Replay The Great Game in Pax Pamir’s upcoming, Kickstarter-exclusive second edition

Political tableau-builder Pax Pamir is returning next year with an updated second edition.

The original game was released in 2015, and saw players controlling Afghan tribes caught up in the battle between the British Empire and Russia for control of the Middle-Eastern region during the 19th century during a conflict known as The Great Game.

The card game revolved around building a tableau of cards by purchasing from a central market in order to increase a tribe’s standing with the competing nations, spy on neighbouring tribes, deploy troops, assassinate individuals and more. Players attempted to establish the closest bond with either nation just as they assume power over the region, claiming victory.

The second edition of Pax Pamir arrives courtesy of Root designer Cole Wehrle, who co-designed the first edition alongside Phil Eklund but appears to be tackling its reiteration alone.

The box, which will launch in a Kickstarter at the end of August before planning to arrive with backers in June next year, will pack in much of Pax Pamir expansion Khyber Knives, with gameplay elements integrated into the main game.

Otherwise, though, Wehrle describes the game (as per a BoardGameGeek thread) as being streamlined from its predecessor, with the minimum play time down to 45 minutes from an hour and the amount of rules slashed in half.

Wehrle also says that the new experience will be “dramatically” more transparent when it comes to keeping track of what’s happening and why, “so much that it may unnerve some long-standing fans”.

There'll also be some new art and improved components, with a price pegged at around the $50 to $60 mark – but no retail release, making the Kickstarter the only opportunity to grab it.