The Histocrats support the idea of incorporating board-games into your personal life as well as in the classroom. As part of our gaming initiative, we 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. The following are some of our favorite games we played in 2014.
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. Tokaido, Passport Game Studios
Each player is a traveler crossing the "East sea road", one of the most magnificent roads of Japan. While traveling, players will meet people, taste fine meals, collect beautiful items, discover great panoramas, and visit temples and wild places. At the end of the day, when everyone has arrived at the end of the road you'll have to be the most initiated traveler – which means that you'll have to be the one who discovered the most interesting and varied things.
Manhattan Project, Minion Games
Global Power Struggle Begins. Which nation will take the lead and become world's dominant superpower? The Manhattan Project makes you the leader of a great nation's atomic weapons program in a deadly race to build bigger and better bombs. You must assign your workers to multiple projects: building your bomb-making infrastructure, expending your military to protect it, or sending your spies to steal your rival's hard work! You alone control your nation's destiny. You choose when to send out your workers-and when to call them back. Careful management and superior strategy will determine the winner of this struggle. So take charge and secure your nation's future!
Kingsburg, Fantasy Flight Games
Players adopt the role of governor, and vie for resources to build up their province, military power to defend their homes, and above all the influence of the King. Over five years (five turns) players rely on various advisors to the King for resources. From tangibles like gold, wood, and stone to soldiers and portents, each acquisition will shape the future of your community.
The Builders Middle Ages, Asmodee
Recruit workers and create buildings to prove that you are the greatest builder. You'll have to start small, with cottages and stables, but you'll be building your name as you build your masterpieces and before long, you'll complete the cathedral! Hire worker cards, pay them to build your buildings and balance your income with your expenses. You can't do everything on your turn - but you'll want to! From wells and shacks to castles and churches, use your resources to create structures that will stand the test of time.
Rivet Wars Eastern Front, Cool Mini or Not
Rivet Wars is a miniatures boardgame set on a world that never quite left World War I but with crazy technology like walking tanks, diesel powered armor, uni-cycled vehicles and armor plated cavalry! Don't let the cute visuals fool you; it's a world full of angst, war-torn camaraderie and dark humor. Rivet Wars is at its heart a strategy game, with both players deploying units each round to counter the threats set forth by their opponent and stay one tactical step ahead. Players gather resources (bunkers and capture points) and use these to deploy streams of new units! There's an ebb and flow on the tactical landscape and you can stock up surprises for your opponent to be unleashed even as he thinks he's winning!
Yedo: Rule From the Shadows, Pandasaurus Games
Japan, 1605 Hidetada Tokugawa has succeeded his father as the new Shogun, ruling from the great city of Edo (a.k.a. Yedo), the city known in present times as Tokyo. Players assume the roles of Clan Elders in the city of Edo during the early years of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The object of the game is to amass Prestige Points, mainly by completing missions. To do so, players must gather the necessary assets and most importantly outfox their opponents and prevent them from completing their missions. It's all up to you but be careful to make the right choices, for in Yedo, eternal glory and painful disgrace are two sides of the same coin.
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.
Sheriff of Nottingham, Arcane Wonders
In Sheriff of Nottingham, players will take turns stepping into the shoes of the Sheriff himself, while others act as Merchants attempting to bring their goods into the city for profit! Beware though, while many may act as honest merchants, there is always the possibility of contraband being smuggled into the city!
Freedom: The Underground Railroad, Academy Games
Players assume the roles of important historical Abolitionist characters pitted against the slave economy from the early 1800's thru the Civil War. Players succeed together by balancing their actions between raising funds for the Abolitionist cause and helping runaway slaves move from the Southern States to freedom in Canada. But every move risks alerting the slave catchers, who roam the board trying to return the runaway slaves to the plantations. As an educational component, players become familiar with the important historical figures, political agendas and crucial events that unfolded in America between 1800 and 1865.
*All product descriptions are from the manufacturer
