xxxx xxxx

Archon
Authors: Nikolas Sakaloglou & Sotiris Tsantilas
Publisher: Artipia Games
Year: 2013


review by

x

OK folks, we’re asked again to come into action! This time we are mighty Archons, you know; and who doesn’t know Cardis, this beautiful city? Well, the king asks if we will do our best to please him; a rather vague request that we decide to fulfill with integrity. We do so shamelessly, we are not the worst kind of people, so we mutually battle for power and prestige. We scrape resources, recruit soldiers for the Royal Guard, try to gain influence with the notables of the city, construct buildings here and there and use the planetarium and academy to collect point cards.


x

Uh, wait, it is here that the fairy-tale spatters a bit awkward and unexpected apart: the three seasons with a total of nine rounds are simply a way to collect as many points as possible! So far for romantics!

x
x

On and around the colorful board the game parts are laid out: the buildings, money, resources, recruitment chits, science and art cards, province cards et cetera et cetera. It seems to be difficult to develop an inhouse -Kickstarter- game that is not overflowing by game parts; Uwe Rosenberg is a bad predecessor of this.

x

Each player receives five workers -Archon is a worker placement game- and a set of eight identical character cards that at the start of the game are complemented by two special character cards; the players each choose with which two of four possible characters they complement their set. This set of ten cards is divided into two sets of five at the discretion of the player, and each set is played in the following two rounds. This occurs after a player has placed a worker on the board; the field he places them onto indicates if one or two cards have to be played. But a field that requires two card scan also be paid by playing a single special character card.

x
x

Points can be scored during a round by constructing a building; the building card states the cost in resources, what it does -à la Puerto Rico- and what it instantly scores. The most points however are to get after the third round when the card at the king’s palace is scored. Points are scored for majorities -in cards- in three categories: astronomy, art and guards. These cards can be acquired by paying the costs for them: resources, money, recruitment chits, or some other combinations. Apart from that, a worker has to be placed and a character card has to be played on specific fields in order to buy these cards. Who said it was easy?

x

Resources can be bought at the market; this needs money -each player only starts with two money- but more money is piled at the Treasury where a placed worker earns two money. At the market resources also can be traded, and each round a new card is placed at the palace -but one is taken away also- that might yield a conversion from some thing to another.




x

The standard card scan be upgraded to a special character card by placing a worker in the Guild Hall and moving one of the four player discs forward, depending on the choice, and paying the cost for it. The Merchant is a shrewd guy who gets a bonus at various locations; placing a worker at the Repository and playing a Merchant gives an additional resources, or a player receives an additional recruitment chit at the Barracks, neccessary to deploy a watchman.

x
x

The Cleric allows a player to place a worker on an occupied field; the Tax Collector gives possible extra income when other players subsequently place a worker on the same location; they then must pay one money to the owner of the Tax Collector.

x
And the Scribe allows two turns in a row; although the second turn still has to be paid for. After the acquiration of a special character card another, usually regular -Courtier- card must be discarded so the total cards always stays at ten.


x

After two rounds the two sets are played, and the players again may form two sets of five cards, which then often are equipped with newly acquired special character cards. After every third round there is a rating; then also is checked if the city is adequately guarded. If this is not the case, each player will have to pay the difference, initially with recruitment chits, but if this is not enough then resources, gold and even points must be handed in. Because the guards also join in the majority race at the king’s palace, it always pays to buy at least one watchman at the city wall. After each third round the market is refilled according to the next face up card at the king’s palace.

x
x

The purchased buildings each have a feature that a player can use to his advantage; the Inn allows a player to pay one resource less each time he wants to acquire a special character card; the House of Trade collects an additional gold when selling, and reduces a purchase with one gold; and so each of the buildings have their own specifications and attraction. The more expensive buildings score additional points for science, art of watchmen cards at the end of each season, or at the end of the game, such as the Magister’s Court that scores a victory point for each special character a player has in his possession.

x
x

After three seasons it’s over and done; after the regular scoring and the scoring for the buildings the player with the most points has won.

x
x
x
x

Initially a player gets dizzy from the bright colours on the board; where does he have to look? It looks just like a candy store! Fortunately, the focus is found quickly, and it all isn’t that bad. The crowded board with its artwork has a special but sympathetic style that not quite coincidentally is reminiscent of a Greek chapel decorated with gold studded icons. The character cards are drawn with great dedication; the illustrator did not restrain himself and has drawn several illustrations for identical cards.

x
x

The fields where players can place their workers are limited. When playing with less than four players, several fields are covered so there always is sufficient competition, even with two players. The question in these type of games always is: ‘Will I place a worker at A first, to be able to place additional ones at B and even C?’, where in some cases other players perform the B and C action first so these are no longer available.

x
x

But by playing the Cleric, an action on an already occupied field still can be performed, and during a round this card will only be played untill it really is necessary. At first players will start playing their basic Courtier cards unless there is a compelling reason such as playing the Merchantin the Repository that enables a player to take two free resources instead of the one with a Courtier card. These socalled Magister cards, Merchant, Cleric, Scribe and Tax Collector give the game extra flexibility.

x
x

Each player will have a preference for some building or the other. Sometimes two players each have the same building in mind; it then comes down to who first manages to collect the needed resources, possibly aided with the functions of other already acquired buildings. Some buildings reinforce each other, such as the Laboratory that gives an extra resource when a player visits the Marketplace, and the House of Trade, that enables a player to buy cheaper and sell for one gold more.

x
x

The rules are clear and organised; the actual rules cover just over five text pages that have an attractive lay out, where the explanation of the buildings form the graphical main part. It is a pity that two minor typo’s make the rules just near from perfect.

x

Archon follows the familiar path we all know from other games: worker placement (Die Säulen der Erde/Pillars of the Earth, Stone Age), buying buildings and use their feature (puerto Rico), end of round requirements (Die Tore der Welt/World without End), interim scoring, trading resources at the market, and a variable player order. The latter only works reasonably well with the maximum of four players.
At the start of the game, the player order is randomly determined. After that, at the end of each round, the player who has the most cards left in his hand gets start player, where each of the Magister cards breaks a tie. But a player almost alway will want to play all of his cards; why would he limit himslef? This means that the player order often is fixed and only changes when a player does not find a good use for the last card in his hand. It is unfortunate that not another mechanism was invented for this.

x

Archon is charming, attractive, is solidly put together and nevertheless has an airy atmosphere. It may not be the most original game, but it sure is one that is an interesting mix made from known ingredients, making it new and fresh again.
© 2014 Richard van Vugt

Archon, Nikolas Sakaloglou & Sotiris Tsantilas, Artipia Games, 2013 - 2 to 4 players, 12 years and up,  90-120 minutes




x
x
x