In this article we continue to explore the event cards of Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea (ACIS). To read the previous three articles in this series, follow the links here, here, and here.
In reviewing the 103 event cards that give Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea depth and challenge (and let’s not forget fun), we now turn to ECONOMIC and POLITICAL cards.
There are quite a few ECONOMIC cards.
*Land Improvement (Card 7) reflects an intensification of agricultural technique in a region and allows a Civilization to add one Tile in each of any two Land Areas that contains one or more Tiles of the Civilization. Therefore, this card can be used to raise a subsistence agricultural Land Area with one Tile into a vibrant culture of two which will provide a Tile of growth in the next turn. Or it could turn an already vibrant Land Area into a city for a victory point, or even add a fourth Tile to help defend against likely competition. It cannot be used, however, to expand a Civilization to new Lands.
Land Improvement (Card 7) and Local Trade (Card 16). Near-Final Art.
*Card 16, Local Trade, adds one Tile to two adjacent Land Areas that already contain a Tile of that Civilization. Plus, that Civilization gets a Talent.
*Golden Age (Card 18) allows expansion of a Civilization as it allows two Tiles in any Land or Sea Area(s) adjacent to an Area already with one or more of that Civilization’s Tiles: plus that Civilization receives one Talent.
Golden Age (Card 18) and Improved Plow (Card 27). Near-Final Art.
*Improved Plow (Card 27) adds one Tile to three Land Areas that already contain at least one Tile of that Civilization. The selected Land Areas need not be adjacent to one another so this card offers much flexibility. Furthermore, like the preceding described cards, the Civilization gains one Talent.
*Card 35, Trade Fleet, allows a chain of one Tile each in three adjacent Sea Areas.
Trade Fleet (Card 34) and Coinage (Card 46). Near-Final Art.
*Coinage (Card 46) allows a player to place four Tiles among at least three Areas (Land and/or Sea). These need not be adjacent, so this “paradrop” card is flexible for both offensive or defensive purposes.
*Trading House (Card 63) offers a Civilization a choice: either remove two Tiles from the map in exchange for two Talents OR place two Tiles anywhere on the map.
Trading House (Card 63) and Appian Way (Card 78). Near-Final Art.
*The Appian Way (Card 78) allows a string of one Tile each in three adjacent Land Areas that already contain a Tile of the playing Civilization. This replicates the economic and cultural boost a good quality road bestows on the regions it passes through.
The next four cards are all similar in granting Talents (wealth) through off-board trade opportunities with the wider world than that encompassed by the Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea map. The Civilization playing the card gets two Talents. Any Civilization along the specified border gets one Talent, including the Civilization playing the card, who could thus net a windfall of three Talents. The four cards are: Silk Road Opened (Card 82), which concerns the Eastern edge of the map; Sea Route to Britain (Card 83), which applies to any Civilization with a presence in a Land Area bordering on the left edge of the map and/or the Atlantic Sea Area; Sub-Saharan Salt Route (Card 84), which refers to the Southern border; and Barbarian Trade (Card 88), which applies to the Northern map edge.
Barbarian Trade (Card 88), Silk Road Opened (Card 82), Sea Route to Britain (Card 83), and Sub-Saharan Salt Route (Card 84). Near-Final Art.
Three other economic cards are unique.
*Caravansary (Card 90) when played is not discarded but is left face up in front of the Civilization Player Aid Card as if it were a Wonder. Three Tiles from supply are placed on it. Each turn during the Card Draw Phase, the Civilization may expend one of those Tiles in return for an additional draw of two cards, review them, and keep one of the two. The Caravansary card is returned to the discard pile once all three Tiles are played. Beware, some Civilizations that have placed almost all their available Tiles on the map and/or Wonders may not have three Tiles in supply to readily spare for placement on this card.
*Card 93, Sunken City, grants the Civilization two Tiles in any Sea Area (but if choosing a Deep Sea Area only one Tile: the stacking limit for such an Area), as well as gain one victory point and one Talent.
Caravansary (Card 90), Sunken City (Card 93), and Treasure Hoard (Card 97). Near-Final Art.
*Treasure Hoard (Card 97) is a variation of the preceding which grants the Civilization two Tiles on any Land Area along with one victory point and one Talent.
There are five POLITICAL cards. Nepotism (Card 10) allows removal of two Tiles from any city (a Land Area with three or more Tiles of any Civilization). Note: Barbarians do not have cities, so this card cannot be used to reduce Barbarian stacks that may have popped up. Bribery (Card 15) is a NEGATE card, which allows any Great Person card to be discarded instead of being played. Even Great Persons can be tempted by lucre. Card 30, Corruption affects only cities, removing two Tiles from up to two cities to deprive the victim of two precious victory points. The wording allows it to be used against a Civilization with only one city, or if a player is merciful, afflict only one instead of two cities of another Civilization. But in the cruel world of ACIS, mercy is a rare quality.
Nepotism (Card 10), Bribery (Card 15) and Corruption (Card 30). Near-Final Art.
The other two POLITICAL cards are particularly lethal. Card 39, Civil Disorder, can only be played against four Land Areas with two or more Tiles of the victim Civilization in them. The card permits one Tile in each of the four Areas, which do not need to be adjacent to one another, to be replaced by a Black Tile. Card 55, Civil War, is used only against a Civilization. It allows the card playing Civilization to replace five Tiles in one or more Areas adjacent to another with Black Tiles. This card is a more focused one than Civil Disorder in that it is not necessarily dispersed across many Areas but can be limited to two Areas, e.g. exchanging three Tiles in one Land Area and two in another. Note, there is no prohibition against using this against an active Civilization’s Home Area: other than Troy, which if it has at least two Tiles in its Home, normally cannot lose any Tile through card play other than through the ‘Traitor’ (Trojan Horse) competition card.
Civil Disorder (Card 39) and Civil War (Card 55). Near-Final Art.
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 3)
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
I think there are several (at least 2) trade fleets? Because you write about card n°35 and describe the effect and it is different from the picture of the Trade Fleet which has the n°34.
Will there be some sciences to develop in order to counter or diminish card effect like for example Medicine against Diseases?
Loving this series, but this instalment does raise a few quibbles, esp with the civil disorder cards. Just to play Devil’s Advocate, what if the Civ you play Civil Disorder doesn’t have four lands containing two or more tiles? Ditto Civil War if the Civ you play it on doesn’t have 5 tiles on the board? The Civil War card also says nothing about using this on Sea Areas, is that correct? Presumably the wording on both of these cards could be changed to “up to four” and “up to five” respectively?
It was also interesting to see that you could summarise the Appian Way card in one sentence in this article whereas the card itself has what looks like a fearsome wall of text on it!
Apologies if I am coming across as a tad harsh (or arrogant – sorry!) with my comments on some of these cards, but I am genuinely trying to be helpful and lend a more critical focus on the written presentation – many of them feel unnecessarily ‘wordy’, imho… I am as excited as everyone else to see this game do well, and it’s looking excellent so far.