The First Tsar

Step back in time to sixteenth-century Russia. In The First Tsar you lead a powerful noble family competing for standing and influence in the realm of Ivan the Terrible. For four decades you send out your boyars: you collect income from your estates, equip armies, trade with foreigners and build strong cities. Whoever best wins the favour of the tsar has a chance to claim the Russian throne for their family. The game lasts four rounds, and each round stands for roughly ten years of history. At the start of a round you send your boyars to the chambers of the Kremlin and choose which actions you will take in that period. Then everything comes to life: you collect income from cities, move your warriors across the map, carry out building, trade and military projects, exchange goods and gain new titles and estates. At the end of each round, the players with the most influence in the four regions receive an extra reward. The favour of the tsar always plays a big role, because it breaks every tie. This is a meaty game for fans who enjoy depth and long evenings at the table. Whoever has the most victory points at the end goes down in history as the winner.