# Imperium: Classics ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2021 - **BGG Rating**: 7.7 - **BGG Rank**: #336 - **Players**: 1-4 (Best with: 1) - **Duration**: 40-160 min - **Weight**: 3.62 / 5 - **Designers**: Dávid Turczi, Nigel Buckle - **Artists**: Mihajlo Dimitrievski - **Publishers**: Osprey Games, Banana Games, Board Game Rookie, CMON Global Limited, Devir, Fox in the Box, Gémklub, Giant Roc, Hobby Japan, Korea Boardgames, Lucrum Games, MeepleBR, Niza Gams, Origames - **Categories**: Ancient, Card Game, Civilization - **Mechanics**: Deck, Bag, and Pool Building, End Game Bonuses, Hand Management, Move Through Deck, Open Drafting, Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game, Solo / Solitaire Game, Take That, Variable Player Powers, Variable Set-up ## Verdict Perfect for those who love heavy strategy and asymmetry; the highlight is the feeling of building a unique empire.Deep asymmetry between civilizationsVery polished solo systemSmart combination of deck buildingHigh replayability due to factionsSlightly steep learning curveLanguage barrier for some playersRECOMMENDED ## Description Ever wondered what it feels like to lead the rise of one of history's greatest empires? In Imperium: Classics, you aren't just a general; you are the architect of the destiny of legendary civilizations. The game puts you in control of eight radically different nations—such as the Romans, Vikings, Greeks, and Persians—each with its own unique advantages and headaches. The goal is simple on paper but tense in practice: expand your territory, invest in science and culture, and dominate the ancient world. But be careful! If you are too ambitious and grow too quickly, internal unrest can bring your empire to its knees before you even conquer the first neighboring province. On the other hand, if you are too cautious, you'll end up as nothing more than a forgotten footnote in the history books. The heart of the game beats through deck-building and hand management mechanics, where every card played can mean the difference between eternal glory or humiliating defeat. Asymmetry is the highlight here; playing as the Celts is a completely different experience from playing as the Macedonians, ensuring that every match requires a fresh strategy. Furthermore, the game is fully standalone, but if you crave even more variety, it is compatible with Imperium: Legends, allowing you to mix civilizations from both games. For those who prefer the solitude of the throne, the game includes a robust solo system with automated opponents that simulate each nation's behavior, making the experience challenging even without friends around. It is a game of pure strategy, where the balance between expansion and stability is the key to victory. ## How to Play Game Objective In Imperium: Classics, you take control of a historical nation, seeking to expand your territory, advance culturally, and become an empire. The game ends when a player triggers scoring or collapse, with the winner being whoever accumulates the most victory points (VP) or, in the case of collapse, whoever has the fewest unrest cards. Preparation (Setup) Each player chooses a nation (e.g., Romans, Carthaginians) and organizes their cards as indicated by the bottom left corner. Position the power card in the center of the play area. Nations like Arthurians and Utopians have specific additional cards. Shuffle the nation cards and form the nation deck, placing the ascension card (or equivalent) at the bottom. Set up the market with revealed cards from the regions, uncivilized, civilized, and main piles, placing an unrest card under each, except those with a ★ icon. Distribute starting tokens: 3 ▲, 2 ●, 1 ■, 5 ◆, and 3 ✓ (Utopians receive only 3 ◆). Game Flow Each round consists of turns in clockwise order, starting with the player to the left of the solstice card. On your turn, choose one of the options: Activate: Perform up to 3 actions and use up to 5 exhaustible abilities. Innovate: Discard your hand and promote a card from the market (regions, uncivilized, civilized, or fame). Revolutionize: Return cards from your hand to the unrest pile. After your choice, perform cleanup: add 1 ✓ to the market, refresh your tokens, optionally discard cards, and draw up to 5 cards. Actions and How to Play During Activate, you can: Perform actions: Spend 1 ◆ to play a card from your hand, resolve its effect, and discard it (unless it is fixed). Use exhaustible abilities: Spend 1 ✓ to activate effects of cards in play or from your power card. Cards have keywords like acquire (take cards from the market), promote (add cards to your hand), and solstice (effects resolved at the end of the round). End of Game and Scoring The game ends if: The main pile runs out. A player develops their last development card. The King of Kings card is revealed. Specific nation conditions (e.g., Vikings discarding Harald Hardrada). In scoring, count: 1 VP for each ◆. Card points (fixed, conditional, or variable VPs, up to 10 per card). In collapse (empty unrest pile), the winner is whoever has the fewest unrest cards. Tips for Winning Resource management: Prioritize cards that generate ◆ and ✓ to maintain actions and development. Adapt to your nation: Romans focus on rapid expansion; Carthaginians on trade; Utopians on advancing their journey. Control unrest: Unrest cards can be detrimental in collapse. Discard them or use effects to remove them. ## FAQ ### Is the game complex? Do I need previous experience? It has a medium-high weight (3.6 on BGG), so it's not for absolute beginners. If you're familiar with deck building, you'll pick it up quickly, but be ready to study each civilization's abilities. ### Can I play it solo? Absolutely! The game features an excellent solo mode with automated opponents that simulate the nations, so you don't need company to conquer the world. ### Do I need Imperium: Legends to play? No. Classics is a standalone game. Legends simply acts as an expansion to add more civilizations to your arsenal. ### How long does a game last? It varies. It can range from 40 minutes for quick games to over 2.5 hours if there's a fierce struggle between 4 players. ### Is the game available in English? Yes, the original version is in English, and the mechanics are well-documented for English speakers. ## Price Comparison ### Best Offers in Brazil - **Amazon**: R$ 248,02 (https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B0BS5BXF2C?tag=bgbot26-20) - **Meca dos Jogos**: R$ 211,68 (https://www.mecadosjogos.com.br/imperium-classicos-p895?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **Cangaia Jogos**: R$ 213,89 (https://www.cangaiajogos.com.br/jogos/jogos-estrategicos/imperium-classicos?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **Leão Livros**: R$ 223,08 (https://www.leaolivros.com.br/imperium-lendas-classicos?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **Alquimistas dos Jogos**: R$ 224,81 (https://www.alquimistasdosjogos.com.br/imperium-classicos?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on Compara Jogos: https://www.comparajogos.com.br/item/imperium-classicos ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 38.40 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=3240576&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/38715/imperium-classics?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com