Hadara (2019) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Hadara is a city-building and civilization board game designed by Benjamin Schwer and published by Hans im Glück in in 2019. The game is set in ancient times, where players will lead their civilization through different eras, gaining resources, expanding their cities, and developing their culture.

Game Components of Hadara

Game board with five colored areas and a central wheel

Player boards

Card decks (including regular cards and special purple cards)

Gold and food tokens

Military and culture tokens

Statue and colony cards

Player icons and markers

How To Setup Hadara

To set up Hadara, begin by placing the game board in the middle of the table. Each player selects a player board and places their icon on the central wheel. The card decks are shuffled and placed according to the five colored areas on the board. Each player starts with a set amount of gold and food tokens. The game is ready to play once all components are distributed and the initial cards are drawn.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Card Drafting: Players draw two cards from designated areas and choose one to keep or sell, discarding the other.

Set Collection: Players collect cards to build their civilization, managing resources like gold and food.

Epochs: The game is divided into three epochs, each consisting of two phases.

First Phase: Players draft cards based on the color area their icon points to on the wheel.

Second Phase: Players select the top card from stacks created in the first phase.

Resource Management: Manage gold, food, military, and culture to acquire and keep cards.

Victory Points: The objective is to score the most victory points by collecting statues, colonies, and medals.

Player Experience

Hadara offers a balanced and streamlined gameplay experience, making it accessible to a wide range of players. The game is vibrant and visually appealing, with a well-put-together production quality. However, the player boards lack recessed tracks, which can lead to minor issues with marker movement.

Pros

Balanced Mechanics: The game is finely balanced, allowing for meaningful decisions without being overly complex.

Variety of Approaches: Supports different strategies and playstyles.

Visual Appeal: The game has a vibrant and welcoming design.

Easy to Learn: Rules are light and easy to understand.

Cons

Replayability: Some players may find the game feels too similar from one play to another.

Minor Production Issues: Player boards are not recessed for tracks, which can cause markers to move around.

Swingy Cards: Certain purple cards can significantly impact the game, potentially leading to uneven outcomes.

Personal Thoughts on Hadara

Hadara is a great choice for those looking for a light yet engaging civilization-building game. It’s ideal for players who enjoy card drafting and set collection mechanics but may not be the best fit for those seeking high complexity or extreme replayability. The game’s balance and streamlined rules make it accessible to new players, while the strategic depth keeps it interesting for those who enjoy making meaningful decisions during their game sessions. However, it may not appeal to players who prefer more variability in their gameplay experiences or those who are averse to drafting mechanisms.

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