As per title. I personally really enjoy deckbuilding / engine builders and civilisation games, but most of them understandably end just as you’re hitting the sweet spot of getting your engine up and running. Probably why Through the Ages is my favorite game - has all the mechanics I like, but lasts long enough that I feel like I get a chance to run them.
I’ve of my favorite mechanics comes from Unearth, specifically their catch-up/bad luck mitigating mechanic.
In a game where the goal is to have the winning die on a ruin as a cumulative threshold is reached, any dice rolled under 3 nets you a stone, which can be used to build you own ruins.
Roll poorly enough and you won’t fall too far behind. Have the worst rolls every time and there’s a good chance you can win without actually capturing a single ruin card.