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Codex Leicester is the reimplementation of Leonardo da Vinci (2006) by Acchittocca (Flaminia Brasini, Virginio Gigli, Stefano Luperto, Antonio Tinto) in collaboration with the founder of DiceTree Games, Changhyun Baek. It is a new game using the original’s system and theme.
This is a worker placement game for 1 to 5 players, featuring strong player interaction. Playtime lasts approximately 30 minutes per player.
Summary:
Players find themselves as inventors trying to breathe life into their designs, all of which draw their inspiration from the notes of the master himself: the Codex Leicester of Leonardo da Vinci. Ranging from relatively simple to epic, all these inventions require materials and time to bring them to fruition.
Of course, genius alone won’t get the job done. Get support from the Council and sponsors. You will need to expand your workshops and procure Automata designed by Leonardo himself – all this to increase your work efficiency. Hire apprentices straight out of the academy to nab highly coveted materials from the market before your rivals.
Time is of the essence. Race to be the foremost in completing inventions. You will unlock rewards and special abilities if you are the first player to complete the inventions. Otherwise, you will get less rewards without special abilities.
After 7 rounds, the player who has amassed the largest fortune will be awarded victory!
Who among you will be the most ingenious Renaissance inventor?
-description from publisher
=Changes from Leonardo da Vinci (2006):
- The allocation of start game resources has changed. 4 resource selection cards are distributed, of which 2 are kept, and their corresponding resources are collected. Receive additional resources according to to turn order.
- Competitive elements have been strengthened for a 2 or 3 players game, allowing enjoyment of a similar tension at any player count.
- More invention cards! An increase from 25 to 40 cards, with each card having special effects that players can use instantly, once in a round, and permanently.
- More enticing Council options! An increase from four to eight options, with florins piling up on tiles that no one has chosen each time a new tile is placed.
- Card resources have been replaced with meeples, and player screens have been added.
- Invention card completion has been modified so that everyone knows what inventions are being worked on at any given time.
- Invention cards are now divided into current and future spaces, adding a new dimension for strategic play.
- The 15-week inventions are now only revealed at the start of the game, allowing players to prepare in advance.
- Restrictions of the workshops have been lifted so that you can upgrade them, as well as add automata, in the middle of working on an invention.
- Each player now gets six objectives, all of which yield rewards upon fulfillment. So if you find yourself falling behind in completing inventions, these objectives will help you catch up.
- New effects have been added to the Laboratory and Academy. You can buy 1 work from the Laboratory and 1 resource from the Academy. Now there’s a reason to use the Laboratory and Academy in the later of the game.
- The game consists of 7 rounds. Players pay salaries to hired assistants at the end of rounds 3, 5, and 7. Some effects of the Laboratory and Academy change in rounds 4 and 6. In round 7, players can sell resources instead of buying them.
- The game comes with a double-sided game board; double-layered player boards; premium wooden, glass, and plastic resource tokens; and 12 transparent containers for storing components.
- The mini auction system works very well and creates a nice tussle.
- Declaring inventions adds a lot of attention and strategic depth.
- The game provides a constant stream of rewards, making it feel consistently rewarding.
- It's a pleasant surprise and better than expected.
- Offers ample tension and meaningful decisions.
- Towards the end of the game, the rewards seem to disappear, leaving only substandard options.
- The game has virtually no theme; it's described as 'drier than an Hawaiian Solarium'.
- The artwork and production are good, but the 'dirty duck brown' color makes it feel uncomfortable.
- The cover art, featuring a naked man, is a significant turn-off.
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Hanza Teutonica
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection — Players choose actions by placing workers in different locations like the Council, Laboratory, Markets, Bank, and Academy.
- Area Majority — Players compete for majority influence in regions, which determines turn order and action costs. Masters count as two, apprentices as one.
- Drafting — Inventions are available to declare, with some being current and others future inventions. Players can also pursue 'epic' inventions.
- Resource Management — Players gather various resources to complete inventions. There's a phase for buying and selling materials.
- Set Collection — Points are awarded for different sets of inventions.
- Worker Placement — Players place workers on a board to gather resources and complete inventions. Masters count as two workers, apprentices as one. Placement rules prevent stacking apprentices on existing apprentices.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- This is a bog standard Euro worker placement game.
- The mini auction system works really really well.
- Declaring the inventions adds a lot of attention to the game.
- There's basically no theme, it's drier than an Hawaiian Solarium.
- The artwork and the production value is off the charts.
- The final thing that we don't like about Leonardo da Vinci codex zester is the cover up.
- Yes this is a really pleasant surprise for us.