Sparta (pré-joué) (ML)

The games in the L'As des jeux Bazar are pre-played games. They have been inspected by one of our game experts and are certified "Complete." You may find some minor imperfections, such as light wear on the box or on certain game components.

Sparta drops you straight into ancient Greece, in 228 BC, when Spartans and Achaeans fought for control of the Peloponnese. Published by Queen Games in 2011, this abstract strategy game is played on a massive ten-by-ten grid, where eight cities wait to be conquered at the center of the board. Each turn, you move a warrior two squares or a hero three squares, changing direction mid-move if you like, to trap enemy pieces between your own. A piece caught in a pincer, with no empty square to escape through, is instantly captured and removed from play, sometimes in chains with several other captures at once. The further the game goes, the tighter the board gets, and the more every move demands thinking several steps ahead, a bit like chess or checkers, but with the unique flavor of Spartan warriors.

Sparta is for you if you love purely tactical face-offs, with no text to read and no luck to shuffle the odds. Fans of checkers, chess, or other abstract classics will find in this fast-paced roughly 30-minute duel a real strategic puzzle, perfect for two players who like to match wits head to head.

The theme draws on the very real rivalry between Sparta and the Achaean League in ancient Greece, two powers that long fought for control of the Peloponnesian cities. Since no text is needed to play, Sparta crosses language barriers with ease, fitting just as well into a regulars' game night as an impromptu match between travelers.

There's an unusual story behind this board: designer Yannick Holtkamp was only 12 years old when he came up with Sparta, and barely two years later, at 14, he was already enrolled as a science student at a university in Dusseldorf. The game's artwork is by Claus Stephan.

BOX CONTENTS
1 game board (10 x 10 grid)
16 warriors (8 of each color)
16 heroes (8 of each color)
8 city tiles
1 rules booklet
1 sticker sheet (spare stickers included)

Number of players: 2
Duration: 30 minutes
Age: 10 and up