Action Points

In Pax Pamir, players assume the role of nineteenth century Afghan leaders attempting to forge a new state after the collapse of the Durrani Empire. Western histories often call this period "The Great Game" because of the role played by the Europeans who attempted to use central Asia as a theater for their own rivalries. In this game, those empires are viewed strictly from the perspective of the Afghans who sought to manipulate the interloping ferengi (foreigners) for their own purposes.

In terms of game play, Pax Pamir is a pretty straightforward tableau builder. Players spend most of their turns purchasing cards from a central market, then playing those cards in front of them in a single row called a court. Playing cards adds units to the game's map and grants access to additional actions that can be taken to disrupt other players and influence the course of the game. That last point is worth emphasizing. Though everyone is building their own row of cards, the game offers many ways for players to interfere with each other directly and indirectly.

To survive, players will organize into coalitions. Throughout the game, the dominance of the different coalitions will be evaluated by the players when a special card, called a "Dominance Check", is resolved. If a single coalition has a commanding lead during one of these checks, those players loyal to that coalition will receive victory points based on their influence in their coalition. However, if Afghanistan remains fragmented during one of these checks, players instead will receive victory points based on their personal power base.

After each Dominance Check, victory is checked and the game will be partially reset, offering players a fresh attempt to realize their ambitions. The game ends when a single player is able to achieve a lead of four or more victory points or after the fourth and final Dominance Check is resolved.

Expancity is a city-building game in which players both collaborate and compete to build a thriving metropolis block by block!

Lay down residential and commercial tiles, then claim them with your stackable building blocks to break ground on towers that will rise high above the playing field. Score extra points by building near common city buildings like banks, schools, and parks. You can also get a leg up on the opposition by working on secretly-held contract cards that offer players unique and challenging tasks to complete for bonus points. Cities expand both horizontally and vertically as the game progresses, and no two cities will ever be alike!

"Life is Battle; Battle is Glory; Glory is ALL"

In Blood Rage, each player controls their own Viking clan’s warriors, leader, and ship. Ragnarök has come, and it’s the end of the world! It’s the Vikings’ last chance to go down in a blaze of glory and secure their place in Valhalla at Odin’s side! For a Viking there are many pathways to glory. You can invade and pillage the land for its rewards, crush your opponents in epic battles, fulfill quests, increase your clan's stats, or even die gloriously either in battle or from Ragnarök, the ultimate inescapable doom.

Most player strategies are guided by the cards drafted at the beginning of each of the three game rounds (or Ages). These “Gods’ Gifts” grant you numerous boons for your clan including: increased Viking strength and devious battle strategies, upgrades to your clan, or even the aid of legendary creatures from Norse mythology. They may also include various quests, from dominating specific provinces, to having lots of your Vikings sent to Valhalla. Most of these cards are aligned with one of the Norse gods, hinting at the kind of strategy they support. For example, Thor gives more glory for victory in battle, Heimdall grants you foresight and surprises, Tyr strengthens you in battle, while the trickster Loki actually rewards you for losing battles, or punishes the winner.

Players must choose their strategies carefully during the draft phase, but also be ready to adapt and react to their opponents’ strategies as the action phase unfolds. Battles are decided not only by the strength of the figures involved, but also by cards played in secret. By observing your opponent’s actions and allegiances to specific gods, you may predict what card they are likely to play, and plan accordingly. Winning battles is not always the best course of action, as the right card can get you even more rewards by being crushed. The only losing strategy in Blood Rage is to shy away from battle and a glorious death!

Nemo Rising: Robur the Conqueror is a co-operative board game that follows the new adventures of Captain Nemo and the crew of the Nautilus, as reintroduced by C. Courtney Joyner in his novel, Nemo Rising. The game allows 1-4 players to assume the roles of the protagonists of the series — Captain Nemo, Sara Duncan, Adam Fulmer, or Ulysses S. Grant — as they explore new worlds, overcome dangerous obstacles, and complete challenging missions.

As you and your fellow players work together, you can choose to explore one of two scenarios. The first scenario is the Undersea Grotto, in which you must venture outside the Nautilus to gather supplies while avoiding sea hydras, deep sea scavengers, and the mechanical Kraken. The second scenario is the majestic City in the Sky, in which you must thwart Robur the Conqueror and his army of foot soldiers, war dogs, and steam-powered creations. Special action cards and customized dice allow you to attempt dangerous tasks and overcome powerful enemies in order to save the world.

—description from the publisher

Disease threatens North America and only you can stop it! In Pandemic: Hot Zone – North America, players work together against the game to discover cures for three deadly diseases that threaten the continent. Travel to different North American cities to treat local populations, prevent outbreaks, and share research with your team. Can you discover the cures before it's too late?

Hot Zone – North America is a shorter, more portable version of the best-selling cooperative game Pandemic.