Board Game Arena

I've only played a few games on this site so far and in like at least 2/3 of the games I see a shockingly bad use of industrial center.

Namely, activating the power *every generation*. I was just in a 13 gen game where my opponent did this every gen. Come on now. THINK ABOUT IT.

Its power is maybe worth activating once very early game.

The main value of the card is:
- Blocking opponent
- Placement bonus
- Teleport
- May help swing landlord

THAT is what the card is good for. Not paying 7 to get 1 steel production every generation

Very true. That said, don't expect too much from (low ELO) BGA, most people are pretty casual and just having fun. Of course, there are amazing players here, but not really at low ELO, and not playing casual mode.

Lots of people still playing development and improving their engine, when it's clear it's the last generation, that's always a classic

Fair enough! I mainly play on steam where I have a semi-decent ELO, I guess I will just need to grind some more games until I get an ELO that people consider worthy playing

This is far too strong of a blanket statement to make.
"Mine" is a good card to play early. It costs 7 MC to buy and play.
There is nothing wrong with activating industrial center 2 or 3 times in early game, especially if:

1) Advanced Alloys is in play
2) A player is holding several high-value building cards
3) Miner is likely to be a contested award.
4) The game is expected to go 11+ generations

2-3 times early game is acceptable. What I'm talking about is people who literally activate it every single generation (so I'm talking 10+ times), and as a result are completely broke because that's all they do. It's objectively terrible. If someone does that to win miner then quite frankly they can have it because I'm not too concerned about losing against someone with such a terrible strategy.

agreed. But you just pivoted from "maybe once early game" to "2-3 times is okay".

FrankJones wrote: ↑22 June 2025, 20:58 agreed. But you just pivoted from "maybe once early game" to "2-3 times is okay".

I think there can be some use cases like the ones you mentioned, but in most scenarios using your early game MC on steel prod doesn't seem like a great idea, especially as, unlike most steel prod cards, you can't use steel itself to pay for it

I'd bet that I'm averaging below 1 use of action per game after playing industrial

Kulikk wrote: ↑24 June 2025, 11:02 I'd bet that I'm averaging below 1 use of action per game after playing industrial

The number of times it is used would be highly dependent on which generation it is played, wouldn't it?
Usually by the time I play it, it's too late in the game to activate it at all.
But, if I play it in generation 1 or 2 of a non-prelude game, I am likely activating it more than once.

I think I activated it only when I had Electro Cat/Space Elevator and no other steel prod.
I agree it is worth it to do in gen 1/2 - it is the same price as Mine. But that is more in vacuum. The issue is for Mine you can pay 4 of 7 its cost in steel (plus in case of base map, you also get building tag for milestone). Here you have to use only money and you have usually better use for them...