Grading the Alhambra Expansions (6)

 

Art of the Moors

During the game on your turn you can now choose to buy one of these special tiles that fit on your expansion. Every round, rotate the hexagon one space or move the cube up one. You can only turn the tile as long as the cube is on that number and you can only move the cube as far as you have X amount of buildings with matching numbers from the hexagon on your Alhambra. 

This expansion is a PASS

Its a good idea, the number on the hexagon encourages you to buy more of the same number in order to get big points at the end of the game. The problem is, its too finicky to play with. So many moving pieces that it makes it impossible to keep up with. Also, the end game points are NOT worth the effort. I feel there's a good idea in there somewhere but it becomes lost during the game. 

Falconers

Purchase one from the top of the three stacks provided and place on a matching building. At the End of the Game score set collection points. 

This expansion is a PASS

When I first read about this one, I was excited to play it. Though they pay off big time in the end, no one felt like "wasting" a turn buying one and I agree. I get it, if you don't have anything else to do why not get one. But the amount of times you'd have to do that exceeds the amount of times you'll have a situation like that where you can't make any better move. Just wasn't worth it in the end.  

Watchtowers

These tiles are offered to the side of the board for purchase at any time. Their price decreases each round but when bought can be added to a wall doubling it's points each round as well as spinning the Alhambra off into new areas around your board. 

This expansion is a Meh

It really doesn't offer any more than that. It's ok, as the color must match the building but besides that, it was largely ignored when we've played with it. And when it doesn't get used that much by everyone, I can tell it's not that good. 

Building Sites

Buy a tile for half price and place one of these markers on it. On a later turn you can pay the other half of the price and add it to your Alhambra. 

This expansion is a Meh

I get what they were trying to do here. Making it easier to "reserve" a tile you want but can't afford at the time but this was something that didn't appeal much to me. Though we all used it at some point in the game I feel its not a necessary module to include every time.