Ra

Game Mechanics

Ra includes two different mechanics, auction/bidding and set collection.

Each student bids on an array of valuable tiles from ancient Egypt, each trying to gain enough to be awarded the most points at the end of the game, after three epochs (i.e. rounds).

Critical Thinking

Analysis (study the board and pieces)

• Recognizing what values you have with which to bid in an auction.
• Being able to recognize the worth of tiles (i.e. valuables) of a particular auction.

Synthesis (understand the rules and how to play)

• When to declare Ra and begin an auction.
• When to bid in an auction and when to pass.

Evaluation (learn how to win)

• Timing your bidding to maximize the number of tiles you get compared to the value of your bid.
• Obtaining monuments throughout the game, ensuring a large point total at the very end.

Geography and History

• The board on which the students play is an abstract representation of an auction block in ancient Egypt, with two rows for tiles. On contains the tile of valuables, and the other contains Ra, representing the passing of time during an epoch.
• Wikipedia article about Ra, the god of the sun.
• Wikipedia article about ancient Egypt.

The goal is to accumulate the most tiles of:

• Pharaohs,
• Monuments,
• Farming on the Nile (rives and floods),
• Paying homage to the Gods
• Advancing the technology and culture of the people

Some topics you can explore with your son/daughter:

• List the types of valuable tiles, in order of importance in the game.
• Why does it require a flood tile to count all your river tiles?
• What does Ra represent in the game? When he appears, either because of a tile or because he is invoked, what is actually happening during each epoch?

Resources and Links

• Board Game Geek - Ra is on of many auction-type board games, and one of the best games for three people.
• Pictures - During the class I had a slideshow set up to show pictures from Board Game Geek, including scenes from actual Egypt!
• iPhone/iPad - Like Carcassonne, this is one of the better apps to appear. The AI is very tough to beat, pass-and-play is easy, and you can play online.