National Economy
National Economy Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Overview
The National Economy series are worker placement card games created by Hiroshi Nishimura. The 3 games released so far in the series, namely National Economy, National Economy: Mecenat, and National Economy: Glory, are all popular as economic games with simple rules and high strategic elements. This National Economy is a revival edition that includes all 3 games. The rules are the same as the originals, but improvements have been made in playability.
Progress — Revival edition of "National Economy" (originally released in 2015) This first and basic game in the series allows you to experience the economic cycle with simple rules.
Mecenat — Revival edition of "National Economy: Mecenat" (originally released in 2017) This second game in the series is themed on corporate support for the arts and culture. More development strategies are required, taking into account the synergy (interaction) of card effects.
Glory — Revival edition of "National Economy: Glory" (originally released in 2019) In this third game in the series, the theme has expanded to a steampunk-style world, and the introduction of mechanical dolls has further diversified strategy.
Players: 1-4. Time: 30-45 min. Age: 12+.
Components
Components for All the Games: this rulebook; 9 Round cards; 6 Initial General Workplace cards; 30 Consumer Item cards; 4 Summary cards; 1 Start Player marker; 1 Safe box; 73 Money tokens (40 $1, 20 $5, and 13 $10 tokens); 15 Unpaid Wage cards; 30 VP cards (used for Mecenat and Glory); 20 Worker tokens (4 colors x 5 tokens).
Progress: 64 Building cards for Progress; 2 Temp Worker tokens.
Mecenat: 73 Building cards for Mecenat.
Glory: 1 Initial General Workplace card "Relics"; 71 Building cards for Glory; 5 Mechanical Doll tokens.
Setup
For solo rules, see the Solo Rules section.
- In this game, you can play Progress, Mecenat and Glory. Choose the game to play.
- Place the Initial General Workplace cards, consisting of Quarry, Mine, and School (and Relics for Glory), face up in the center of the table. Then place the following number of Carpenter cards in accordance with the number of players.
- 2 players: 1
- 3 players: 2
- 4 players: 3
- Stack the Round cards in ascending order from the top (Round 1 at the top and Round 9 at the bottom) and place this Round card pile near the Initial General Workplace cards.
- Place a pile of all Consumer Item cards next to the Initial General Workplace cards.
- Shuffle all the Building cards to use in the game face down to form a deck and place it next to the Initial General Workplace cards. Keep a space next to it for the discard pile.
- Place the Money tokens, Worker tokens, Consumer Item cards, Unpaid Wage cards, Temp Worker tokens (for Progress), VP cards (for Mecenat and Glory), and Mechanical Doll tokens (for Glory) aside on the table. This is the supply.
- Return the components of the unchosen games into the box. You cannot play with a mixture of Building cards from different games.
- Place the cover of the safe separately from the supply. Money tokens will be placed here during the game. The money here is managed separately from the supply as the Budget.
- Each player chooses a color, receives 2 Worker tokens and 1 summary card of their color from the supply, and places them in front of themselves.
- Determine on the start player in a fair way, and give them the Start Player marker. The start player receives $5 in money, and subsequent players receive $6, $7, etc. in turn in a clockwise order, with each player receiving $1 more than the previous player.
- Each player draws 3 Building cards from the deck and keeps them as their hand. Now, the setup is complete.
How to Play
1. Action Phase — Place a Worker on a Workplace and apply its effects.
2. Payday Phase — Pay wages to each of your Workers.
3. Next Round Setup — Flip over the round card to prepare for the next round.
Each round consists of the above Steps 1 to 3, and the game ends after 9 rounds. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.
1. Action Phase
Take turns clockwise beginning with the start player.
On your turn, place one of your Worker tokens on a Workplace and immediately apply the effects of that workplace. Continue this until everyone has used up their Worker tokens.
A Workplace is a space to place your Worker tokens. This includes the Initial General Workplace cards and Building cards in the center of the table, as well as the Building cards in front of you (but not the Building Cards in front of other players). The Building Cards in front of you are hereinafter called your Buildings.
The Initial General Workplace cards and Building cards in the center of the table are collectively called the General Workplace. Any player can place their Worker tokens on the General Workplace.
You can only place 1 Worker token on each Workplace (unless stated otherwise on the card). When placing a Worker token, you must choose a Workplace unoccupied by any Worker token, including those of other players.
After placing a Worker token on a Workplace, apply all of the effects stated on it. You cannot place your Worker token on a Workplace if it has any effect that you cannot apply. (For example, if you only have a Budget of $5, you cannot place your Worker token on a Workplace that requires spending $6 from the Budget).
When you have used up your Worker tokens, your subsequent turns are skipped. When everyone has left the action phase, the game moves on to the Payday Phase.
Workplace Card Description and 5 Common Terms
Workplace card effects are described at the end of this rule book.
Card Description: ① Card Name ② Construction Cost ③ Asset Value ④ Category Icon ⑤ Workplace Effect
A "no worker" icon means: you cannot place a worker token (or a Mechanical Doll token) on buildings with this icon.
A "no sale" icon means: Buildings with this icon cannot be sold.
Workplace Effect
Draw Cards Draw the specified number of cards from the Building card deck and add them to your hand. If the deck runs out of cards to draw, shuffle the discard pile to form a new deck. If the deck is still short of cards, draw Consumer Item cards instead of Building cards.
There is no hand limit during the Action Phase, but you must discard down to 5 cards during the Payday Phase.
Construct a Building Choose one of the Building cards in your hand and place it face up in front of you. As the construction cost, discard from your hand a number of cards matching the number stated at the upper left corner of the chosen Building card. (The discards exclude the Building card you have just chosen.) You can discard any Building or Consumer Item cards. Discarded Building cards face up in the discard pile next to the supply, and return discarded Consumer Item cards to the Consumer Item deck.
In this way, you can turn the Building cards in your hand into your Buildings. In your subsequent turns, you can place your Worker tokens there as your exclusive Workplace.
Budget The Budget is a common area for everyone to place money, but it is different from the supply. If a Workplace effect prompts you to pay money to the Budget, move the money to the cover of the safe, not the supply. You do not gain money from the supply except when selling a Building during the Payday Phase (to be described later).
You can exchange money at any time during the game. However, when exchanging money in the Budget, be careful not to change the total amount of money in the Budget.
Hire a Worker Take a Worker token of your color from the supply and place it in the Workplace along with the Worker you have just placed there. If you do not have any Workers in the supply, you cannot use this effect to place a Worker in a Workplace.
The Worker you hire cannot work in the Workplace during that round. However, you must pay the wages for the Worker you have hired during the Payday Phase. (You must pay wages also during training!)
Acquire a Mechanical Doll (for Glory) Take a Mechanical Doll from the supply and place it in front of you. In the Payday Phase you return it to your hand in the same way as a Worker. Mechanical Doll tokens function similarly to worker tokens and can be placed at workplaces during your turn, but differ from workers in the following ways:
- You do not need to pay their wages.
- You can place it in front of you immediately after acquiring it, and then place it in a Workplace in your next turn.
2. Payday Phase
Everyone returns all of their Worker tokens to their hands. At this point, if you have 6 or more cards in your hand (including Building and Consumer Item cards), discard down to 5 cards. In the same manner as paying construction costs, you can discard any Building or Consumer Item cards. Discard Building cards face up in the discard pile next to the deck, and return Consumer Item cards to the Consumer Item deck.
After that, pay the wages indicated on the present Round card to the Budget for each of your Worker tokens. If you cannot pay, choose one of your Buildings to sell. However, you cannot sell Buildings with the "no sale" icon.
When selling a Building, move it to the center of the table and receive money from the supply equal to the asset value of the Building sold. You can sell more than one building, but you cannot sell more buildings than you need (see the example below). If you have enough money to pay wages, you cannot sell Building cards. A sold building is thereafter treated as a general workplace.
Ex. You have buildings with asset values of $20, $18, and $10, and you are short of $20 to pay wages. OK: Sell 1 $20 building. OK: Sell 1 $18 and 1 $10 buildings. NO: Sell 1 $20 and 1 $10 buildings (because the shortage can be filled by selling 1 $20 building)
If you cannot pay the wages even after selling all of your Buildings, receive 1 Unpaid Wage card per shortage of $1.
When everyone has paid their wages, move on to Next Round Setup.
If the money in the supply runs out, substitute them with something else. Likewise, if Unpaid Wage cards, VP cards, or Consumer Item cards run out, substitute them with something else.
Discarding excess cards from one's hand and selling Building cards can be performed by everyone at the same time. However, in a case in which the order is important, do so in clockwise order beginning with the start player.
3. Next Round Setup
Take the round card used this round, flip it over, and add it to the General Workplaces. Then, proceed to the Action Phase of the next round.
If the round deck is empty at this point, the game ends and you proceed to Scoring.
The start player does not change unless affected by the effect of the Quarry.
Scoring
Add up your points in accordance with the following parameters. The player with the highest score wins.
- +1 pt per 1 asset value point of your Buildings
- Additional points earned at the end of the game by your Buildings' effects
- 1 pt per 1$
- (For Mecenat or Glory) 10 pt per 3 VP cards. For each of VP cards not forming 3 cards, 1 pt per card
- -3 pt per 1 Unpaid Wage card
In case of a tie, among the tied players, the player closer to the start player in turn order (the start player being the closest) wins.
Solo Play Rules
When playing solo, make the following changes to the setup and rules.
Setup
Change Step 2 as follows.
- The Quarry card in an Initial General Workplace will not be used, so return it into the box.
- Remove 1 Building card each of A and B listed in the following table in accordance with the game you play.
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| Progress | Farm | Factory |
| Mecenat | Vegetable Garden | Food Factory |
| Glory | Relics (Initial General Workplace) | Steam Factory |
- Place the Mine, Carpenter and School Building cards from the Initial General Workplace together with Building A in a single row in the center of the table as shown below (old General Workplace order: Mine, Carpenter, School — new order adds Building A, leaving a gap for cards added later).
Change Step 9 as follows.
- Take the Start Player Marker and keep it during the game. Receive $5.
Change Step 10 as follows.
- Draw 3 Building Cards as your hand, then place B on top of the deck.
Rules
- There is an order to the General Workplaces. The Buildings added later count as newer Buildings. The Buildings you sell are also added to this row.
- The sales price of each Building is half its asset value. The score gained for your Buildings at the end of the game is still 1 pt per 1 asset value point.
- Each time you place a Worker, turn sideways the most recently placed General Workplace without any Worker on it. Workers cannot be placed on sideways cards.
- At the start of the Payday Phase of each round, turn all sideways General Workplace cards back to upright orientation.
- You win if your score at the end of the game meets the following victory condition.
Victory Condition
| Progress | Mecenat | Glory |
|---|---|---|
| 100 pt or more | 125 pt or more | 100 pt or more |
Card List
Consumer Item
You can discard Consumer Items to construct Buildings and apply the effects of Market and Factory. Return the discarded Consumer Items to the Consumer Item deck. Consumer Items are included in the number of cards in your hand.
Consumer Item cards share the same function. It is considered that there is an infinite number of Consumer Items, and if the Consumer Item deck runs out, substitute them with other articles.
Initial General Workplace Cards
Quarry Draw 1 Building card from the deck. If you already have the Start Player marker, you remain the start player.
Mine Draw 1 Building card from the deck. You can place a Worker here even if it is already occupied by another Worker(s). It is also possible for the same player to place multiple Workers.
School Take one of your Worker tokens from the supply and place it on this card. You can place this Worker on a Workplace from the next round. Pay this Worker's wage from this round.
Carpenter Choose and place 1 Building card from your hand in front of you by discarding the same number of cards as its construction cost from your hand.
Relics (Used in Glory) Draw 1 Consumer Item card from the Consumer Item deck and take 1 VP card from the supply.
Round Cards
Stall When playing with 3 or 4 players, you can place a Worker here even if it is already occupied by another Worker(s). It is also possible for the same player to place multiple Workers.
Market When playing with 3 or 4 players, you can place a Worker here even if it is already occupied by another Worker(s). It is also possible for the same player to place multiple Workers.
High School If you have 2 Workers, take 2 Worker tokens from the supply and place them on this card. Likewise, take 1 Worker if you have 3 Workers. You can place these Workers on Workplaces from the next round. Pay the Workers from this round. You cannot use this if you have 4 or more Workers.
Supermarket When playing with 3 or 4 players, you can place a Worker here even if it is already occupied by another Worker(s). It is also possible for the same player to place multiple Workers.
University If you have 2 Workers, take 3 Worker tokens from the supply and place them on this card. Likewise, take 2 Workers if you have 3 Workers or take 1 Worker if you have 4 Workers. You can place these Workers on Workplaces from the next round. Pay the Workers from this round. You cannot use this if you have 5 Workers.
Department Store When playing with 3 to 4 players, you can place workers even if other workers are already placed. You can also place multiple workers of the same player.
Technical College Take one of your Worker tokens from the supply and place it in front of you. You can place this Worker token on a Workplace from this round. Pay this Worker's wage from this round.
World Expo When playing with 3 or 4 players, you can place your worker even if there are other worker pieces already placed. You can also place multiple pieces of the same player.
Cards for Progress
Coffee Shop This cannot be used if the money in the Budget is less than $5.
Design Office Draw 5 Building cards from the deck, reveal them to everyone, and add one of them to your hand. Discard the remaining 4 cards.
Farm Draw 2 Consumer Item cards from the Consumer Item deck.
Burnt Field Draw 5 Consumer Item from the Consumer Item deck. Discard this card to the discard pile at the end of the round in which a Worker is placed on it.
Orchard If you have 3 cards in your hand, draw 1 Consumer Item card. Likewise, draw 2 cards if you have 2, draw 3 cards if you have 1, and draw 4 cards if you have none. You cannot use this if you have 4 or more cards.
Construction Company Choose and place 1 Building card from your hand in front of you by discarding the number of cards with the cost of 1 card less than its construction cost from your hand. (The number of cards to discard may be reduced to zero.)
Factory This cannot be used if the cards in your hand are less than 2. Discard 2 cards from your hand, and then draw 4 Building cards from the deck.
Company House You cannot place worker tokens on this card. When you build this building, add 1 Temp Worker token to your supply as a Worker of your color. (Thus, when you have the Company House, you can hire an additional Worker.)
Warehouse Worker tokens cannot be placed on this. The player who owns this Building can have 4 more cards than the hand limit at the end of each round.
Law Office Worker tokens cannot be placed on this. At the end of the game, discard up to 5 unpaid wage cards from your hand.
Settler Choose 1 Building card with the plant (agriculture) icon from your hand and place it in front of you without paying the construction cost.
Plantation Draw 3 Consumer Item cards from the Consumer Item deck.
Farmers' Co-op You cannot place worker tokens on this card. At the end of the game, you gain 3 pt for each Consumer Item card in your hand. (Calculate the score after reducing your hand to the hand limit.)
Real Estate Worker tokens cannot be placed on this. At the end of the game, get 3 pt for each of your Buildings (including this Building).
Restaurant Discard 1 card and get $15 from the Budget.
Chemical Plant If you have at least 1 card in hand, draw 2 Building cards from the deck. If you do not have any cards, draw 4 cards.
Steel Mill Draw 3 Building cards from the deck.
General Contractor Choose and place 1 Building card from your hand in front of you by discarding the same number of cards from your hand as the construction cost. Then, draw 2 Building cards from the deck.
Mansion You cannot place Worker tokens on this card.
Labor Union You cannot place worker tokens on this card. At the end of the game, get 6 pt for each of your hired Workers (including your Workers at the start of the game).
Car Factory This cannot be used if the cards in your hand are less than 3. Discard 3 cards from your hand, and then draw 7 Building cards from the deck.
Railway You cannot place Worker tokens on this card. At the end of the game, get 8 pt for each of your Buildings with the gear icon.
Building Niko (Double City) Choose 2 Building cards of the same construction cost from your hand and place them in front of you by paying only the construction cost for one of them.
For example, to construct 2 building cards with a construction cost of 3 cards, you can build them at the same time by discarding 3 cards from your hand.
Head Office Building You cannot place Worker tokens on this card. At the end of the game, get 6 pt for each of your Buildings with the no-sale (lock) icon (including this Building).
Cards for Mecenat
Potato Field Draw 1 Consumer Item card from the Consumer Item deck if you have 2 cards in your hand, draw 2 cards if you have 1 card, or draw 3 cards if you do not have any cards. You cannot use this if you have 3 or more cards in your hand.
Cafeteria If you do not have any cards or if the money in the Budget is less than $8, you cannot use this.
Ironwork Draw 2 Building cards from the deck. If you do not have any Worker on the Mine, you cannot use this.
Graveyard At the end of the game, if you do not have any cards in hand, increase this Building's asset value by 8 pt.
Temple Carpenter Choose and place 1 Building card from your hand in front of you by discarding the same number of cards as its construction cost from your hand. Then, take 1 VP card from the supply.
Since you get the VP card after construction, you must meet the cost reduction conditions for the Cathedral before using the Temple Carpenter.
Old District This card has 3 Category icons on it. You cannot place Worker tokens on this card.
Building Company Choose and place 1 Building card with the no-sale (lock) icon from your hand in front of you by discarding the same number of cards as its construction cost from your hand. Then, draw 2 Building cards from the deck.
Vegetable garden Draw 2 Consumer Item from the Consumer Item deck and take 1 VP card from the supply.
Food Factory Discard 2 cards from your hand, then draw 4 Building cards from the deck.
If you have a Building with the plant (agriculture) icon, this card's construction cost is reduced by 1.
Lottery Take $20 from and return $10 to the Budget. You eventually get $10, but if the money in the Budget is less than $20, you cannot use this.
Fish Farm Draw 3 cards from the Consumer Item deck if you have any Consumer Item card in your hand. If not, draw 2 Consumer Item cards.
Accounting Office You cannot place Worker tokens on this card. At the end of the game, double the points you get for the VP cards. (For example, get 22 pt for 4 VP cards.)
Farm Resort Get $4 from the Budget per Consumer Item card in your hand without discarding any Consumer Item cards. You cannot use this if the money in the Budget is not enough.
Laboratory Draw 2 Building cards from the deck and take 1 VP card from the supply.
Railway Station You cannot place worker tokens on this card. End of the game: If you have 6 or more Buildings, increase this Building's asset value by 18 pt. (Count also your Railway Station as one of your Buildings.)
Prefab Home Builder Choose and place 1 Building card with an asset value of 10 or less from your hand in front of you without paying its construction cost.
Worldwide Building Choose and place 2 Building cards from your hand in front of you by discarding the same number of cards as the total construction cost.
If your hand runs out during this, draw 3 Building cards from the deck.
Since you can build 2 buildings at the same time, you cannot use one of them to reduce the construction cost of the other.
Brewery Draw 4 Consumer Item cards from the Consumer Item deck and place them on this Brewery. You cannot use the Consumer Items on the Brewery during this round. Add them to your hand at the start of the next round.
Botanical Garden You cannot place Worker tokens on this card.
End of the game: If you have 3 or more Buildings with the plant (agriculture) icon, increase this Building's asset value by 22 pt.
Shipyard This cannot be used if the cards in your hand are less than 3. Discard 3 cards from your hand, and then draw 6 Building cards from the deck.
Industrial Park Draw 3 Building cards from the deck.
For each of your Buildings with the gear icon, this Building's construction cost is reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 0).
Museum You cannot place Worker tokens on this card.
Amusement Park If the money in the Budget is less than $25, you cannot use this.
Export Port You cannot place Worker tokens on this card. If you have 2 or more Buildings with the gear icon at the end of the game, increase the asset value of this building by 24 pt.
Petrochemical Complex Draw 4 Building cards from the deck.
Investment Bank You cannot place worker tokens on this card. End of the game: If you have 4 or more Buildings with the no-sale (lock) icon at the end of the game, increase this Building's asset value by 30 pt. (Count also your Investment Bank as one of your Buildings.)
Cathedral You cannot place Worker tokens on this card. If you have 5 or more VP cards, this card's construction cost is reduced by 4. (You do not need to discard any VP cards.)
Cards for Glory
Relics You cannot place Worker tokens on this card. When you have constructed this Building, take 2 VP cards from the supply once.
Workshop Draw 1 Building Card from the deck and take 1 VP card from the supply.
Colony Choose and place 1 Building card from your hand in front of you by discarding the same number of cards as its construction cost from your hand. Then draw 1 card from the Consumer Item deck.
Farm Village Either draw 2 Consumer Items from the Consumer Item deck, or discard 2 Consumer Items and draw 3 Building cards.
Steam Factory Discard 2 cards from your hand, and then draw 4 Building cards from the deck.
If you have 2 or more VP cards, reduce this Building's construction cost by 1.
Board Game Cafe Place a Worker (or Mechanical Doll), and if you do not have any remaining in your hand after that, get $10 from the Budget. If you do, get $5 from the Budget.
Skyscraper Construction Choose and place 1 Building card from your hand in front of you by discarding the same number of cards as its construction cost from your hand. If your hand runs out by this, draw 2 Building cards from the deck.
Chicken Farm Draw 2 Consumer Items from the Consumer Item deck if you have an even number of cards in your hand, or draw 3 Items if you have an odd number of cards in your hand (0 is an even number).
Monument You cannot place Worker tokens on this card.
Consumer's Union You cannot place Worker tokens on this card. If the total value of your Buildings with the plant (agriculture) icon at the end of the game is 20 or more, this Building's value increases by 18 pt.
Museum If you have exactly 5 cards in your hand, get $14 from the Budget. Otherwise, get $7. You cannot use this if the money in the Budget is not enough.
Cotton Farm Draw 5 Consumer Items from the Consumer Item deck.
You must place 2 Workers (or Mechanical Dolls) in this Workplace at the same time.
Mechanical Doll When you have constructed this Building, take 1 Mechanical Doll token with a number matching this card from the supply and place it in front of you.
Mechanical Dolls have similar functions to Workers, but they can be placed in the workplace from this round. Also, you do not need to pay wages for Mechanical Dolls. You can have any number of Mechanical Dolls.
Guild Hall You cannot place Worker tokens on this card. If your Buildings include that with the plant (agriculture) icon and the gear icon at the end of the game, this Building's asset value increases by 20 pt.
Theater You cannot use this if the money in the Budget is less than $20.
Ivory Tower You cannot place Worker tokens on this card. If you have 7 or more VP cards at the end of the game, this Building's asset value increases by 22 pt.
Coal Mine Draw 5 Building cards from the deck.
You must place 2 Workers (or Mechanical Dolls) in this Workplace at the same time.
Modern Architecture Choose and place 1 Building card from your hand in front of you by discarding the same number of cards as its construction cost from your hand. In payment for the construction cost, count each Consumer Item as 2 cards.
For example, a Building with a construction cost of 4 can be constructed with either 4 Building cards, 2 Building and 1 Consumer Item cards, or 2 Consumer Item cards.
You can construct a Building with an odd-number construction cost using only Consumer Items, but overpayment will not be refunded.
Revolution Square You cannot place Worker tokens on this card. If you have 5 Worker tokens in your hand at the end of the game (excluding Mechanical Dolls), this Building's asset value increases by 18 pt.
Tech Expo You cannot place Worker tokens on this card. If the total asset value of your Buildings with the gear icon at the end of the game is 30 or more, this Building's value increases by 24 pt.
Harvest Festival You cannot place Worker tokens on this card. If you have 4 or more Consumer Items in your hand at the end of the game, this Building's asset value increases by 26.
Smelter Draw 3 Building Cards from the deck.
If you have 3 or more VP cards, reduce this Building's construction cost by 2.
Transporter Choose and place 1 Building card from your hand in front of you without paying the construction cost.
You must place 2 Workers (or Mechanical Dolls) in this Workplace at the same time.
Greenhouse Draw 4 Consumer Items from the Consumer Item deck.
If you have 4 or more VP cards, reduce this Building's construction cost by 2.
Temple You cannot place Worker tokens on this card. If this is your only Building with the no-sale (lock) icon at the end of the game, this Building's asset value increases by 30 pt.
Locomotive Factory Discard 3 cards from your hand, and then draw 7 Building cards from the deck.
If you have 5 or more VP cards, reduce this Building's construction cost by 3.
Credits
Game Design: Hiroshi Nishimura Artwork: Satoshi Takahata (Korokorodou) English Translating: Saigo Editing: Toshinori Iwai (Korokorodou), Ayaka Fujii (Korokorodou)
Publisher: Korokorodou LLC 1F Hyuga Building, 1-9-3 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0005, Japan https://korokorodou.com [email protected]
© 2025 Korokorodou LLC