Civilization (1980) Board Game

Civilization is a classic board game that was first released in 1980 by designer Francis Tresham. It is a strategy game where players take on the role of leaders of ancient civilizations, building cities, developing technologies, and expanding their empires.

Game Components of Civilization

Board: Depicts the Eastern Mediterranean divided into four colored regions, including Italy and the Balkans, Greece and Asia Minor, the Levant and the Middle East, and Egypt and North Africa.

Counters: Seven sets, each including 56 Population Tokens, 12 City Tokens, and 4 Ships.

Playmats: Seven Playmats for managing tokens and treasury.

Trade and Calamity Cards: Include 11 commodities and calamity cards such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

Civilization Cards: Used for advancing through the technology tree.

Rulebook: Detailed and robust, necessary for understanding the game’s complex rules.

How To Setup Civilization

Setup involves each player choosing a civilization and placing their starting Population Tokens and City Tokens in designated areas on the board. Players also place their tokens on the Progress and Census Tracks. The number of players determines which civilizations and regions are used. Trade Cards and Civilization Cards are placed on their respective spaces on the board. Each player’s tokens are managed through their Playmat, which includes spaces for stock and treasury.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Population Expansion: Players grow and migrate their populations.

Conflict: Simple conflict system involving the removal of population tokens until the maximum population for an area is met.

Building Cities: Converting populations to cities to generate trade cards.

Trading: Swapping trade cards representing resources, with the risk of drawing calamity cards.

Acquiring Civilization Cards: Trading resources for technology cards to advance through the epochs.

Epochs: The game is split into five epochs, each requiring specific advancements to progress.

Game Objective: The first player to reach the end of the Archaeological Succession Table (AST) by accumulating the required points from Civilization Cards, treasury, and trade cards wins the game.

Player Experience

Civilization is known for its deep strategy and long gameplay. It requires a significant investment of time and effort to learn and play. The game is praised for its minimal luck and randomness, with predictable outcomes based on player decisions. However, the complexity and length can be daunting, and the game’s rulebook is notoriously dense. The game balances population growth, resource management, and technological advancement, making it a challenging but rewarding experience.

Pros

Deep Strategy: Offers a rich and complex gameplay experience.

Minimal Luck: Predictable outcomes based on player decisions.

Historical Theme: Traces eight millennia of human development.

High Production Value: Detailed board and well-sculpted figures.

Pioneering Mechanics: Introduced the technology tree concept.

Cons

Lengthy Gameplay: Can take from 2.5 to 8 hours.

Complex Rules: The rulebook is dense and challenging to learn.

Early Advantages: Success can build heavily on early advantages, making it hard to catch up.

Visual Clutter: Military units can be difficult to distinguish due to similar colors.

Personal Thoughts on Civilization

Civilization is a game for the dedicated strategist and history enthusiast. It is ideal for players who enjoy deep, long-form games and are willing to invest the time to learn and master its complex mechanics. While it may not appeal to those seeking quick, casual gaming sessions, it remains a classic and influential game in the genre of civilization building and strategy. If you’re looking for a game that challenges you over several hours and rewards meticulous planning and strategy, Civilization is an excellent choice.

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