General:
Bruno Cathala:
Serge Laget:
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Everything you always wanted to know about Mare Nostrum, without daring to ask it yourself!: FAQ about MARE NOSTRUM
Alles über Mare Nostrum! : FAQ auf Deutsch
Presentation:
This game is a direct heir to the "Mammoths" civilization games of yesteryear that mixed military strategy, economic management and diplomacy. Its theme is the study of the first civilizations that spawned around the Mediterranean Sea, the roman's famous "Mare Nostrum". The game's main departure from its ancestors lies in the rules' relative lightness and simplicity, and the significantly shorter amount of time required to play it through.
A few key concepts:
The game's turn is divided intro three phases: trading, build-up and war. To each phase is tied a privileged office, temporarily occupied by a particular player, and conferring him an important power: Master of trade, Political leader, and Military Commander. Attribution of each office is subject to change each turn, and driven by the individual players' ranking in a specific domain. Possession of each office is usually strongly disputed, for experience shows that a player controlling two of these offices for several successive turns inevitably wins.
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Unlike most other games with a similar theme, the pacific approach to conquest stands just as much chance as a more war-like to win the day. Furthermore, most of the conflicts that occur are simple looting raids or temporary occupation of an ennemy's land, given the choices of outcome offered: razing (destruction of one construction), occupation (diversion of taxes into one's coffers) or conversion (annexation of the province the following turn, under certain conditions).
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Some background information:
This
game is dear to my heart. It is the realization of an old childhood's
dream (I've been working on it and refining it over many years), and it
is the first game I signed as a single author rather than through a collaboration.
It has already received the "Sim d'Or" of Boulogne-Billancourt, France's
most famous game design competition. Franck Dion has illustrated the game
and come up with designs that matched my dreams better than I could have
described them. I will never be able to thank him enough for his remarkable
work. I invite you to visit his website, http://www.franckdion.com
, if you haven't already
done so, as it is pure wonder!
Due to obvious financial considerations, it was not deemed practical,
in the commercial release of the game, to ship the lead miniatures I used
in my prototypes. Because i still have access to the molds that were used
for the minis I used, i have proposed to make a limited run. Because a
lot of fan are interested, i am afraid that isn't possible for me to make
the minis myself. May be an industrial solution will be found. But not
yet. I will announce news in my website.
The websites who talk of it:
- jocade (in french)
- boardgamegeek
