Assyria

In Assyria, you lead a tribe in ancient Mesopotamia, tasked with expanding your influence and prosperity between the arid lands and the fertile region of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Get ready for a eurogame that presents you with intriguing choices: focus on quick gains or invest in the future of your civilization? The board is divided by these two iconic rivers, creating a dynamic setting for your decisions.

The game unfolds over three eras, each composed of cycles of phases. First, you select resource cards that determine your play order and expansion capability – whoever takes the most food plays last, while less food ensures the first action. Next, it's time to place your huts on the hexagonal board, forming strategic chains and clusters. Location is everything: building on fertile lands yields more points, while other areas might give you camels, the game's currency.

With your camels, you can make crucial investments. How about an immediate bonus from the nobles of Assur, the capital, or perhaps a long-term investment through sacrifices to the gods and the construction of Ziggurats? These permanent structures are outposts that solidify your presence. At the end of each era, a 'flood' reorganizes part of the board, but it's also when your long-term investments pay off. Points are scored for your huts, especially those on fertile lands, and for Ziggurats. Assyria is a game that balances the complexity of a euro with accessible gameplay, being lighter than classics like Caylus, but with more depth than titles like Yspahan.