F@#$ Amun-Re

Amun-Re

Plot:  Egyptian themed; become the most prestigious noble by acquiring wealth and building pyramids.  The theme isn’t well integrated; it’s just there to give the mechanisms a name.

 

Goal:  It’s a game about victory points.  Building pyramids is the chief way to earn VP’s but most money and certain provinces count at end game.

Mechanics: 

The game is played in two eras, with 3 turns per era.

There are 5 phases per turn, and timing matters.  Power cards can only be played in the specific corresponding phase.

Phase 1:  Roll out provinces.  Flip over one province per player to be auctioned.

Phase 2:  Auction the provinces.  The cost has a track based on the Triangular Number Series, or 0, 1, 3 , 6, 10, 15, 21, 28, 36…

Each province is a little different.  Some give you free resources upon buying.  Some give you recurring money every term, some give farms (which is also recurring money but requires additional investment) and a couple give temple spots which is VP at the end of the era.  Everyone will get exactly ONE province.

In 5 player, all provinces will be used, but in 3 or 4 player some will not be played.

Phase 3:  Buy and build.  The game gives a specific order, but the only thing that really matters is that you buy cards first because you can play those immediately.  The resource prices follow the same Triangular Number track as the auctions.

Power cards provide exceptions to the core rules.  Like a pyramid costs less stone, or if you want to over bid me during the auction you have to spend even more money.   You can’t play duplicate cards in the same turn, and you need to pay attention to the corresponding phase they are played in.  For example, cards with a green background are ONLY played in round 5, the harvest.  Cards with a white background are played in this phase.  Some cards give extra VP’s depending on your province lay out.  Like all 3 provinces by the Nile gets you points, or all 3 provinces on the red side of the board.  These VP cards can be combined, although quite a few are mutually exclusive.  You are capped on the number of power cards you may purchase; the number is determined by which provinces you own.

Next you buy farmers.  A farmer gets you cash in harvest phase.  The exact amount depends on the temple phase.

Finally you buy stone.  Stone is used to build pyramids.  3 stones = 1 pyramid, although an action card does discount the price.  It doesn’t take additional actions to convert stone to 

pyramids.

Phase 4:  Donate to the temple.  Secretly donate cash to the temple.  

1)      The higher the grand total from everyone, the more farmers will earn

2)      The person that donates the most gets 3 free things in any combination, 2^nd place gets 2 free things, and 3^rd and 4^th gets 1 free thing.  The ‘most donated’ player also goes first next turn.

3)      Instead of donating, you can play a “-3” card.  By playing this card you lower the grand total by 3, gain 3 gold, and forfeit any free stuff you would get by actually donating money.

Phase 5:  Harvest.  Farmers earn money based on the grand total donated in temple phase.  IF farmers only earn $1 or $2, camel provinces earn money.  These are marked right on the province.  Some provinces just give you cash regardless.  Total everything up and get ready for next turn.

Scoring

Scoring happens at the end of turn 3 and turn 6.    At turn 3 the provinces are reset.  They are no longer owned by anyone and the farmers are swept.  Pyramids built stay.

Score a point for every pyramid.

Score 3 points for every complete set of pyramids.  A set is a pyramid in each province you own.

Check for the province that has the most pyramids on both sides of the Nile.  The winner gets 5 points.

Score VP cards, detailed in phase 3.  These all count as 3 VP each.

Score temples.  Temples earn VP dependent on the donation phase, determined exactly like farmer values.

At turn 6, count money.  The winner gets 6 points, 2^nd place gets 4 points, and 3^rd place gets 2.

Tactics

Very preliminary based on 1 game played.

Power cards seem a lot more important in the first era than the second; you keep your hand.  Duplicate VP cards are worthless in the 2^nd era, but if you get them in the 1st you can at least carry them to the 2^nd.

‘Most pyramids’ is pretty important.  It’s single handedly worth the most points, and if someone gets these points from both sides of the river he will probably win.

Review:

I liked it and think this game will have good replay.  It was reasonably quick paced and the decisions were pretty good.  There might be a Stone Age/Fresco fatal flaw forthcoming, but as of right now it will be fun finding out J