Siena (2005) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Siena is a board game released in 2005, designed by Ombretta Bernardi and Ambrogio Lorenzetti. The game is set in medieval times, focusing on economic and farming aspects within the city of Siena in Italy. Players take on the roles of merchants trying to expand their influence and wealth in the city.

Game Components of Siena

Gameboard: Features the fresco by Ambrogio Lorenzetti.

Wooden Discs: 35 discs, 7 in each of the 5 player colors (red, blue, green, yellow, and orange).

Pawn: A black pawn for the beggar.

Wooden Cubes: 40 cubes for marking goods and courtesans.

Cards: 93 cards, including fato, senesi, artista, and various Siena cards with special powers.

How To Setup Siena

To set up the game, each player takes all the tokens in their color and stacks three of them to mark their starting rank as a peasant. The fato and senesi decks are shuffled, and the artista deck is shuffled with the game-ending Ambrogio Lorenzetti card placed somewhere in the bottom three cards. Seven special Siena cards are pulled and laid out for an initial auction.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Objective: Raise through the ranks from peasant to merchant to banker and earn victory points.

Auctions: Simple roundabout auctions for initial Siena cards and artists.

Card Management: Tight hand size forces strategic decisions on which cards to keep and discard.

Rank Progression: Interrelation between ranks (peasant, merchant, banker) with rewards for being first or last in a role.

Victory Points: Earned by giving away money, hiring artists, donating to the church, and building the “Torre del Mangia”.

Player Experience

The game offers a unique blend of strategy and historical charm but is marred by complexity in its initial learning phase. The lack of clear instructions on the cards and the reliance on the rulebook for card explanations can make it difficult for new players to grasp.

Pros

Attractive Theme: The game’s aesthetic is heavily inspired by the 14th-century fresco, adding to its historical authenticity.

Deep Strategy: Despite its simplicity, the game has sufficient depth to remain interesting.

Rank Dynamics: The push-and-pull between different ranks creates a engaging gameplay experience.

Cons

Complex Card System: Special powers and restrictions on Siena cards are not listed, causing confusion.

Steep Learning Curve: New players find it difficult due to the scattered information in the rulebooks.

Underdeveloped: The game feels like it could have been improved with more development.

Personal Thoughts on Siena

**Siena** is for players who appreciate a strong historical theme and are willing to invest time in understanding its unique mechanics. It is not ideal for casual or new board game enthusiasts due to its complexity, but it can offer a rewarding experience for those who enjoy strategic depth and can navigate its learning curve.

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