Episode 232: Mosaic – A Story of Civilization

In this one to six player card drafting, engine building, civ game designed by Glen Drover and published by Forbidden Games players attempt to build the greatest empire in history. Most actions in the game are driven by decks of cards that have “pillars of civilization” icons on them that generally relate to end game scoring or are prerequisites to play other cards on offer.

The first action is build. On a turn you can choose to build a city or town on a hex tile board consisting of different regions or build a public project. Cities in general score points, farms increase food production and projects tend to offer end game scoring.

Acquire technology which generally boosts production or offers end game scoring.

Levy taxes or tariffs that bring in money but also unrest.

Gain population, produce currencies/goods.

Adopt a government for empire scoring.

and finally build a Wonder like the hanging gardens or the great pyramids.

As you reach certain objectives on the two types of scoring tiles those can be collected by players for end game points.

Scoring happens throughout the game when Empire scoring cards which are shuffled in the action decks are revealed and it is based on the majority in the different regions. End game is triggered when at least 3 Empire Scoring cards are revealed or if all of the wonders are built and one scoring tile assortment is depleted or if both types of scoring tiles are depleted.

End game scoring is based on the things you built, your project and technology cards, manufacturing tile cards and then subtracting any unrest you may have accumulated.