{"product_id":"western-empires","title":"Western Empires","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFor 5-9 players, ages 13+, playing time 3 hours +\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWestern Empires\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis a board game for 5 to 9 players and covers the development of ancient civilizations over 8000 years of history. Western Empires can take up to 12 hours to complete, and still yet, it has a simple mechanism and is easy to learn. The players lead their civilizations, as they expand and collapse, from the Stone Age, through the Bronze Age to the end of the Iron Age. Western Empires provides a full day of fun for larger groups.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCulture\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThough it may seem at first glance,\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWestern Empires\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis not a wargame. Yes, conflict may be involved, but rather it is a game about history, culture, trade, development, and... calamities. The civilizations involved are all situated around the Mediterrainean Sea. The Romans, The Egyptians, The Celts and The Minoans. Players develop their own unique civilization in arts, crafts, science, civics and religion. Each player starts his civilization with a single population token, 8000 BC, but grows and grows over time, and eventually cities can be built. Cities of course bring wealth and fortune, but also… natural calamities such as epidemics, famine or earthquakes, or civil calamities such as pirate attacks, slave revolts and civil disorder.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eTrading\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis wealth is expressed in trade cards. The more cities, the more cards a player gets. These cards provide both trading commodities, and calamities. Trading is the heart of the game. A real social experience, where all players simultaneously trade with each other during a limited time. As soon as trading has ended, the players that end up with calamities will suffer them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDevelop advances\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAnd then, of course, it's time to do something about it. Build walls, give your citizens music and architecture. Develop religion, democracy, improve science… 51 different advances can be developed in five different categories.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMaybe a player can even construct a wonder of the world, or scatter their people all over the map, and gain cultural ascendancy. The player that knows best how to work together, trade or battle for territory, defend his people against nature or enemies like barbarian hordes, and stand the test of time, eventually will win the game. After up to 12 hours of playing that is. The game can be expanded with\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWestern Empires: The Special Buildings Expansion\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(2019).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMega Empires\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhen combining the board games\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMega Empires\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(2019) and\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEastern Empires\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(2021) this forms:\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMega Empires\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(2021), an 18-player experience. A full game of\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMega Empires\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003etakes up to 13 hours to complete. This bundle contains both stand alone games, each of which can be played by 3-9 players and can be expanded with the two Special Buildings Expansions (2019) for either game or the combination of both games. Where\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWestern Empires\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ehas a focus on sea travel and trade on the Mediterranean Sea,\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEastern Empires\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003efollows the Silk Road to India and trading is done through the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"999 Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39528690155599,"sku":"","price":99.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1380\/9101\/products\/western-empires.png?v=1628324507","url":"https:\/\/leisuregames.live\/products\/western-empires","provider":"Leisure Games","version":"1.0","type":"link"}