Matagot SARL | Kemet - Blood and Sand | Board Game | Ages 12+ | 2 to 5 Players | 90 to 120 Minutes Playing Time

Product Information

Since the Kemet: Blood and Sand board game is a game with troops on the board, everyone wants to know what those troops are like! Let me put your mind at ease; this game has really great table presence with its miniatures. Despite the small size of the normal units, there is a surprising amount of detail in the sculpts that would allow them to take well to those miniature paints that you’ve been sitting on. One thing I find slightly annoying, however, is the resolutely multilingual nature of the game. While I realise Matagot is saving considerable money by creating one game in six languages and without a word of text on any of the cards or tiles, it can also be a bit frustrating when there is such a variety of powers and special effects on offer. Also the English rules translation could be better. Hopefully this rules summary (which includes information from the FAQ) and reference fixes those small problems and makes the game faster and easier to play. The Kemet: Blood and Sand board gameis a re-implementation of Kemet, which was originally released in 2012. Now, I never played the original so this board game review is going to be entirely based in a vacuum from my experience with the reboot. Once you internalize a few small pieces of rule grit, though, it’s pretty straightforward. I’d even say it’s dumb. Gloriously dumb. A tribute to the possibilities of Dumb. The miniatures are beautifully designed and the whole production is outstanding. The rulebook needs work and there were times when learning, it wasn’t easy to find an answer to the question. I found the board bland. This may be deliberate so that the miniatures stand out on it. Why do you only use half the board in a 2 or 3 player game? I want to play on the whole board every game.

On each turn—early game rounds include five turns for each player, though that can change—you choose and execute one (1) of several actions on your player board. These include moving, praying, recruiting, purchasing power up tiles, and constructing a stage of your pyramid. That’s it. Like I said, it’s much more approachable than it looks. A player board. On top of the adjustments to gameplay, several changes have been made to update Kemet’s appearance, adding a new tile colour - onyx - alongside new illustrations and miniatures for each tribe and creature. Cities have been given a new coat of paint to reflect the god with which they’re associated. If a player has at least 9 Fame Points at the beginning of their Day Phase, and no other player has more Fame Points than them, they immediately win the game!Kemet: Blood and Sand is played over a series of Rounds, each of which consist of a Day and Night Phase. During the Day, players are taking a total of 5 actions that can consist of the following: If you want to play a larger board game, but you’re worried about being overwhelmed, Kemet: Blood & Sand is a pretty good entry point. This is especially true if you play with someone who can teach the game. The manual is good, but it makes Kemet seem less approachable than it is. Like most of the heavier games I love, the real weight here is not in playing, but rather in trying to play well. Each God’s troops are represented by a different warrior character and colour. The colour coding of the miniatures to your God player board is a good idea. It is easier to locate the troops on the mainboard. This is better than using the same colour/style pieces with different coloured bases. There Is More...

Combat is triggered by moving troops into a region that contains opponent pieces. Fighting is mandatory and tense. Strength is determined by the number of soldiers each player has in the region, any applicable power tiles, any applicable Divine Intervention cards—little bonus cards that for the most part can be played during your turn or during combat—and each player’s chosen battle card. A foul creature is beside you, increasing the odds of victory. You can see the enemy in the distance. Will your God leave you here to guard the city’s pyramids? Maybe teleport you across the land to one of the distant temples? Make you march to the nearest city and take control? The Battle Starts… All of these changes are for the best, and two are worth looking into at length. Count ‘Em Up The score board at the end of a game. Each pyramid comes in 3 pieces with a coloured gem on top. This represents the power tile groups available to that player. The power tiles are solid with the same iconography. A clear representation of its use within the game. The inclusion of the trays is a nice touch and helps with the setup. The areas on the mainboard are clearly defined and look okay. The temple and city areas are easily identifiable. Any iconography on the board clearly shows your reward or option when controlled.The cities available on the mainboard are determined by the number of players. For 2 to 3 players, only use the area on the east side of the Nile. Sandstorms cover the uninhabitable cities.