# Pipeline

Pipeline is a board game for 2–4 players. It plays in 60–120 minutes and is meant for ages 12 and up. Ludoya players call it best with 3. It is rated 6.4 out of 10 by 29 Ludoya reviewers. The cheapest copy in stock is $80.42 (United States).

- **Players:** 2–4 (best with 3)
- **Playing time:** 60–120 minutes
- **Minimum age:** 12+
- **Complexity:** 3.9 out of 5
- **Year published:** 2019
- **Categories:** Economic, Industry / Manufacturing
- **Mechanics:** End Game Bonuses, Action Drafting, Network and Route Building, Commodity Speculation, Contracts, Turn Order: Claim Action, Tile Placement, Market
- **Ludoya rating:** 6.4 out of 10, from 29 reviews
- **Owned by:** 72 Ludoya players
- **Plays logged on Ludoya:** 127
- **Unique players:** 177

**Designers:** Ryan Courtney

**Artists:** Ian O'Toole

## Where to buy in United States

| Shop | Price | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mono de Juegos | 45 € | https://www.monodejuegos.shop/juego-de-mesa/pipeline/ |
| Magia de Tinta | 47.95 € | https://www.magiadetinta.com/es/juegos/8026-pipeline-8436578811717.html |
| Alphaspel | 675 kr | https://alphaspel.se/491-bradspel/139378-pipeline |
| Fantasiapelit | 91 € | https://www.fantasiapelit.com/index.php?main=ai&kat=single&mista=indeksi&etsittava=_197411 |

## Expansions

- [Pipeline: Emerging Markets](https://www.ludoya.com/games/pipeline-emerging-markets)

## Similar games

- [Nucleum](https://www.ludoya.com/games/nucleum)
- [Clans of Caledonia](https://www.ludoya.com/games/clans-of-caledonia)
- [Fest Season](https://www.ludoya.com/games/fest-season)
- [Woodcraft](https://www.ludoya.com/games/woodcraft)
- [Chicago 1875: City of the Big Shoulders](https://www.ludoya.com/games/city-of-the-big-shoulders)
- [Ultimate Railroads](https://www.ludoya.com/games/ultimate-railroads)
- [Gentes](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gentes)
- [Mistwind](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mistwind)
- [Nippon: Zaibatsu](https://www.ludoya.com/games/nippon-zaibatsu)
- [Underwater Cities](https://www.ludoya.com/games/underwater-cities)
- [Planet Steam](https://www.ludoya.com/games/planet-steam)
- [Barrage](https://www.ludoya.com/games/barrage)

## Rules questions

### 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).

## Links

- [This page](https://www.ludoya.com/games/pipeline-3)
- [Pipeline in the Ludoya app](https://app.ludoya.com/g/pipeline-3)
- [BoardGameGeek entry](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/256730)

_Data from Ludoya, updated 2026-09-19. Ratings, ownership and play counts are Ludoya's own._