exploration

Catan: Seafarers

This is an expansion for The Settlers of Catan. Players can build shipping lanes, which are very similar to roads. Additionally, the game comes with many different water-hex-heavy variant setups. The American version (Mayfair) should only be used with the American base game, instead of the German one (Kosmos), because of matching components and for the same reason, the Kosmos German version should only be used with the German base game. Additionally, several different editions exist; 4th edition is the most recent. Editions should only be used with same edition, otherwise the purchase of adapter kit is required.

Part of the Catan Series.

This game requires The Settlers of Catan. Ideally, using the same publisher and edition of the game.

Escape: The Curse of the Temple – Expansion 1: Illusions

Escape: Illusions includes two new modules for the Escape base game that can be used individually or mixed with any other available modules.

The "Illusion Chambers" module consists of six chamber tiles that replace the tiles with only one magic gem in the basic game. After players return to the starting chamber during the game – something they must do twice in order to avoid losing a die – all illusion chambers in play are removed and returned to the bottom of the tile deck. Hopefully you already completed your business in any section of the temple now disconnected from the rest!

The "Special Chambers" module consists of six new chamber tiles, divided as follows:

Three linked chamber tiles that allow you to activate magic gems, thereby making it easier for the adventurers to escape the temple – but the gems can be activated only if players are in two separate such chambers at the same time.
Two double chamber tiles that consist of a front and back room, with access to the back room being available only if you add tiles to the temple and snake around to the back. Why do you want to reach this room? More opportunities to activate magic gems and ease your way out of the temple.
One treasure chamber tile, containing a chalice that adventurers must bear to the exit tile. If they fail to do so, they lose the game – even if they otherwise would all escape!

Components for a sixth player are included, as well as two copies each of one new curse card ("Soul Exchange") and one new treasure tile ("Large Torch").

Anno 1701: Das Kartenspiel

Anno 1701: Das Kartenspiel is a cardgame by Klaus Teuber. Based on the principles of the Settlers of Catan Cardgame and the Anno 1701 computer game players are pioneers trying to develop their island as best as possible - starting out with only 2 houses. Victory points are won for controlling settlers and citizens.

Released: April 2007

This game is part of the Kosmos_two-player_series

Merchant of Venus

Merchant of Venus uses many elements which come together to form a very interesting game. Players take on the roles of space traders who move their ships through interconnected systems discovering new alien worlds to trade with. As players start to make money delivering commodities in a unique supply-and-demand system, their earnings can be used to purchase better ships and equipment (shields, lasers, engines, etc...) and construct their own spaceports (which speed up trading) and factories (which create better commodities). Variations included in the rulebook allow for interplayer combat. The player who first acquires enough total value ($1000, $2000, $3000, $4000) in cash and port/factory deeds takes the day.

For the 2012 edition of Merchant of Venus from Fantasy Flight Games, the company promises that this revision "remains true to its magnificently campy core while updating the map and game components and expanding game play in surprising ways that will cause even the most hardcore fan to celebrate." That said, the player count has been lowered from six (in the Avalon Hill edition) to four, with the four races in the game being Human, Whynom, Qossuth, and Eeepeeep.

Ricochet Rock Jockeys

Greetings Semi-Intelligence: 221-B, and welcome to sentience. Upon completion of your training download, you will commence operation of Mining and Delivery Probe 4. Your task is to extract valuable materials from extrasolar planetoids and deliver the appropriate amounts of each to their target locations. It is imperative that these deliveries be made at any cost.

In the uncertain days leading up to the destructive Cataclysm of Earth, humans have settled other worlds and created robotic vessels to perform manual labor throughout their civilization. You will take on the role of one of these artificial intelligences tasked with mining asteroids for rare minerals and ice water, and delivering them to the colonies of humanity.

The goal of Ricochet Rock Jockeys is to retrieve goods from the Asteroid Fields between Earth and its colonies, and deliver them. You will explore the space surrounding Earth, mine asteroids, and make deliveries – all while vying for position with other players attempting to mine those same asteroids and make those same deliveries. Ricochet Rock Jockeys is an extremely fast-paced game of chance, delivery, and crashing spaceships.

Players start with a ship on Earth, then move that ship to explore, mine, and deliver mined goods. Players can bump into other players' ships, taking or losing goods based upon the strength of the impact. Players gain victory points for each successful delivery. Once the pool of victory points is exhausted, the player with the most VPs wins!