Ragusa (2019) Board Game
Ragusa is a city-building and economic board game set in the Renaissance period. Designed by Bartlomiej Roczniak and published in 2019, the game allows players to take on the roles of influential citizens of the city of Ragusa, modern-day Dubrovnik. With its unique gameplay mechanics and strategic elements, Ragusa has garnered attention from board game enthusiasts looking for a challenging and engaging experience.
## Game Components of Ragusa
– Game board depicting the city of Ragusa
– Player houses (workers)
– Resource tokens (wood, stone, grapes, olives, silver ore)
– Commodity tokens (wine, olive oil, silver bars)
– Bonus cards
– Ship cards
– Market tokens
– Wall and tower pieces
– Fish tokens
– Scoring cards
## How To Setup Ragusa
To set up **Ragusa**, each player starts with a set number of houses based on the player count. For example, in a game with three to five players, each player receives nine houses, while in a two-player game, each player starts with twelve houses. The board is arranged with a hex grid representing the city and rural areas. Each player is dealt three bonus cards and chooses one to keep. The ship portion of the board is filled with five ship cards, which influence market prices.
## Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective
– **Worker Placement**: Players place their houses at the intersection of three hexes, activating each hex in the order of their choosing.
– **Resource Gathering**: Rural hexes provide resources (wood, stone) which are not consumed but represent a supply chain.
– **City Actions**: City hexes allow players to convert resources into goods (wine, olive oil, silver bars), build walls and towers, or sell goods for points.
– **Cascade Mechanism**: When a player places a house and activates a city hex, other players with houses bordering that hex also get to perform the action.
– **Market Fluctuations**: Ship cards adjust market prices, affecting the value of goods.
– **Bonus Cards**: Players can acquire additional bonus cards from The Rector’s Palace, which score points based on specific conditions.
– **Objective**: The game ends when all players have placed all their houses. Points are scored for building walls, selling commodities, fulfilling contracts, and meeting bonus card conditions.
## Player Experience
**Ragusa** offers a deeply strategic and engaging experience. The game’s unique mechanics, such as the cascade mechanism and resource supply chains, create a dynamic where each house placement can have significant impacts on both the player and their opponents. This leads to constant player engagement and a high level of interactivity. The game’s theme, set in 15th-century Ragusa (now Dubrovnik), adds a historical and immersive layer to the gameplay.
### Pros
– **Interactive Gameplay**: The cascade mechanism ensures that players are constantly engaged, even on other players’ turns.
– **Deep Strategy**: Simple rules lead to complex and strategic gameplay.
– **Multiple Paths to Victory**: Players can focus on different aspects such as building walls, selling commodities, or fulfilling contracts.
– **Good Scalability**: The game supports up to 5 players and has an interesting two-player variant.
– **Vibrant Presentation**: The game features clear and engaging artwork, well-designed iconography, and a compact box with organized component trays.
### Cons
– **Complex Rules**: While the core mechanics are simple, the game has several nuances and exceptions that can be confusing for new players.
– **Market Mechanism**: The commodities market system can feel like unnecessary bookkeeping.
## Personal Thoughts on Ragusa
**Ragusa** is ideal for fans of modern Euro games who enjoy competitive worker placement, resource conversion, and strategic planning. The game’s unique mechanics make it stand out, and its ability to support up to five players makes it a great addition to any board game collection. However, it may not be the best fit for casual gamers due to its complex rules and strategic depth. If you appreciate games that challenge your decision-making and offer a rich, interactive experience, **Ragusa** is definitely worth exploring.
We are supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, at no extra cost for you. Learn more.
