Quick winning principles
- Draft science symbols you already have—pairs score 4, triples only add 1 each.
- Take military in age two when neighbors are building science, not age one.
- Pick guilds that score off neighbors' brown and grey cards.
- Chain-build your wonder stages in ages one and two for free card plays.
Ideal strategy
- 1
Science pairs: two tablets plus two compasses scores 16; chasing a third symbol wastes drafts.
- 2
Military timing: age two shields when neighbors ignore military; one loss costs 1 VP, two losses cost 5.
- 3
Guild selection: Mathematicians Guild plus science neighbors, or Guild of Merchants with resource-heavy neighbors.
- 4
Resource economy: buy from neighbors only when the card saves a full draft; otherwise take gold.
- 5
Wonder stages: Babylon stage two hiding a card enables science pair completion in age three.
- 6
Endgame: science board with 4 symbols plus one guild often beats military without wonder points.