Colonies (2012) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Colonies is a board game released in 2012 that falls under the categories of Civilization, Economic, Political, and Science Fiction. Designed by Sean S and featuring artwork by Among Meeples, Colonies is a game that challenges players to build and develop their own space colonies while engaging in trading and political negotiations. With a playing time of around 150 minutes, Colonies is best suited for 3 to 5 players aged 14 and above.

Game Components of Colony

Dice: White (stable resources) and grey (unstable resources)

Player Cards: Construction, upgrade, supply depot, and warehouse cards

Variable Stacks: 7 random stacks of cards, each with one card per player

CHIPIs: Chips to roll additional grey dice

Building Cards: Basic and upgraded versions (1.0 and 2.0)

Resource Storage: Warehouses and other storage facilities

Setup App: Optional for easing setup.

How To Setup Colony

To set up **Colony**, each player receives a set of initial cards including construction, upgrade, supply depot, and warehouse cards. Players roll three white dice and place them in their warehouses. The game starts with setting out the initial cards and seven variable stacks of cards chosen randomly. A start player is selected, and the game begins. There is also an optional setup app available to facilitate the setup process.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Dice Drafting: Players roll dice, choose one, and pass the remaining to the next player.

Resource Management: Manage stable and unstable resources.

Card Activation: Use resources to activate cards for various actions like buying, upgrading, or swapping resources.

Upgrading: Upgrade cards to enhance abilities.

Discarding: Discard a card to gain resources based on the score difference from the leader.

Objective: The first player to reach a predetermined number of victory points (15 for 4 players, 16 for 3 players, 20 for 2 players) wins the game.

Player Experience

In **Colony**, players take on the roles of leaders rebuilding their post-apocalyptic colonies. The game is characterized by its dynamic resource management and engine-building mechanics. Players must strategically use and manipulate dice to activate cards, build infrastructure, and upgrade their capabilities. The game offers a high degree of customization with 28 different types of cards, allowing for varied strategies in each game. While the dice rolls introduce an element of luck, the game’s design mitigates this through extensive resource manipulation options.

Pros

Strategic Depth: Offers a complex yet engaging engine-building experience.

Customization: Each game uses only 7 of the 28 card types, allowing for multiple strategies.

Resource Manipulation: Extensive options to manipulate dice and resources.

Upgrading System: Satisfying card upgrade mechanic that enhances game abilities.

Variable Setup: Ensures each game is unique.

Cons

Luck Factor: While mitigated, dice rolls still introduce an element of luck.

Downtime: Potential for increased downtime with four players.

Complexity: May be overwhelming for new players due to the numerous card options and rules.

Personal Thoughts on Colony

**Colony** is ideal for players who enjoy strategic engine-building and resource management games. It is particularly suited for those who like games with a high degree of customization and replayability. While it may not be the best fit for players who dislike dice rolling or complex rules, it offers a rich and engaging experience for fans of games like **Dominion** or **Machi Koro**.

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