# Clash of Cultures: Monumental Edition ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2021 - **BGG Rating**: 8.3 - **BGG Rank**: #231 - **Players**: 2-4 (Best with: 3) - **Duration**: 180-240 min - **Weight**: 3.74 / 5 - **Designers**: Christian Marcussen - **Artists**: Gong Studios, Michael Komarck, Nakarin Sukontakorn - **Publishers**: WizKids (I), Frosted Games, Galápagos Jogos, Game Harbor, Giochi Uniti, Lavka Games, Maldito Games, Matagot, MINDOK, Pegasus Spiele, Portal Games - **Categories**: Ancient, City Building, Civilization, Economic, Territory Building - **Mechanics**: Action Points, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, Hand Management, Modular Board, Tech Trees / Tech Tracks, Trading, Variable Player Powers ## Verdict If you're a fan of dense, epic civilization games with lots of exploration and development, Clash of Cultures: Monumental Edition is a feast that delivers a complete 4X experience.Complete 4X experienceSpectacular miniaturesHigh replayabilityDeep civilization developmentStrategic combatLong playtimesSteep learning curveRequires dedicationHIGHLY RECOMMENDED ## Description Get ready for an epic journey through time with Clash of Cultures: Monumental Edition, a massive box that brings back the acclaimed civilization game along with the Civilizations and Aztecs expansions. Here, you don't just play, you *live* the rise of an empire! Your goal is to transform a small settlement into an unforgettable power, exploring unknown lands, building imposing cities, unlocking revolutionary technologies, and, of course, showing who's boss on the battlefield. It's 4X at its best: explore, expand, exploit resources, and exterminate anyone who dares to challenge you. Featuring a modular board that ensures a unique experience every game, 48 technological advancements for you to customize your civilization, and seven Wonders of the World that you can build (and which come with beautiful miniatures in this edition), immersion is total. The Monumental Edition elevates the experience with high-quality components, including sculpted miniatures that bring your units and constructions to life. Manage your hand of cards, use your action points wisely, and prepare to roll plenty of dice in exciting combat. The winner will be the one whose culture leaves an indelible mark on history, remembered and admired for millennia. It's a deep, strategic game perfect for those who love a good empire-building challenge. ## How to Play 1. Game Objective In Clash of Cultures: Monumental Edition, each player leads a culture from a single settlement to a grand empire. The goal is to expand, build cities, research advancements, and conquer opponents. The game ends after Era VI or when a player has no cities left during the status phase. The winner is the player who accumulates the most Victory Points, calculated as follows: 1 point per City Piece (Settlement or Building) ½ point per Advancement owned 2 points per Objective completed 4 points per Wonder (2 if conquered) 2 points per Leader defeated 2. Setup Assemble the Game Board according to the manual images. Place each player’s Starting Region face up, noting the Mountain position. Randomly distribute the Common Regions face down. For each player: Select a color and receive: Player Board, Player Aid, cubes of your color (reserve), city pieces (7 Settlements, 5 Temples, 5 Academies, 5 Fortresses, 5 Ports, 5 Obelisks, 5 Markets, 5 Observatories), unit pieces (16 Infantry, 4 Ships, 4 Colonists, 4 Elephants, 4 Cavalry, 1 Leader), resource markers (Food, Wood, Ore, Ideas, Gold), and a random Civilization Board. Place 3 reserve cubes on the three spaces of the Event Marker in the upper right corner of your Board. Place one reserve cube on Cultivation Advancement and Mining Advancement (all start with these two Advancements). Shuffle and distribute the cards: Objective Deck (1 card in hand) Action Deck (1 card in hand) Event Deck (not used in this game unless the expansion is in play) Wonder Deck (not used in this game unless the expansion is in play) Place the Round Track next to the Game Board and position the Round Marker on the first space (Era 1, Round 1). Randomly determine the First Player and hand out the First Player Marker. 3. Game Flow The game is divided into 6 Eras, each containing 3 Rounds followed by a Status Phase. The Round Marker controls the order. Round: Each player, in clockwise order, performs 3 Main Actions (Advance, Found City, Activate City, Move Units, Raise Happiness, Influence Culture). Before or after each main action, the player may perform any number of Free Actions (from Buildings, Advancements, or Leaders) they have access to. Status Phase (after the 3 Rounds of each Era): Check if any player has no cities; if so, the game ends immediately. Each player receives one Free Advancement (chooses one, in turn order). Card purchase: each player draws 1 Action Card and 1 Objective Card from the top of the decks. Other status rules (e.g., destroy a size‑1 city, change government) are applied as per the manual. The Round Marker advances to the next round/era. 4. Actions and How to Play During your turn, you can choose from the 6 Main Actions in any order and repeat them as many times as you like (except Influence Culture, which can only succeed once per turn). Additionally, you may perform Free Actions whenever you have access. Advance: spend 2 resources (or 1 Idea/Gold) to buy an Advancement. Move a cube from your Event Marker to the corresponding space. If the space has a blue border, gain 1 point immediately; if yellow, gain 1 Culture token. If no cubes remain, resolve an Event and replenish with 3 cubes. Found City: remove a Colony from a non‑arid space and place a Settlement. Place a Mood token (Happy) next to it. Activate City: choose a city and perform one of the options: Recruit Units: purchase units according to the city. Collect Resources: gather resources from the adjacent space. Build a Building: purchase and place a building in the city if you have the required Advancement. Move Units: move up to 3 units or groups of different units. Raise Happiness: pay Mood tokens equal to the city size for each desired happiness level. Influence Culture: use Culture tokens to increase reach or roll (1 success per turn). In addition to main actions, you can use effects from Advancements, Action Cards, or Leaders that provide “As an Action” or “Free Action”. 5. End of Game and Scoring The game ends when: The Round Marker reaches the end of Era VI, or A player has no cities left during the Status Phase. To calculate Victory Points: Count 1 point per City Piece (Settlement or Building). Count ½ point per Advancement you own. Count 2 points per Objective completed. Count 4 points per Wonder (2 if conquered). Count 2 points per Leader defeated. The player with the most points wins. In case of a tie, break it by the criteria listed above. 6. Tips for Winning Plan Your Advancements: start by buying Advancements that unlock essential buildings (e.g., Writing for Academy). This opens more collection and construction options. Use the Status Phase to Your Advantage: take advantage of the Free Advancement and card purchase to strengthen your hand before the next era. Manage Your Cities: keep cities at size 3 or 4 to maximize collection and recruitment, but avoid growing beyond the number of cities you have. ## FAQ ### What is the average playtime for Clash of Cultures: Monumental Edition? Get ready for a robust session! Games typically last between 3 to 4 hours, but can extend depending on the number of players and the depth of strategies. It's a game to dedicate an entire afternoon or evening to. ### How many players does Clash of Cultures: Monumental Edition support? The game is designed for 2 to 4 players. The experience changes quite a bit with the number of participants, with more interaction and territorial dispute in fuller tables. ### What is the complexity level of the game? Clash of Cultures: Monumental Edition is a highly complex game, with a BGG weight of 3.74/5. It requires dedication to learn the rules and master the strategies, but the reward is a deep and gratifying experience. ### What is included in the Monumental Edition? This edition is a big box that contains the Clash of Cultures base game and the Civilizations and Aztecs expansions. Additionally, it includes sculpted miniatures for the Seven Wonders, enhancing component quality. ### Is it a good game for newcomers to the hobby? Due to its complexity and duration, Clash of Cultures: Monumental Edition is not ideal for beginners. It is more recommended for experienced players who already enjoy 4X and civilization games and are looking for a greater challenge. ### Is there a lot of player interaction? Yes, interaction is a strong point! There's competitive exploration, territorial expansion, resource trading, and, of course, plenty of military conflicts. 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