In this article we continue to explore the event cards of Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea (ACIS). To read the previous two articles in this series, follow the links here and here.

We will not debate whether GREAT PERSONS drive history or merely accompany it; but we believe they did play an important, if transient, role in the lives of Civilizations and this view is born out in the game’s design. Great Persons are all generic in that we did not name them after specific personalities, leaving that to the imagination and historical knowledge of the players. But most of them are recognizable. The genesis of this occurred when the spouse of one of the designers asked whether there were any women in the game. At that point, we had included only a tactical advantage for the Trojan Civilization in the form of the mythical Amazons.

Any of the Great Persons could be thought of as male or female, but, chagrined at our male-dominated design presumption; we added in two specifically female great persons:  Captive Queen (Card 32) and Warrior Queen (Card 94). The former, Captive Queen, is modeled on Helen of Troy and allows Two Tiles to be placed in a Sea Area that already contains at least one Tile of any other Civilization, thereby initiating competition. The latter, Warrior Queen, is a competition card (more on those to come) and gives the benefit of one Tile of the card-playing Civilization’s color and one White Tile in any single competition. Incidentally, a White Tile is a transitory general purpose Tile usable solely during a competition. Both are cards which are discarded when played.

Captive Queen (Card 32) and Warrior Queen (Card 94). Near-Final Art.

There are two other Great Person cards that may only be used during the game’s competition phase. Traitor (Card 45), is a powerful card, it removes all Tiles of another Civilization for one competition. The peculiar nature of this card makes it unusable against any Home Area except for Troy, when Troy is in a game as an active Civilization: where it becomes the legendary Trojan Horse. Woe unto Troy! This card is discarded when played. Card 61, Captain, is unique in the game in that it is the only card that can be given by one Civilization to another during a competition. The receiving Civilization can then use it to add one White Tile and remove one Tile of any color in one competition. The Civilization that donates the card receives a Talent of gold as compensation. The card is discarded after it is played.

Traitor (Card 45) and Captain (Card 61). Near-Final Art.

Two cards represent the second-oldest profession known to man:  spies.  Card 9, Spy, is a garden variety of spy who allows one Civilization to choose at random one card from any other Civilization’s hand. While this is a net gain of zero cards for the player, it is a net loss of one card for the Civilization spied upon. In addition, a lucky draw can seriously disrupt another player’s plans, or the Spy could be less competent and draw a fairly useless card. Master Spy (Card 56) is more adept in that the Civilization using this spy inspects another Civilization’s hand, gaining potentially valuable intelligence, and then chooses a card to steal. A Spy card is discarded upon play.

Spy (Card 9) and Master Spy (Card 56). Near-Final Art.

Several GREAT PERSON cards are Negate Cards in that they can prevent another card or event from happening.  Negate cards, by their nature, may be played out of turn in immediate response to another Civilization’s card play.  Furthermore, they do not count as the Civilization’s upcoming card play.

Assassin (Card 8). Near-Final Art.

*Assassin (Card 5) negates any other Great Person by, obviously, killing that Great Person. Both cards are consigned to the discard pile before the assassinated Great Person card takes effect.

*High Priestess (Card 50) can negate ANY card, except a MUST PLAY, by sending both cards into the discard pile. In addition, for his service; the Civilization playing the High Priestess card earns one Talent of gold (religion has its rewards, eh?).

High Priestess (Card 50) and Pontifex (Card 54). Near-Final Art.

*Pontifex (Card 54) is similar and CAN prevent a MUST PLAY card. On the other hand, the Pontifex cannot prevent certain cards, Heroic Saga, Caravansary, and Academy of Sciences, from being played out of a Civilization’s hand. Pontifex, being above the High Priest’s venality, does not earn the player a Talent.

*Card 65, Prophet, can negate any card that adds or removes one or more Tiles. The effects of the card are canceled.  The Civilization putting the Prophet to work also adds one Tile of its color to any one Area with a Tile of that same color already present. There is, of course, a counter-point to the Prophet which is…

Prophet (Card 65) and False Prophet (Card 66). Near-Final Art.

*False Prophet (Card 66), this is an extremely powerful card. This card may be played against a Civilization which has played a card that will add two or more Tiles of that Civilization to the map. What’s nasty is that after a Civilization places Tiles upon the map and receives any related Talent(s), False Prophet not only sends those Tiles and Talents (if any are involved) back to supply; but prevents placement of any new Tiles during that Card Play Phase on any Areas where the victim’s Tiles were prevented from being placed. Consider that the creation of “tainted ground”.

Healer (Card 96). Near-Final Art.

*Healer (Card 96) is used during the Card Play Phase or during competition by halting the removal of up to two Tiles caused by another card.  Note: When used during competition, Healer does not recover two Tiles lost though normal competition, but only two Tiles lost to an opponent’s competition card.

Architect (Card 95). Near-Final Art.

There is one unique GREAT PERSONS card that helps build a Wonder: Architect (Card 95) reduces the cost to build a Wonder from five to three (Tile, Talent, and/or card[s]) and reduces the requirement that at least two Tiles must be taken in the preceding noted combination from the map to only one Tile. This card is used when building a Wonder during the Card Play Phase. The Architect also has another use. It can add one Tile to a Civilization’s existing Wonder.

Also among GREAT PERSONS are many cards that add Tiles or Talents or cards to a Civilization when played.

Orator (Card 17) and Trader (Card 29). Near-Final Art.

*Orator (Card 17) is used to sway a population from one Civilization to another. Hence, it must be played on a Land Area that contains Tiles of at least two Civilizations. The Orator permits the removal of up to two Tiles and their replacement by those with the Tiles of another Civilization present. Note: the Civilization using the Orator will normally place its own Tiles in lieu of those removed, but this is not mandatory, making this one of the few cards in the game that can be used to help another Civilization. Also note this card only works against Tiles of a Civilization. It cannot “convert” or bring on Black Tiles. Those uncouth Barbarians are just not swayed by floral oratory.

*Card 29, Trader, is similar to a spy, but offers compensation to the Civilization being traded with. The Trader draws two cards at random from another Civilization’s hand, keeps one, returns the other card and then gives the “victim” Civilization a card from the Trader’s hand or a Talent in compensation (card player’s choice).

*Law Giver (Card 36) is one of the most powerful cards of ACIS. It allows placement of up to three Tiles, one each in a Land Area already containing a Tile of the Civilization AND allows that Civilization to draw two additional cards from the deck, review them, and keep one, discarding the other.

Law Giver (Card 36), Philospher King (Card 52), and Poet (Card 37). Near-Final Art.

*Poet (Card 37): Ah yes, Poet. The impact of Poet is the spread of one Civilization’s culture.  In three Land Areas, and these can be anywhere (!), replace one Tile with one of the Civilization playing this card. Note:  unlike the Orator, Barbarians can be swayed by a poet, with Black Tiles being replaced by the Civilization playing this card’s Tiles.

*Philosopher King (Card 52) is a powerful force to be reckoned with when played. Philosopher King places four Tiles, one each in any four separate Areas, Land and/or Sea, plus earns one Talent. Thus, a Civilization could expand by putting one Tile in four different Areas, which can be very valuable during a fourth turn of an Epoch to qualify for Sea Domination, which yields victory points at the end of an Epoch. To “Dominate” a Sea Area, a Civilization must be sole occupant of a Sea Area and have exclusive control of every Land Area which is adjacent to it.

Navigator (Card 76) and Merchant King (59). Near-Final Art.

Two GREAT PERSONS affect Sea Areas directly. Card 59, Merchant King, allows placement of a Tile in each of three Sea Areas. This is another good card to have for the fourth turn of an Epoch for Sea Domination purposes. Navigator (Card 76) allows ANY Civilization to place a Tile in each of the map’s two Deep Sea Areas and two additional Tiles among any two Sea Areas adjacent to the Deep Sea Areas. Normally, unless allowed to by card play, only Minoa and Phoenicia can place Tiles in the Deep Sea Areas prior to the fourth Epoch. This card gives other Civilizations the ability to expand into and across those Deep Sea Areas.  But remember, Deep Sea Areas do not add to Tile growth nor count as adjacency for the Civilization trade bonus.

It’s All in the Cards: The Cards of Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea (Part 1)

It’s All in the Cards: The Cards of Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea (Part 2)

It’s All in the Cards: The Cards of Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea (Part 4)

It’s All in the Cards: The Cards of Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea (Part 5)

It’s All in the Cards: The Cards of Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea (Part 6)

Author: Christopher Vorder Bruegge