Planecrafters (2019)

Overview

As the saying goes, “He who rules the skies…rules at building airplanes and blimps and things”. And the whole world is racing to be #1! The small nation of Crumplehorn, scared of being left behind by its rivals, looks once again to Master Pennington B. Knickernacker to save the day. And he’s more than eager to help! Reports say the eccentric businessman, an avid plane enthusiast, is secretly devoting his substantial financial resources to build a fleet of flying machines that surpasses all others. But does he work for the glory of king and country? Or to line his own pockets? No one knows.

The schemes of past Knickernacker patriarchs are legendary, and Master Pennington is as peculiar as his predecessors. But he keeps his cards close to the vest. He has entrusted his grand designs to an exclusive group of industrialists known only as the Planecrafters. Fiercely independent, these Planecrafters battle amongst themselves to create the most efficient, and profitable, plane-building operation. And as the other saying goes, “to the victor…goes the money and lots of fancy stuff.”

Overview: Two to four players assume the roles of Planecrafters working for the Knickernacker estate. Players compete to hire the best employees, assemble the most productive factory, and deliver planes to Master Pennington. Maybe the planes they build aren’t always the prettiest (or even symmetrical). That’s O.K. Master Pennington doesn’t mind.

Object of the Game: Players earn crowns, the native currency of Crumplehorn, primarily by selling planes. Better planes sell for more crowns. But what really makes a factory succeed is its workers. Hiring employees for your factory will cost you crowns, but they're also a great investment. Employees can speed the production of planes, help you find better parts, sabotage your opponents’ factories, or receive crowns from the bank. At the end of the game, the player with the most crowns wins.

Each player’s turn consists of 4 phases: Hire: Spend your crowns to hire new employees to work in your factory. Acquire: Gather new parts cards from one of the parts depots. Flyer: Play your parts cards into your factory to build your flyer. Buyer: Sell your plane to the buyer, Master Pennington.