Pax Renaissance (2nd ed)
Players are the major banking families (think Fugger and Medici) of the Renaissance, influencing the development of the Western world. They finance kings – or bankroll Republics; they sponsor voyages of exploration – or great art; they provoke jihad – or fund Crusades.
The game's mechanisms are similar to the other Pax games: players buy cards which they then deploy in their 'tableau', representing what's under their influence. The key cards are the 'comets', which add a victory condition to the game. Hence, as with the other Pax games, the trick is to force an end to the game on your terms – ensuring only you can win.
Along the way, there's an awful lot of historical detail on the cards. However, the main point of the game is that the players are deciding how history should go. And the type of victory sets the seal on how Europe develops: the continuation of Feudalism, the birth of Capitalism or the Enlightenment? Great stuff.
The second edition has expanded the game with more stuff – extra pieces, player boards, map cards (providing a more portable version of the game) – plus expansions to the rules, including a solitaire game. It's all in a much larger box!
For 1-4 players, aged 12+, playing time 2 hours: £68.00 (£56.67 without tax outside the UK)
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