Furnace

Furnace is an elegant engine-building Eurogame where players step into the shoes of 19th-century capitalists, aiming to build their industrial corporations and maximise their wealth. The game focuses on purchasing companies, extracting resources, and optimising processing combinations to earn the most money.

The game is played over four rounds, each consisting of two phases: Auction and Production.

Auction Phase:

• Bidding: Players start with four coloured discs, each valued from 1 to 4. They take turns placing discs on company cards laid out in a common row. Each disc must be unique in value and colour on a single card.

• Resolution: Once all discs are placed, cards are resolved from left to right. The highest bid on each card claims it, while other players with lower bids receive compensation. Compensation is determined by the value of their disc and can include resources or processing abilities.

Production Phase:

• Card Management: Players use their acquired company cards in any order they choose. Each card offers actions such as gaining resources, processing resources into money or other goods, and upgrading cards for enhanced effects.

Game End:

• After four rounds, the player with the most money wins.

Additional Features:

• Capitalist Cards: These cards introduce unique effects and can be dealt to each player at the start of the game for added variety.

• Production Chain (Optional Challenge): For a greater challenge, players can create a "production chain," locking newly acquired company cards in place for the remainder of the game.