Domination (2005) Board Game

Domination is an abstract strategy board game that was released in 2005 by Patch Products and Tactic. The game is designed for 2-4 players and has a recommended age of 8 and up. With a runtime of 30 minutes, Domination is perfect for a quick and engaging gameplay experience.

Game Components of Domination

Triangular land tiles with colored circles

Mastery cards (72 in total, 12 for each of the six colors)

City tokens

Monument tokens

Knowledge points trackers

Role tokens

How To Setup Domination

To set up the game, players start with an empty map area where they will place triangular land tiles. Each player begins with a set of starting tiles and knowledge points. The mastery cards are shuffled and placed within reach of all players. The game is divided into three ages, each consisting of five turns per player.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Grow: Place a triangular tile to earn Knowledge points based on the colors matched.

Build: Build a city, upgrade an existing city, or contribute to a monument.

Develop: Add or upgrade a mastery card in the civilization tree.

Influence and Roles: At the end of each age, the player with the most influence can copy a mastery card from another player, and roles are awarded based on the highest knowledge in each color category.

Objective: The player with the most points after the third age wins, with bonus points for specific achievements like having a monarchy in the civilization tree.

Player Experience

Playing **Domination: Road to Civilization** involves a mix of strategic tile placement and building a robust civilization tree. The game is highly puzzle-oriented, requiring players to maximize their land tile placements to generate knowledge and build cities efficiently. The absence of direct combat and the focus on resource management and tech tree development make it a unique experience. However, the game can suffer from analysis paralysis, especially with more players.

Pros

Excellent Puzzle Game: Engaging and challenging tile placement and civilization tree building.

Building the Civilization Tree is Fun: Developing mastery cards provides deep strategic decisions.

Tons of Replay Value: Multiple paths to victory and varied player interactions.

Cons

Analysis Paralysis: Players may spend too much time deciding on each turn, increasing playtime.

More Fun with More Players, But Longer Playtime: The game duration increases significantly with additional players.

Pasted On Theme: The game’s theme does not fully align with traditional civilization games.

Personal Thoughts on Domination

**Domination: Road to Civilization** is ideal for players who enjoy puzzle games and strategic planning without the need for direct conflict. It is not a traditional civilization game, so those expecting epic battles or historical accuracy might be disappointed. However, for those who appreciate the challenge of optimizing tile placements and building a strong tech tree, this game offers a unique and entertaining experience.

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