Description
Europe in the 1920s is in turmoil. The ashes of the First World War still lie scattered across the landscape. The capitalist city-state, known simply as The Factory, which had supplied the war effort with mighty armoured machinery – the mechs – has shut its doors. Its closure has attracted the attention of several neighbouring states, all eager to gain control of its territory and secrets.Scythe is a strategic engine-building game set in an alternative version of 1920s Europe. It is a time of farming and war, of broken hearts and rusting cogs, of innovation and courage. Each player takes control of one of five Eastern European factions, all striving to grow rich and secure as much territory as possible around the mysterious Factory. Players expand their territory, acquire resources, recruit conscripts, gain the support of villagers, construct buildings and utilise powerful spells.Each player starts with a different combination of resources, abilities, starting position and hidden objective. The factions are asymmetrical, and their starting positions are specifically tailored to their unique abilities. As a result, the game unfolds slightly differently when playing as each faction.Scythe uses a simple and fluid action selection system. On their turns, players choose between different actions; the game does not have traditional rounds or phases. This maintains a fast pace and reduces waiting time between turns. Although direct confrontations can occur, it is not possible to eliminate a player from the game.Engine-building is an important part of the game. Over time, your actions become more effective; buildings improve your position on the map; recruiters strengthen your faction’s abilities; mechanisms grant access to new possibilities and expanding your territory brings you more resources. Individual upgrades complement one another and create a sense of ever-increasing momentum.A large part of the game is based on your decisions. Encounter cards, which players draw whilst exploring new territories, introduce a degree of unpredictability, but each one offers several different options from which you can choose. Combat, too, is based on players’ decisions rather than dice rolls.The order in which you develop your economy, technology and military capabilities has a significant impact on the course of the game. That is precisely why every game can be different, even if you play with the same faction multiple times.
