You have no items in your shopping cart.
KOSMOS games build social skills, stimulate logical and strategic thinking, promote visual-spatial and math skills, cultivate physical coordination and manual dexterity, encourage family time, and inspire fair-mindedness, confidence, and honorable attitudes. German engineered and beautifully made, these games become enduring family favorites and game night classics. For all these reasons, Kosmos games have earned worldwide acclaim.
Players take on the role of ancient Egyptian architects. Over six rounds, they try to transport stone blocks to end up in the most valuable positions at five construction sites, while thwarting their opponents' efforts to do the same. To win the game and be named the greatest architect, you must get your blocks to the right place places, in the right order, at the right time.
Since childhood, Phil Walker-Harding has loved playing and inventing board games. He particularly likes games that bring together people of different ages and personality types. Phil is also interested in theology, classic Hollywood films, and the myths of ancient Egypt. He lives with his wife Meredith in Sydney, Australia.
There are five site boards included in the game: the Market, Pyramids, Temple, Burial Chamber, and Obelisks. Players work to get stones of their color on the most advantageous positions on each site board. Each site has different scoring mechanisms and the boards are double-sided: players start with the 'A' side, and can move on to the 'B' side once they're familiar with the game. The 'B' side offers advanced block placement instructions as well as some fun variety from game to game! A scoring track helps to keep track of players' scores as the game advances.
A new round card is flipped over at the beginning of every round. These cards tell you which four ships are being used in that round. The market cards offer players the chance to earn extra points or perform additional actions during his or her turn. There are spots for four market cards on the market board and they are discarded and replaced at the beginning of each round.
The full-color illustrated manual provides detailed instructions for game play and includes examples of potential scenarios. Also included are descriptions of the scoring mechanisms used for each site board (both 'A' and 'B' sides!), as well as variants to add an extra level of difficulty to the game.
In this game of action selection and block placement, strategic skills are key! During each turn you must weigh your options: is it more important to get your own stones into place, or to thwart your opponents' plans? Imhotep is a great choice for kids, families, and adults alike! It's popular among many a seasoned gamer, but it's also a great 'gateway game' to introduce newer players to the world of modern board games.
On your turn, you can take up to three stones of your color from the quarry and add it to your supply sled token. But remember: your supply sled token only has room for a maximum of 5 stones at any one time!
If you choose this action during your turn, you can take one stone from your supply sled and place it on an empty space on one of the ships being used in the round.
As long as a ship is loaded with the minimum number of stones required for it to sail, you can sail that ship to an open dock at one of the five sites. Once the ship is docked, stones are unloaded from front to back. Beware of your fellow architects! Anyone can sail a ship even if there are no stones of his or her color on it, potentially ruining your plans for victory!
There are 4 types of market cards in Imhotep--some earn you points immediately, some at the end of the game. The blue market cards allow you to perform an additional action during your turn, e.g. place a stone on a ship and sail it to a site right away.