Ventura

About this board game

Ventura is a board game of nobility and conquest for 2–4 players, set in 14th-century Italy, with games lasting about 90 minutes. Each player leads a warring noble house competing for control of the country’s growing wealth.

Players build a variable map from randomly drawn hexagonal terrain tiles, then maneuver numbered pieces representing associated cards, military units, and leaders. Expansion and military strength matter, but every decision is tied to the family’s finances.

Florins are essential throughout the game. You pay to draw cards, pay more to play them, and must continue paying hired troops every turn or risk losing them. Stronger armies can help secure territory, yet they also place greater demands on your treasury.

• Build a changing map from 40 Territory tiles.
• Manage more than 120 plastic pieces, over 100 cards, and a Family Board for each house.
• Balance earnings, mercenary upkeep, military action, and noble standing.
• Spend money directly on victory points, with only 30 needed to win.

That direct path to victory comes with a serious cost: money spent on points cannot also defend your lands. Meanwhile, an opponent may attempt to assemble an army and attack your capital before you can reach your goal.

With its combination of territorial maneuvering, card play, hired forces, and financial pressure, Ventura challenges you to decide when to invest, when to fight, and how long your house can afford to maintain its ambitions.