Nemeton is a board game released in 2018 by designers ann&seb. The game is set in a fantasy world filled with animals and exploration. Players take on the roles of adventurers trying to navigate through a modular board, collect sets of items, and trade with other players to achieve their objectives.
Game Components of Nemeton
Forest tiles: Double-sided, featuring moonlight on one side and terrain types on the other.Player boards: Individual boards for each player, including an Owl tile and special movement tokens.Potion cards: Various cards requiring different resource combinations.Animal tokens: Representing different animal spirits with unique abilities.Triskell tokens: Used for scoring additional points.Plant tokens: Resources collected and used for brewing potions.Special tiles: Nemeton, Ancient Oak, and Spring tiles with specific actions.Druid markers: Tokens for tracking player movements and actions.
How To Setup Nemeton
To set up Nemeton, start by placing the initial forest tiles in the center of the table. Each player receives their player board, an Owl tile, and two special movement tokens. The goal board is placed on the periphery, featuring tiered goals and animal tokens. The potion cards are arranged around the goal board. Each player has a stack of moon tiles, which are ordered during setup.
Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective
Night Phase: Players add a moon tile to the forest, extending it and causing plants to bloom in straight lines between matching terrain types.Dawn Phase: The newly placed tile is flipped, revealing new terrain and possibly special tiles like Nemeton, Ancient Oak, or Spring.Day Phase: Players move their druid up to two spaces in a straight line and take actions such as collecting plant tokens, brewing potions at a Nemeton, using animal powers at a Spring, or refreshing actions at an Ancient Oak.Dusk Phase: Players clean up and claim goals on the goal board if achieved.Objective: The goal is to rescue the cursed forest by collecting resources, brewing potions, summoning animal spirits, and completing goals to earn the most reputation points.
Player Experience
Nemeton initially appears complex due to its numerous components and phases, but once learned, it reveals a captivating strategy. Players must optimize their tile placement and resource collection to maximize their turns. The game incentivizes strategic thinking and efficient use of special actions and animal powers. The beautiful components and themed artwork add to the immersive experience.
Pros
Engaging Strategy: Requires careful planning and optimization.Rich Theme: Immersive Celtic-themed setting with detailed components.Variety of Actions: Multiple paths to victory through potion brewing, animal summoning, and goal completion.High Replayability: Different tile placements and resource availability ensure unique games.
Cons
Initial Complexity: Can be daunting for new players due to the number of components and phases.Limited Player Interaction: Primarily focuses on individual achievements rather than direct player competition.Component Concerns: Potential issues with the number of druid markers, though not critical to gameplay.
Personal Thoughts on Nemeton
Nemeton is ideal for players who enjoy strategic resource management and tile-laying games. It suits those who appreciate a game with depth but are willing to invest the time to learn its nuances. While it may not be the best fit for those seeking high player interaction or a quick, simple game, it offers a rewarding experience for fans of light to medium complexity eurogames.
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