Container (board game)
Encyclopedia
Container is an economic simulation board game
for three to five players. The game is themed around the shipping industry, and the primary pieces in the game are shipping containers, hence the name of the game. The players in container produce, buy, sell, ship and store containers with the general goal of maximizing overall profits. Economic considerations such as supply and demand, cash management, return on investment and efficient use of resources are natural consequences of the game's buying and selling rules.
Each player owns a shipyard with an attached production facility for goods, as well as a ship that can be used to transport goods. The game uses five kinds of (unnamed, but colour-coded) goods, which are represented as a miniature intermodal container
(shipping container). Each player's ship can carry up to five containers. Initially each player has the means to produce one container in a single action; actions may be used to expand the player's production capacity (which also costs money). At the time of production, the player pays the player to his right a union contribution
, and must place his newly produced goods in his factory store priced at between 1 and 4 currency units. Once containers are produced, another player - not the same player - may use an action during his turn to buy some or all of the containers, placing them on his dockside store priced as he chooses at between 2 and 6 currency units. Players can initially only keep one container in their dockside store, and must spend actions (and money) to buy more warehouses
to increase their capacity.
Each player's ship begins the game in the open sea. A player can use an action to move his ship between the open sea and another player's (but not his own) dockyard; when he arrives in another player's dockyard he may buy some or all of that player's containers. A player can also use an action to move his ship between the open sea and a small, industrialising
island that the shipping companies hope to make money from. When he arrives at the island, a blind auction
takes place between the other players; the player who triggered the auction chooses whether to sell the goods to the highest-bidding player (at which point he also receives the same amount from the bank as a government subsidy, and the buying player places the containers in his own space on the island) or buy the goods for himself at the highest bid, at which point he places the containers in his own space on the island. Thus there is a difference of three times the highest bid in allowing the containers to go to another player instead of taking them for onesself!
The game ends at the end of a player's turn when the pre-determined supply of containers runs out of two types. At this point, the containers on the island are evaluated. Each player is dealt, at the start of the game, a card telling him the values (to him) of each of the different types of containers, from 2 to 10. However, the type of container that he has most of (or one of the types of containers that he has joint most of) is deemed to be oversupplied, and hence worthless - creating a situation whereby he wishes to have the most, or joint most, of his least valuable container. There is also a mechanism by which a player benefits from having at least one of each type of container in his space on the island. Containers remaining on players' ships or in their dockside stores, but not in their factory stores, are also worth money at game end. The player with the most money at the end of the game is the winner.
The game encourages players to compete economically. The convoluted route that the containers take to their eventual destination ensures that players lose track of whose production facility an individual container originally came from, and focus only on its immediate and future value to them.
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
for three to five players. The game is themed around the shipping industry, and the primary pieces in the game are shipping containers, hence the name of the game. The players in container produce, buy, sell, ship and store containers with the general goal of maximizing overall profits. Economic considerations such as supply and demand, cash management, return on investment and efficient use of resources are natural consequences of the game's buying and selling rules.
Each player owns a shipyard with an attached production facility for goods, as well as a ship that can be used to transport goods. The game uses five kinds of (unnamed, but colour-coded) goods, which are represented as a miniature intermodal container
Intermodal container
An intermodal container is a standardized reusable steel box used for the safe, efficient and secure storage and movement of materials and products within a global containerized intermodal freight transport system...
(shipping container). Each player's ship can carry up to five containers. Initially each player has the means to produce one container in a single action; actions may be used to expand the player's production capacity (which also costs money). At the time of production, the player pays the player to his right a union contribution
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
, and must place his newly produced goods in his factory store priced at between 1 and 4 currency units. Once containers are produced, another player - not the same player - may use an action during his turn to buy some or all of the containers, placing them on his dockside store priced as he chooses at between 2 and 6 currency units. Players can initially only keep one container in their dockside store, and must spend actions (and money) to buy more warehouses
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
to increase their capacity.
Each player's ship begins the game in the open sea. A player can use an action to move his ship between the open sea and another player's (but not his own) dockyard; when he arrives in another player's dockyard he may buy some or all of that player's containers. A player can also use an action to move his ship between the open sea and a small, industrialising
Industrialisation
Industrialization is the process of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial one...
island that the shipping companies hope to make money from. When he arrives at the island, a blind auction
Unique bid auction
A unique bid auction is a type of strategy game related to traditional auctions where the winner is usually the individual with the lowest unique bid, although less commonly the auction rules may specify that the highest unique bid is the winner...
takes place between the other players; the player who triggered the auction chooses whether to sell the goods to the highest-bidding player (at which point he also receives the same amount from the bank as a government subsidy, and the buying player places the containers in his own space on the island) or buy the goods for himself at the highest bid, at which point he places the containers in his own space on the island. Thus there is a difference of three times the highest bid in allowing the containers to go to another player instead of taking them for onesself!
The game ends at the end of a player's turn when the pre-determined supply of containers runs out of two types. At this point, the containers on the island are evaluated. Each player is dealt, at the start of the game, a card telling him the values (to him) of each of the different types of containers, from 2 to 10. However, the type of container that he has most of (or one of the types of containers that he has joint most of) is deemed to be oversupplied, and hence worthless - creating a situation whereby he wishes to have the most, or joint most, of his least valuable container. There is also a mechanism by which a player benefits from having at least one of each type of container in his space on the island. Containers remaining on players' ships or in their dockside stores, but not in their factory stores, are also worth money at game end. The player with the most money at the end of the game is the winner.
The game encourages players to compete economically. The convoluted route that the containers take to their eventual destination ensures that players lose track of whose production facility an individual container originally came from, and focus only on its immediate and future value to them.
External links
- Container at BoardGameGeekBoardGameGeekBoardGameGeek is a website that was founded in January 2000 by Scott Alden and Derk Solko as a resource for the board gaming hobby. The database holds reviews, articles, and session reports for over 45,000 different games, expansions, and designers. BoardGameGeek includes German-style board games,...
- Container play online at Boardspace.netBoardSpace.netBoardspace.net is the online home of a wide array of strategy games. Some are well known in the gaming community others are obscure by almost anyone's standards. The primary goal of the site is to promote real time games between two humans. Most games have robots you can play and use for learning...
against real or computer opponents.