Rating: 6 Fair
Popularity:5
Difficulty:Easy
Year:2008
Players: 2-4 players
Playing time: 60 minutes
Age:10+

Created by: Inka Brand, Markus Brand, Michael Menzel

Published by: eggertspiele, Filosofia Éditions, The Game Master BV

Alternate Names: A l'ombre des murailles, Il Castello, Im Schutze der Burg, De Koningsburcht, Замок на все времена

Description:

A new castle is being built for the king, and lots of workers are coming from far away to make their contribution.

Each player is a master builder, who will have to make a tactical choice from a number of character cards each turn. But watch out, the character cards also cause interaction, making for a surprising and varied game.

Only when the points are counted at the end of the game, the victor will be known!

Players use cards from their hands to take actions. These are revealed simultaneously and then resolved in a set order. One of the cards allows a player to pick the cards back up into their hand, allowing them to reuse cards previously played.

Players collect resources and money, and build buildings. Once a building is built, the tile is moved to reveal spaces for workers. These spaces give bonus points at the end of the game. The person with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

Prices:
Retail Price:$53
Amazon:$44
Ebay:$69
Expansions:
A Castle for All Seasons: Winter Cards
Awards:
JoTa Best Family Board Game Nominee 2009
JoTa Best Artwork Nominee 2009
JoTa Best Artwork Critic Award 2009
Golden Geek Best Board Game Artwork/Presentation Nominee 2009

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Amidst craggy mountains, the first silhouettes of a monumental castle arise. A line of traders twists its way to the gate; and the hustle and bustle attracts bricklayers, stonemasons and workers in the hope of getting wages and victuals.

The area is crammed with market booths; the magnificent castle is being enlarged around them.

Components

  • 1 gameboard
  • 4 summary cards
  • 23 building tiles
  • 28 helpers
  • 4 victory markers
  • 83 Resource Pieces:
  • 4 card sets of 8 character cards
  • 6 winter cards
  • 1 starting player marker
  • 65 Game Coins (taler)
  • Rulebook

Object of the Game

You are builders who always need sufficient resources and money. To this end, you have character cards at your disposal whose way of use determines the order of play anew each round. …



1. The Messenger

The player who plays the messenger takes 8 talers from the bank.


2. The Trader

The player who plays the trader gets resources for himself and other players by placing one of his helpers next to one of the four carts or next to the rider.

Only after each cart has gotten a helper can the rider also get a helper.


Only one helper is allowed per cart or beside the rider. Each of these "trader's helpers" remains on the gameboard and "occupies" the respective kind of resource until he is displaced by another trader's helper (...or until the player needs his helper for a building). …



Erecting Buildings

(applies to bricklayers, stonemasons, and workers)

A player can erect buildings with the bricklayer, stonemason, or worker, but is compensated in different ways: the bricklayer gives the player talers, the stonemason gives victory points, and the worker gives half victory points.

Looking at the building tiles still on the gameboard, the player decides which building(s) he wants to erect.

For each of these buildings, he pays exactly the indicated value of the building in resources to the general stock and then takes the building tile from gameboard, placing it in his play area. The gameboard now shows the completed building. …




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