Thebai (FR)

*French version

Thebai (FR) immerses you in one of the most dramatic conflicts of ancient Greece. Oedipus has abandoned the throne, Polynices marches from Argos, and Eteocles struggles to defend Thebes behind its seven gates. As war looms, noble families see their chance to rebuild the Cadmea and reclaim the city’s lost glory.

In this expert board game of deep strategy, you play as an influential leader during the turbulent late Bronze Age. Your objective: rebuild the citadel, strengthen your estate, restore exports, gain the favour of the gods, and protect the city while heroes clash outside the walls. Every round demands careful planning and bold decisions.

The game lasts 10 rounds, each divided into an Action phase and a Fate phase. On your turn, you must use a Citizen die to activate actions on your Estate or on the City board, then move your Archon across the Cadmea to trigger powerful effects. Dice can be promoted and even ascend to the Council, creating new scoring opportunities. During the Fate phase, Conflict tiles trigger battles at the gates, where the strength of your Hoplite dice determines victory or loss.

Blending dice management, spatial movement, majority control, and end-game set collection, Thebai delivers a demanding strategy board game experience. The way you rebuild your Estate directly impacts your dice strength and final scoring, rewarding long-term planning.

You will enjoy Thebai if you are looking for a rich, challenging experience with strong thematic integration. If Greek mythology, evolving mechanics, and meaningful decisions over 90 to 150 minutes appeal to you, this heavy strategy game will meet your expectations.

Interesting fact: Thebai draws directly from the myth of the Seven Against Thebes. The battle system and Devotion tracks dedicated to Dionysus and Ares reflect the tension between fate, faith, and war.

Designed by Dávid Turczi, known for his intricate strategic designs, and illustrated by Zuzanna Kołakowska, Lucas Melo, and Wiktor Paluch, with cover art by Piotr Sokołowski, Thebai brings ancient Thebes vividly to life.

BOX CONTENTS
1 City board
1 Council board
4 Estate boards
1 Devotion board
8 Commander standees
14 Neutral Cadmea tiles
8 Commander cards
8 Invader cards
44 Contract cards
9 Disruption cards
12 Herald cards (1-2 players)
7 Comfort Fate tiles
7 Conflict Fate tiles
24 Blessing tiles
24 Metic tiles
18 Grape tokens
18 Bronze tokens
18 Pottery tokens
24 Drachma tokens
7 Citizen dice
4 Hoplite dice
9 Cadmea tiles per player
4 Strategos tiles per player
3 Councilor tiles per player
1 Archon per player
Markers and player aids
Rulebook

Number of players: 1 to 4
Playing time: 90 to 150 minutes
Age: 14+