is either controlled by a player or is automated, which completely changes the game play. The Great Machine controls a City built on mobile platforms in the sky. As the Great Machine, the player (or game AI) commands a force of perfected Servants and mechanical Guards. The Great Machine's ultimate goal is to suppress social unrest and complete its grandiose Master Plan to perfect the human race. The other players are Heroes working together against the Great Machine to start a revolution. They encourage discontent in the City, enlist the support of famous citizens, and inflame riots. They also attempt to prevent the Great Machine from completing the Master Plan, as it leads to the enslavement of the human race. Game features: City of the Great Machine may be played as One-vs-Many (2-4 players) or cooperatively/solo (1-3 players). Modular board allows for infinite City layouts. The players may reposition the City Districts during the game. Hidden movement. Each round, the Heroes secretly choose the Districts they will go to. Resource management. Both sides of the conflict have multiple actions to take and pay for them in Trust (Heroes) or Bonds (the Great Machine). The same is true for movement and other tasks. Asymmetric game play and unique victory conditions. The Heroes need 3 Riots to win, while the Great Machine strives to complete the Master Plan. Secrecy. The Heroes need to conceal their plans from the Great Machine, however, they may discuss their intentions only in the presence of the Great Machine.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- MINDOK
- CrowD Games
- Czacha Games
- Moroz Dev Studio
Questions and answers
City of the Great Machine supports 1–4 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 City of the Great Machine 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 City of the Great Machine for ages 14 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.
City of the Great Machine has a complexity rating of 3.6 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.
City of the Great Machine belongs to these categories: Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Area Movement, Modular Board, and Cooperative Game. 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 City of the Great Machine are: German Tikhomirov. 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 City of the Great Machine 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.