Gold of the Americas, subtitled “Conquest of the New World,” is an educational strategy game that was both published and developed by the Strategic Studies Group in the late eighties. It features some historically specific battles from the colonization of the new worlds. It has a strong emphasis on diplomacy and tactics as opposed to colony management and military issues. It is a four player game, and each player will take control of one of the major colonizing countries: England, France, Spain and Portugal.
This is a very sound little game that reeks of Sid Meier’s Civilization series, only with a different emphasis. The gaming environment is made up of North and South America. The two continents are divided into thirty-one land areas and four sea areas. All units are placed on the map in their desired positions, similar to Risk. There is no movement of troops or heavy invasions. There are several units to choose from, including: armies, colonists, trading ships, warships, privateers, slaves and explorers. This is a great and realistic reflection of the main personnel resources available during the colonization of the Americas.
The game is comprised of thirty turns. Each turn is represents
a ten year term. Winning the game is contingent upon having the most victory points when the turns are up, as opposed to conquering and owning the entire land. Users will earn one victory point for each level their colony has earned. The goal is to have the most Victory points of the four powers when the game ends. Here the game really shows its value as a diplomatic and tactical strategy game, since all armies and warships last only a single turn before dissolving. It is impossible to amass enormous military forces and destroy the competition. All decisions must be based on your current situation, because there is no building a force for the future. There is plenty to do in each turn however, ranging from placing trade ships in order to trade goods with other colonies to looting and plundering the competition with your privateers.
The really fun part of the game, which is also very historically accurate, is the manner of taxation. The user will have two treasuries: the main treasury, and his secret funds. Taxation is based on earnings, and the taxes determine how many resources the user will receive from the king of the motherland. If he is unable to meet his tax bill, the king may refuse you any further armies. There are other realistic elements too, such as raids, sudden discoveries, looters and weather, which will effect your funding either positively or negatively.
This is an interesting historically based game that puts a slightly different spin on the same old genre of conquest and colonization. It is unique, fun, and well worth a look.
