Assyria

Expand huts across a desert between two rivers and trade quick points against long-term investments.

Designer: Emanuele Ornella
Published by: Ystari Games
Editions by: Rio Grande Games

You lead a tribe in ancient Mesopotamia, on a desert board split by two rivers and dotted with a few fertile patches. The game is built around a classic dilemma: quick points now or long-term investment. You build ziggurats as permanent outposts, dig wells, make sacrifices to the gods and try to get along with the nobles of Assur. Each round starts with picking resource cards, where whoever takes the most food plays last, then you expand your huts across the hex board, paying with food to form strings and clusters. A 2009 light Euro with drafting and worker placement, for two to four players, about ninety minutes.

Pick resource cards, where the most food means playing lastChains and clusters of huts on a hex boardZiggurats, wells and sacrifices to the gods

Who it's for

You enjoy tidy Euro games with a clear decision each round and like the short-term versus long-term dilemma.

Not for you if…

You want heavy strategy or a lot of direct interaction. It is a clean, light engine of point scoring.

Vibe's take

Brisk and tidy. Every round has a clear shape, and the tension is whether to grab points now or build something that pays later.