In Chicken Caesar, players represent aristocratic ancient Roman chicken families trying to create a legacy for their family name. Each family has several eligible roosters eager to jump into the world of politics, getting rich and creating a legacy by any means necessary. Roosters gain renown for their families by occupying various political offices. Low-ranking officers don't yield much fame, but they hold both the purse strings and the power of the sword. A few roosters in the lower offices of Aedile and Praetor, together with the votes of a few well-paid (and temporary) allies, can clear a path to the luxury and recognition that come with the titles of Censor, Consul, and even Caesar. Being Caesar isn't easy, though: fail to bribe and bargain to ensure the welfare of the whole coop and today's Caesar is tomorrow's Coq au Vin. Dead roosters don't earn any more points, but they do offer opportunities for their surviving relatives to exaggerate their accomplishments. All that matters, in the end, is history's judgment, and history can be rewritten. Mechanically, players gain and maintain areas of influence through negotiation and voting. The game features a Suffragium marker that players pass after voting to either promote a Rooster to a higher office, or throw him to the fox. Players can also strategically demand bribes for their votes or even refuse to vote (pass) to gain a later advantage. Murder, betrayal, votes for cash, fragile alliances, and bloody vendettas will separate the legendary families from the forgotten ones in the struggle to become – and remain – Chicken Caesar!
M**L
A sealed box with no defects or problems
I really couldn't believe there was still a sealed copy of Chicken Ceasar available. It was a limited production years ago, and I'm so excited to own a copy! Truly an excellent game.
C**E
Five Stars
One of my favorite board games of all time!
T**Y
Deceptively deep negotiation game with great puns.
This is a pretty nifty little negotiation game. The rules are clear, concise, and well-designed. The game flows very smoothly and doesn't last too long (once you know what you're doing). The theme is goofy which you can have fun with if you're into that sort of thing like I am and games of this variety always offer a lot of engagement that can be fun as long as you and your group allow the double-crossing and back-stabbing to roll off your back. The scoring system is clever and the different mechanics of the game all work very well together.After our first play I thought it was too easy for Caesar to die in office but after thinking on it I think it is actually pretty perfectly designed. Not only is the office of Caesar powerful both in scoring and money-making potential but the veto ability gives you pretty good control over the game which you can levy with other players to your benefit or simply to advance or save your own family. Also, without the high death rate of the Ceasar the game would increase in length, which as I said, already hits a good tempo. So while it is easy for the Caesar to die in office I think it needs to be for the balance of the game and if you do manage to manipulate your family into the right offices or pay for the right favors to survive a second term in office (or even survive both terms) you will, and should be, heavily rewarded for such play.We played with 5 which felt perfect though I can't know for sure having not played with other player amounts. I feel like fewer people would give each player too many family members in office and allow them to game the system too well without enough risk and more (6 is the max I believe) would narrow your options too much to where some of the strategy of the system is drained from the game.The game isn't without its faults. It's not as deep as I like a game of this type to be and for that reason I don't see a lot of replay value in it. Nor does it make for very interesting plays once you've discovered and used the few tricks present in the system.My group is also pretty deep on the casual side of playstyle and more hardcore gamers would certainly drain any fun out of this game as each bribe would turn into an analytic economic calculation for the best return. For me, in order for negotiation games to stay fun you need a quick impulsive mindset when approaching deals and you need to occasionally make mistakes, otherwise it just turns into math homework. Hardcore gamers might also not be as adept at letting the nastier elements of the game go.I know it seems contradictory to want a deeper game that I also want to continue playing with a very casual crowd but that's how I feel. This is an excellent and superbly-designed game, I just wish there was more to it.
D**S
Five Stars
Sounds silly, but serious gameplay, and tons of fun
G**E
Cutthroat Chicken Politics
This is one of the most cutthroat political games I've played in recent years. There is no random element to be found anywhere in the game - everything you earn, you get through negotiation with other players.The goal is to get the most money by the end of the game, and money is earned by having your chickens hold certain political offices - some offices get money directly, but all offices give you badges of office which are cashed out at the end of the game. And every office does SOMETHING. The Aediles, for example, set the tax rate, which determines how loyal the guards are (and how much money Caesar and the Aediles themselves will get). The Praetors place the guards, which determines how many foxes get into the coop - and where they get in, which determines which chickens get eaten.There are a number of tricky balancing acts built into the game, as well - for example, having one or two dead chickens is actually a GOOD thing, but three or more will make it difficult for you to get ahead, especially early in the game. And a high tax rate gives some players money, but also means more chickens will be eaten which hastens the end of the game.It's faster-playing than that other Cutthroat Political Game that everyone knows - Diplomacy Avalon Hill Board Game - and can be less intense.Even though it plays with three, I do not recommend this game with fewer than four players. But if you have four to six players regularly and enjoy cutthroat negotiation games, there are not many which are this good that don't ALSO last much longer than this one does.
C**S
Et tu, Brute?
This game is worth checking out for the premise alone: chickens on a farm have created a society modeled on imperial Rome - at least as they imagine it. Families negotiate, vote, form alliances and backstab to promote their roosters to successively higher offices. Lower offices (Praetor, Aedile) have less prestige but can determine the fate of their superiors. Higher offices (Consul, Censor, Caesar) have more prestige and opportunities for corruption, but are vulnerable to removal. Victory is based on the record of offices your family's roosters have held, but well-placed bribes may allow you rewrite their curricula vitae.What makes Chicken Caesar especially interesting is that play is based entirely on interaction and negotiation: there is no element of chance. The rules, which may seem complicated on first reading but are quickly mastered, provide a basic framework with no obvious winning formula. It's up to the players to plot, scheme, bargain and betray their way to victory. You can only win by striking deals and forming alliances, and since there can only be one winner, someone will eventually have to play Brutus.The game is best with at least four players, and a certain level of emotional maturity is required because it's all about ganging up and backstabbing. Not the best thing for soothing sibling rivalries.If your enthusiasms compass board games and Roman political intrigue, you'll find this game irresistible. It takes a few liberties with history and Latin grammar (I'm sure you share my consternation) but don't let that discourage you from buying this splendid game. Chicken Caesar affords plenty of opportunity to put history's sanguinary lessons to good use.
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