The Capitals (2013) Board Game

The Capitals is a city-building board game released in 2013, designed by Michael Christopher and published by Mercury Games. It is a strategic game that allows players to draft tiles and build their own unique capital city. With a focus on economic management and tile placement, The Capitals offers a challenging and engaging gameplay experience for 2-5 players.

Game Components of The Capitals

Tile cards depicting various city buildings

Action point tokens

Player markers

Score tracker

How To Setup The Capitals

Shuffle the tile cards and place them face down in a stack.

Each player receives a set of action point tokens and player markers.

Determine the starting player and begin the game.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Players take turns drafting tiles from the stack and placing them in their capital city. Each tile represents a different type of building, such as residential, commercial, or industrial. Players must strategically place buildings to maximize their city’s growth and efficiency. The objective is to score the most points by the end of the game through efficient city planning and resource management.

Player Experience

Pros:

Engaging strategic gameplay

Variety of building types and placement options

Balanced mix of economic and city-building mechanics

Cons:

Long playing time (approximately 2 hours)

Steep learning curve for new players

Limited player interaction

Personal Thoughts on The Capitals

The Capitals offers a unique and immersive city-building experience for players who enjoy strategic and economic board games. While the game has a few drawbacks such as a long playing time and limited player interaction, it provides a rewarding challenge for those willing to invest the time and effort. The build quality of the components is solid, and the artwork by Mercury Games adds to the overall aesthetic appeal of the game.

In terms of pricing and availability, The Capitals can be found both new and used online. While it may not be as widely known as some other city-building games, it offers a distinctive gameplay experience that sets it apart. For players who enjoy games like Suburbia or Castles of Mad King Ludwig, The Capitals is definitely worth a try. However, those looking for a fast-paced or highly interactive game may want to skip this one. Overall, The Capitals is a solid choice for fans of city-building and economic board games.

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