One of my hobbies is playing board games, so I thought I’d start opining on various games I’ve played. May as well start with one of my favorites: 7 Wonders. You can visit the company’s website here.
The gist of 7 Wonders is that each player represents the overseer of a “Wonder of the World”, and is trying to improve upon that wonder by building structures (represented by the cards) or upgrading the stages of their wonder. This is accomplished by picking cards that provide resources, money, or the “knowledge” to build other structures (chain building).
The strategy in the game starts with the following things:
- What the benefits of your wonder are
- What resources you start with
- What resources your neighbors start with
More on strategy in the cards and guild sections below, but for now, let’s review the rules of the game.
Basic Rules
Each player is dealt 7 cards and each round chooses one secretly and passes the remaining cards to the neighbor as directed on the back of the card. Once all players have chosen a card, the choices are revealed, all costs must be paid, and all effects are immediately resolved. This continues until there are just two cards left to select. During this final stage of the round, the player chooses one card and then discards the other rather than passing it. Once the round (or age) is over, military conflicts are resolved, and the next age begins (or the game ends if the third age just ended).
Rather than selecting a card each round, the player has the option of discarding a card to get 3 coins from the bank.
Rather than playing the effect of the selected card, the player has the option of placing the card face down under a stage of the wonder and paying the associated cost. In this case, the card acts like whatever slot it is placed under. This could be points or a special effect.
The frequency of the cards depends on the number of players. The greater the number of players, the more copies of certain cards will be included in the deck to draft. Each player can only have one unique instance of a card in front of them during the game.
The 7 Card Types
Resources
Resources are found only in the first two ages and have a brown background. They provide one or some combination of the four major resource types (Wood, Stone, Brick, Ore). If a card contains two or more resources, only one may be used by the player in the round. Resources may be purchased from an immediate neighbor for a cost of 2 gold per resource. You cannot refuse this.
Commodities
Commodities (called manufactured goods in the rules) are found only in the first two ages and have a grey background. They provide one of the three commodities (Textile, Glass, Papyrus). Commodities may be purchased from an immediate neighbor for a cost of 2 gold per commodity. You cannot refuse this.
Military
Military cards are found in all three ages, and provide a certain number of shields (or military strength) to your wonder and have a red background. Military cards typically require stone and wood as the primary resources to build. On their own they do not generate points until the end of an age. At the end of each age, you tally the total number of shields (on cards and the wonder itself in some cases) and compare those to the totals of your immediate neighbors. For each loss, you get a -1 Military Point. For each win, you get points based on the age: 1 point for Age I, 3 points for Age II, and 5 points for Age III. Ties grant no points.
Science
Science cards are found in all three ages, provide one of three scientific symbols, and have a green background. Science cards in the first age require a commodity to build, so they are typically hard to get started depending on your wonder. However, they have a very strong building chain so they become progressively easier to build. They are scored at the end of the game in two ways. The first is by sets. For each set of 3 symbols you possess, you earn 7 points. Serially, they are worth the number of symbols squared. So 1 symbol is 1 point, 2 symbols is 4 points, 3 symbols is 9 points, etc.
Commercial
Commercial cards are found in all three ages, provide money or trading benefits typically, and have a gold background. These cards also typically have a strong building chain. If a resource or commodity is found on a commercial card, another player may not trade for that resource like normal resource or commodity cards.
Civilian
Civilian cards are found in all three ages, provide points only, and have a blue background. These cards typically have a strong building chain, but don’t provide anything other than points.
Guild
Guild cards are found only in age three, have a variety of effects, and have a purple background. The guilds are always chosen at random, so you cannot prepare for a particular guild, but it is important to keep the possibilities in mind as they can certainly help your overall strategy in age 3. You may also need to dispose of one by discarding it or using it to build your wonder to prevent an opponent from gaining a tremendous advantage.
Each card type has their own advantages and disadvantages. It is possible to win a game without ever playing a resource or commodity card. It is possible to win without playing a single military card. It is possible to win avoiding any card type, as long as you take advantage of what is given to you by other players.
Wonders of the World
Next, let’s take a look at the 7 Wonders included in this game. Each wonder has two sides (A & B). A is considered the “beginner” side, while the B side offers a different feel. I recommend starting with playing just the A side, and as you get more comfortable playing, randomly decide between A & B.
Pyramids of Giza
The most straight-forward wonder of them all. Every wonder stage provides points, like civilian structures. The catch with playing side A is to make sure you have access to 4 stone in order to build the final stage. It’s easy to neglect, and can be costly. The B side is a little more difficult to build as you’ll not only need wood and as many as 4 stone but brick and papyrus.
Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
The A side of this wonder plays to a limited strategy while the B side plays to something specific. Halicarnassus provides the ability to “resurrect” cards from the discard pile. This ability is completed at the end of the age in which you activated it. I usually like to play this in the third age for A side, because it can get you an otherwise unplayable card based on your setup for 3 ore. The B side is trickier. You have to plan your discards properly. Most of them need to be in age 2. It’s great to bury military cards and pull out a surprise military victory (6 points in age 2). That also sets you up well for an age 3 military victory. Considering the starting resource, it’s easy to set up a science strategy with this wonder as well.
Statue of Zeus in Olympia
Zeus provides a very powerful A side, and a B side that is powerful under the right circumstances. For the A side, you need to build the second stage of the wonder as fast as possible, so you can take advantage of the free build as much as possible. All three resource types you need to build the wonder stages play well to a military strategy. The B side provides a trading post for both directions, which is very handy. The third stage can be powerful, but there are games where it can be totally useless.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Babylon seems to be tailored for a science strategy, as it provides an extra science symbol on both the A and B sides in stage 2 and 3 respectively. The true power of Babylon is on side B stage 2. The ability to use every card is very underrated. Build this as fast as possible, at all costs. At worst it gives you an extra 9 coins. At best, it can generate a tremendous advantage with the extra cards that are passed at the end that no one could play. Babylon B may be the best of the non-expansion wonders.
Temple of Artemis in Ephesus
Ephesus generates tons of money, so it is easy to avoid having to play as many resource cards and focus on commerce or other card types. Starting with papyrus as a commodity also helps with a science based strategy. Again, this is a very straight-forward wonder, great for beginners.
Lighthouse of Alexandria
The A side of Alexandria provides a Caravansery for stage 2, which is one of my favorite cards in the game. It provides that in stage 1 on the B side, as well as a Forum in stage 2. The benefit of these is obviously that you have a greater diversity of resources and commodities. The downside is no one can buy these resources from you through commerce. Starting with glass is a nice benefit, as it allows you to start off on science cards easier.
Colossus of Rhodes
Rhodes is always a surprise to inexperienced players, who neglect to coLunt the shields on the wonder when they make decisions. Rhodes makes it somewhat easier to obtain military victory. The B side provides less direct military benefit, and spreads out points, coins, and shields over two stages. It’s probably my least favorite of the initial 7 wonders to play.
Let’s take a look at the cards by age.
Age I
Lumber Yard/Stone Pit/Clay Pool/Ore Vein
Nothing special to say here. Take what you need early. No shame in first picking a resource that you’ll need all game long. In fact, many of your first picks will be resources.
Tree Farm/Excavation/Clay Pit/Timber Yard/Forest Cave/Mine
Upgrades over the base resources. These are much more valuable than the basic resources, and are easily worth the 1 gold cost. Again, definite first-pickable cards.
Loom/Glassworks/Press
These are also available in age II, so don’t feel rushed to get one of these in age I. I’d honestly much rather my opponents play grey cards in bulk and benefit from a Bazar than try and collect all three and get a Chamber of Commerce (which only shows up in 4+ player games anyway). If you need one of these for a wonder stage, you may want to place higher value on them in age I. Otherwise, the Forum or age II versions will be ok.
Pawnshop/Baths/Altar/Theater
Pawnshop doesn’t chain, so it’s by far the worst of the four. Baths chains into Aqueduct, so it’s a worthwhile investment late in the age. Altar chains into Pantheon, and free 7 points is a worthwhile investment. Theater’s chain is not impressive, but, again, it’s usually worth a late round pick. At worst, it’s something to build your wonder with.
Tavern/Trading Posts (East and West)/Marketplace
Tavern is 2 coins better than discarding a card, and helps towards a potential Lighthouse bonus. Not great, but not awful. I wouldn’t take it before any necessary resource though. The Trading Posts are better depending on your neighbor’s resources. Getting both is rare, but not unwelcome. Having actual resources is better than the trading posts, but since they chain into Forum, it’s not a bad idea to have at least one. Marketplace provides a good trading bonus as it’s in both directions, and chains into Caravansery, the best age II card in my opinion.
Stockade/Barracks/Guard Tower
Each of these provides 1 military, but doesn’t chain. Depending on the game and what your neighbors are doing, you may just wish to bury military cards under your wonder rather than build them. Military from the first age contributes to all three ages, so keep that in mind. Also keep in mind that just one military card in age two ties two cards from age I.
Apothecary/Workshop/Scriptorium
The age I science cards cost one commodity each. If none of your opponents have a wonder that has a commodity and you find a commodity paired with its science card, draft the commodity and hope the science card comes back. This carries a minor risk of someone noticing it and hate drafting the science card by either burying it for a wonder or coins, or paying you 2 coins for use of the commodity to play the passed card. In fact, that’s a decision you have to weigh with these early science cards often times: do I pay my neighbor 2 coins to take this card, which gives me multiple free builds the rest of the game (but can limit my ability to build this round)? At times, it’s worth the risk. Other times it will backfire on you.
Age II
Sawmill/Quarry/Brickyard/Foundry
The double resource cards can save your bacon if you have a wonder that requires 4 of one resource for a final stage. They also are typically late round fodder, so they can play into a strategy of getting Haven in round 3, and hoping the Shipowners Guild is one of the guilds in age 3. They also can play well with Vineyard, though I like to take Vineyard early (which you’ll see later).
Aqueduct/Temple/Statue/Courthouse
Aqueduct chains from Baths, and is worth an age II standard of 5 points, so it’s a solid play. Temple is the middle of the Pantheon chain, so it’s worth the Glass/Brick/Wood investment. Statue is only 4 points, and chains into a 5 point card, so it’s not spectacular but is worth it if it’s the 5th or 6th card you draft in the age. Courthouse chains off Scriptorium, and like Statue is just ok.
Forum/Caravansery/Vineyard/Bazar
The age II commerce cards are very good. Forum may be the only commodity card you need all game, and can ruin your opponents if they were relying on having it. Caravansery is probably the best card of the age, providing one of every resource each turn. Even if you didn’t get Marketplace, use two wood (even if you have to buy it from a neighbor) to get this card. It’s not so good as you have to bury it if you can’t buy it yourself, but it’s a good card. Vineyard is very underrated. It counts cards that are played the turn you play it, so it can be worth more than expected. I wouldn’t take it first (unless it’ll net you 7+ gold) but any time after the first pick it’ll be a good value typically. Bazar has the potential of being very bad, but I’ve seen it get players as much as 8 gold late in the age. At worst it’s wonder fodder.
Walls/Training Ground/Stables/Archery Range
Walls and Training Ground chain into age 3 military wonders, so they are worth an earlier pick than Stables or Archery Range. Those two chain off science cards, so they can provide a second strategy to go with a science strategy.
Dispensary/Laboratory/Library/School
Dispensary is part of the Apothecary chain, and gives you access to Arena and Lodge. Arena is a very solid age 3 card. Laboratory is part of the Workshop chain, and gives a military chain and continues the gear chain in age 3. Library is part of the Scriptorium chain and gives access to the Senate and University in age 3. Finally, School can easily give you a set come age 3 if you hadn’t previously been trying to collect the science symbols. At a Wood and a Papyrus investment, it’s a very good card.
Age III
Pantheon/Gardens/Town Hall/Palace/Senate
The age 3 blue cards are sometimes game breakers. Panetheon is part of a chain, but it can easily be interrupted by a player who has the resources (and it seems that happens frequently). Gardens completes another chain, and while it’s only worth the age 2 standard of points (5), late in the age it’s a valid investment. Keep in mind that 5 points is also the value of the age 3 military victory. Town Hall is not bad past the 4th pick. Palace is hard to build, but 8 points goes a long way towards victory. Senate is worth it if you have the chain in place, otherwise, wait on building it.
Haven/Lighthouse/Chamber of Commerce/Arena
Age 3 commerce cards are not the greatest on the surface, but can be very valuable. Haven seems to always be a last pick, and if you set up your resources well, can be 5 points plus gold. Lighthouse usually is never more than 6 points plus gold, but again, that’s a solid investment in age 3. Chamber of Commerce can never be more than 6 points (plus 6 gold – 2 points). Again, worth it late if it’s going to be points, otherwise it’s wonder fodder. Arena is obviously better depending on your wonder. With Giza B it’s absurd. With Rhodos B it’s awful. On the whole it’s 3 points and 9 gold (or 3 points) which isn’t awful.
Fortifications/Circus/Arsenal/Siege Workshop
Age 3 military makes it easy to go from no military victories to the most valuable one. In the mid to late round, you usually have to make a tough decision as to whether or not you’re going to build or bury one of these cards. If you build it too early, your opponent can match your build, potentially making your play a waste. If you bury it, it can make your opponent feel safer, and make them not play another military card.
Lodge/University/Observatory/Academy/Study
Age 3 science cards can make or break you if you’re on that strategy. It’s possible for opponents to try and hate draft against you, but usually that can lead to their own demise. And no, I don’t recommend hate drafting when there’s a better option for you on the table. The only time to hate draft is when giving an opponent a card will seal their victory, or you literally have no other play.
Worker’s Guild/Craftsmens Guild/Traders Guild/Philosophers Guild/Siege Guild/Magistrates Guild/Strategists Guild
These guilds care about the color cards of your neighbor (or military defeats in the case of the Strategists Guild). You can’t predict which ones will be present in the deck, but if one arrives and your neighbors already have enough cards out to make the guild worth 5 points, go ahead and draft it. It’s likely to be worth more than 5 before the game ends. I’ve scored as many as 10 off a guild, but it seems they usually score 6-8 points.
Shipowners Guild/Scientists Guild/Builders Guild
Shipowners Guild is like a Haven on steroids. So it’s either really, really good for you, or not good at all. Scientists Guild can often put a set together for you, and it’s not a good idea to let the person going heavy science strategy to have this card if you can help it. Builders Guild, of course, depends on your neighbors heavily. It’s usually worth a hate draft even if it doesn’t help you, because if you give someone 9 points it can swing the game. It’s draftable as long as it’s worth 7 points. Anything less and it’s not that great.
So as you can see, there’s no “one way” or “one strategy” to this game and there are countless scenarios and possibilities in a game. It’s easy to learn the basic rules, and the strategies come easier after a few plays. Once you’ve played it about 5 times, you’ll start to get a good feel for card frequency and probabilities.
The criteria I use to rate is based on replay value, learning curve, luck involved (more luck involved is a lower score), overall fun factor, and time (longer games get a lower score).
Replay Value: 10 out of 10 – Countless scenarios
Learning Curve: 8 out of 10 – Takes 15-30 minutes to learn basic rules
Luck Factor: 7 out of 10 – Possible for bad draws to ruin you, but mostly dependent on reaction to what you’re given
Fun Factor: 10 out of 10 – Lots of flavor, lots of strategies
Time Factor: 8 out of 10 – New players can play a game in 30-45 minutes; experienced players can usually play them in 15-20 minutes. Not a ton of setup, but some set up/tear down required on each play, especially when you scale number of players
Total Score: 43 out of 50 – A great game overall. There are several expansion out, which I’ll review in time, and they increase the value of this franchise.
Sensible ServiceNow 
Wow, this is a very in depth look.