Factors of Spice 2007

Factors of Spice is a Euro-hybrid game. Similar in theme to Goa with mechanics like Puerto Rico and El Grande but with a map, limited combat, some secret movement elements.

The time is the late 1500s and the domination of the Spice Trade is in the balance. Far from playing colonial powers, the initial countries sent Factors, or professional trader-agents, to live with native peoples, and manage their trade interests while the fleet returned home. These factors lead dangerous lives, and the success of the next fleets’ mission usually lay in their hands. The factors built warehouses, or factories, to house goods collected while fleets were gone, and they were under constant surveillance form the un-trusting locals. Whether you use brutally repressive means against locals like the Portuguese or Dutch, or more congenial methods like the English you must develop a strategy that lets you maximize your profit while minimizing your losses. Factors of Spice allows player the flavor of the spice race managing fleets, trading with natives, and vying for political influence in these far away tropical islands that changed the course of world history.

Players act as Portugal, Spain, Holland or England.

Each turn is simple: 1. Take 3 cards from Tier I Deck containing simple ships, crews, and characters. 2. Take 2 cards from Tier II containing advanced ships and characters 3. Buy a Special Card 4. Increase income 5. Buy an Influence Card (worth 2-4 VP at games end) but 1 is lost per attack!

3 Years-8 seasons (turns)-and the game is over!

Interesting Mechanics: Players can have up to 5 distinct fleets on the board and may fission and fusion at will. 1. Players build a hand and "launch" a fleet of as many ships as they have. Fleets are secret until they land in the East Indies or are moved into by a separate fleet. 2. Resources "bloom" and then rot a few turns later, creating interesting timing problems. 3. Types of resources: harvest, mine, or delivered-different mechanism for each. 4. Value increases the longer a good has not been returned to Europe! 5. Diplomat Characters used in East Indies area control for VP at end of game. Seizing goods erases all diplomatic good will! 6. Interesting and simple interaction with natives 7. Variable event card played each turn changes weather and conditions in the East Indies. 8. Special bonus cards that add flavor and strategic options to the game. 9. Simple but interesting combat mechanism between fleets.