
- BGG rank
- BGG #469
- BGG rating
- 7.5
The Godfather: Corleone's Empire
- 2–5 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2017

2013
Rules assistance for Craftsmen
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Craftsmen is a board game released in 2013 for 2–5 players, 120–180 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Krzysztof Matusik and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Trading.
A long, long time ago in a distant kingdom, there was a town, a town so small that the cartographers in the kingdom did not bother to put it on any of their maps. The mayor of the city decided to change this. He sent messengers all around the kingdom to announce that a skillful, smart and experienced entrepreneur was needed to elevate the economy of this small town. The price for this effort would be a memorial on the main square of the town, eternal glory, and the satisfaction from a job well done. Years passed before the candidates finally reached the city. The mayor had never been happier, but he didn't know which of the entrepreneurs would be most suitable for the position, so he decided to give each of them a chance to prove that he was the long-awaited entrepreneur. Each of the candidates received five helpers who were admittedly not very bright, but who were certainly loyal and obedient. They have three years to prove their craftsmanship and skill, and after this time, the mayor will decide which candidate most deserves the honorable position. In Craftsmen, players try to gain appreciation points by building production buildings, creating connections between these buildings, producing raw materials and consumption goods, or buying them outright. They can also gain points by sending produced goods to the farthest parts of the world. In the end, whoever has the most appreciation points wins.
Craftsmen supports 2–5 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 Craftsmen is 120–180 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 Craftsmen 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.
Craftsmen has a complexity rating of 4.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy 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.
Craftsmen belongs to these categories: Economic, Medieval, and Industry / Manufacturing. 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 Craftsmen are: Krzysztof Matusik. 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 Craftsmen 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.