Trajan
- Players
- 2-4
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 4 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 120 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 12+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 3.6 / 5
- Year
- 2011
About the game
Trajan sends players into the political and economic life of ancient Rome, managing influence across trade, military conquest, and Senate politics. Its central mechanism borrows from mancala, players distribute pieces from one bowl of their personal tableau clockwise, triggering the action tied to wherever the last piece lands. Matching colored pieces with Trajan tiles unlocks bonus actions, adding a layer of planning to each round's mancala-style distribution. Victory points accumulate through trade, military regions, and Senate favor, rewarding players who plan several turns ahead.
Hobbli's Notes
Trajan is a clever Stefan Feld design that turns the humble mancala mechanism into a genuinely deep planning puzzle. The tension between the six action bowls forces players to think several rounds ahead, which is deeply satisfying once it clicks. It's a dense, point-salad style euro typical of Feld's catalog, appealing strongly to fans of his other designs. We recommend it to players who already enjoy Castles of Burgundy or Amerigo.
What we like
- Unique mancala-based action selection is genuinely fresh.
- Rewards deep forward planning across multiple rounds.
- Multiple scoring paths across trade, military, and Senate.
- Language-neutral components ease international play.
Keep in mind
- Mancala mechanism takes real effort to master initially.
- Point-salad scoring can feel abstract or disconnected from theme.
- Long playtime for the given player count.
Who it's for
Great for experienced euro gamers and Stefan Feld fans, ages 12 and up, in groups of two to four.
