[Age of Mythology - The Boardgame]
Hi all,
Sorry for writing this message in English, really, but I don't speak the language...
A couple of days ago in a German forum, a player mentionned, while talking about the boardgame 'Age of Mythology' by Eagles, a variant that had become popular in some gaming circles over there. He directed me to this site, and I found the variant. As expected, it's in French, so I wondered if any of you knew where I could find a translation of it somewhere. Was it written in French from the start ? It's nowhere on BGG (Boardgamegeek, an English gaming site), and there is no translation on Bruno Faidutti's site.
Thanks in advance,
Ed
These two variants have been made by Solipsiste. Maybe he or somebody else will translate them in english.
Otherwise, you can try to translate them with Babel Fish.
For the second part of the variant :
http://www.trictrac.net/index.php3?id=jeux&rub=detail&inf=variantes&ref=28
Here is the translation :
A choice of 20 units for a first play
I purpose you a choice of 20 military units for each 3 Mythologies. These basis armies are referring to my own variant already purposed on this website. They can be used for a first play, or if you’re playing with beginners.
GREEK :
MORTALS
1 Hoplite (Infantryman)
2 Hippokons
3 Toxotes *
MYTH
1 Hydra
2 Cyclops
2 Minotaurs
2 Manticors
1 Centaur
2 Medusas
HEROES
2 Classical
1 Heroic
1 Mythical
Heroes killer
** To benefit from Apollo card.
EGYPTIAN
MORTALS
1 Chariot Archer
3 Spearmen*
2 Elephants
MYTH
3 Mummies**
2 Scorpion Men
2 Sphinxes
1 Pheonix***
1 Wadjet
1 Anubite
HEROES
2 Priests
1 Pharaoh
1 Son of Osiris *
Heroes killer
To benefit from their special ability
*** Resurrection cost in the variant : 2 Favours and 2 Woods
**** Resurrection cost : 5 Favours and 3 Gold
NORSE
MORTALS
3 Jarls*
1 Throwing Axemen
2 Huskarls
MYTH
2 Nirdhoggs
2 Valkyries
2 Frost Giants
1 Troll
3 Dwarves**
HEROES
2 Classical
1 Heroic
1 Mythic
* Heroes killer
** To benefit from their special ability
……
There we are ! With these basis armies, each mythology disposes 6 Mortals, 10 Mythic Units, 4 Heroes.
Each one has at least one unit from each species.
Of course, I don’t mean to say it is the best combination possible, but these basis armies are balanced and fair.
It becomes by far, mostly interesting to choose your started units as described in the variant.
Good Luck ! And don’t hesitate to send to me your comments !
By Solipsiste.
And for the first part of the variant :
http://www.trictrac.net/index.php3?id=jeux&rub=detail&inf=variantes&ref=26
In order to reduce chaos in combat
I purpose you a variant which have turned a game we were on the point to leave into a lovely game ! This variant has 3 objectives :
1. Reduce chaos in combats and armies, then make the battles more strategic.
2. Reduce playtime of the game
3. Rebalance the victory’s conditions, by improving the period’s changes and increase the chances to build a Wonder.
Of course, as each variant, it refers only to those who think that the concerned elements pose a problem. It is made for 3 players but could be easily adaptated for 4 players or more.
To the beginning :
- Players can choose only units with one color in each mythology. Among those 40 military units (villagers not included), they choose 20 ones (only military units) without showing them to other players. They must choose at least, one mortal unit of each kind.
- These 20 units are placed close to the board in what I call the RESERVE.
- Optional : players will keep their units in reserve secretly during the game, until they are recruiting.
- Each player take ONE (and not two) mortal unit of each kind (3 in total) that they place on their board (holding area) at the beginning.
- Moreover, the Greek player gets a Hydra, the Norse player gets a Valkiry, the Egyptian player an Anubite. (these units, as mortals, are taken among the 20 ones chosen, so we must have already selected them to gain them)
Combats rules :
- Players dispose of, during all the game, only those 20 military units. (This does not affect villagers)
- Every lost unit in combat is ELIMINATED from the game, apart if this unit is not killed in battle (with a special card). In this only case, the unit goes back to the reserve.
Changes applyed to “Attack” cards :
- The value of the Attack’s cards compared to the number of the implied units in each battle is reduce by half, to the higher number.
For example : a card ATTACK 7 only allowed 4 units to be placed into battle.
Normal cards (ATTACK 4) allowed 2 units to be implied.
- Players who dislike the idea of playing only with 2 units, can as well decide to define the lower value to 3.
Military reinforcements rules :
- A player that has less than 5 units in total (holding + reserve) can, at his turn, add to his own reserve MORTAL units to get a combined total of 5. He can recruit them by playing a card.
FINAL TURN
- The final turn (the 10th) happens only if nobody has constructed the Wonder before.
- In the final turn, everyone has been OYA three times in the game, not more.
- We will auction the possibility to choose the order of the last turn.
- The way to do it : each player hides a number of undetermined resources in his hands. (anything in the 4 basis resources)
- The player that has most resources chooses the order of playing of EACH player.
During the last turn :
- Each player can only attack one time his opponents.
- In combat, a player is forced to submit the maximum number of units indicated in his Attack card (2 to 4, apart of special cases, the better card is 8 – accord to the variant, this will be divided by two). Of course the players is forced to do so only if he’s got enough units in his “Holding Area”.
- These are deathmatches. Capitulations are prohibited, apart of for a player had already lost, in DEFENSE, during this turn.
Misc :
- Turn the construction limit of Houses to 6 instead of 10.
i'll translate the FAQ and the other stuffs later, in the evening 
FAQ :
Q&A
Q) Is the Resurrection capacity of the Egyptian not becoming too more powerful?
A) Yes. You may have to reduce the cost of resurrection in the following way:
- Son of Osiris: 5 Favours and 3 Golds
- Phoenix: 3 Favours and 2 Woods
Q) What to do with recruiting cards that allow you to choose military units?
A) You may have those units in your reserve. For example: the Greek Apollon’s card allows you to choose two Toxotes. The Greek may have chosen the Toxotes among his 20 units and they must not be into his “Holding Area”. The same logical is applied for the Mummy Recruiting card.
Q) So what to do with the POWER of the Mummy?
A) The Mummy are undeads, so it is possible for a player, when his Mummy kills an enemy unit, to pick up an Mummy slaughtered in a previous combat. But, he can never choose from the non-selected units at the beginning. An Egyptian, if he wants to play with Mummies, must select several ones.
Q) What to do with the special card that allows you to put as many as we want units in a combat?
A) It does only pose a problem to the 10th turn, because a player cannot capitulate. So, we allow every player to capitulate after losing 5 units (so one more of the “Attack 8” card).
----
There we are, it is a bit long, but I can assure you that this variant works perfectly (I’ve enough tested it!). Combats are more strained, choices more difficult to take.
Advantages:
1. The Wonder will be constructed more often, because players will spend less money to buy their units, and may want more often build powerful Heroes units that they probably chose.
2. The choice of units adds a strategic dimension.
3. Combats are shorter.
4. No frantic run to the creation of the biggest army in which any units won’t take part to battle.
5. No victory with a “Largest Army” boosted by a lot of mortal units.
6. A last turn more exciting, that the host players will avoid in building a Wonder before, but they have to suffer consequences if they don’t succeed in.
7. Battles are more significant and make choices more important.
8. Less chaos with those pitiful plastic pieces which are difficult to make the difference from.
Solipsiste.
(message à supprimer) désolé !
sbeuh powaaa!
je suppose que c'est un complimah !
Mahrci ! :p
Je suis etudiante russe en langues à Paris
Je ne suis pas très familier avec français, j'a entendou parler d'un variante pour Age of Mythology,
pouvoir vous me la expliquer en Russe ? 
....Bravo Solipsiste, c'est le début de la consécration ludique ! Promis j'essaye bientôt la variante !
CORWYN59 dit:Je suis etudiante russe en langues à Paris
Je ne suis pas très familier avec français, j'a entendou parler d'un variante pour Age of Mythology,
pouvoir vous me la expliquer en Russe ?
Esli vy menja ponimaete, ja mogu perevesti dlja vas pravila igry na russkij.
et pour ceux ayant des difficultés à lire le russe avec notre alphabet latin, je leur propose une version en cyrillique -> http://www.nelene.net/traduc.rtf -> Ouvrir ... 
sbeuh dit:Esli vy menja ponimaete, ja mogu perevesti dlja vas pravila igry na russkij.
ponimaete = comprendre, et c'est tout ce que je ponimaete, malgré 2 ans de russe !
arthemix dit:sbeuh dit:Esli vy menja ponimaete, ja mogu perevesti dlja vas pravila igry na russkij.
ponimaete = comprendre, et c'est tout ce que je ponimaete, malgré 2 ans de russe !
La traduction pour Arthémix qui a honte :
-> Si tu arrives à comprendre ce que j'ai écris, je suis prêt à te traduire les règles du jeu en russe.
Ed,
I will post the variant on BGG as soon as I can. I'm really happy to see the interest that it seems to generate. I had no idea that it was also played in Germany ! Thanks to Sbeuh for the translation. The AI translator still made some funny mistakes...
Alex (Solipsiste)
Par ailleurs, la variante sera a nouveau editee aujourd'hui. J'ai trouve quelques erreurs !
Alex