In The Year Of The Dragon

Fit

Teach 2.9

Teaching signal

Replay 4.1

High replayability

Interaction 3.8

Highly interactive

Scaling 4.0

Scales well

Strategy 4.5

Deep strategy

Control 3.5

More strategic control

Table feel

Moderate interaction with a good balance between direct and strategic confrontation. Players need to pay attention to each other's actions frequently, but cooperation is not a major focus.

Replay value

The game offers a high degree of variability with its gameboard and expansions, allowing for different experiences each time it is played. It also provides deep strategic possibilities and scales well with different numbers of players. While it may take some time to learn, the depth it offers makes it worth the investment.

Luck profile

In the Year of the Dragon has a moderate level of luck influence. Random elements have a notable but not exclusive impact on the game outcome. Players have substantial ability to mitigate randomness through strategic decisions and planning. The game outcome is primarily determined by player strategy and decisions, with luck playing a minor role.

Overview

Stefan Feld's 3rd game by Alea is In the Year of the Dragon. Players take on the role of Chinese rulers around the year 1000. The game plays out in twelve rounds, with each round representing one month in a year that seems to go from bad to worse. Disease, drought, and attacks from the Mongols may claim lives, but make sure you have enough money to offer a tribute to the Emperor. The game play is easier than it may appear. Every player has a set of "person" cards. Each round, you choose one action (most of which call on your workers' abilities) to help you prepare for the months ahead. Then you play one person card, recruiting that person and placing him into one of your palaces. Each person brings different skills and abilities to help you ride out the year. (Farmers help you gain rice to survive a drought month, Tax Collectors raise money, etc.) At the end of each round, that month's event is triggered, which may cost you some of your workers, some money, or give you points. Careful planning is the key to surviving "the year of the dragon," but survival alone may not win you the game.

Mechanism

5

Action Drafting Events Hand Management Turn Order: Stat-Based Variable Set-up

Family

4

Country: China Digital Implementations: Board Game Arena Digital Implementations: MaBiWeb Series: Alea Big Box

Type

1

Strategy

Media