GMT: Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East (English)

If you enjoyed Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea, you will love Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East!

Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East (ACME) is presented by the same team that created Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea - designers Christopher Vorder Bruegge and Mark McLaughlin, along with developer Fred Schachter. ACME is not a continuation or an expansion, but a standalone game that uses the same multiplayer and solitaire systems as its predecessor, with many new and exciting features that will captivate its players, including:

Gods. Instead of building the Wonders of the World, you will have the opportunity to establish the Gods from the biblical era (including "you-know-who," the one who demanded, "Let my people go!"). A brand new set of 110 cards, many of which allow you to inflict disasters and defeats upon your opponents of, yes, BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS! One civilization can even conquer another's Deity and take its statue back to its capital to demonstrate its military and theological superiority. Rugged mountain regions (with blocks to indicate fortresses) Fertile river valleys (where even cities or a single disk/camp could grow in population) Expansive deserts (where stacking is heavily restricted, and growth is forbidden) And of course the rolling plains and churning seas found in Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea. ACME is a game about chaos-inducing wrath from gods and men - a chaos that each player strives to manage, survive, and lead their civilization to a victorious triumph. Spanning from the ancient world from Hellespont to Indus, from the Caspian Sea to the Red Sea, and from the early Bronze Age to the Hellenistic era, Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East allows you not only to control 10, but 16, SIXTEEN CIVILIZATIONS! ACME is not just one game, but many games. 1-6 players will take on the role of one, two, or even three civilizations as they compete through up to four ages on land and sea, seeking to survive a range of potential natural disasters while leaving their indelible mark on history. Each civilization will fight to become the dominant power of its age through conquest and city-building, along with establishing its deity's supremacy.

Extensive Solitaire rules allow any scenario, including the basic game, to be played by a single player against one or more Non-Player Civilizations (NPCs). The NPC can be peaceful or hostile and can change its attitude depending on the player's actions. Historical wargame scenarios particularly offer aggressive Solitaire system-controlled opponents for those who wish to fight to expand or defend their civilization.

A Wargame Only When You Want It

If you want a wargame, you get it. If you want a friendly game, you get that too! Just like Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea, Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East can be about war, but it doesn't have to be. It can be a friendly game of exploration, building, trade, and faith. Players (solitaire, a group of up to six, or even a mix of live players with a system-controlled civilization of two or more) can do with ACME what they wish or imagine. The competition can be martial or cultural, warlike or friendly, or a combination of both - how the game unfolds entirely depends on how the players want it to be played. The duration of the game is also up to the players: from a multi-hour odyssey of all four ages to a predetermined shorter competition of an hour or two or to an agreed Sudden Death Victory Point threshold.

For Those Who Want a Wargame, There Is Plenty of War to Play

Historical wargame scenarios are just that - fun and entertaining scenarios that recreate wars from the dawn of civilization to Alexander the Great's conquests (and more!). Take on the role of Agamemnon as he plundered Troy, Solomon as he built the Temple, or Ramses as he led his chariots on the Kadesh plain. Become the great lawgiver, Hammurabi, the inspiring Persian empire builder, Cyrus, or the legendary hero, Rostam (and more!). There are even double-sized (double the usual number of disks) civilization options for those who wish to conquer the world of Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East and become - as the Assyrian kings Akkad and Sumer claimed - the king of the world's four corners.

Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East is suitable for players of all ages, offers great family entertainment, and is easy and quick to learn. It can serve as a kind of gateway to the more complex games our wonderful hobby has to offer.