January 2014 Games of the Week

By Margaret Duncan, Ed.D.
 

The Histocrats support the idea of incorporating board-games into your personal life as well as in the classroom.  As such, we support and participate in a local board-gaming group.  Any and all board-game enthusiasts are welcome to join the Game Nights that are held every first and third Friday night of the month.  As part of our gaming group initiative, we also recommend history centric games that are fun to play each week to all of our followers.  The selected games receive our “Game of the Week” distinction.  Recommended games are a mix of cooperative, card games, as well Euro style games.

 

Founding Fathers, Jolly Roger Games

Your goal in Founding Fathers is to emerge from the Philadelphia Convention acknowledged by all as the true Father of the Constitution due to your outstanding contributions to the final document. There are many avenues available for gaining recognition at the Convention and earning the points you need to win the game. The trick is to exploit these more effectively than your rivals, and to frustrate their efforts to do the same.

Pillars of the Earth, Mayfair Games.

England at the beginning of the 12th century and Prior Phillip of Kingsbridge has a glorious vision to build the largest, most beautiful cathedral in England. To accomplish the task, Phillip recruits the most renowned builders in the country. However, the fate of the Cathedral is constantly threatened by all manner of catastrophes and oppositions. Using your workmen and resources, you must wisely deploy assets to overcome unexpected difficulties and shortages to prove yourself the greatest builder of them all.
 

Rise of Augustus, Asmodee

Serving the 1st Roman Emperor, Augustus, you will need to mobilize your legions to control provinces of the Empire and its senators to ultimately obtain the title of Consul. The aim of the game is to earn as many points as possible before any player has taken control of seven objectives.  Players have the opportunity to wreak havoc with their opponents by causing them to lose some of their legions or objectives, thus foiling their plans on becoming the next Consul.

 

New World: A Carcassonne Game, Z-Man Games
The New World has been discovered! Now it is time to explore and settle it. The players explore and develop the New World beginning on the East Coast and moving westward, and deploy their settlers on the trails, in the town, in the farms, and on the plains. The skills of the players to develop the area and use their robbers, shopkeepers, trappers, and farmers will determine who is victorious. The players place land tiles turn by turn. As they do so, the trails, towns, plains, and farms emerge and grow. On these, the players can deploy their settlers to earn points. Players score points during the game and at the end. The player with the most points after the final scoring is the winner.

 

*All product descriptions are from the manufacturer.

Great History Themed Games to Start a Collection

By Margaret Duncan, Ed.D.
 
Do you love history?  Do you enjoy playing board games.  The following five games are a great foundation for anyone looking to start a tabletop collection with a history theme. 

Carcassonne, Z-Man Games.

The Carcassonne is a clever tile-laying game. The southern French city of Carcassonne is famous for its unique roman and medieval fortifications. The players develop the area around Carcassonne and deploy their followers on the roads, in the cities, in the cloisters, and in the fields. The skill of the players to develop the area will determine who is victorious.

 

7 Wonders, Asmodee.

In 7 Wonders, you lead an ancient civilization as it rises from its barbaric roots to become a world power. Lead your troops to a military victory or create a nation of artisans and philosophers. Establish a powerful merchant state or master the mysteries of science and technology. Build an architectural wonder that will fascinate for eons to come, and rule the most powerful civilization on Earth!
 

Ticket to Ride, Days of Wonder.  

The objective: to see the most cities in North America - in just 7 days. Ticket to Ride is a cross-country train adventure game. Players collect train cards that enable them to claim railway routes connecting cities throughout North America. The longer the routes, the more points they earn. Additional points come to those who can fulfill their Destination Tickets by connecting two distant cities, and to the player who builds the longest continuous railway.

 

 

Pillars of the Earth, Mayfair Games.

England at the beginning of the 12th century and Prior Phillip of Kingsbridge has a glorious vision to build the largest, most beautiful cathedral in England. To accomplish the task, Phillip recruits the most renowned builders in the country. However, the fate of the Cathedral is constantly threatened by all manner of catastrophes and oppositions. Using your workmen and resources, you must wisely deploy assets to overcome unexpected difficulties and shortages to prove yourself the greatest builder of them all.

 

Alhambra, Rio Grande Games.
 

In Granada, one of the most impressive building projects of the Middle Ages has begun, the construction of Alhambra. A palace, fortress, and a small city, all-in-one. Alhambra is made up of the world’s most beautiful gardens, pavilions, chambers and towers. Employ the most talented teams of builders to construct your Alhambra. Hire stonemasons from the north and gardeners from the south, who all want a fair wage and insist on being paid with their native currency. With their help, towers can be constructed, gardens designed, pavilions and mezzanines erected, and manors and royal chambers built.

 

*All product descriptions are from the manufacturer.