2019 · Industry / Manufacturing
Pipeline
Players run private oil companies building efficient refinery pipeline networks, hiring experts, and managing logistics in a newly privatized energy market. On each turn players design and expand interweaving pipelines inside their refinery, purchase crude and refine it into higher-value products, and sell those products to different markets while balancing costs and demand. Strategic hiring and network layout influence efficiency and scoring as players compete for market share.
- Players
- 2–4 best 3
- Playing time
- 60–120 min
- Age
- 12+
- Complexity
- 3.9 / 5
About the game
- Design
- Art
Expansions
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Where to buy it
Shop prices and second-hand copies, checked every day.
On Ludoya's tables
Full stats in Ludoya- 125
- Plays logged
- 173
- Players
- 1h 54m
- Average play
- 76
- In collections
- 14
- On wishlists
7.1/10
from 29 Ludoya reviews
Garfield8.0 #56 BGExpansions in Box This is a tough one! I think you have to replay it several times to be able to sell more. But my first impression was a little bit mixed. I like the pipe network and the economic touch. But I didn't like that it's hard to establish the technology cards (too expensive at the start and useless towards the end game?) and also the machines almost don't come to play because you have to have a big network first but there are not enough rounds. [c] Theme: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]Building a pipeline network and economic stuff --> Gameplay: ★★★★★ <!-- size 7]Meaningful decisions --> Interaction: ★★★☆☆ <!-- size 7]No direct interaction, what others buying/selling --> Artwork: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]Nice --> Luck: ★☆☆☆☆ <!-- size 7]No --> Strategy: ★★★★★ <!-- size 7]Pure strategy --> Components: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]Very good --> Play duration: ★★★★★ <!-- size 7]For such a game -> perfect --> Easy to teach: ★☆☆☆☆ <!-- size 7]Takes long (60min) --> Rules quality: ★★★☆☆ <!-- size 7]Ok(8 questions) --> Setup time: ★☆☆☆☆ <!-- size 7]A lot to setup --> No downtime: ★★★☆☆ <!-- size 7]Can suffer from AP --> Replay value: ★★★☆☆ <!-- size 7]Random tiles, different technologies --> [/c]
No plays logged
Rules questions
Answered from the rulebook by Ludoya's rules assistant.
Can I place my worker on an action space that's already occupied?
Yes — you may place your worker on any Action space in the center (or on Government Pipe tiles or in your own Pipe Network) regardless of whether another worker is there, provided you can pay for the Action (p6).
When I'm at a Refined or Crude Market, do I have to buy first or sell first?
If you are both purchasing and selling in a Market you must complete all of your selling before purchasing; you may sell a higher grade as a lower grade and may trade as many barrels as you wish (p7).
If I take a Contract can I defer it to next year, and when do deferred Contracts activate? Can I defer in year 3?
When you take a Contract you immediately choose Active or Deferred; Deferred Contracts become Active at the start of the next year during the Refresh phase, and you may not defer Contracts in year 3 (p7; Refresh step on p6).
Can one Pipeline refine multiple barrels or can I run the same barrel through multiple Pipelines in one Action?
No — each Pipeline may only refine one barrel and you cannot run the same barrel through multiple Pipelines in the same Action; all Pipelines run simultaneously and each may only be run once per turn (p9; p10).
Do Machines count as pipe segments, and how do they interact with pipelines?
Machines do not count as a section of Pipe and when placed on a pipe tile they bisect that Pipeline; during the Machine Phase machines refine oil through the Pipelines connected to them and all Machines run once simultaneously (p8; p10).
If I refine a barrel multiple grades in one run, do I need tank space for the intermediate grades?
You only need a free Tank for the final grade — you do not need tank space for intermediate grades — but you must have a free Tank on the corresponding row to move the refined barrel to, otherwise it cannot be refined (p9).
Free, on web, Android and iOS
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Game facts (players, playing time, age, credits) from BoardGameGeek.