Zoar (2018) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Zoar is a board game that was released in in 2018. It is designed by Luís Brueh and Shaun Ellis, with artwork by Vesuvius Media. The game falls under the categories of Ancient, Bluffing, City Building, Fighting, and Territory Building. It involves area majority/influence, area movement, grid movement, pick-up and deliver, and variable player powers as its main mechanisms.

Game Components of Zoar

Player Boards: Each tribe has a unique player board that acts as a guide during the game.

Capital Tiles: Four capital tiles, one for each tribe.

Resource Cubes: Metal and food resources.

Ancient Relic Tokens: Diagonally opposite each tribe’s capital city.

Army and City Tokens: Each player has tokens corresponding to their tribe’s color.

Temple Tokens: Additional tokens for the yellow tribe.

Modular Board Tiles: Form a 4×4 gaming area.

Dice: Used for determining random actions.

How To Setup Zoar

To set up Zoar, first separate the four capital tiles and shuffle the rest of the tiles. Randomly set up the tiles to form a 4×4 gaming area, leaving each corner for the capital tiles. Place the ancient relics of each tribe diagonally opposite their capital city. Put one resource cube on the corresponding resource area on the tiles. Each player takes a player board, tokens in their color, and places their leader on the capital area. Distribute 1 metal and 1 food cube to each player.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Area Majority / Influence: Players compete to control areas on the board.

Area Movement: Move tribe leaders and armies across the board.

Grid Movement: Specific movement rules apply to leaders and armies.

Pick-up and Deliver: Gather resources and move ancient relics.

Variable Player Powers: Each tribe has unique skills.

Combat: Initiate combat with adjacent tribes, using metal resources for reinforcement.

Trade and Build: Phases for trading resources and building cities.

Divine Intervention: Random actions decided by dice rolls.

The objective is to guide your tribe across the desert, building cities and armies while defending against other tribes and collecting ancient relics.

Player Experience

Playing Zoar feels like a more military version of Catan, with modular boards and mobile units. The game requires planning ahead and predicting other players’ moves. The resource management system adds depth, as resources are not readily available in the same round they are collected. The game has a fast pace but requires careful resource management.

Pros

Deep Strategy: Requires planning and predicting opponents’ moves.

Resource Management: Adds complexity and depth to the game.

Modular Board: Each game is unique due to the random setup.

Unique Player Powers: Each tribe has distinct abilities.

Engaging Mechanics: Combines area control, resource gathering, and combat.

Cons

Randomness Impact: The divine intervention mechanic can significantly affect the game flow, sometimes feeling too intense.

Complexity: May be overwhelming for new players due to multiple phases and rules.

Personal Thoughts on Zoar

Zoar is ideal for fans of euro games and strategy enthusiasts who enjoy games with depth and complexity. It is best suited for players who appreciate area control, resource management, and variable player powers. However, the intense randomness from the divine intervention mechanic might not appeal to everyone, especially those who prefer more predictable gameplay. Overall, Zoar offers a rich and engaging experience for those who enjoy strategic planning and dynamic game environments.

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