In the 15th and 16th century, Portugal is thriving under its leading role during the Age of Discovery. Nestled in the heart of Portugal, the city of Coimbra serves as a cultural center of the country. As the head of one of Coimbra's oldest houses, you seek to earn prestige by deepening relationships with nearby monasteries or funding expeditions of the era. To reach this goal, you must vie for the favors of the city's most influential citizens, even if you must offer a bit of coin or some protective detail.
Coimbra introduces an innovative new dice mechanism in which the dice players draft each round are used in multiple different ways and have an impact on many aspects of their decision making. While there are many paths to victory, players should always seek to optimize their opportunities with every roll of the dice. Combined with ever-changing synergies of the citizens, expeditions, and monasteries, no two games of Coimbra will ever be the same!
- beautiful visuals and elegant engine
- deep strategic options in a compact package
- some players mistake it for a coin game
- dice drafting and tableau-building in a classic European setting
- Chinatown
- Wingspan
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice drafting — draft colored dice to advance on tracks and draft cards
- tableau building — build a tableau that triggers benefits as colors are played
- tableau-building — build a tableau that triggers benefits as colors are played
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I really want to be able to hop into a live stream and know exactly what I'm doing.
- Less but better quality is something I'm embracing going into 2024.
- Septima is my number one game of the month.
References (from this video)
- tight, elegant dice drafting with depth
- strong tableau-building loop
- solo mode is not official in some editions
- scaling can vary by player count
- dice drafting and tableau-building through cards
- medieval Coimbra, Portuguese city
- cautious, strategic integration of dice to actions
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card tableau building — build a personal tableau that unlocks abilities and endgame scoring
- color/track synergy — dice color and pip values drive action strength and timing
- dice drafting — draft dice and place on action cards
- tableau building — build a personal tableau that unlocks abilities and endgame scoring
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- This has been the hardest one thus far to rank because there are so many games that are like amazing with this kind of mechanism of using dice in cool ways.
- I love the mechanism video. There are so many good dice games.
- Wayfarers of the South Tigers is my number one favorite game that uses dice in cool ways.
References (from this video)
- beautiful art and production value
- deep, multi-layered engine-building with interesting interaction
- quite replayable for Euro-game fans
- heavy for casual players
- rule complexity can hinder quick teach/learning
- economic and social engine-building in a 18th–19th century Iberian context
- Portugal; historical urban elite life, with a focus on social maneuvering and influence
- euro-style game with layered action economy and engine-building
- Orléans
- Caverna
- Puerto Rico
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- 3D buildings and tactile components — Miniature buildings and visually rich components enhance the thematic feel
- Dice drafting/placement — Dice are drafted and placed to trigger actions and progression on a layered board
- multi-layer action economy — Die color and position affect cost and activation order across several tracks
- resource management and engine building — Acquire resources and assemble engines that generate ongoing benefits
- worker placement-like cog system — Players place cogs/henchmen on a multi-layered action track to activate effects
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Gen Con is North America's biggest game convention - in tabletop gaming.
- I hate that from working in video games when I hear the word cog the first thing I think of is cost of goods.
- There's a lot of panels and places for people to learn how to paint miniatures.
References (from this video)
- Layered dice drafting as a strategic engine-building tool
- Versatile engine with many viable routes
- Dice drafting can feel punishing if luck swings
- Rulebook can be intimidating to newcomers
- Political influence, religion, and exploration
- Renaissance Portugal with noble families
- Dice drafting as a core strategic puzzle
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card_cycle_and_actions — Dice values influence action costs and availability; high value costs more
- city_area_placement — Dice are placed in four city areas and resolved by value
- dice drafting — Players draft dice of different colors to influence tracks and turns
- dice placement — Dice are placed in four city areas and resolved by value
- dice_drafting — Players draft dice of different colors to influence tracks and turns
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- The joy of Power Grid comes from the economic planning and watching what the other players are doing.
- The better you're doing, the later in turn order you go.
- One of the key gameplay mechanisms for me is I always have to be anticipating the future actions and making my board ready to take full advantage of it.
- The game does an excellent job of blending dice drafting, tile placement, and engine building into a satisfying strategic puzzle.
- This game is a feast for Odin.
- The engine building and kind of a deck builder. The theme is pretty shaky for this one.
- What sets this game apart is the time aspect.
- The joy of this one is seeing what cards you have to work with and coming up with a long-term strategy, but being agile enough that if you get cards that may be a better engine or scoring, you can pivot midame, maybe even pivot several times during the game to figure out what's best for you.
- The dice drafting is not just about luck. It is a layer decision-making puzzle.
References (from this video)
- Elegant, bright production with a distinctive style
- Tight optimization and planning
- Strong interaction via shared action economy
- Steep teach for new to mid-weight euros
- Can reward perfect information and planning more than playful exploration
- economic competition and social climbing in a historical setting
- Portuguese city of Coimbra; social and cultural influence
- classic euro with thematic flair
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card drafting — Players draft action cards to influence their actions and timing.
- multi-path scoring — Points can be earned through several routes, not a single linear track.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It's like a board game summer camp at a hotel.
- You just get so much gaming in.
- Board game goals. I like that.
- It's always a lot of fun when you find the right people.
References (from this video)
- Innovative and intuitive dice-drafting mechanism
- Deep yet balanced engine-building with multiple viable paths
- High replayability via voyages and variable track values
- Excellent production value (dice, components, visuals, and storage)
- Smooth game flow with manageable downtime and engaging pacing
- Strong player agency; tight, tense decisions without excessive downtime
- Clear footprint and approachable for medium-weight euros
- Nice integration of color and pips into strategic choices
- Minimal rules friction; quick setup and solid rule comprehension
- Strong thematic flavor despite abstract presentation
- Theme is abstract and may not appeal to players seeking a strong narrative
- Occasional AP can creep in due to multiple paths and card interactions
- Some players may prefer more direct interaction or competition for spots
- Publishing and designer credit not clearly defined in the transcript context
- abstract engine-building driven by color-coded dice
- abstract euro game setting with historical flavor, not strongly defined
- Array
- Lorenzo il Magnifico
- Grand Austria Hotel
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice drafting — draft dice to acquire cards and climb different tracks
- end game bonuses — collect specific items (rosettes) to trigger endgame scoring
- engine building — combine card effects to grow your engine and gain resources
- initiative and crowns — player order is influenced by crowns; last round rewards impact next turn order
- Resource management — manage income, military, merchants, and victory points across color tracks
- resource/track management — manage income, military, merchants, and victory points across color tracks
- set collection / endgame bonuses — collect specific items (rosettes) to trigger endgame scoring
- variable scoring and voyages — voyages and track values shift per game, enhancing replayability
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I'm really really impressed by the kind of innovativeness of it
- the game flows very very smoothly from one face the next
- this is definitely staying my shot
- Coimbra a fantastic amazing game
- if you like your medium weight euros this is one definitely to check out
- a real real success of 2018
- I've got no complaints whatsoever from what I've paid
- the track values are balanced and the variability really spices things up
- the engine really starts to click and it's incredibly satisfying
- it doesn't feel like a race; you can play at your own pace and still feel competitive
References (from this video)
- genius engine-building
- enjoyable dice drafting
- weight may deter lighter gamers
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice drafting with color selection — Dice values and dice color influence card acquisition and track advancement.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- mind was a big hit for me in 2018
- this is the second Wolfgang Warsch game
- Gloomhaven really did blow me away
- absolutely genius mechanisms
References (from this video)
- Pleasing dice mechanic integration
- Engaging map progression
- Dice drafting with map progression
- Duke-narrative map-based
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice drafting — Use dice to activate regions and advance on the map
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- card drafting to the forefront of gaming mechanisms
- it's very difficult but again if you especially love the Lord of the Rings this is one to definitely sink your teeth into
- this really is a family weight game you can play this one with just about anybody