Faiyum
The oasis-like basin Faiyum was artificially built 3;900 years ago by enlarging the Bahr Yussef channel that connected to the Nile to create a regulated flood plain. During the Middle Kingdom of Egypt; this swampland was slowly changed into farmland under the aegis of pharaohs such as Amenemhet III and Sesostris II. They ordered their advisors to build a system of canals and dikes to reclaim the land surrounded by desert and inhabited by crocodiles to turn it into a granary for Egypt.
Now; during the reign of Amenemhet III; you are the pharaoh's advisors; commanded to harvest goods; build roads; found settlements; and do much more for the good of Faiyum! You are being supplied with the necessary manpower; resources; and money; which means that if another advisor needs to use your roads; farms; and other buildings; they may do so since everything you build is owned by the pharaoh. The only thing you will own is the only thing that matters: the respect of the pharaoh.
Faiyum is a strategic game for enthusiasts of planning games. The basic rules are simple: Play your cards one by one on your personal discard stack. After playing some or all of your cards; you take them back into your hand in reverse playing order; so playing cards in the best order is important. Newly purchased cards go directly into your hand; so the timing of getting and playing them is important; too. Each of the individual cards has easy-to-understand actions; but only by creating the best combined engine will you be a master advisor of Faiyum.
This game features a card mechanism reminiscent of deck builders and the market mechanism successfully used in Power Grid. Gain more and more valuable cards; and use the structures built on the game board to your advantage — in other words; for your reputation. In the end; the most cunning advisor who creates the best card combinations will win Faiyum.
