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Clans of Caledonia (2017) Board Game

ByMichail

Clans of Caledonia is a board game released in 2017 by designer Juma Al-JouJou and published by Karma Games. Set in 19th-century Scotland, the game focuses on economic and farming aspects, where players take on the roles of Scottish clans looking to expand their territories and trade resources.

Game Components of Clans of Caledonia

  • Modular board with 16 configurations
  • Eight different clans, each with unique abilities
  • Wooden tokens and pieces for resources and buildings
  • Port bonuses and round scoring tiles
  • Plastic dice (used in single-player mode)
  • Scoring pad and detailed summary cards
  • German and English rulebooks
  • Player boards and starting income tiles.

    How To Setup Clans of Caledonia

    To set up the game, players randomly create a map using the four included player boards and port tokens. Each player selects a clan and starting income tiles, which are drafted in reverse player order. The clans come with unique abilities that alter gameplay. Players then build their player boards by placing wooden pieces that will later be used to generate income on the main board.

    Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

  • Game Category: Economic, Strategy
  • Gameplay Mechanics:
    – Area Control
    – Action Point Allowance System
    – Market/Bidding
    – Variable Player Powers
    – Modular Board

  • Objective: Players represent historic clans, competing to produce, trade, and export agricultural goods and whisky. The game ends after five rounds, with scoring based on glory points, leftover goods, money, import goods, and settlements.

    Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

    Key Mechanics:

  • Player Turns: Players take turns performing one of eight possible actions (building, upgrading, trading, exporting).
  • Production Phase: Players collect resources, refined goods, and cash from their production units.
  • Round Scoring: Players receive glory points based on the current round’s scoring tile.
  • End Game Scoring: Final scoring includes points for glory, leftover goods, money, import goods, and settlements.

    Player Experience

    Players praise Clans of Caledonia for its elegant rules, high strategic depth, solid player interaction, and tremendous replayability. The game is noted for its thematic depth, reflecting Scotland’s transition from agriculture to industrialization. While the game has a steep learning curve due to the variety of actions and clan abilities, each action is relatively simple to understand. The game’s unique wooden components and detailed artwork enhance the player experience.

    Pros

  • Elegant and easy-to-learn rules
  • High strategic depth
  • Solid player interaction
  • Tremendous replayability with modular board and unique clans
  • Lovely artwork and realistic wooden tokens
  • Simple yet effective market mechanism
  • Asymmetric gameplay with unique clan abilities.

    Cons

  • Initial learning curve can be steep
  • Solo mode is considered weak
  • Some players find the game less fun due to the economic strain and resource scarcity
  • Settlement scoring can be complex and requires careful reading of the rules.

    Personal Thoughts on Clans of Caledonia

    Clans of Caledonia is ideal for fans of economic and strategy games, particularly those who enjoy Eurogames. It strikes a perfect balance between complexity and game length, making it accessible for a wide range of players. The game’s unique clan abilities and modular board ensure high replayability, making it a great addition to any board game collection. However, it may not be the best fit for players seeking a light, casual experience or those who prefer games with less economic management.

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    • Michail, a seasoned tabletop enthusiast, dives headfirst into worlds of fantasy and strategy. Whether commanding a party of adventurers through perilous dungeons or engaging in tactical showdowns on the board, Michail is the maestro of the tabletop realm. Michail's gaming table is a realm where the clatter of dice and the shuffle of cards create a symphony of strategic chaos.

    Hobby: Miniature painting guru, turning pewter into masterpieces
    Preferred Game: Dungeons & Dragons, but always up for a board game brawl

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