Tag: Open Drafting

Games with Open Drafting mechanics allow players to choose new resources from a shared pool. The pool of resources is public, meaning all players will see available options.

The Ancient World

| T3d-1978
The Ancient World

The Ancient World

In an ancient world forgotten by time, enormous titans terrorize the land. Five tribes have been fleeing from the titans for centuries, but things are about to change. Growing city-states pledge to end the reign of terror, determined to take on the titans and make the world a safer place for all. Each city-state competes to attract the tribes, eager for the strength of the combined peoples, who are now leaving behind old traditions with the hope that the titans can be defeated once and for all.

In The Ancient World, players compete to grow the largest and most influential city-state by managing citizens, treasury, and military and by defeating titans. Players take turns sending citizens to take special actions or using military cards to attack titans. One of the actions a citizen can perform is to build Empire cards, which give more citizens, money, and abilities.

A city-state’s influence in the world is measured by sets of tribe banners that it owns. Each Empire card has one or more tribe banners, and tribe banners can also be gained by defeating titans. Players gain victory points (VPs) for sets of tribe banners. After six rounds, the player with the most VPs from sets of tribe banners wins.

Game Mechanics:

  • Civilization
  • Dice Rolling
  • Open Drafting
  • Set Collection
  • Worker Placement

Game Specifications:

  • 2 – 4 Players
  • ~90 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 2.72

Aeon’s End 🟡

| T3d-1978

The survivors of a long-ago invasion have taken refuge in the forgotten underground city of Gravehold. There, the desperate remnants of society have learned that the energy of the very breaches the beings use to attack them can be repurposed through various gems, transforming the malign energies within into beneficial spells and weapons to aid their last line of defense: the breach mages.

Aeon’s End is a cooperative game that explores the deckbuilding genre with a number of innovative mechanisms, including a variable turn order system that simulates the chaos of an attack, and deck management rules that require careful planning with every discarded card. Players will struggle to defend Gravehold from The Nameless and their hordes using unique abilities, powerful spells, and, most importantly of all, their collective wits.

Game Mechanics:

  • Chit-Pull System
  • Cooperative
  • Deck Building
  • Hand Management
  • Open Drafting

Game Specifications:

  • 1 – 4 Players
  • ~60 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 2.79

Zoom in Barcelona

| T3d-1978
Zoom in Barcelona

Zoom in Barcelona

Travel around the city of Barcelona and take the best photos to win the game!

In Zoom in Barcelona, players compete in a photo contest to try to take the best photos of the city. Hop on a bike, catch a taxi or a bus to get to the best spots before the other players. During the game you will take photos of its beautiful locations, the iconic structures that create the skyline of Barcelona, and… dragons!

Find the best views of the city, from its seashore to the mountains of Collserola and Montjuïc. Discover its incredible architecture, and the outstanding Modernist sites including those of visionary architect Gaudí.

Did you know that you can find more than 400 dragons in the city of Barcelona? Many artists and architects have included dragons in their works, and dragons and other fantastic beasts are at the centre of cercaviles and correfocs (traditional fire parades). Barcelona is a city of dragons!

Are you ready? Grab your camera and win the game!

The goal of this board game for 2-6 players is to score the highest number of points to win the photography contest. When a player takes their 8th landmark photo the game will end, and the photographer with the most points will win.

Points can be scored by:

  • Taking photographs of the landmarks selected by the judges, with bonus points awarded if the photos contain the relevant themes of the game (different themes will be revealed for each game)
  • Taking photographs of the different buildings of the skyline of the city.

This game contains 86 landmark cards with beautiful illustrations of locations of the city of Barcelona.

Game Mechanics:

  • Hand Managment
  • Open Drafting
  • Pattern Building
  • Set Collection

Game Specifications:

  • 2 – 6 Players
  • 30 – 60 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 1.82

World’s Fair 1893

| T3d-1978
World’s Fair 1893

World’s Fair 1893

The World’s Fair of 1893 in Chicago was a spectacular international exhibition that showcased many great achievements in science, technology, culture, and entertainment. Acting as organizers of the fair, players work diligently to increase their influence throughout the fair and obtain the grand exhibits that will be put on display. The organizer who has earned the best reputation when the fair begins will emerge the victor.

On each turn of World’s Fair 1893, the active player sends a supporter to one of the five areas and gathers all of the cards in it. New cards are then added to some of the areas, and the next player takes a turn.

The five areas represent sections of exhibits, like Fine Arts and Electricity. Cards may represent exhibit proposals in one of those five areas, influential people who provide bonus supporters, or tickets for attractions and concessions along the Midway.

The game consists of three scoring rounds, each triggered when players collectively gather a certain number of Midway tickets. Players gain reputation points for leading in number of supporters in an area and for gathering the most tickets in each round. The leaders in an area also receive approval for exhibit proposals they have gathered that match the area. Players gain reputation points at the end of the game based on the breadth and diversity of their approved exhibits.

Game Mechanics:

  • Area Control
  • Open Drafting
  • Set Collection

Game Specifications:

  • 2 – 4 Players
  • 35 – 45 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 2.00

Wingspan

| T3d-1978
Wingspan

Wingspan

Wingspan is a competitive, medium-weight, card-driven, engine-building board game from Stonemaier Games. It’s designed by Elizabeth Hargrave and features over 170 birds illustrated by Beth Sobel, Natalia Rojas, and Ana Maria Martinez.

You are bird enthusiasts—researchers, bird watchers, ornithologists, and collectors—seeking to discover and attract the best birds to your network of wildlife preserves. Each bird extends a chain of powerful combinations in one of your habitats (actions). These habitats focus on several key aspects of growth:

  • Gain food tokens via custom dice in a birdfeeder dice tower
  • Lay eggs using egg miniatures in a variety of colors
  • Draw from hundreds of unique bird cards and play them

The winner is the player with the most points after 4 rounds.

Game Mechanics:

  • Dice Rolling
  • Hand Managment
  • Open Drafting
  • Set Collection

Game Specifications:

  • 1 – 5 Players
  • 40 – 70 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 2.45

Valeria Card Kingdoms

| T3d-1978
Valeria Card Kingdoms

Valeria Card Kingdoms

The land of Valeria is under siege by hordes of monsters. You and your fellow Dukes must recruit citizens and buy domains to build up your kingdoms and slay the foul creatures that lurk in the surrounding lands.

Valeria: Card Kingdoms is a tableau-building game for 1-5 players and will feel familiar to deck-building fans. The cards you buy can work for you on your turn and on all the other player turns, as well. On your turn, roll two dice and activate citizen cards with the result of each individual die and the sum of both dice. Other players will simultaneously activate their citizen cards based on the roll. Next, take two actions from the following: slay a monster, recruit a citizen, buy a domain, or take 1 of any resource. The player with the most victory points at the end wins the game.

Game Mechanics:

  • Dice Rolling
  • Open Drafting

Game Specifications:

  • 1 – 5 Players
  • 30 – 45 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 2.00

Vaalbara

| T3d-1978
Vaalbara

Vaalbara

Each player plays as a clan leader and has to secretly and wisely play a card from their hand, representing a member of their tribe, to try to take over some territories. Strategy and timing will be crucial for scoring! The player that scores the most points after 9 rounds wins the game.

Subcontinent of Vaalbara, Neolithic era. Your tribe sets out to explore uncharted lands in order to establish sedentary villages. Use the various talents of your tribe to optimize your development, expand your territory and enforce your hegemony!

All players have the same deck of 12 cards representing the members of their tribe. Each turn, players choose secretly one card. In the order of initiative of the revealed Characters, players will be able to activate their powers and take over one of the available Territories. Each type of Territory has its own way of scoring points (collection, pair, diversity, risk…). Deciding between playing the best powers and high initiatives at the most opportune moment will be difficult. After 9 rounds, the player with the most points wins the game and unites the tribes of the continent under their banner!

Game Mechanics:

  • Hand Management
  • Open Drafting
  • Set Collection

Game Specifications:

  • 2 – 5 Players
  • ~20 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 1.88

Undaunted: Reinforcements

| T3d-1978
Undaunted: Reinforcements

Undaunted: Reinforcements

In North Africa, the Long Range Desert Group is a thorn in the sides of the Italian forces, disrupting vital lines of communication and striking at strategic targets ranging far and wide. In Normandy, U.S. forces brace against German counterattack, determined to maintain their foothold in the region. The fighting is intense, and the outcome hangs on a knife’s edge. With everything at stake, you desperately need reinforcements!

Undaunted: Reinforcements is a modular expansion that introduces a range of new rules, scenarios, and units. Unleash the might of the German and American tanks and see how your new squad options fare against them in Undaunted: Normandy, or make use of mines, assault aircraft, and other new units as you attempt to outfox your opponent in Undaunted: North Africa. Whether you have one Undaunted game or the other, with Reinforcements you can play for the first time in a four-player mode, or test your mettle in a solo mode by Dávid Turczi and David Digby.

Game Mechanics:

  • Deck Building
  • Dice Rolling
  • Open Drafting
  • Wargame

Game Specifications:

  • 1- 4 Players
  • 45 – 60 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 2.33

Undaunted: North Africa

| T3d-1978
Undaunted: North Africa

Undaunted: North Africa

The Undaunted series continues with this two-player deck-building game of tactical combat, pitting the raiders of Britain’s Long Range Desert Group against Italian forces in the North African Theater of World War II.

The North African campaign has begun. Take control of the British Army’s Long Range Desert Group and operate behind enemy lines or command the formidable Italian forces opposing them. In “Undaunted: North Africa”, a sequel to Undaunted: Normandy, players once again lead their sides through a varied series of missions. As casualties mount, wounded soldiers leave the players’ decks, forcing them to adapt in the face of changing tactical circumstances. Use your cards to strengthen your forces, deploy vehicles to advance rapidly across the battlefield, and seize the initiative as you determine the outcome of the North African Theater.

Game Mechanics:

  • Deck Building
  • Dice Rolling
  • Open Drafting

Game Specifications:

  • 2 Players
  • 45 – 60 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 2.28

Undaunted: Normandy

| T3d-1978
Undaunted: Normandy

Undaunted: Normandy

June, 1944: Through the D-Day landings, the Allies have seized a foothold on the beaches of Normandy. Now you must lead your troops forward as you push deeper into France and drive the German forces back. You will face intense resistance, machine gun fire, and mortar bombardment, but a great commander can turn the situation to their advantage!

Undaunted: Normandy is a deck-building game that places you and your opponent in command of American or German forces, fighting through a series of missions critical to the outcome of World War II. Use your cards to seize the initiative, bolster your forces, or control your troops on the battlefield. Strong leadership can turn the tide of battle in your favor, but reckless decisions could prove catastrophic as every casualty you take removes a card from your deck. Take charge amidst the chaos of battle, hold fast in the face of opposition, and remain undaunted.

Game Mechanics:

  • Deck Building
  • Dice Rolling
  • Hand Management
  • Open Drafting
  • Wargame

Game Specifications:

  • 2 Players
  • 45 – 60 Minutes
  • Difficulty Weight 2.55