Many years ago, underground laborers gnomes found in the Misty Mountains innumerable deposits of gold and precious stones... Hearing about the treasures lurking in the depths, giants descended from their transcendental peaks, and orcs and goblins followed them - no one wanted to stay away from the division of the foothill treasures. For the most profitable mines, real battles began to unfold, and the prisoners became forced miners, forced to dig deeper into the depths of the mountains under the vigilant supervision of the greedy underground kings.
Underground Kings is a fantasy board game in which players must capture the richest mines and fill them with miners. Each player stands for one of the peoples: orcs, goblins, gnomes or giants. The game takes place with the help of special cards: on the front side of each card there is a detachment of one of the peoples with a certain strength (from zero to nine), and on the back side - a mine with indicators of its value, defense and mine size. Thus, each card can be used either as a unit or as a mine.
At the beginning of the game, each player receives six cards in hand, and four mine cards are laid out in the middle of the table. Four more cards are placed nearby with the "squad" side up - this is the camp of the miners, from where the participants will pick up cards during the game. Cards in the camp and in the hands of players are used only as units. Having captured a mine (out of four lying in the middle of the table), the player puts it on the table in front of him, in his personal playing area.
On his turn, the player must play one unit from his hand, and then draw a card. The detachment is always laid out on the mine: either on a nobody's mine (and then it can be captured), or on its own - this is considered sending miners there. In this case, one rule should be adhered to: if there is already a detachment card on the mine, only a detachment with a greater strength can be played there (the only exception is the nine "beats" with zero). You can get a card either face-down, from the deck, or face-up - by taking one of the top units in the miners' camp.
Any player can place a squad on a no-man's mine. If, after that, the same number of units appear in the mine, what is its defense (from 1 to 3), then the mine is considered captured by the people whose unit was played there last. The corresponding player discards all units from it and places it in front of him. Thus, you can not only take the mine, but also yield to the opponent - for example, if the development of this mine requires a lot of resources and brings few victory points.
Only the owner is allowed to send detachments to the captured mines. At the same time, as a rule, he cannot put his detachment there - only representatives of foreign peoples become slaves-miners. As soon as so many units accumulate in the mine, what is its depth of the mine, it is considered developed: the player discards all cards from it and puts it aside. However, some mines also need an overseer: a squad of their own people, played over the right number of slaves.
The game ends as soon as the last card is taken from the deck. All mines bring victory points to their owners in terms of their value: those developed are counted as a plus, and those that did not have time to be fully filled by miners are counted as a minus. The one of the underground kings who scored more points is the winner.
It is finished! The creative group Trehgrannik took the second step towards conquering the domestic market of board games. In this post, we will take a closer look at this very second step. =)
I have known the guys from the Trihedron since the moment their "Kingdoms" appeared (my review is possible). After that there was a lull ... which was actually a movement of the group in the shadows, since after the release of their first game, the guys managed to sign contracts for the publication of several of their other games with other publishers! It just so happened that the first to emerge from the shadows was the "Under Kings".
Appearance.
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The box contains only cards and rules. That's all you need to play. Judging by the free space inside, the game could be published in a small box, such as "Zavriki" by World of Hobby.
The game features 4 races, for which the players will play. The most interesting thing is that in the rules the names of two races are mixed up - goblins and orcs. My game partners were perplexed that "the orcs are like goblins for something, and the goblins are the opposite."
All cards (except cards with crowns, which mean which player plays for which race) have two-sided functionality: one side a representative of a race with a certain strength (like a giant with a strength of 3 in the picture), with another- a mine with the parameters of capture (top right), production (top left) and the number of victory points (bottom).
Race cards can have strength from 0 to 9. Moreover, a card with a strength of 9 is won by a card with a strength of 0, thereby looping the cycle of forces in the game. =)
In addition to capture, development, and value options, some mine maps have a red eye icon. This means that an overseer will need to be hired to develop this mine. =)
How to play?
Before starting the game, each player receives a race card to represent. The deck of cards is shuffled and placed mines up. 4 cards of mines are placed in the center of the playing space, and a discard is also created for each of the races separately by laying out the top 4 cards from the deck to the discard.
Each receives 6 cards. Cards from hand are played exactly like race cards.
On your turn, you can only play one card from your hand and draw a card so that you again have 6 cards. Moreover, you can draw a card as the top one from the deck, and the top one from any racial discard. =)
But where to play the card and how to play - here there is already a certain variety.
Option 1. Attack the mine.
Every mine withstands a certain amount of attacks, the exact number is in the red circle. That is, the player will receive the mine as soon as the required number of race cards are laid on it.
Mine attack rules (placing a race card on a mine card):
- each next race card must be stronger than the previous one.
- when the last race card necessary for the attack is laid out, then the player who controls the race from the last card gets the mine (in the photo example above, the one who plays for the goblins).
- if no one plays for the race that was laid out last for capture, then the player who played the last card gets the mine.
Once you have captured the mine (or one of the players "helped" you to do it), do not rush to rejoice - it still needs to be developed. Basically, instead of playing a race card to capture a new mine, you place a race card on your mine. The number of cards required for development is shown in the blue circle. Moreover, if there is an eye sign under it, then you still have to put the overseer card.
Mine development rules (placing a race card on a mine being developed):
- As miner workers, it is forbidden to lay out cards of your race.
- Only a card of your race can be an overseer.
- Each next card must be more powerful (as in the attack).
As soon as the deck ends, the game ends immediately and the points for the mines developed are counted. Whoever has more points is the King.
Impressions.
"Underground Kings" is a typical game from Correct Games - it is card-based and almost peaceful (read - with elements of solitaire). Therefore, the opinions of those who have tested are radically different. Some people liked the game, some didn't. Personally, after 5 games, I have some kind of underplay - I still haven't figured out how to win it and how to set up my playing style. So I definitely want to play a couple more games.
I'd like to point out a few facts that I liked about this game:
- The decor is simply chic. A very good level.
- Very interesting distribution of parameters in mines. There are very difficult to develop, but in the end they bring only one point, and there are straightforward generally simple ones, but with untold riches. Each set of mines in the game dictates its own line of behavior for all players. Everyone thinks about whether to take the mine for themselves or give it to someone else. And sometimes the final answer does not come, since you can give up a seemingly very difficult and unprofitable mine, and that player bam and with all incredible efforts develops everything that is given to him and ... wins.
- There is an opportunity to both tighten the game and speed up. This is mainly facilitated by the ability to take cards from the discard. Who knows "Lost Cities", he will understand what I mean.
- Double-sided cards are a very wise move by the authors. In fact, this game is a marching game, because it consists of only one deck of cards. Moreover, the process is quite intense.
- Very atmospheric solutions at some points. For example, the use of slaves of other races and the overseer over them. Moreover, the overseer must be stronger than the slaves, which is logical.
- At times it seems that you are playing two games at once - capture (or plant) new mines and have time to develop your mines before the end of the game.
- Perhaps I forgot something, but I'll add it in the comments ...
In general, there is nothing to write about the shortcomings. Despite the fact that the game is not some kind of direct masterpiece, I did not see any obvious jambs. The Trihedron has a good game.
Since (again, I repeat) this game is from Correct games and in the style of Correct games, I can recommend it to those who are not afraid of some card solitaire and like the products of Correct games (Potion making, Ordinance, Shinobi, Jam, etc.). And I wish the guys from Trihedron new creative successes and the soonest release of all their planned games.
PS Now I'm waiting for the release of "Race of Beetles" from the same publisher and the same team.
They say that the Misty Mountains were once a quiet and deserted ridge, but since then, as they found countless deposits precious metals and gems, peace has gone forever from these places. Who owns the underground wealth? Skillful gnome craftsmen who explored the first deposits? To the mighty giants who lived on the mountain peaks long before other peoples came here? Fearless warriors orcs - by right of the strongest? Or cunning goblins - why are they worse than others? There is no question of reaching an agreement in peace - and now the leaders of all four nations are gathering troops and starting a fierce struggle for the treasures of the bowels. After all, not only wealth is at stake, but also honor: the one who seizes and develops the most profitable mines will put on the crown of the Under King. Underground Kings is a tabletop card game, in which each participant stands for one of the fantasy peoples: gnomes, goblins, orcs or giants. With the help of squads, players capture profitable mines and give unprofitable mines to rivals, as well as develop their own mines to get victory points. The one with the most points by the end of the game will be the winner - the Under King. In "Under Kings" special double-sided cards are used: on the front side there is a detachment of one of the four peoples, and on the back side - a mine. Each unit has a strength from 0 to 9 - this value determines in what order the cards can be played. The mine has three numerical parameters: defense (how many units are needed to capture it), the size of the mine (how many is needed to develop it) and the value in victory points. These values show how profitable a mine is: for example, a “three-point” mine, which needs one slave, is better to take for itself, and a “one-point” mine, which requires three slaves, should be given to an opponent. When playing cards from hand, players use only the squad side. The mines are always on the table: draws in the middle, captured ones in front of their owners. First of all, the participants determine who will play for which people. Each player receives one king card and shows everyone who got it. If the participants less than four , extra kings are put into the box, but the units of these peoples still remain in the game. Then each opponent receives six cards from the deck to his hand (they must be held in units to himself), four cards are laid out in the middle of the table, mines up, and four more - to the miners' camp, in detachments up. The cards in the camp are grouped in separate piles by nations. The first move is made by the one who was the last to visit the mountains or caves. On his turn, the player must play one unit from his hand and draw one card into his hand. You can only put a detachment on a mine: no-man's or your own. At the beginning of the game, no one has mines, so players can only compete for the mines in the center of the table. If a squad is already present in the mine, only a squad with greater strength is allowed to play there (and only “zero” can be placed on the “nine”). Then, if the mine was a draw, and the number of units in it was equal to its defense, it is taken by the king of the race whose unit was last played there. All units from the captured mine are discarded to the miners' camp, and the top card from the deck is placed in place of the captured mine. Thus, players can not only seize deposits for themselves, but also toss them to rivals. If the mine belonged to the player and the number of units in it equals the size of the mine, all these units are removed from the game, and the mine is transferred to its owner's victory pile. As a rule, your own subjects cannot be sent to the development of the mine, however, some mines, in addition to slaves, also require an overseer - an additional detachment of their people. You can get a card either face-down from the deck, or from the top of any of the four piles in the miners' camp - then the player sees which squad he will receive. As soon as there are no cards left in the deck, the game ends and the participants tally the victory points. Fully developed mines earn their owners as many points as their value, and those mines that players capture, but did not manage to develop to the end, on the contrary, take points away from them. The winner is the one with the highest total. Underground Kings is a simple and dynamic board game. It will come to the table in a variety of companies, and first of all it will interest, of course, fantasy fans. Due to its modest size, The Underground Kings can be taken with you almost anywhere, and a short game time will allow you to play them several times during the evening. Number of players: 2-4 Recommended age: from 10 years Average playing time: 30-45 minutes Composition: - 80 cards; - 4 cards of kings; - rules of the game.
Underground Kings is a card game for 2-4 players in which they control various races and try to gain control over mines. The mechanics of the game are a hybrid of the capture of territories with the element of collection required maps into your hand. Despite the factor of chance, which is always present in card games, there is an opportunity to think over your actions in advance, and there is always a choice - to help yourself or harm your opponent.
The game consists of four cards of kings and a deck of double-faced game cards(mines / units). Before the game, each player receives one king card - it sets his color. Four cards of the deck are laid out on the table in the form of mines, the next four cards form the squad market. In addition, all players receive 6 cards from the deck into their hands and hold them with the images of units facing themselves.
Players take turns. During his turn, a player can send a card from his hand to capture one of the four mines lying on the table, or to develop a mine already captured by him. After that, he gets one card into his hand: either from the general market of units (that is, knowing what he will get), or from the top of the deck (for good luck). The mine captured by the player is replaced with a card from the top of the deck. Since the cards in the deck are mine side up, players always know which mine will be next on the table.
The first card sent to capture the mine can be any card. Each subsequent card played on it must be higher than the previous one in value (expressed as a number from 0 to 9; also, each unit belongs to one of four colors - they coincide with the colors of kings). To give a mine under the control of a player, it is necessary that the corresponding number of cards be sent to capture it (the squads are then sent to the squad market).
In this case, the mine goes to the player, whose color coincides with the color of the last card played on him. That. you can give your opponents uncomfortable mine cards. To develop a mine and get the corresponding number of victory points, the player must place the corresponding number of cards on it (the units are sent to the discard and leave the game). You can send squads of the wrong color to the development of the mine. The first map sent to the development of the mine can be of any value. Each subsequent one should be higher than the previous one in dignity.
If a mine has an overseer badge, having formed a team of miners, the player must assign a squad of his color to it as an overseer (of course, he must be higher in dignity than the miners).
The game ends with the deck. The player with the most points wins. At the same time, developed mines bring bonus points, and captured, but not developed ones - penalties!
They say that once the Misty Mountains were a quiet and deserted ridge, but since the time when untold deposits of precious metals and gems were found, peace has forever gone from these places. Who owns the underground wealth? Skillful gnome craftsmen who explored the first deposits? To the mighty giants who lived on the mountain peaks long before the rest of the peoples came here? Fearless warriors orcs - by right of the strongest? Or cunning goblins - why are they worse than others? There is no question of reaching an agreement in peace - and now the leaders of all four nations are gathering troops and starting a fierce struggle for the treasures of the bowels. After all, not only wealth is at stake, but also honor: the one who seizes and develops the most profitable mines will lay the crown of the Under King on himself.
Underground Kings is a board card game in which each participant plays for one of the fantasy peoples: gnomes, goblins, orcs or giants. With the help of squads, players capture lucrative mines and give unprofitable mines to rivals, as well as develop their own mines to get victory points. The one with the most points by the end of the game will be the winner - the Under King.
In "Under Kings" special double-sided cards are used: on the front side there is a detachment of one of the four peoples, and on the back side - a mine. Each unit has a strength from 0 to 9 - this value determines in what order the cards can be played. The mine has three numerical parameters: defense (how many units are needed to capture it), the size of the mine (how many is needed to develop it) and the value in victory points. These values show how profitable a mine is: for example, a “three-point” mine, which needs one slave, is better to take for itself, and a “one-point” mine, which requires three slaves, should be given to an opponent. When playing cards from hand, players use only the squad side. The mines are always on the table: draws in the middle, captured ones in front of their owners.
First of all, the participants determine who will play for which people. Each player receives one king card and shows everyone who got it. If there are less than four participants, the extra kings are put into the box, but the units of these peoples still remain in the game. Then each opponent receives six cards from the deck to his hand (they must be held in units to himself), four cards are laid out in the middle of the table, mines up, and four more - to the miners' camp, in detachments up. The cards in the camp are grouped in separate piles by nations. The first move is made by the one who was the last to visit the mountains or caves.
On his turn, the player must play one unit from his hand and draw one card into his hand. You can only put a detachment on a mine: no-man's or your own. At the beginning of the game, no one has mines, so players can only compete for the mines in the center of the table. If a squad is already present in the mine, only a squad with greater strength is allowed to play there (and only “zero” can be placed on the “nine”). Then, if the mine was a draw, and the number of units in it was equal to its defense, it is taken by the king of the race whose unit was last played there. All units from the captured mine are discarded to the miners' camp, and the top card from the deck is placed in place of the captured mine. Thus, players can not only seize deposits for themselves, but also toss them to rivals. If the mine belonged to the player and the number of units in it equals the size of the mine, all these units are removed from the game, and the mine is transferred to its owner's victory pile. As a rule, your own subjects cannot be sent to the development of the mine, however, some mines, in addition to slaves, also require an overseer - an additional detachment of their people.
You can get a card either face-down from the deck, or from the top of any of the four piles in the miners' camp - then the player sees which squad he will receive. As soon as there are no cards left in the deck, the game ends and the participants tally the victory points. Fully developed mines earn their owners as many points as their value, and those mines that players capture, but did not manage to develop to the end, on the contrary, take points away from them. The winner is the one with the highest total.
Underground Kings is a simple and dynamic board game. It will come to the table in a variety of companies, and first of all it will interest, of course, fantasy fans. Due to its modest size, The Underground Kings can be taken with you almost anywhere, and a short game time will allow you to play them several times during the evening.
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