How to Play Seven Wonders Duel
Seven Wonders Duel is a highly acclaimed two-player board game designed by Antoine Bauza and Bruno Cathala. In this game, players compete to build the most magnificent civilization by collecting resources, constructing buildings, and advancing their military and scientific prowess. With its strategic depth and engaging gameplay, Seven Wonders Duel provides hours of fun for both novice and experienced players. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to play the game:
1. Set up the Game:
– Place the game board in the center of the table.
– Shuffle the Age I, Age II, and Age III cards separately and lay them out in a pyramid shape, with each age containing two rows of cards.
– Reveal the top card of each age and place them face up.
– Place the military strength token, science tokens, and conflict pawn nearby.
– Each player receives a wonder board and the corresponding wonder cards.
– Shuffle the guild cards and reveal five of them face up.
– Finally, distribute the coins, victory point tokens, and science tokens to the players as per the rules.
2. Game Flow:
– The game is played over three ages, with each age consisting of a certain number of turns.
– On each turn, players can choose one of three actions: take a card, construct a building, or discard a card to gain coins.
– Players alternate turns until all the cards from the pyramid have been taken.
3. Take a Card:
– On their turn, a player can take a card from the pyramid.
– A card can be taken if it is not covered by any other card and is partially or fully exposed.
– The card’s cost must be paid using resources or coins.
– If a player takes a card with a red background, it triggers a military conflict.
4. Construct a Building:
– Players can construct a building by paying its cost using resources or coins.
– Constructed buildings offer various benefits, such as providing resources, victory points, or special abilities.
– Buildings can also grant access to additional cards or wonders.
5. Discard a Card:
– Instead of taking a card or constructing a building, players can discard a card to gain coins.
– The number of coins gained depends on the card’s position in the pyramid.
6. End of Age:
– An age ends when a player takes the last card from the pyramid or when a military conflict occurs.
– At the end of each age, players compare their military strength.
– The player with the highest military strength gains a victory point token and may also gain coins, depending on the difference in military strength.
7. Scientific Progress:
– Throughout the game, players can collect science tokens by constructing buildings with scientific symbols.
– Science tokens can be spent to advance on the scientific progress track.
– Advancing on this track grants special scientific abilities and victory points.
8. End of the Game:
– The game ends at the end of the third age.
– Victory points are calculated based on various factors, such as constructed buildings, victory point tokens, wonders, and collected sets of science symbols.
– The player with the most victory points wins the game.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
1. Can I construct a building even if I don’t have all the required resources?
– Yes, you can pay the missing resources using coins.
2. Can I construct a building from an age that is not currently revealed?
– No, you can only construct buildings from ages that are currently revealed.
3. Can I construct multiple buildings in one turn?
– Yes, as long as you have the necessary resources or coins.
4. Can I construct a duplicate building?
– No, each building can only be constructed once.
5. Can I gain coins by discarding a card from the revealed wonders?
– No, you can only gain coins by discarding a card from the pyramid.
6. Can I construct a wonder even if I don’t have all the required resources?
– Yes, you can pay the missing resources using coins.
7. Can I construct a wonder from an age that is not currently revealed?
– Yes, you can construct a wonder from any age, regardless of what is currently revealed.
8. Can I gain more than one victory point token from military conflicts in the same age?
– No, you can only gain one victory point token per age.
9. Can I construct a building with a red background?
– No, buildings with red backgrounds are used for military conflicts only.
10. Can I construct a building if I don’t have any resources or coins?
– No, you must have the necessary resources or coins to construct a building.
11. Can I take a card that is partially covered by other cards?
– No, you can only take a card if it is partially or fully exposed.
12. Can I construct a building with a scientific symbol if I don’t have any science tokens?
– Yes, science tokens are not required to construct buildings with scientific symbols.
13. Can I advance on the scientific progress track without spending science tokens?
– No, you must spend science tokens to advance on the scientific progress track.
In conclusion, Seven Wonders Duel is an immersive and strategic board game that offers a captivating experience for two players. By following these guidelines and understanding the rules, you’ll be well-equipped to embark on a journey towards building a legendary civilization. Enjoy the game and may the best player emerge victorious!
