Cities and Knights features more in-depth development
of your cities. There is a new flip-card that details
the level of technology in your cities. The Development
Card Deck has been eliminated. Instead, you get new
more specialized Development Cards based on your Tech
level. Since there are now Soldier cards, each player
must buy Knights to protect their realm. Knights have
a power rating of 1, 2, or 3. Each player starts with
a city and a settlement in play and the winning victory
point total is 13. There is a barbarian warship that
comes to visit the island every few turns to pillage
the player that has the fewest knights. This game is
MUCH more complicated than original Settles. I recommend
it if you want a more in-depth game.
In this version of the game, the players race for dominance of the island, but the game has much more complexity than Settlers. City Development is of prime importance as players not only deal in brick, ore, wheat, sheep and wheat but also in cloth, coin and paper. Knight tokens also appear on the board, keeping the peace but also determining the outcome of the island's progress. They can have a profound effect on the Robber Barron, marauding barbarians, and the placement of your opponent's settlements. There are other new game features like the merchant, progress cards, knight advancement, and developing a Metropolis!
The game is significantly longer and more complex than regular Settlers, but we have found the 3 player version to be very entertaining and playable in an hour or so.
Warning: Choking Hazard. Small Parts. Not for children under 3
yrs.