Kingdom of Solomon (2012) Board Game

Kingdom of Solomon is a board game released in 2012, designed by Clay Gardner and Ricky Hunter. It is a strategic game that focuses on city building, economics, and religious aspects of ancient civilizations. With a runtime of 60 minutes and recommended for players aged 12 and above, Kingdom of Solomon offers an immersive gaming experience with its unique gameplay mechanics.

Game Components of Kingdom of Solomon

A board depicting ancient Israel

Several wooden playing pieces

Goods markers and other markers

A deck of small Fortune cards

A deck of large building cards

Temple tokens and building tokens.

How To Setup Kingdom of Solomon

To set up the game, players first place the board in the middle of the playing area. Each player chooses a set of wooden playing pieces and places them on the starting spaces on the board. The Fortune cards and building cards are shuffled and placed within reach of all players. The market phase area is set up, and the temple tokens are distributed according to the rules. Finally, each player receives a starting set of resources and any additional components specified in the rules.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Mechanics

Worker Placement

Area Majority / Influence

Commodity Speculation

Enclosure

Network and Route Building

Variable Phase Order

Game Objective

The objective is to gain the most victory points by managing resources, constructing buildings, and contributing to the construction of Solomon’s Temple. Here’s a breakdown of the game phases:

Placement Phase: Players take turns placing their pawns to get resources, take actions, or claim bonus spaces.

Resolution Phase: Players resolve their placements in turn order.

Market Phase: Players buy and sell resources in reverse turn order.

Building Phase: Players build buildings, roads, and add blocks to the Temple.

Player Experience

In **Kingdom of Solomon**, players take on the roles of King Solomon’s chief governors, tasked with procuring materials and overseeing construction projects across ancient Israel. The game is highly interactive, with each round consisting of four phases that require strategic planning and resource management. The use of roads to link resource spaces and the powerful “super action” spaces add unique twists to the traditional worker-placement mechanics.

Pros

Innovative Mechanics: The game introduces “super action” spaces that require players to use all their remaining workers, adding a push-your-luck element.

Road Building: Roads can significantly increase resource collection, making them a crucial strategic element.

Thematic Integration: The game is well-themed around ancient Israel, making the gameplay feel cohesive with the setting.

High Replayability: The variable phase order and multiple paths to victory ensure different experiences each game.

Cons

Rule Clarity: The rulebook is often criticized for lacking clarity, leading to confusion during the first few games.

Component Quality: Some components, such as the wooden houses, are noted to be small and less appealing.

Limited Guidelines: There are questions about specific rules, such as how many roads can be built per turn, which can lead to inconsistencies in gameplay.

Personal Thoughts on Kingdom of Solomon

**Kingdom of Solomon** is a game that will appeal to fans of worker-placement and resource management games. It offers a unique blend of traditional mechanics with innovative elements like the “super action” spaces and the powerful road-building system. While it may have some flaws in its rulebook and component quality, the game provides a engaging and challenging experience, especially for those who enjoy strategic planning and resource optimization. It is suitable for 2-4 players and is recommended for those looking for a game with depth and replayability.

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