Ra

1999

Immerse yourself in 'Ra', an engaging board game that thrusts you into 1500 years of Egyptian history. It's a game of strategy, bidding, and risk-taking, where you can influence Pharaohs, build monuments, and pay homage to the Gods, all in the quest for glory!

60
minutes

2 - 5
player(s)

12+

Medium

About the game

Welcome to the enthralling world of Ra, a strategic board game that teleports you back in time to the mystical era of ancient Egypt. The game, designed by renowned game designer Reiner Knizia, is a thrilling expedition that combines strategy, risk-taking, and a touch of luck.

In Ra, each player assumes the role of a Pharaoh, trying to outdo others in building the most prosperous and powerful civilization. The game spans over three epochs, each rich with opportunities and filled with the unpredictability of disasters and the divine intervention of Gods.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

The game ‘Ra’ includes various components, each having a unique role in the gameplay. Here’s a detailed description of each:

Auction Track

The Auction Track is a numbered board used to track the current auction value during each round. It helps players decide how much they are willing to bid for a particular set of tiles.

The Ra Board

The Ra Board is the central game board where all the tiles are placed. It displays the suns and the civilization tiles in the game.

Sun Tiles

There are 16 Sun Tiles in the game, numbered from 1 to 16. The Sun Tiles are used to bid in auctions. Each player starts the game with a certain number of these tiles, which are revealed at the start of each auction. The player with the highest Sun Tile wins the auction.

Era Tiles

These tiles represent the three different eras in the game. The Era Tiles are placed on the Ra Board at the beginning of each era and are used to track the current era.

Civilization Tiles

There are five types of Civilization Tiles: Art, Religion, Astronomy, Writing, and Agriculture. Players collect these tiles during auctions to gain points. The more varied a player’s collection is, the more points they score at the end of each era.

Disaster Tiles

Disaster Tiles represent various calamities that can happen during the game, such as wars, famines, or floods. When a player wins an auction that includes a Disaster Tile, they must discard certain tiles from their collection.

Monument Tiles

Monument Tiles represent different types of monuments that players can build during their turn. These tiles give players additional points at the end of the game.

Gold Tiles

Gold Tiles represent wealth. Each Gold Tile is worth 3 points at the end of each era, regardless of the number of Gold Tiles a player has.

Pharaoh Tiles

Pharaoh Tiles represent the rulers of Ancient Egypt. The player with the most Pharaoh Tiles at the end of each era scores bonus points, while the player with the least loses points.

Ra Tiles

Ra Tiles are used to trigger auctions in the game. When a player draws a Ra Tile, they must immediately start an auction.

Bag

The Bag is used to hold all the tiles, except the Sun Tiles, at the beginning of the game. Players draw tiles from the Bag during their turn.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

‘Ra’ is an exciting board game where players take on the roles of ancient Egyptian pharaohs, bidding for tiles that represent different aspects of their civilization. Let’s go through the step-by-step guide on how to set up ‘Ra’.

Step 1: Preparing the Game Components

First, open the game box and gently remove all the components. You should have a game board, an auction track, 1 Ra figure, 1 sun token for each player, 16 disaster tiles, 5 civilization tiles, 36 monument tiles, 48 pharaoh tiles, 25 Nile tiles, and 12 gold tiles.
Place the game board in the center of the table where all players can easily reach it.
Give each player a sun token. The number on the sun token indicates the player’s bidding power for the auctions.

Step 2: Preparing the Bag and Tiles

Shuffle all tiles and randomly draw 10 tiles. Place these tiles on the corresponding spaces on the game board.
Put the remaining tiles in the bag and mix them well. This bag will be used to draw new tiles during the game.

Step 3: Setting up the Auction Track and Ra Figure

Place the auction track next to the game board. This track will be used to determine the order of bidding during auctions.
Place the Ra figure on the first space of the auction track.

Step 4: Determining the Starting Player

Randomly determine the starting player. This player will begin the first auction.

Step 5: Preparing the Disaster Tiles

Separate the disaster tiles based on their symbols – war, famine, floods, and chaos. These tiles will be added to the bag when a player draws a Ra tile during the game.

Step 6: Preparing the Civilization Tiles

Shuffle the civilization tiles and deal one to each player. These tiles give players special abilities that they can use during the game.

Now that all players have their initial resources, the board is set up, and the ‘Ra’ game can begin.

Game flow Round and round we go

‘Ra’ is an auction-bidding and set-collection board game designed by Reiner Knizia. The game is structured into three epochs (rounds), with each epoch consisting of multiple turns. The game ends after the third epoch, and the player with the highest score wins.

Here is the detailed structure and phase breakdown:

1. Game Setup

At the start of the game, each player is given a set of sun tokens with distinct values. The game board is placed in the center of the table, and the bag filled with tiles is prepared.

2. Epochs and Turns

An epoch begins by drawing tiles from the bag and placing them in the center of the board. Players, in turn, perform one of the three actions: draw a tile from the bag, invoke ‘Ra’, or use a God tile. An epoch ends when the last ‘Ra’ tile is drawn or the last disaster tile is drawn.

3. Actions

Draw a Tile: The active player draws a tile from the bag and places it in the auction area. If a ‘Ra’ tile is drawn, an auction is triggered immediately.
Invoke ‘Ra’: The active player can invoke ‘Ra’ to trigger an auction, even if a ‘Ra’ tile has not been drawn. This is a strategic decision which can potentially end the epoch sooner.
Use a God Tile: A player can use a God tile from their personal collection, instead of drawing a tile, to take an already drawn tile from the auction track. God tiles offer a strategic advantage but are rare.

4. Auctions

When an auction is triggered (either by a ‘Ra’ tile being drawn or a player invoking ‘Ra’), all players bid using their sun tokens. The highest bidder wins the auction and collects all tiles in the auction area, placing them in their personal collection. The sun token used for bidding is placed on the game board and can’t be used again until the next epoch.

5. Scoring

At the end of each epoch, players score points based on their collected tiles. Different tiles score in different ways, with some offering points for having the most of a particular type, and others offering points based on sets of tiles. After the third epoch, the player with the highest total score wins the game.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

The board game ‘Ra’ is a complex game of strategy and planning. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what a player can do during their turn:

1. Drawing a Tile

At the start of their turn, a player may choose to draw a tile from the bag. This is a simple action but can have a significant impact on the game. The tile drawn can be an event, civilization, disaster, or monument tile, each affecting gameplay in different ways. For example, an event tile can cause a flood or volcano, while a civilization tile can help build your empire.

2. Invoking Ra

A player may choose to invoke Ra. This is a significant decision as it triggers an auction phase, where players bid for the tiles in the auction track. This can be a strategic move to acquire specific tiles or to prevent other players from getting them.

3. Bidding in the Auction

When Ra is invoked, an auction begins. Each player, in turn, can bid one of their sun tokens to acquire all the tiles in the auction track. The highest bidder wins the tiles. This is a pivotal point in the game where players must carefully consider their bids. Bidding high might win you valuable tiles, but it also means you have fewer tokens for future auctions.

4. Using a God Tile

If a player has a God tile, they can use it instead of drawing a tile or invoking Ra. The God tile allows a player to take a tile from the auction track and add it to their civilization, without triggering an auction. This can be a powerful move if used strategically.

Each of these actions can greatly affect the gameplay in ‘Ra’. Each decision a player makes – whether to draw a tile, invoke Ra, bid in an auction, or use a God tile – can be the difference between building a powerful civilization or falling behind. By understanding these actions and their implications, players can develop more effective strategies and make more informed decisions during the game.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of ‘Ra’ ends after the third Epoch. An Epoch concludes when the Ra track is full, or when the last tile in the bag is drawn. At the end of each Epoch, there is a scoring round where players score their civilization tiles and monuments.

End of an Epoch

There are two conditions that conclude an Epoch:

Ra Track is Full: Each time a Ra tile is drawn, it is placed on the Ra track. The Epoch ends when the Ra track is full.
Bag is Empty: If the last tile in the bag is drawn, the Epoch ends immediately. No further auctions occur.

Scoring Round

At the end of each Epoch, a scoring round takes place. Players should perform the following actions:

Score Civilization Tiles: Each player scores their civilization tiles. If a player has one of each type, they score 5 points. If they have one or more of the same type, they score 0 points. All other combinations score 1 point.
Score Monuments: Monuments are scored differently depending on the current Epoch. In the first and second Epochs, they are not scored. In the third Epoch, they are scored based on sets of the same type and sets of different types.
Discard Tiles: After scoring, all players must discard their disaster tiles, civilization tiles, and all tiles except monuments and sun tiles.

End of the Game

The game ends after the third scoring round. The player with the most points wins. If there is a tie, the player with the highest sun tile wins.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

‘Ra’ is a strategic board game where players gain points by collecting tiles during three epochs. Each player, acting as an Egyptian god, uses their Sun tokens to bid for tiles which can earn them points. The scoring system is comprehensive and involves several elements:

Tiles – Different types of tiles score in different ways:

Civilization tiles: A set of all five different types scores 5 points. Any incomplete set at the end of an epoch scores negative points.
Monument tiles: Players score points at the end of the game for sets of identical or unique monuments.
Pharaoh tiles: The player with the most tiles scores 5 points at the end of each epoch, while the player with the least loses 2 points. If players are tied, no points are awarded or lost.
Gold tiles: Each tile scores 3 points at the end of the game.
Disaster tiles: These do not score points but instead can destroy other tiles.
Ra tiles: These do not score points but are crucial for the timing of the game.

Sun tokens – Players score points equal to the number on the Sun token they have in front of them at the end of each epoch.

Tie-Breaking Rules:

If at the end of the game two or more players have the same score, the tie is broken as follows:

The player with the most monuments wins.
If still tied, the player with the most pharaohs wins.
If still tied, the player with the most points from Sun tokens wins.
If still tied, the player with the most civilization tiles wins.
Finally, if still tied, the player who is earliest in turn order wins.

Understanding the scoring system is crucial to developing effective strategies in ‘Ra’.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

‘Ra’ is an engaging board game which is simple to learn but requires strategy and foresight. The game has a few rare or special rules and exceptions that players should be aware of. Here are some of them:

1. Game End:

The game ends when the last ‘Ra’ tile is drawn, or when the last player has no sun tokens left, or when the current Epoch is finished and there are no more Epoch tiles left. It is important to note that if the last ‘Ra’ tile is drawn and it triggers an auction, the game will end immediately after the auction, regardless of the number of sun tokens players have left.

2. Ra Auctions:

When a player draws an ‘Ra’ tile, an auction is initiated. The player who drew the ‘Ra’ tile cannot participate in the auction if their sun token is on the track, even if they have the highest sun token available.

3. Discarding Tiles:

Players can discard a tile from their hand only when they draw a ‘god’ tile. The discarded tile must be from the same epoch as the ‘god’ tile. If the player has no such tile, they can’t use the ‘god’ tile’s ability.

4. Civil War:

When a ‘civil war’ disaster occurs, the player must discard all of their pharaoh tiles if they have more pharaoh tiles than any other type of monument. This is the only disaster that affects pharaoh tiles.

5. Monument Scoring:

Monuments are scored at the end of each Epoch. However, they are not discarded like other tiles. They remain on the player’s board for the entirety of the game, potentially scoring points in each Epoch.

6. Sun Tokens:

At the end of an epoch, players must return their sun tokens to the bag except the one used in the last auction. This token will be used to determine the player order in the next epoch.

7. The Ra Track:

The Ra track is filled from left to right. If a player should add tiles to the track and there is no space, then an auction is immediately triggered, regardless of the tile drawn.

Ra