Description
Exodus – Moses vs Pharaoh
In Exodus: Moses vs Pharaoh: will you like Moses lead your people out of slavery and into freedom? Will the Hebrew Elders support your leadership? Will a decades old murder charge be brought against you? Will Pharaoh relent and “Let My People Go!” Will Joseph’s Bones be transported for re-burial? Will you plunder the Egyptians to make up for 400 years of slavery? Will Aaron and Hur be at your right and left hand?
As Pharaoh, will you keep the Hebrew slaves in order? Will your building programs proceed on schedule? Will your magicians defeat Moses at his own game? Will the gods of the Egyptians protect Egypt from the great I Am? How will the supernatural plagues be dealt with? Will your chariots crush the slave revolt before they escape across the Red Sea? Will you succeed where your historical counterpart failed?
Exodus: Moses vs. Pharaoh is a fairly simple card driven game which plays in about 30 minutes. It was premiered in 2018 at the World Board Gaming Championships at 7 Springs PA and was well received.
Game Components
- One full-color 17″ x 22″ game map
- 1 sheets of 3/4″ double sided round counters (24 counters) on thick stock
- One sheets of 5/8″ double sided square counters (46 counters) on thick stock
- Six rectangular mounted double sided Leaders with base
- One Decks of 54 Game Cards
- One Rule book (with game charts and example of play)
- Two Six Sided dice
Loyd Brazzel –
If Moses does not get the “Part the Red Sea” card then the Hebrews can not win. It seems that one mandatory card has too much influence in this game. It did play well though. Not overly complex, but multiple decisions required on both sides. A bit scripted as the plagues have to have their effect before the Hebrews can leave Egypt. The graphics are fine and if the Egyptians catch up with the Hebrews they will most likely win the one actual battle this game might have. Good historical flavor.
Bruce Monnin –
So, in the 50-50 case where the Egyptians draw the Moses Parts The Red Sea card, all they have to do to win is hold it all game (assuming he can keep initiative)?
Also, the rules don’t really explain the Harden Heart or Let My People Go well. I assume the Egyptians get one Harden Heart points for each point value (1-5) on a card?
Austin Lee –
I tried this twice at the game convention. Once as Moses, once as Pharaoh. It was fun and fast.
Bryan Oroxom –
I like the mandatory historical events; such as Joseph’s Bones and Plunder the Egyptians. This game takes about 30+ minutes; five cards per turn. First, the Hebrews under Moses bring down the 10 plagues in historical order. Unless the Hebrews have ice cold dice and/or the Egyptians have a great card hand Pharaoh will likely “Let my people go!” by the end of turn three. A critical early card in favor of the Hebrews is Miriam Worships. Moses must get the card “Part the Red Sea” in order to win. As such, holding cards other than this one decreases the chance of a Hebrew victory. I recommend not holding any cards until after you have that one; in which case the Angel of God card is the second best. If Moses does not get the “Part the Red Sea” card by turn 8 he must nonetheless leave the Land of Goshen and take his chances in the desert. With a card deck of only 54 cards and several remove from play cards parting the Red Sea will occur 2+ times. Moses chance of not getting it is only about 1 in 4. Pharaoh is then free to move only after Moses and the Hebrews leave the land of Goshen. He has to go to the Chariots, mobilize them, and then cross the Nile from Memphis. All this takes three card plays. Any delay card on the Hebrews at this point in time is helpful for Pharaoh. Also, building a chariot army in the North is an alternate viable strategy as crossing the Nile costs a card play; especially if the chariot army at Memphis has been split to fight the Hittites. The best Egyptian card is Initiative so play it as the event if you get it. Everything considered, this is a smooth beginner game running at most 45 minutes. Nonetheless, more experienced gamers will also find this game a quick and refreshing experience.
Melody Newkirk –
Moses has a lot of fun raining down the plagues. What a load of fun. Moses has about an 80% chance of getting the critical Red Sea card based on the number of cards and turns and the save a card ability. Pharaoh can fight back with Magicians, Crocodiles and Bricks without Straw. If the Egyptians ever catch the Hebrews after they leave the land of Goshem then that battle very heavily, say 90%, favors the Egyptians. So Moses don’t leave Goshem without the Red Sea card unless time is running out.