You always wanted to experience 6000 years of human history on a weekend? Found and lead different interesting civilizations on their way through history? This is your game!! You don't concentrate on just one empire, in fact you play different empires at the same time - always weighing whether to keep the one or the other, when you still earn a lot of glory points with it or if it's already time to discard it and start a new one...
Components
When you first open the box and put the two pieces of the world map on the table (if you have a table that's big enough though!), you are lost for words for a moment. It's really impressive, and you already start thinking how to lead your civilisations on the different continents. Additionally a lot of markers (and i mean a LOT - more than 500) come with the game, therefor sometimes it can be annoying to find the right ones, but you'll manage that.
Gameplay
The rules are not too complex and basically it's all about gaining glory points with your empires. Therefor in each round you can choose one of the following actions: You start an empire (1), choose production (2) - building and maintaing units, trade and progress (3), maneuver and resolve conflict (4), destiny (5), civilize - cities/leaders/religions/governments (6) or you discard an empire (7). During the game (where you try to lead your civilizations through 7 ages - the actual state marked on a progress track) you can promote leaders like Buddha, Mozart or Caesar, you also can build artifacts or you cause certain events. Depending on the respective empire it makes sense to rather focus on military conquest, on building a lot of cities or on advancing progress. You have to accept that luck definitely plays a role in the game (some events are quite powerful for example), therefor it's better to not see the game as a deadly serious competition of strategic thinking, it rather makes sense to enjoy a day or two with good friends and a great experience of starting, improving and finally discarding different empires.
Conclusion
I really like the game. Even if it takes quite a time to play and you definitely have to plan in advance when you want to play "7 Ages" - but believe me, it's worth it. It's an epic experience to see the rise and fall of several great empires, and you being involved in this. You need some time to get into the game, but the rules are for the most part quite straight and well structured, and you can see that they are thought out very well and have been streamlined already - I only would suggest to download some kind of player aid (for example on boardgamegeek.com) to make it easier for the players to find the right details. The downtime for the players is low, as you are always thinking what to do next - overall the game plays fluently.
Even if you won't play this game more often than once or twice a year, from my point of view you won't regret having bought this game. One of the best civilization games out there...
Description
7 Ages is a game of world history from 4000 BC/E to 2000 AD/CE. Players represent dynasties that decide the fate of the world across the millenia.
7 Ages consists of the following:
• 2 large (A1) full colour maps of the World (1168 x 820mm);
• 6 full colour countersheets (576 x 5/8" and 300 x 1/2" counters);
• 110 full colour cards; and
• 32 A4 page Rules and Players' Guide.
• and, for a limited time only, 1 free 7 Ages T-shirt
You, as a dynastic head of one or more civilisations must guide them through history gaining glory points for historical, scientific, religious and cultural advances as you increase their health, wealth and prestige.
All the leading figures of history are included, as they attempt to influence events and their society through their great words and deeds.
Are you game to change history?
2-7 players, about 2 hours per age ('7 ages' when you play the full game)
author: harry rowland
publisher: australian design group
category: civilization
7 ages - homepage (rules, player aid,...)
7 ages @ boardgamegeek.com
you can buy the game here!
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