Samara (2015) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Samara is a city-building board game that was released in in 2015. Designed by Philip Kustov and Josh T. McDowell, the game features artwork by Cwali and Tasty Minstrel Games. Players take on the role of builders in the medieval city of Samara, competing to construct the most impressive buildings and earn the favor of the city’s council.

Game Components of Samara

Player boards

Building tiles

Tool symbols (cardboard chips)

Worker pawns

Time track board

Randomized tool placements

Victory point trackers

How To Setup Samara

To set up Samara, players first place the building tiles randomly on the board. Each player receives a player board that explains the different buildings and has spaces to hold tools. The tool symbols are also randomized and placed on specific locations on the board. The time track board is prepared by placing the worker pawns at the starting positions.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Worker Placement: Players move their worker pawns singly or in groups to take actions.

Time Tracking: Workers are placed on a time track, with the ability to combine multiple workers for stronger actions.

Tool Collection: Players collect tools needed for building tiles.

Building Acquisition: Players use collected tools and worker strength to acquire building tiles.

Objective: The goal is to accumulate the most victory points by acquiring and completing building tiles.

Player Experience

Samara offers a pleasant and tactical gameplay experience. Players must strategically plan their worker movements and tool collections to optimize their chances of acquiring valuable building tiles. The game has a clean and visually appealing design, making it easy to follow and enjoy.

Pros

Tactical Depth: Players need to think ahead to combine workers and tools effectively.

Visual Appeal: The game has a nice, clean look with well-designed components.

Scalability: It scales well from 2 to 5 players.

Engaging Mechanics: The time-tracking and worker combination mechanics add a unique twist.

Cons

Fiddly Components: The small tool symbols and worker pawns can be cumbersome to handle, especially in larger player counts.

Limited Strategy: The game does not require long-term strategic planning, focusing more on tactical moves.

Personal Thoughts on Samara

Samara is a great choice for those who enjoy mid-weight Eurogames with a focus on worker placement and area control. It is ideal for players who appreciate tactical games with a unique time-tracking mechanism. While it may not be revolutionary, it offers a enjoyable and challenging experience with a nice cadence, making it a solid addition to any board game collection.

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