Princesses alliance

Objective of the board-game

Make the participants to discover in an attractive manner the most interesting
things about Romania, like:
Places, historical characters, architectural monuments,
Major personalities in arts, science, sports, culture,
Myths and traditions,
Local cuisine,
and other aspects, depending on the game version.

Participants
Basic version Information game
3 persons (10-14 years old) playing the roles of three princesses /
princes of the three Romanian countries during Middle Age.
Extended version Strategy game
7 persons (12-16 years old) playing the roles of princesses / princes,
generals of the empires and pirates.

Duration
Basic version Information game
3 hours approximately 10 moves foe each participant
Extended version Strategy game
4-5 hours - approximately 15 moves foe each participant

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Historical background
The main participants are princes and / or princesses. During Middle Age both
men and women had important roles in the history of Romanian countries. As
the role of men is common and well-known, here is an example of the women
role. Fagaras fortress has been governed for over than 100 years by women:
Princess Julia Nadasdy (1630-1669)
Princess Anna de Bornemisa (1630-1688)
Archduchess Maria Christierna (1574-1621)
Princess Suzanna Lorantfy (1600-1660)
Princess Stanca Basarab (unknown-1601)

Princess
Stanca Basarab

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Context
The action takes place in three kingdoms on the current territory of todays
Romania: Transylvania, Muntenia (also known as Wallachia) and Moldova.
The events are placed during Middle Age but, in order to make known the most
relevant personalities, places and events, the game is cleared from any time
constraints and elements from different eras coexist.

The board of the game

Includes the three Romanian countries area, the near space of the three empires
and part of the Black Sea.

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The participants begin the game in the capital cities of the three kingdoms that
are marked with that country's coat of arms. They are princesses and/or princes.
Transylvania

Moldova

Muntenia

The Identities
Printed pages giving participants a short description about who they are, where
they are located and what is the purpose of their actions. On this occasion they
discover some major historical characters, monuments and cities.

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The Empires
The Empires start the game from one of the two colored hexagons placed on
their territory. In case of the 3 players version the Empires are played by the
moderator. In case of a 7 players version the Empires are played by other
participants.

Elemente

The Empires representatives are materialized during the game by warrior dolls.

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The playing cards
They have on a face the image of a person / object related to Romania and some
information about it. On the back side there is represented a number of shields
Equal to the amount of gold coins obtained from the proper execution of the
requirement of the front face of the card.

The playing cards effects can be:

Positive; advance one or more hexagons on the game board.
Negative; step back one hexagon on the game board.
Neutral; stop one round.
The requirements from the face of the cards are related to the profile /specificity
of the personality / item represented there.

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Examples:
George Enescu composer; sing for some seconds to advance one hexagon.
Fat Frumos (Prince Charming) - a mythical Romanian character; advance
unconditionally two hexagons.
Cabbage rolls and polenta wait for one round.
Zmeul (Dragon) step back one hexagon.
The cards with dices allow the player to throw the dice and to get the help of the
fortune; to advance without any requirement.

The dices
Are used by participants when
they extract a card with a dice.

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The castles
Each player marks her/his passage on a hexagon from the board with a colored
castle, having the same color as the flag of his/her kingdom:
Moldova-red
Transylvania green
Muntenia-blue

The gold coins

Fulfilling the requirements of a card gives each participant to accumulate gold
coins in a number equal to the shield from the back of that card. The
accumulated gold is quantified at the end of the game.

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Action
The goal is to reach as soon as possible the capital city of another kingdom to
ally with it. Alliance occurs when the participant traveled on all hexagons
between the two cities, extracting one card per round and doing what is
required there.
A capital city allied with that of another kingdom resist the invasion of
neighboring empires. A city that has not reached an alliance will be conquered.

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The Empires have multiple ways to attack the capital cities.

In the Basic version the Empires invariably progresses with one hexagon in each
round of play.

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Recommendations & observations
The game is collaborative and the participants should avoid mirror alliances
(i.e. Moldova and Transylvania are allied each other) because Muntenia remains
not protected and is conquered.
The recommended strategy is to make a triangle alliance where, for example
Moldovas princess/prince is traveling to Transylvanias capital city,
Transylvanias princess/prince is traveling to Muntenias capital city and
Muntenias princess/prince is traveling to Moldova.
Both the princesses/princes and the Empires have tem hexagons in front of
them. Because of the special cards allowing to progress more hexagons in one
round the princesses/princes can win in 8-9 rounds. The Empires need 10 round
to reach a capital city.

Other benefits
Apart of an attracting way to discover Romania in a large diversity of aspects,
adapted to participants between 10 and 12 years old, the game is encouraging
the team spirit, collaboration, planning & strategy skills.

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Images of the board-game

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