Micropolis (2018) Board Game

Micropolis is a board game released in 2018 by designers Bruno Cathala and Charles Chevallier, published by Matagot. The game is set in a world of ants, where players take on the role of ant colonies competing to expand their territories and build the best anthill.
## Game Components of Micropolis
– Foundation tile
– Red Soldier ants
– Anthill tiles with various roles (Queens, Nannies, Architects, Warriors, Generals, Fruit gatherers)
– Architect tokens
– Barracks tiles
– Fruit tokens
– Red Army token

## How To Setup Micropolis
Each player starts with a Foundation tile and places it in front of themselves, then adds five red Soldiers on it. The rest of the Soldiers are placed in the middle of the table. The two Architect tokens are also placed in the middle. The Anthill tiles are shuffled and placed face down to form a draw pile. The first seven Anthill tiles are drawn and lined up face up on the table. The youngest player starts the game by taking the Red Army token.

## Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective
– **Tile Drafting**: Players draft tiles one at a time, with the player having the largest army going first.
– **Tile Placement**: Players can take the first tile in line for free or place an ant on each tile they want to pass to get to a better tile.
– **Tile Roles**:
– Queens: Score points if alone in a gallery.
– Nannies: Give extra ant soldiers.
– Architects: Allow taking any tile for free.
– Warriors: Attack the first player.
– Generals: Manage ant soldiers’ movement.
– Fruit gatherers: Collect fruits for scoring based on variety.
– **Scoring**: Ants are worth one point each, the largest army earns an additional 5 points, and points are awarded for filled barracks, fruit collection, and queen placements.

## Player Experience
Micropolis is designed to be an easy and enjoyable game, making it a perfect gateway for new players. The game balances simplicity with strategic depth, allowing both new and veteran players to find it engaging. Games last approximately 30 minutes, making it a great filler game. The gameplay is straightforward, with each player’s turn consisting of two actions, which helps to avoid analysis paralysis.

### Pros
– **Easy to Learn**: Simple rules that are easy to understand.
– **Strategic Depth**: Offers multiple paths to victory.
– **Family-Friendly**: Suitable for players aged 8 and up.
– **Aesthetic Appeal**: Detailed ant miniatures and well-designed components.
– **Quick Gameplay**: Games typically last 20-30 minutes.

### Cons
– **Unoriginal Mechanics**: Similar to other tile-drafting games, which may make it less memorable.
– **Lack of Originality**: Does not stand out significantly from other games in the same genre.
– **Gender Pronouns Issue**: The rulebook uses exclusively male pronouns, which has been criticized.

## Personal Thoughts on Micropolis
Micropolis is an excellent choice for families and casual gamers looking for a light, fun experience. It is also a good introduction to the tile-laying genre for new players. However, veteran gamers might find it a bit too familiar and lacking in originality compared to other games like Majesty: For the Realm. Despite this, its well-designed components and balanced gameplay make it an enjoyable addition to any game collection.

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