Clans of Caledonia: Industria

This review is written in English on request of the publisher. Dutch speaking readers can use the translate button on the blog.

Clans of Caledonia is an economic and resource management eurogame. Set in 18th– and 19th-century Scotland, during the era of rapid agricultural and economic development, Clans of Caledonia casts you as the leader of a Scottish clan striving to expand its influence across the Highlands.

As a clan chief, you oversee your lands, deploy workers and production buildings onto the central map and these workers and buildings become the backbone of your economy, producing the resources and steady income you’ll rely on in the rounds ahead. These resources allow you to fulfill lucrative contracts or to buy and sell goods on the ever-shifting market, where every transaction influences the current price. Your choices in early rounds shape your income and production engine, propelling you into a full-blown economic showdown where markets swing, contracts clash, and more than a few tartans may end up torn before a true Highland victor emerges. 

Before the economic battle truly begins, each player selects a clan. Clans are chosen in reverse turn order, meaning the last player picks first, and each clan provides unique abilities and advantages that no other player will enjoy throughout the game. Once everyone has pledged allegiance, the five-round structure of Clans of Caledonia unfolds.

Each round follows a simple rhythm: players take turns performing one of eight possible actions, going clockwise, until every player has passed. Actions range from placing new workers or production buildings on the map and trading with the neighbouring clans, to expanding your territory with production units, upgrading your capabilities, signing or fulfilling contracts, or manipulating the market by buying and selling goods. After all players have passed, the round ends and everyone collects their income and resources, produced by the workers and buildings they’ve deployed onto the board. Then the next round begins— five cycles of planning, producing, and diving into the fierce Highland struggle where contracts slip through your fingers, market prices crash at the worst moment, and a cleverly placed bakery can block an opponent’s expansion like a claymore at their throat.

When the dust settles after the fifth round, final scoring begins. First, players gain points from the end-of-round scoring tiles, reflected on the Glory track. Then come the endgame bonuses. The most influential one is awarded for having the largest connected territory, with your shipping level subtly extending how far your settlements can reach. Players also compete for having completed the most export contracts, earning a sizeable bonus for first and second place. After that, the goods collected from your fulfilled contracts come into play: cotton, tobacco, and sugar cane are worth between 3 and 5 points each, depending on their rarity, while hops score a steady 1 point per unit. Finally, any remaining basic goods, processed goods, and coins still in your possession convert into extra points, turning even your final coins and crafted goods into a last surge of momentum, powered by the sweat of your farmers, bakers, and distillers fighting for their chief’s glory.

Clans of Caledonia: Industria is an expansion to the base game Clans of Caledonia, and it builds directly on the economic engine, the delicate balance between contract fulfilment and market trading, and spatial tensions on the main board of the original. It’s therefore highly recommended — if not essential — to be fully comfortable with the base game before adding Industria to your table. Even the bravest clan leaders would struggle to learn all of this in one go; the expansion simply adds too many new considerations on top of the base game.

The expansion keeps the entire base game intact but adds a new Train Board, a separate map where players can deliver goods over Scotland’s emerging rail network. Each delivery immediately grants a direct in-game bonus — ranging from financial boosts to contract-related benefits, extra flexibility in development, or subtle influences on the market. These deliveries also award victory points during end-game scoring, making the rail network a fresh strategic avenue that intertwines naturally with the familiar rhythms of production, trade, and territorial expansion on the main board.

With coal in the firebox and goods bound for Scotland’s great cities, Industria broadens the landscape of possibilities without derailing the elegant flow of the original design.

The Industria expansion adds far more than a single new board. It introduces new clans, end-of-round objectives, and milestone elements, along with trays for organising all the game’s parts, minor rule adjustments, and modular map tiles that bring new geographical twists to the Highlands. It’s a genuine broadening of the game rather than just a decorative add-on. 

The centrepiece is the Train Map, a separate board where players expand their rail presence across Scotland. Deliveries lie at the heart of this module: there are 10 towns you can supply, each rewarding you with an immediate bonus the moment your goods arrive. These bonuses can bolster your economy, improve your contract options, or influence how you position yourself on the market — and every delivery contributes to your end-game scoring.

To engage with the rail system, the expansion adds two new actions:

-       Train Movement & Delivery

-       Place a Milestone

Players naturally weave these into their regular action flow, extending rounds slightly but enriching them with more decision points and possibilities. Each player can place up to four milestones during the game. Claiming milestones unlocks access to the two tunnels and to the major cities Glasgow and Edinburgh, where deliveries are worth additional points. Achieving all milestones allows you to place your train station on the main board, slightly expanding your territory and yielding extra points at the end of the game — up to 20 points if you manage the full set.

With these new levers in play, Industria shifts the emphasis from acting fast to acting smart. It gives players more ways to reorder priorities, strike at the right moment, and occasionally leave rival clans standing there with their tartan in the wind.

The Industria expansion brings enhancements that also improve the base game. The trays, milestone elements, and new modules integrate naturally, and they can remain in place even if you only want to play the core game. The mini-board for planning future contracts is a subtle addition that can be used independently, helping players organise their goods and track upcoming opportunities with ease.

The Train Map, however, is where the expansion truly changes the way players engage. It adds new ways to act and react: deliver goods for bonuses, claim milestones, and unlock access to cities and tunnels. This isn’t just extra depth — it opens new opportunities to outsmart rivals. You can still contest a contract with your neighbour, but now you can also take a milestone under their nose, shift the balance on the board, and score points while they’re focused elsewhere. Multiple routes to success exist, and strategic choices have more layers without disrupting the familiar flow of the base game.

For experienced Clans of Caledonia players, the expansion doesn’t change the game — it makes it richer and more interactive. Planning, timing, and clever manoeuvres are rewarded in new ways, letting players block, overtake, and reposition rivals on multiple fronts. While the full setup requires some table space, the modular design lets you arrange the boards to suit your group and available room. And if you’ve delivered enough whisky across the Highlands, you might just be the first to see your neighbour standing there with nothing but an empty barrel and a sheepish grin.

This game is provided by Karma Games and can be played at Het Geel Pionneke from november.

Nr players : 1 - 4
Age : from 12 years
Playtime :  30 - 120 min
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