Product Description

What do Hammurabi, Julius Caesar, Attila the Hun, Charlemagne, Genghis Khan, Ivan the Terrible and Napoleon all have in common? They all appear heading the dominant cultures of their time in this game of world conquest.

History of the World traces the progress of mankind from the dawn of civilization to the threshold of modern times. One is reminded of the flickering passage of centuries in H. G. Wells' classic Time Machine as the history of mankind unfolds before your eyes in a few scant hours. Starting 5,000 years ago with the ancient Sumerians, a succession of 49 empires rise and fall with the rapidly passing centuries across the entire width of the globe in a panoramic view of the history of man.

This is a game of world conquest with a difference. No single power can conquer the world. Instead, each player commands seven different empires -- one per Epoch -- during their all too brief day in the sun. Each, in turn, rises to its fullest height of power only to fall before the sands of time and the next emerging, dominant nation. Empires vie with armies and fleets to spread their culture and build lasting monuments to their glory. But events such as earthquakes, civil wars, barbarians, plague, treachery, and great enemy leaders conspire to tear asunder past achievements.

History of the World is an extremely easy game to learn, but difficult to master. When all the on-board generalship and maneuvering as said and done, the game is really won in the seven Empire Distribution rounds wherein each player draws the next Empire card and decides to keep what he's drawn or pass it to another player in hopes of being passed a better one. Simple? It would seem so, but the factors influencing that decision are myriad. Strength, order of appearance, geographic location, the current score, Event cards, the current holding of the leader, and the remnants of past holdings all play a role in making a simple decision to pass or play an Empire card truly an agonizing one.

Every corner of the globe is included -- from the Minoans of Crete to China's Chou Dynasty, from Alexander the Great's Macedonia to the Guptas of India, from the exotic Khmers of Southeast Asia to the fanatic Arabs at the height of their power. Mongols, Aztecs, Zulus, Vikings, and even the American Indians play their roles right up to the emerging colonial powers of the 19th century. And, unlike other games of its ilk, History of the World is easily playable in an evening and suitable fare for the entire family. You will learn more in one game of History of the World than in an entire semester of World History.

Product Information

• Designer(s): Steve Kendall, Gary Dicken
• Manufacturer(s): Avalon Hill
• Artist(s): Steve Langmead, Jason Spiller, Charles Kibler
• Year: 1993
• Players: 2 - 6
• Time: 180 - 270 minutes
• Ages: 12 and up
• Weight: 1,472 grams

Contents:

• 1 6-page illustrated rules folder
• 1 6-page illustrated sample game
• 1 32 x 22 in. mounted mapboard
• 1 plastic counter tray
• 4 sheets of die-cut playing pieces
• 5 6-sided dice
• 48 Empire cards
• 64 Event cards

Other Resources for History of the World:

	Board Game Geek is an incredible compilation of information about board and card games with many descriptions, photographs, reviews, session reports, and other commentary.
	The Luding Database is a game database that contains several thousand games, authors and publishers. There are also links to game discussions at more than 60 sites around the web.