Through the Ages is a card/board game, where you draft cards from those available – the row of cards wanders by from the ancient age into the modern age as the game progresses. The cards represent various leaders, actions and advancements. Some require you to have performed scientific research first before you can play them (the “technology” cards), other (wonders) require you to build them. Others are one-shot benefits.

If you’ve ever played the Civilisation computer game, you’ve probably got an idea of how the game progresses: you build population, build farms, mines, temples, libraries and suchlike. The biggest difference is that the game doesn’t actually use a map – all conflicts are abstractly handled between civilisations. You attack another player directly – you don’t move figures about on a map. Colonies allow you to get more territories, and they can be dreadfully important. Mind you, Rich lost by only 3 points (of a score of over 200!) and had no colonies at all!

The full game takes about an hour per player, although, given Josh and Rich are still novices, our game took longer than that, though not that much more. Perhaps closer to 4 hours. I’ve played a bunch of 2-player games with Randy, which have been fun. 3-players brings in the Pact cards, which allow alliances (or tribute) between players. Josh played a couple in the game, but they had minor effect.

The game wasn’t much about military attacks, although military was always on our minds. We spent a lot of the game keeping our military close together. Josh or I were generally pretty close together, and Rich abandoned it entirely in the end game – he was just getting so much culture points each turn!

I’ve written an article about last Saturday’s game on boardgamegeek, and we’ll likely play the game again this Saturday. Once again, Josh, Rich and I will be playing Battletech and Through the Ages! I can’t wait. 🙂