Board Game Posts

In Origin, live the greatest adventure of all time: Mankind's ' expansion. Starting in Africa, the world's cradle, explore the entire planet, improve your knowledge and progress on the evolution scale.

Object of the Game

Score the highest number of points by completing objectives, hunting, controlling straits, or developing knowledge.

Components

• 1 Main board
• 1 Rewards board
• 36 Tribe Pawns
• 36 Villages
• 30 Innovation tiles
• 6 Hunting tokens
• 11 Strait tokens
• 48 Cards:
• 14 Action (yellow)
• 14 Permanent (orange)

Tribe Pawns

Each Pawn has three characteristics: his Speed (= height), his Strength (= width), and his Color. Each characteristic comes in three different variants. …

Many moons have come and gone since your boats departed on the journey to Karuba. Once you arrive on the island, each player will lead an expedition team of four adventurers. Now you just have to navigate your way through the dense jungle to make it to the temples.

"Just" may be something of an understatement; the ancient jungle trails have to be found and uncovered first! Hurry up and be the first to reach the temples to collect the most valuable treasures. …

Components

• 1 Reputation Board
• 25 House Cards
• 4 Starting House Cards
• 81 Goods Token
• 24 Outpost Cards
• 1 First-player Card
• 6 Star House Cards
• 9 Key House Cards
• 25 Cave Cards
• 7 Dice
• 10 Cider Tokens
• 20 Potion Tokens
• 1 Round Marker
• 36 Villagers
• 4 Cubes
• Coins 4 Player Boards
• 1 Encounter Book

Setup

1. Give each player a player board, seven coins, 1 starting house card, and 1 of each type of starting villager (3 villagers total for each player). The starting villagers have a house on the back of the token. The 3 villagers should have the symbols depicted at "1A", and start in the large grass area furthest to the left on the player board--the "ready area". …

General info for all person cards:

The six brown cards (no letter on the back)

When hiring the hostess, players take 3 prestige points and either 1 gold coin or 1 influence marker from the supply or move their rat marker one space back.

When hiring the money lender, players take 2 gold coins and 1 prestige point from the supply.

When hiring the monk, players take 2 influence markers and 1 prestige point from the supply.

When hiring the minstrel, players move 1-3 influence markers (eventually including their trusted friend) from any one sector to any one other sector in their borough (not Notre Dame). …

Burying a Card

In this game, it is possible to deal a card to nobody. This is called "burying a card" and the card dealt to nobody is the "buried card". Burying a card is a great idea if you have an odd number of players (instead of using a team neutral card, for instance).

However, when you bury a card, you must make sure that the President's Daughter and Martyr are shuffled into the character deck. Otherwise, you might bury the President or Bomber and be without a substitute. …

In addition to playing against one opponent, players can choose to play against more than one opponent in a multiplayer game. There is one official format: free-for-all.

Free-for-all

More than two players can participate in a free-for-all game, though 3-4 is the recommended number. Players should follow all of the normal rules of the game, with the following exceptions and additions.

Setup

To set up the game, follow these steps in order:

1. Randomly seat the players at the table.

2. All players roll off for the battlefield. The player with the highest value wins the roll off, and chooses a battlefield to use for the game. …

The Great Science Fair approaches! You, the brilliant minds of our generation, will compete to build the most creative and powerful Gizmos in your homemade labs. Can you master the four energies and construct the best combos to bring home the first-place prize?

Components

• 112 Gizmo Cards
• 20 Victory Point Tokens
• 4 Player Dashboards
• 4 Energy Storage Rings
• 20 Victory Point Tokens
• 52 Energy Spheres
• 1 Energy Dispenser
• 1 Dispenser Assembly Guide
• 1 List of Effects
• Rulebook

Setup

1. Take a number of Player Dashboards equal to the number of players (the First Player Dashboard must be included). Shuffle them all and randomly give 1 to each player. The player with the First Player Dashboard G will be the First Player. …

Streamlining Gameplay

• As you play Power Cards, put the required Energy on top of them. This will help you remember to pay for them.

• When you resolve a Power Card, you can push it forward or turn it sideways to note that it has been used. Don't discard it until end of turn, because you may be making use of its Elements for Innate Powers!

• When you resolve a Fear effect that affects an Invader Action (such as "Defend 2 in all lands"), place it atop the affected Invader Card so you don't forget to apply it. …

Don't pick your species randomly

Each alien species requires different skills and perspective to play well. It is important that you find one that matches your play style, both to do well and to have the most fun.

For new players, the Kt'Zr'Kt'Rtl is the easiest to play, followed by the Caylion, Kjasjavikalimm, and finally Faderan. A skilled new player is likely to do well with the Im'dril.

The Eni Et and Unity require very active and pushy trading to do well and tend to be difficult for new players. The Yengii are intended as a challenge for players who have played several games. …