From: al%calsci.uucp@gvgpsa.gvg.tek.com (Al Petterson) Description: Re: Question: History of the World stuarts@gvgadg.gvg.tek.com (Stuart Smith) writes: > I am interested in Avalon Hill's History of the World. I enjoy > Civilization, and History sounds both educational (at least broadly) > and fun. It is definitely educational in the same sense that Brittania is educational. (I've actually had conversations where I've said, in reference to British history, "The Danes invade on turn 9, so that's about 800 AD give or take." :-) Once I've played HotW a few more times I'll be saying the same sorts of things in reference to it. "The Hsing Dynasty was in Epoch IV, so that makes it about AD 500." Okay, so I have weird conversations.) > I have a few questions: > How many players does it need to be a good game? I've never played it with other than 6. My friends who have claim that it's better with 6 than with fewer, in that it's more balanced and predictable and thus has more room for strategy. With 3 or 4 it looks like it's much more random (drawing good cards will mostly determine who wins). > Is it fun? Yes. > How long does it usually take to play? With a couple of novices and 6 players, about 4-5 hours. When everyone knows what they're doing, more like 3 hours. > How hard is it to learn? Much, much easier than Civilization (for example). It's a little like a historically relevant version of Risk. > What kinds of things are involved in the play? Trading, deals, war >strategy and conquest? Okay. Brief synopsis, omitting details. It's painted on a big canvas -- it begins with Sumeria and goes through World War I. History is divided into seven Epochs. In each Epoch, there are seven civilizations. For each Epoch, each player gets one civilization through a "look and assign" method that combines some randomness with some ability to bring down the leader. Each civilization gets a certain number of tokens, has a predetermined starting area, and basically gets to take its turn like a stack of Risk counters, where you spread out from your starting area. You then count points for which general areas of the board you have counters in (from either the current or a previous Epoch), and extra bonus points for being dominant or pure in a given area. Complexifications on this basic theme include boats, mountains, cities, "monuments," impassible areas, and a handful of cards for each player that you get to play over the course of the game to liven things up -- things like minor civilizations, barbarians, plagues, leaders, jihads, etc. > Does it have thousands of tiny counters with abstruse symbols on them > (thumbs down from my wife for this kind of game). The counters are very simple, almost as simple as Civilization's. Each player has seven different types of tokens (numbered I-VII for the seven epochs) but they all operate the same; you basically only need the separate types to avoid confusion and remember which tokens come from the current civilization, because you only "move" the current civilization's tokens. I've just told you nearly enough to be able to play, so the rules are quite simple. :-) I recommend the game and hope you enjoy it! --- Al Petterson calsci!al@gvgpsa.gvg.tek.com or aamp@alumni.caltech.edu 96 and counting... "Can you build an emerald city with these grains of sand?"