Alhambra

[Wishmaster]

I picked up a copy of Alhambra in my local game shop a couple of weeks back. A very good game indeed!

It has lots of 4.5cm tiles in it!!!  However, nothing like Carcassonne at all, but an extremely good strategy game.... and there are six expansions for it - Result!

Check it out on the Geek. Cost me just over £20.00 (sterling) and it's got quite a bit in it so good value too.

You have cards which represent money in four different types (denoted by different colours) and have to buy parts of the palace that you each build (The Alhambra). Tiles are of different types, configuration and cost. You get points if you have the most of the different types of tiles at various points throughout the game and also for the length of your longest wall around your palace... but the wall can also restrict where you can build. A lot of judgement, strategy and timing comes into it.

The fact it's got those tiles should make you all a bit curious, but it plays very well indeed. Having another session this Thursday... and I might have to consider an expansion or two of this one.

Recomended!

[Bixby]

My wife & I quite like this game as well. I recommend buying the Big Box version of the game. You save a lot of $ than if you bought all of the expansions separately. Here is some extra info for anyone interested in checking this out:

Description:
Alhambra is the latest update to the stock market game Stimmt So!, only it has been completely re-themed with a Moorish theme and has an additional tile-laying component.

In Alhambra, players are acquiring buildings to be placed within their Alhambra complex. On a player's turn, a player may take money from the open money market, purchase a building from the building market, or engage in construction and re-construction projects with buildings that have been placed in the player's reserve. The game rewards efficiency, as when a player purchases a building from the market for the exact amount of money, the player may take another turn. Players with the most buildings in each of the seven building types score in each of the scoring phases, and points are awarded for players' longest external "wall" section within their complex. The game ends when the building market can no longer be replenished from the building tile supply, and there is a final scoring, whereupon the player with the highest score wins.

Board Game Geek Entry:
http://www.geekdo.com/boardgame/6249

Expansions:
Alhambra: The Vizier's Favour - http://www.geekdo.com/boardgame/9687
Alhambra: The City Gates - http://www.geekdo.com/boardgame/13287
Alhambra: Thief's Turn - http://www.geekdo.com/boardgame/16494
Alhambra: Treasure Chamber - http://www.geekdo.com/boardgame/22279
Alhambra: Power Of The Sultan - http://www.geekdo.com/boardgame/39109

Resources:
Alhambra - Base Game
Alhambra Review

Alhambra - Vizier's Favour
Alhambra Expansion 1 Review

Alhambra: The City Gates
Alhambra Expansion 2 Review

Alhambra: Thief's Turn
Alhambra Expansion 3 Review

Alhambra: Treasure Chamber
Alhambra Expansion 4 Review

Alhambra: Power Of The Sultan
Alhambra Expansion # 5 Review

[joshgambit]

Just purchased this game from someone on Craigslist for $10.00.  Can't wait to play it!

[joewtwins]

Most online stores let you pick up the Big Box for $50 that includes EVERYTHING!!

2nd best $50 I ever spent.

Big Box 2 is the Best $50 I ever spent.

[Whaleyland]

Technically it doesn't include the Alhambra Dice Game which includes special rules to integrate the game with Alhambra adding another element to the game. But other than that, the ABB is definitely more complete than the Carcassonne Big Box, which wasn't even complete in its first rendition, missing all the mini expansions except River I. The Big Box 2 is just sad in that it skips Tower, River I, and CS&C *cough*and Catapult*cough* which were all out by its release.

[Wishmaster]

Postman delivered Alhambra Big Box to me yesterday. Spent todays un-boxing and sorting everything to it's correct place in the box. Whoever designed the box deserves an award, fantastic job. The whole thing just looks supberb, can't wait to start playing the game with some of the extra modules. bargain as well.

[loganmann1]

I got the bigbox for tihs in August and haven't played it nearly as often as I'd like.  My wife and I have been trying to get the basic game and then start adding expansion modules so as to extend the "new game" life of the game.  I've only done a few so far but have enjoyed them all.  Several modules do feel like they will only work with move then 2 players so I've skipped over many of those thus far since its usually just my wife and I or us and a newbie so we play the basic game.

Very fun though.  Love the big box and am very happy with the purchase.

[Wishmaster]

Just a heads up that BGG have a promo set of 'Magic' tiles as an expansion for Alhambra. I've already noted it in the Dominion thread. Here's the link to their UK eBay sites listings. No doubt available from all other eBay sites as well:

   http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/kristinebgg/m.html?item=190625653481&viewitem=&_trksid=p4340.l2562

Lots of other stuff there also.

[Scott]

Here's the store link for those who prefer to go that route:
http://store.boardgamegeek.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=288&category_id=3&vmcchk=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

I played this game once at the FLGS, but luckily didn't get hooked on it. I liked the fact that each player builds on their own, but wasn't a big fan of the need to purchase tiles.

[Wishmaster]

I liked the fact that each player builds on their own, but wasn't a big fan of the need to purchase tiles.

er, well, if you don't like the idea of buying the tiles it rather defeats the object of the entire game!! However, you're in luck, there's this other game with tiles that you can just take from a stack.... now.. what's it called...