Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
BHARATA 600 BC is a multiplayer strategy board game set in the Indian subcontinent (Bharata) in 600 BC. This is the end of the Vedic period and the rise of the 16 Mahajanapadas (Great Kingdoms).
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Area Majority
Compete to have the strongest presence in areas that award control or points.
Area Movement
Move pieces between connected regions rather than along individual spaces.
Variable Player Powers
Each player has different abilities, restrictions, or strategic advantages.
Events
Triggered events alter the shared state, rules, or available choices.
Once-Per-Game Abilities
Each powerful ability may be used only once during the entire game.
Read the full game description
BHARATA 600 BC is a multiplayer strategy board game set in the Indian subcontinent (Bharata) in 600 BC. This is the end of the Vedic period and the rise of the 16 Mahajanapadas (Great Kingdoms). Each player takes on the role of a Mahajanapada ruler, trying to make their kingdom the most predominant power in the ancient Bharata. Players get to decide how to lead their armies, gain and manage resources, and conquer territories to expand their kingdoms. At the same time, they have to protect their territories from rivals, natural disasters, and social events, such as riots. Players’ actions and achievements are rewarded with Victory Points that contribute to determining the game winner. Each player (or team) begins the game with a set of resources, two armies, and a different start location. In addition, players get to create their game avatars by choosing a combination of personality traits and abilities (variable powers), which can differ or be identical to other players’. With each turn, players draw resources that are often linked to their previous decisions on resource pool management. Players may choose to convert their resources into Coins and use the Coins to increase their Army Strength or to conquer specific terrain types later in the game. Players use their two armies to move on the map, conquer territories through settlements or direct combat with other players, plan for attack or defence, gain regional resources and trade objects, and accomplish objectives. Events trigger natural disasters, diseases, or riots, which create an additional level of defence and resource planning. This is the time your ability traits become handy. They allow you to manoeuvre certain Events in your favour while at the same time, based on your play style, to make it harder on other players or the contrary, to help them out with their own Event scenarios. In BHARATA 600 BC, players have a great level of control over their play style and outcome. They can opt-in or out of a combat strategy, an objective-based strategy, a competitive or collaborative approach. As players find themselves in a dynamic game context, they have to adapt their strategy and choices to the evolving scenarios on the board.