How To Play: Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization – Setup, rule summary and strategy

Quick Summary

Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization is an epic, immersive board game that takes players on a thrilling journey through history. With its deep strategic gameplay, engaging mechanics, and intricate decision-making, it offers endless hours of excitement for both novice and experienced players alike. The game combines resource management, technological advancements, military conflicts, population growth, and cultural development to deliver a captivating experience where players can shape the destiny of their civilizations.

This comprehensive strategy guide has provided valuable insights and techniques to help players excel in Through the Ages. From effectively managing resources, researching technologies, and honing military strategies, to nurturing population growth and cultural development, players can employ well-rounded strategies to increase their chances of victory. Whether aiming for cultural supremacy, scientific innovations, or military dominance, this guide equips players with the tools they need to thrive.

Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization is a masterpiece of board game design and promises an unforgettable gaming experience. With its exceptional depth, high replayability, and a variety of strategic choices, players will find themselves immersed in a world where civilizations rise and fall. Prepare to challenge the course of history and carve your civilization's name in the annals of time through strategic brilliance and tactical mastery in Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization.

Overview

Welcome to the ultimate strategy guide for Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization. Whether you are a seasoned player looking for strategies to refine your gameplay or a novice seeking expert advice, this guide will provide you with the insight you need to maximize your chances of victory.

In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into every aspect of the game, from the basic gameplay rules to advanced techniques and strategies. You will find an outline of the game rules, as well as invaluable tips and tricks to excel in the game.

Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization is a masterpiece of strategic gaming, where players assume the roles of great leaders striving to build the most influential civilization throughout history. It offers an immersive and intense experience where resource management, technological advancements, military strategies, population growth, and cultural development all play crucial roles in achieving victory.

Whether you are aiming for military domination, cultural supremacy, or scientific accomplishments, this guide will provide you with the insights and strategies to excel in your chosen path.

If you are ready to embark on a journey into the depths of strategy and compete for the mantle of the greatest civilization, read on to discover the secrets of success in Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization.

What’s in the box

  • 1 Game Board
  • 4 Player Boards
  • 212 Civil Cards
  • 256 Age Cards
  • 34 Wonder Cards
  • 34 Advisor Cards
  • 28 Future Event Cards
  • 49 Military Cards
  • 64 Action Cards
  • 49 Territory Cards
  • 77 Resource Tokens
  • 100 Population Tokens
  • 90 Culture Tokens
  • 140 Science Tokens
  • 84 Military Strength Tokens
  • 1 Starting Player Marker
  • 20 Progress Tokens
  • 1 Year Marker
  • 48 Urban Building Minis
  • 60 Rural Building Minis
  • 22 Navy Minis
  • 70 Worker Mini Discs
  • 4 Score Markers
  • 4 Civilization Boards
  • 1 Insert Tray
  • Rulebook

How To Play Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization: Rules Summary

1. Game Setup
  1. Each player is given a player board and a set of cards representing their civilization.
  2. The game board, civil cards, and resource tokens are set up on the table.
  3. Players receive initial resources, progress tokens, population tokens, and culture tokens.
2. Age Cards and Turns
  1. Age cards provide opportunities to build, research, or recruit.
  2. Each turn, players take actions by playing cards from their hand and following their instructions.
  3. Actions include deploying leaders, building structures, researching technologies, and recruiting military units.
3. Resource Management
  1. Players manage resources like food, science, culture, and military strength.
  2. Allocate population and resources to generate food, science, and culture.
  3. Use resources to initiate actions and advance your civilization.
4. Military Conflicts
  1. Players can engage in military conflicts to gain or protect resources.
  2. Use military cards and tokens to attack opponents’ territories or defend your own.
  3. Succeeding in conflicts earns you military strength tokens and territorial control.
5. Culture and Victory Points
  1. Culture generates culture points that contribute to your overall score.
  2. Acquire cultural achievements and wonders to boost your culture points.
  3. Victory is determined by the total score at the end of the game.

With these rules in mind, players strategically navigate history, building civilizations, making advancements, and competing for victory in Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization.

Best Through The Ages A Story Of Civilization Strategies

Mastering Resource Management: A Key to Victory

Resource management plays a crucial role in achieving success in Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization. Effectively managing your resources is essential for maintaining a prosperous civilization. Here are some strategic approaches to resource management that can give you an edge in the game:

1. Balance Your Production

Ensure a steady production of food, science, culture, and military strength. Consider the specific needs of your civilization and weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each resource. Strive to achieve a balance that maximizes your overall growth and power.

  1. Implement techs and policies that boost your resource production, especially those that suit your chosen strategy.
  2. Focus on developing structures that generate more resources, such as farms, laboratories, and theaters.
2. Invest Wisely in Research

Researching technologies is essential for advancement in the game. Efficient allocation of resources to research will give you access to powerful cards and technologies that can provide a significant advantage:

  1. Prioritize technologies that align with your chosen strategy and offer long-term benefits. This could be military research, enabling advanced attacking or defensive capabilities, or cultural advancements that provide continuous growth.
  2. Consider the investment cost and timing of research. Anticipate the benefits a technology will offer and ensure an optimal path of progression.
3. Utilize Event Cards Strategically

Event cards play a critical role in resource management. Understanding the potential outcomes and adapting your strategy accordingly is key:

  1. Keep an eye on upcoming event cards to anticipate any major shifts in resource availability or consequences.
  2. Prepare for events that may harm your resources or hinder your opponents’ progress, and mitigate their impact accordingly.

By mastering resource management, ensuring a balanced production, investing wisely in research, and utilizing event cards strategically, you will have a solid foundation for success in Through the Ages.

Mastering Technology Research: Unleashing Civilization’s Potential

Technology research is a crucial aspect for achieving victory in Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization. Advancing your civilization’s knowledge is the key to unlocking powerful abilities and gaining a competitive edge. Here are some strategic approaches to excel in technology research:

1. Prioritize High Impact Technologies

To make the most of your research efforts, focus on technologies that provide significant advantages and synergize with your overall strategy:

  1. Identify technologies that enable military advancements, offering superior defensive or offensive capabilities.
  2. Research technologies that enhance your resource production and management for long-term growth and stability.
2. Optimize Science Production

Efficiently generating science will expedite your research progress. Implement these strategies to maximize your science production:

  1. Invest heavily in science-generating structures such as libraries and universities.
  2. Allocate population to scientific research for greater science output.
3. Time Your Research Progression

The timing of your technology research can have a significant impact on your gameplay. Consider the following:

  1. Balance foundational technologies with immediate benefits and those required for future advancements.
  2. Anticipate the potential benefits a technology can offer in the short-term versus long-term gains.

By prioritizing high-impact technologies, optimizing science production, and strategically timing your research progression, you can unlock the full potential of your civilization and increase your chances of securing victory in Through the Ages.

Mastering Military Strategy: Triumph through Strength

Military strategy is a critical element in achieving victory in Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization. Building effective military power and employing strategic tactics can give you the upper hand in conflicts and secure your path to triumph. Here are some strategic approaches to excel in military strategy:

1. Balancing Defense and Offense

Striking the right balance between defense and offense is crucial for a successful military strategy:

  1. Build defensive structures, such as forts or city walls, to hold off enemy attacks and maintain a strong defense.
  2. Invest in military technologies and technologies that enhance your army’s lethality, enabling more effective offense.
2. Identify Weaknesses and Exploit Them

Analyzing opponents’ weaknesses and efficiently exploiting them can grant you a significant advantage:

  1. Study opponents’ civilization and military capabilities to identify vulnerabilities in their defense.
  2. Deploy your military forces intelligently, targeting weaker opponents or exploiting weaknesses in their defenses.
3. Maintain a Well-Balanced Army

Building a well-rounded and versatile army allows you to adapt to various situations:

  1. Include a mix of different units, such as infantry, cavalry, and artillery, to have versatility and counteract different types of threats.
  2. Ensure a balance between offensive and defensive units to respond to different military scenarios effectively.

By balancing defense and offense, identifying your opponents’ weaknesses, and maintaining a well-rounded army, you can employ a formidable military strategy that will guide you towards victory in Through the Ages.

Mastering Population Growth: Expanding Your Civilization

Population growth is a vital element in achieving victory in Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization. Efficiently managing the growth of your population and utilizing it to propel your civilization forward is key to success. Here are some strategic approaches to excel in population growth:

1. Focus on Food Production

Generating sufficient food is essential for sustaining population growth. Implement these strategies to ensure a steady food supply:

  1. Invest in structures that boost your food production, such as farms or aqueducts.
  2. Consider technologies and cards that provide extra food, enabling more rapid population growth.
2. Prioritize Worker Generation

Efficiently generating new workers will enhance your population growth rate. Consider the following:

  1. Invest in population-related technologies and policies to increase your ability to generate workers.
  2. Allocate population to worker generation to accelerate the expansion of your civilization.
3. Choose Growth-Focused System Cards

Selecting the right system cards can optimize your population growth. Look for cards that promote growth through various means:

  1. Choose leaders that possess abilities that boost population or enable special population-related actions.
  2. Acquire or invest in system cards that directly facilitate population growth or provide indirect benefits, such as the ability to build population-boosting structures.

By focusing on food production, prioritizing worker generation, and choosing growth-focused system cards, you can maximize your population growth and fuel the expansion of your civilization, increasing your chances of victory in Through the Ages.

Mastering Cultural Development: Nurturing Your Civilization’s Heritage

Cultural development plays a significant role in achieving victory in Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization. Cultivating your civilization’s cultural heritage can lead to long-term growth and prosperity. Here are some strategic approaches to excel in cultural development:

1. Prioritize Cultural Technologies

Investing in cultural technologies is the foundation for nurturing your civilization’s cultural growth:

  1. Focus on technologies that directly increase your cultural output, such as those providing wonders or bonus culture.
  2. Research technologies enhancing the effects of structures and cards tied to culture to amplify their impact.
2. Build Cultural Structures

Constructing structures devoted to culture gives your civilization a significant advantage. Consider the following:

  1. Invest resources and workers in theatres, museums, or wonders that increase your cultural output.
  2. Allocate population wisely, ensuring sufficient allocation to support cultural growth and maximize the benefits of cultural structures.
3. Acquire Cultural Leader Cards

Recruiting leaders with cultural advantages can catapult your cultural development:

  1. Select leaders with abilities that boost cultural output or provide advantages specifically tied to cultural development.
  2. Consider leaders allowing you to acquire high-value culture-generating cards, enabling a rapid increase in your civilization’s cultural presence.

By prioritizing cultural technologies, building cultural structures, and acquiring cultural leader cards, you can nurture a vibrant cultural heritage and lead your civilization to glory in Through the Ages.

Conclusion: Conquer the Ages and Forge Your Civilization

Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization offers an immersive and challenging experience where players create and manipulate their civilizations throughout the annals of time. By mastering the art of resource management, military tactics, technological advancements, population growth, and cultural development, you can pave the way towards victory.

This strategy guide has provided you with valuable insights and techniques to refine your gameplay and increase your chances of success. Whether you aspire to military dominance, cultural supremacy, or scientific innovation, the tools and strategies outlined here will empower you on your journey.

Remember, effective decision-making, adaptability, and long-term planning are key to conquering the ages. Carefully balance your resources, anticipate opponents’ moves, and exploit strategic opportunities to steer your civilization towards greatness.

Now it is time to gather your knowledge and unleash your strategic prowess upon the Through the Ages game board. Prepare to embark on an epic journey through history as you forge the destiny of your civilization. May your guiding hand lead you to triumph and empower you to leave a lasting legacy!

Want to know what we think of Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization? Read our detailed review of Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization here

Jamie in his proper element: With all of his board games
Jamie Hopkins

With years of dice-rolling, card-flipping, and strategic planning under my belt, I've transformed my passion into expertise. I thrive on dissecting the mechanics and social dynamics of board games, sharing insights from countless game nights with friends. I dive deep into gameplay mechanics, while emphasizing the social joys of gaming. While I appreciate themes and visuals, it's the strategy and camaraderie that truly capture my heart.