The board game Belaad will take you to the era of the golden age of the Islamic world. To the stage of history at which a number of significant names of medieval philosophy, medicine and a number of other scientific areas were born. Both the state and the people here need smart individuals. And between these two is a guild of religiously oriented assassins who do not need knowledge at any cost. Below you can read how it all fits together.
- Number of players: 2-6
- Game time: 45-60 minutes
- Price: 1089 CZK (Thlam Games)
- Credit: Asmodee-Blackfire
- Age: 10+
Belaad is a game full of killing, stealing and fighting
All people and representatives of the kingdom start with four action cards. During your turn, you always play one of the cards, and then draw a new one from one of the three offered piles. Each card gives you the opportunity to perform the primary and secondary actions presented on it. While you perform the primary action without conditions, in the case of a secondary action, you always have to pay its cost, and only then can you benefit from what it offers. It should be noted that no one is forcing you to do both. If you want to save money, you can easily opt for the free version only. As for actions, they are offered to you in five types with one “wild card” giving you a choice.
The most enjoyable event for many players in Belaad will be money, symbolizing Income. When you play it, you can expect to receive the exact amount of money shown on the card from the bank. Stealing will only be popular with those who play it, because they are the ones who will be able to take money from others. In addition to these two options, there is also the option to hire scientists. You score for the gold mined, so that you can lower the purchase price slightly with Influence dice placed on the Sultan or Joker character, according to your command. If you play in a group, you don’t have to have the whole amount with you, you can always ask a neighbor.
Influence dice are obtained similarly to other allies with the Gain Allies card, which is represented by five different symbols and is drawn from an opaque bag. If you’re lucky, you won’t draw any of the five mentioned, but a distinctly orange piece: the follower counts as a wild card, useful both for representing just about any kind, and for activating a special ability from any of your faction. characters. And, of course, there is the Battle event. This is how the battle begins, in which two players lick small cards from the pile in front of them, reducing or, conversely, increasing their combat power. The one with the higher final score wins. For combat, the defender receives a sword, and the attacker receives a card from the pile, which he then turns into points.
In addition to basic actions, you can also place money in a safe to prevent it from being stolen, or eliminate enemy allies. The number of actions is not clearly defined, there is always a chance that you will have the action of playing another card on the map, which can start a decent avalanche. In addition to elemental cards, swords are also available in Belaad, which can be used to prevent the killing of allies or “force” scientists to cooperate without financial compensation. As soon as you acquire a scientist, either for money or for threats, he automatically becomes inaccessible and, above all, invulnerable.
The Hashashinov Order has relied on its own fighting style
Which, of course, will not please the religious fanatics of the newly created Hashashin order, because they have the task of eliminating scientists and thus preventing the progress of evil and the emergence of new ideologies that could overthrow the Islamic world. The order has exactly five cards at its disposal compared to the rest, and on its turn it plays not one, but exactly two actions. In addition, it also has its own format called Hashashin Cards, which usually requires a certain amount to be activated. The goal of the fanatics is to kill scientists, which is not easy, but possible.
The path to knowledge in Belaad can end in two ways. One is the format in which the people or the nobility will win. After the appearance of all four generations of Scientists, the one who has more Knowledge and Finance points automatically wins. So this is one of the possibilities. And then, of course, the second, much more bloody. If you play with 3 or more, there is also the possibility of winning an Order by killing enough scientists so that the total knowledge of their images is at least 6. However, you do not count bonus points, so smartlines must be chosen carefully, because unfortunate eliminations can even lead to your failure.
One of the cosmetic, but very essential components of Belaad, of course, is the processing of maps and maps, which depict individual scientists, members of the court, the people, as well as the guild of assassins. The creativity with which each card is created is simply breathtaking. Each work can amaze with its visual processing almost at first sight. In addition to the nicely rendered faction and scientist maps, it is also necessary to highlight the fact that there is also an overview of scientists.
At least for myself, I consider this another element that enhances the overall impression. After reading it, you will be able to learn more about the historical figures who determined the shape of all corners of the Islamic world thanks to Belaad, and that there were many of them. You can read more about, for example, the genius Abu Rayhan Biruni, who excelled in several scientific fields, from philosophy to botany, or one of the main characters in Rankhojic’s book, Abu Ali al-Hussein ibn Abdullah ibn Sina, best known for his medical skills.
Entertainment can be combined with gaining new knowledge in Belaad
Belaad is an addictive board game that works very effectively with the theme of one of the most significant phases in the history of the Islamic world. The battle between the Kingdom and the People can have its consequences, and when the Order intervenes in the whole clash, it’s a match that just unnerves everyone involved at certain points.
Battles in Belaad are somewhat random, but this is usually the case with board games. However, you can always leave a lost battle behind by acquiring or killing more scientists. The visual aspect is generally very good, and individual characters are detailed, which gives players the opportunity to immerse themselves more in the themes of philosophers, doctors and astronomers of this era. This is definitely an interesting piece for history buffs.
Source :Indian TV
