Oasis (2004) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Oasis is a board game released in 2004, designed by Alan R. Moon and Aaron Weissblum. It is published by Schmidt Spiele and features artwork by Franz Vohwinkel. The game falls under the categories of Animals and Territory Building, with gameplay mechanics including Auction/Bidding, Enclosure, Hand Management, and Tile Placement.

Game Components of Oasis

1 game board featuring a camel path and three areas for tile placement

88 land tiles (oasis, steppe, and stony plains)

100 wooden camels

20 wooden control markers

Scoring markers (water wells, horses, ovoos)

A deck of cards for each player.

How To Setup Oasis

To set up Oasis, each player chooses a color and receives 20 wooden camels and 4 control markers. A deck of five cards is shuffled and dealt face-down to each player, who does not look at them. The game board is placed in the middle of the table, and the scoring markers are positioned near the board. The land tiles are also placed within reach of the players.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Tile Placement: Players place tiles (oasis, steppe, stony plains) adjacent to corresponding borders on the board, ensuring their tiles are orthogonally connected and not adjacent to other players’ tiles of the same type.

Control Markers: Players use control markers to claim territories; these markers can be moved or reassigned as needed.

Card System: Cards allow players to take scoring markers or add cards to their deck.

Priority System: Players take turns based on a priority system determined by cards.

Scoring: The game ends when one type of tile is depleted or a player cannot play a tile. Players score by multiplying the number of tiles they control by the corresponding scoring markers.

Player Experience

Playing Oasis involves a mix of strategic planning and tactical maneuvers. Players must balance expanding their territories with blocking their opponents and managing their limited control markers. The game requires careful consideration of tile placement and resource management, making each game fresh and challenging. The offering system and priority mechanics add a layer of complexity that keeps players engaged.

Pros

Tactical Depth: The game offers considerable tactical depth in tile placement and resource management.

Innovative Mechanics: The offering system and priority mechanics are original and engaging.

Strategic Thinking: Players must think strategically about expanding their territories and blocking opponents.

Replayability: The game has high replayability due to the variable setup and player interactions.

Cons

Component Management: The game involves a lot of passing tiles, cards, and scoring markers, which can be fiddly.

Color Distinction: The steppe areas on the board can be hard to distinguish from the underlying desert.

Scoring Track Limitation: The scoring track on the board is somewhat short, which can be an issue for high-scoring games.

Personal Thoughts on Oasis

Oasis is ideal for players who enjoy strategic tile-laying games with a strong focus on area control and resource management. It is suitable for 3-5 players and takes about 45-90 minutes to play. The game’s complexity is moderate, making it accessible to experienced board game enthusiasts while still offering enough depth for serious strategy fans. If you enjoy games like Ticket to Ride but are looking for something with a bit more tactical nuance, Oasis is definitely worth checking out.

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