Merchants of Araby (2017) Board Game

Merchants of Araby is a board game released in 2017 that takes players on a journey through the bustling markets of ancient Arabia. Designed by Zulkarnaen Hasan Basri and featuring artwork by Daily Magic Games, this game combines elements of hand management, trading, and worker placement to create an engaging and strategic gameplay experience.

Game Components of Merchants of Araby

Core game

All stretch goals from the Kickstarter campaign

“Scarab” promo card (in the Kickstarter Special edition)

Cards for building an entourage of merchants and allies

Virtue cards

Djinn cards

Camel and caravan tokens

Negotiation mechanics components.

How To Setup Merchants of Araby

Setting up Merchants of Araby involves preparing the game board, shuffling and dealing the appropriate cards to each player, and distributing the necessary tokens. Players start by creating their entourage and setting up their starting resources. The game board is organized to facilitate the caravan route and negotiation areas.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Mechanics

Building Entourage: Recruit merchants and allies to enhance abilities.

Invoking Virtues: Use virtue cards to gain advantages.

Summoning Djinn: Utilize djinn cards for powerful effects.

Negotiation: Interact with other players to get camels into caravans.

Game Objective

The goal is to accumulate the most wealth by successfully negotiating and managing your camels and resources.

Player Experience

In Merchants of Araby, players are immersed in a vibrant Arabian market setting where strategy and social interaction are key. The game encourages building a strong entourage, leveraging virtues and djinn, and mastering the art of negotiation to outdo your opponents. The dynamic nature of the game, with its various card interactions and token management, keeps players engaged and challenged.

Pros

Engaging Theme: Rich Arabian market setting adds to the game’s ambiance.

Deep Strategy: Multiple layers of strategy through entourage building, virtue invocation, and negotiation.

High Replayability: Variability in card draws and player interactions ensures different experiences each game.

Social Interaction: Negotiation mechanics foster player engagement and diplomacy.

Cons

Complexity: May be overwhelming for new players due to multiple mechanics.

Length: Games can be longer due to negotiation and strategic planning.

Availability: Initially released as a Kickstarter edition, which may be out of stock or hard to find.

Personal Thoughts on Merchants of Araby

Merchants of Araby is ideal for fans of economic and negotiation games who enjoy a mix of strategy and social interaction. It is suited for players who appreciate complex game mechanics and are willing to invest time in learning and mastering the game. While it may not be the best fit for casual or new players due to its complexity, it offers a rich and engaging experience for those who enjoy deeper strategic gameplay.

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