![\"Troia\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.westpark-gamers.de\/Ressourcen\/troia_t.jpg\")
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Publisher<\/b>: DaimerChrysler<\/p>\n
Author<\/b>: Thomas Fackler<\/p>\n
Tester<\/b>: Aaron Haag<\/p>\n
Game Tested<\/b>: basic rules, published 2000<\/p>\n
The Game<\/b>: Two to four archeologists have the task to search for artifacts at an
\nexcavation site in Troy. The site is represented by 64 tiles that are placed as one large
\npile on the map board at the beginning of the game. Each tile is marked with a symbol
\nrepresenting the (historical) layer to which it belongs and an indication of whether or
\nnot it represents an artifact. Since all tiles are randomly oriented in the pile some lay
\nface up and other lay face down. While the layer symbol is printed on both sides the
\nartecact indicator is only printed on one side of a tile. Tiles on top will cover more or
\nless of the tiles at the bottom of the heap.
\n
\nEach round players play cards simultaneously to indicate the action they want to perform
\nduring their turn. They either can play an “excavate” card allowing them to
\ntake up to 5 accessible tiles (i.e. tiles that are not covered by other tiles) from the
\npile or<\/b><\/u> explore up to 5 tiles (i.e. look at both sides of an already
\nexcavated tile). A second type of cards allows a player to “publish” up to 5
\nexplored tiles. Publishing is done by placing the tile(s) on the layer board representing
\nthe layer where the tile was excavated (again indicated by the layer’s symbol).
\nPoints are awarded for such publications and the player with the highest points at the
\nend of the game wins. Normal tiles count one point, artifacts two points. A bonus of one
\npoint per tile published in a turn is given to the player with the “largest”
\npublication, i.e. the publication that consists of more adjacent tiles than are already
\nplaced on a layer board.<\/p>\n
Playing Time<\/b>: The game can easily be explained in 10 minutes and played in
\nabout 60 minutes.<\/p>\n
Similar Games<\/b>: Drunter & Dr\u00fcber (Hans im Gl\u00fcck)<\/p>\n
Westpark Gamer’s Opinion<\/b>: Typical for Thomas Fackler games the game
\ncomponents are very well designed but of not so exclusive materials than his more
\nexpensive games. The component design yields to the atmosphere of the game very nicely.
\nHowever, playing the game is a completely different matter. Although players have
\nbasically a choice of different actions there is in fact hardly a situation where it is
\nnot downright clear what a player should do. After the first two to three rounds the
\nlayer boards have usually filled up so that much that it is very hard to get the bonus
\npoints for the largest publication. The luck element is quite high as it is out of the
\nplayers control which tiles are accessible when its his or her turn let alone the fact
\nthat about half of the tiles on the pile are turned face down and not revealing if they
\nare artifacts. One of the largest drawbacks of the game is, surprisingly, the component
\ndesign itself. The location where a tile is placed on its layer board is indicated by
\nthin lines representing the terrain profile. These lines are printed on both the tiles
\nand the layer board in a very light grey color and show a rather complicated pattern. As
\na result, players spend quite some time in determining where their explored tiles will be
\npublished – far too much time in fact. The game is a not so difficult family game with
\nquite an educational touch (it comes with a very well done booklet about the Troia site)
\nbut definitely not a game for the more serious type of gamer.<\/p>\n
Aaron’s Rating<\/b>: 4 (out of 10)<\/p>\n
Westpark Gamers Rating<\/b>: 3.8<\/p>\n