Tribes of the Wind (2022) Board Game

Tribes of the Wind is a board game released in 2022, designed by Joachim Thôme and published by La Boîte de Jeu. The game is set in a world where players compete to lead their tribes to prosperity by managing resources, making strategic decisions, and expanding their territories.

Game Components of Tribes of the Wind

Game Boards: Each player has a unique board with differing characteristics.

Card Deck: Over 100 cards illustrated by Vincent Dutrait, including character cards and elemental cards.

Card Holders: Allow players to see the element of their opponents’ cards on the back.

Custom Wooden Markers: Detailed and colorful markers for tracking progress.

Tokens: Pollution and water tokens.

Temple and Village Tiles: Used for building structures on the board.

How To Setup Tribes of the Wind

To set up the game, players need to create the central play area with space for the river of elemental cards and village displays. Each player draws a random board and matching objective cards, sets up their personal board with tokens and components, and draws five elemental cards to place on the card racks. The setup also involves determining the asymmetry in player powers and objectives.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Key Mechanics

Card Play: Players use cards from their hand and compare or utilize their neighbors’ card elements.

Asymmetric Player Powers: Each player has unique board effects and character cards.

Elemental Cards: Red cards remove pollution, blue cards acquire water, green cards spend water to build, and yellow cards move wind folk.

Building: Players build temples and villages using specific card combinations.

Game Objective

Clear smog clouds from the board.

Build cities and temples.

Complete personal objectives and achieve end-game scoring opportunities.

Player Experience

Playing Tribes of the Wind involves a mix of strategy and adaptability. The game is relatively fast-paced, with simple actions like flying, clearing, and building. However, the unique mechanic of using opponents’ card elements adds a layer of complexity and social interaction. The beautiful artwork and high-quality components enhance the gaming experience.

Pros

Unique Card Mechanic: Utilizing opponents’ card elements adds a new dimension to gameplay.

Asymmetric Powers: Different player boards and powers ensure varied strategies.

Beautiful Artwork: Illustrations by Vincent Dutrait create an immersive theme.

Fast-Paced: Games typically last around 20 minutes per player.

High-Quality Components: Detailed wooden markers and clear card holders.

Cons

Luck Factor: Significant reliance on the cards drawn and available.

Setup Challenges: Higher player counts can make setup and visibility of card backs tricky.

Iconography Learning Curve: Initial learning phase can be daunting due to the amount of iconography.

Personal Thoughts on Tribes of the Wind

Tribes of the Wind is ideal for players who enjoy strategic games with a unique twist. It is particularly suited for those who appreciate asymmetric player powers and interactive card play. While it may not be the best choice for serious competitive gamers due to the luck factor, it is a great option for casual gamers looking for a fun, visually appealing game. The two-player variant works surprisingly well, making it a good choice for smaller gaming groups.

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