No medieval town is complete without a cathedral, and no cathedral can be completed without an architect! You and your fellow players take on the role of said architects, accruing resources, attracting apprentices, building buildings, and contributing to the monolithic cathedral. This is accomplished by sending workers to various functions across the board each turn. Need a fine young woodcutter to gather more logs? Send a worker to the Workshop. Need more money to finance your endeavors? Send a worker to seize the town's tax money by royal decree! As you collect resources, you can construct buildings; these grant the architect victory points and a few other benefits. Additionally, resources can be spent on the ever-intensifying cathedral, guaranteeing victory points, bonuses, and virtue. But as every good architect knows, taking shortcuts can save time and money… By hiring shady apprentices, visiting the black market, and indulging in questionable ethics, you can avoid paying taxes and save money on your endeavors. However, as the town recognizes your nefarious nature, you lose the ability to contribute to the cathedral and lose points at the end of the game. Spicing up the delightful core mechanics are the unique architect abilities (starting with extra building cards, paying less for apprentices), enjoyably cartoonish artwork, and a variety of paths to victory. A very well-implemented automated player can also be added to 1 and 2 player games to increase the challenge and make the game more unpredictable. For 1-5 players ages 12 and up. 60 to 80-minute playtime.
Architects of the West Kingdom Game
Description
Issued in 2018, this game is the first in the West Kingdom Series published by Garphill Games. It takes place in 850 AD in the Carolingian Empire, which was ruled by Frankish aristocrats and was the largest western territory since the fall of Rome. This was a period of increased cultural activity, with rises in literacy, architecture, and scriptural studies. It is then fitting that the goals of this game are to gain victory points by building up facets of both the city and its culture.
In this worker-placement game for 1-5 players, gain resources to build structures and landmarks, such as the Armory and Treasury, for game-end points; hire apprentices to gain additional actions and abilities; or go to the black market for resources that cost you virtue in the eyes of the kingdom. Don’t forget to help build the cathedral to gain virtue and victory points! When you place buildings or help build the cathedral, your workers gather in the guildhall, and once the last worker is placed there, the end of the game is triggered. The player with the most points wins!
As the first game in the West Kingdom trilogy, which also includes Viscounts of the West Kingdom and Paladins of the West Kingdom, Architects is the least complex mechanically, easiest to learn, and plays in 60-80 minutes. It has a nice solo mode, and its two expansions, Age of Artisans and Works of Wonder, add variety and new challenges. I highly recommend the entire West Kingdom series! ~ Marsha
| Product Format: | Other |
|---|---|
| Grades: | 7-AD |
| Brand: | Renegade Game Studios |
| EAN/UPC: | 850505008199 |
| Length in Inches: | 9 |
| Width in Inches: | 9 |
| Height in Inches: | 2.75 |
| Weight in Pounds: | 3.1 |