Micropolis

About this board game

Micropolis is a tile-drafting strategy game for 2–6 players, played over about 30 minutes. Across ten rounds, each player builds an anthill around a central location by adding ten connected tiles.

Each round, players draft tiles one at a time. The player with the largest army goes first, choosing either the first tile in line or placing an ant on every tile they pass to reach a more desirable option. This creates a balance between getting the tile you want and spending valuable ants to reach it.

The tiles represent different roles within the colony, giving your growing anthill a range of useful abilities. Your choices determine how you recruit ants, manage your forces, collect fruit, and respond to other players.

• Queens can improve their space if they are alone.
• Nannies provide extra ant soldiers.
• Architects let you take any tile for free.
• Warriors attack the first player.
• Generals manage the movement of your ant soldiers.
• Fruit gatherers collect fruit, which scores according to the variety you have.

As your network expands, the tunnels connect the tiles into a larger colony. The timing of each draft matters, since the order of play is linked to army size and passing over tiles requires additional ants.

At the end of the game, every remaining ant is worth one point. The player with the largest army also earns an additional five points, so building a strong force can be just as important as developing the most effective collection of specialists and fruit.

With its compact ten-round structure and shifting tile choices, Micropolis challenges players to decide when to spend ants, when to pursue a particular role, and how to build an anthill that scores efficiently.