Cradle of Civilization

Cradle of Civilization took me straight back to the 1990s. It is a remake of Avalon Hill's classic History of the World, with a different map, different civilizations, and slightly altered rules, and for me it carries that nostalgia of epic games at the gamer's circle with Ancient Old Guy, who is sadly no longer with us.

In very broad terms, it is like Small World with dice. The game lasts six eras, and in each one we take a tribe, spread across the map, and chase points. The civilizations are not equally strong and do not all have the same potential, which is not merely a flaw but part of the game.

Interaction comes mainly through choosing civilizations: the last player each round gets the chance to inflict some pain on everyone else. Conflicts rely heavily on dice, but at least they are straightforward dice, with very few modifiers and no need to dust off the rules every time a battle happens. I would have liked terrain to matter more and defense to offer a few more options, but those are fine-print concerns compared with the overall flow.

It is not a mind-blowing game, but it moves along nicely, especially when the table is in the mood for some historical teasing and plenty of luck. I would not recommend it with fewer than five players, even if the box includes scenarios for three and up. It is also nice that the same box contains a separate one-versus-one wargame about Alexander the Great's campaign; it looks approachable, but I have not played it yet, so I cannot say how interesting it is.