Age of Empires III: The Age of Discovery

Not to be confused with Age of Discovery.

Designed by Glenn Drover, this boardgame version of the PC hit, Age of Empires III from Microsoft and Ensemble Studios, allows you to revisit the age of exploration and discovery. Take on the role of a colonial power seeking fame, glory, and riches in the New World. As you proceed through three ages, you can launch expeditions of discovery, colonize regions, expand your merchant fleet, build capitol buildings that give your nation distinct advantages, develop your economy, and, if necessary, declare war.

Though originally published for 5 players, the game is playable by 6 with the original components and board configuration with addition of a set of figures in another color. This was originally offered as an "expansion" and an incentive to pre-order the game.

BoardGameGeek Info

Publisher: Tropical Games
Published in: 2007
My Rating: 7.8
BGG Rating: 7.14
BGG Rank: 325
Players: 2-5
Ages: 10+
Duration: 2:00
Complexity: 3.1239 / 5

Acquired: April 2010
Eager to Play: Yes
Plays: 4
Last Played: April 28, 2010
Time Spent: 8:00

This is a clever civilization simulation where players take on the task of discovering and settling The New World. Each turn players get a set of figures, each one granting an ability, and they then place them on the board indicating what each will do. Actions vary from colonizing, acquiring goods, constructing buildings, discovering new territories, upgrading a figure, and even battling. Many actions grant points and/or money; at the end of the game the player with the most points wins.

Players never have enough figures to do everything they want in a turn, and given there are only a few slots available per action players are competing for these. Each turn players must carefully weigh what they want and what the other players will likely want. There are diverse strategies, and no two games are the same.

Four plays

April 28, 2010
April 26, 2010
April 25, 2010
April 21, 2010