Trajan (2011) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Trajan is a Euro-style board game designed by Stefan Feld and released in in 2011. It is set in ancient Rome during the reign of Emperor Trajan and focuses on politics, trade, and conquest. The game has received critical acclaim for its strategic depth and replay value.

Game Components of Trajan

Player boards: Each player receives a player board and associated wooden pieces.

Action markers: Six colors, with two copies of each.

Trajan tiles: Provide various benefits such as extra actions, cards, or victory points.

Demand tiles: Feature icons that players must fulfill to avoid penalties.

Forum tiles: Used to meet public demands and provide temporary votes.

Resource cards: Part of the Commodity deck.

Military leader and workers: Placed in the military and worker camps.

Bonus tiles: Awarded during Senate votes.

Time marker and time track: Track the progression of the game.

How To Setup Trajan

To set up Trajan, players start by choosing a color and receiving their player board, wooden pieces, an Arch of Trajan, and Action markers. Each player places their Military leader and a worker into the military camp, a worker into the worker camp, a marker on the Senate track, and a marker on the score track. Players then receive a Bonus tile, three Trajan tiles, and three cards from the Commodity deck. The Action circle is seeded with twelve colored cylinders (six pairs of six different colors), and the Time marker is placed on the first space of the time track. A stack of shuffled Demand tiles is created, and the Resource card deck is shuffled and placed facedown with two face-up discard piles.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Mancala Mechanism: Players pick up a group of colored cylinders and distribute them one-by-one in a clockwise order. The final cylinder’s placement determines the action taken.

Area Movement: Moving military leaders to conquer regions.

Hand Management: Managing Resource cards and Trajan tiles.

Set Collection: Collecting Construction tiles and other sets for victory points.

Open Drafting: Selecting Trajan tiles and Bonus tiles.

Game Objective: Acquire victory points through various actions such as building, trading, influencing the Senate, and military conquests. Players also need to fulfill public demands to avoid penalties.

Player Experience

Trajan offers a complex and engaging gameplay experience, requiring players to plan their moves carefully. The variable phase order mechanic, driven by the Mancala system, ensures each turn is unique and challenging. Players must balance multiple aspects of Roman life, from political influence to military expansion, to maximize their victory points. The game is highly strategic, with a high level of replayability due to the different strategies and random elements.

Pros

High Replayability: Each game is different due to variable phase order and random elements.

Complex and Engaging: Combines multiple mechanics to create a challenging experience.

Strategic Depth: Requires careful planning and foresight.

Thematic Immersion: Well-integrated ancient Rome theme.

Cons

Limited Player Interaction: Players focus on their individual strategies with minimal direct interaction.

Steep Learning Curve: Complex mechanics can be overwhelming for new players.

Long Playing Time: 90-120 minutes, which may not suit all players.

Personal Thoughts on Trajan

Trajan is ideal for players who enjoy complex, strategic board games with deep gameplay mechanics. It is perfect for those who appreciate games like Tzolk’in: The Mayan Calendar, Caylus, or Terraforming Mars. If you are looking for a game that challenges you to think ahead and manage multiple strategies simultaneously, Trajan is an excellent choice. However, it may not be the best fit for casual gamers or those seeking quick, light-hearted experiences.

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