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Imperial Steam
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The Cost
2020
Rules assistance for The Cost
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 75 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.6/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for The Cost
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Cost is a board game released in 2020 for 2–4 players, 75 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Armando Canales and its main mechanics are Ownership, Network and Route Building, and Turn Order: Stat-Based.
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About the game
The Cost is a challenging economic board game that places players in the role of a company whose interest is in the asbestos industry around the world. Players compete to make their fortune by concentrating or diversifying in the various aspects of the industry such as mining, refining, and shipping. Whoever ends the game with the most money wins. The game is played over four rounds, but it might end early due to health and safety regulations that shut down the industry by eliminating all areas in which they can act. In each round, players begin their turns by selecting a country in which to execute their actions. This selection triggers an event within it, in addition to having an effect on its economy. Players then use a unique system to draft three actions at once for the round. These actions can be a mix of building mines, building refineries, gaining government subsidies, establishing railroads, and establishing ports. Once all players have executed their actions, they may convert their money (i.e., victory points) into specific country resources, with each country having its own conversion rate. A player's industry then goes into motion with mines producing raw asbestos, refineries refining that asbestos, and railroads and ports transporting these goods around the world. Players may also have a chance to invest in their own companies to gain an edge. When players mine or refine asbestos, they must choose to either maximize profits for short-term gains or sacrifice their hard-won money to minimize deaths, thus sustaining the industry. —description from the publisher
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Rawstone
- Spielworxx
Questions and answers
The Cost 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 The Cost is 75 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 The Cost 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.
The Cost 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.
The Cost belongs to these categories: Economic. Its main mechanics are Ownership, Network and Route Building, and Turn Order: Stat-Based. 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 The Cost are: Armando Canales. 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 The Cost 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.