The BanquetThe "Court Banquet" in France and other European monarchies referred to formal meals to which courtiers were invited to reinforce hierarchies and prestige.A Court BanquetTo dine with the Queen and her courtiers were always events of great political and social importance. They served as:- Stage of influence and power: being present meant proximity to the monarch. Courtiers used these moments to seek favors, positions, or support for their families;- Display of status: behavior, attire, and position at the table reflected the prestige of each guest. It was a way to reinforce social hierarchies;- Environment of diplomacy and intrigue: discreet conversations during dinner could seal alliances, initiate conspiracies, or change the course of royal decisions; and- Ceremonial and control: the Queen used these events to reinforce her authority, demonstrate wealth, and keep the court under watch.All these elements are present in Courtisans.Courtisans - the Board GameCourtisans is a 2-to-5 players game, age 10+, by designers Romaric Galonnier and Anthony Perone. Art by Noëmie Chevalier.Game BoxCourtisans was released in 2024 by Catch Up Games. Among its mechanics we have: end-game bonuses, set collection, and take that.Game ComponentsThis is a fun and light party game, and on 2024 was even nominated as Best Party Game by Golden Geek Best.Let's play!Playing the gameCourtiers from six families have been invited to dine with the Queen, among them spies, guards, nobles, and even assassins. You will try to sway your influential families to make a good impression during dinner, but the opposite is also true: you will try to sway other families you don't influence to fall into disgrace during dinner.In Courtisans, one thing is certain: when the Queen offers her banquet, there is intrigue and bluffing!This is the Courtisans' setup:- Place the playmat (which symbolizes the Queen's dining table) in the center;- Shuffle all the Courtier cards (depending on the the number of players, some will be removed);- Deal 3 cards, face down, to each player;- Form a deck with the remaining Courtier cards;- Shuffle the Secret Mission cards, blue and white, separately, and give one of each, face down, to each player;- Randomly choose who will be the 1st player.Game SetupTo understand how it all fits together, it is necessary to know the different types of cards:- Courtier cards;- Special Characters cards;- Secret Mission cards.The Courtier cards represent the Families, where each one has colors and images of animals that distinguish them, namely:- Butterfly: gray cards;- Toad: green;- Nightingale: red;- Hare: yellow cards;- Stag: dark green;- Carp: blue.The 6 FamiliesWithin each of the Courtier Families, there are also Special Characters, each with a distinct effect:- Assassin: Whenever you place an Assassin in an area, you can eliminate another Courtier card in that area;- Noble: At the end of the game, each Noble counts as two cards, whether in a player's domain or around the Queen's table;- Guard: Can never be eliminated by Assassins. Once played, it cannot be removed;- Spy: Must always be played face down, and no one can look at a Spy card on the table. If a Spy is played on the Queen's table, it must be placed in the Queen's column, above or below her seat. Thus, players will not know which Family it belongs to.Special Characters from the Stag familyLastly, the Secret Mission cards come in 2 colors (white and blue), both always award 3 points if you manage to complete them, but they differ in where they score points, namely:- White: generally require you, or your neighbors, to have specific combinations or quantities of cards in your respective personal areas at the end of the game;- Blue: refer to the cards placed on the Queen's table, requiring specific conditions to be met within that area.An example two Secret Mission cardsNow that we know this, let the feast begin! Or rather, let's learn how a turn of Courtisans goes.On your turn, you must play all 3 cards from your hand. You play one card, face up (except the Spy), in each of the 3 play areas listed below:- one around the Queen's table;- one in your domain;- one in an opponent's domain;An important detail: you can play them in any order, but must play one card in each location.When playing one of your Courtier cards around the Queen's table, that card can be placed above or below the playmat:- above: Families with more cards above than below the playmat will finish the game as Esteemed;- below: Families with more cards below than above the playmat will be Fallen from grace.Placing a Courtier placed below the Queen's tableTo place a Courtier card in your domain (in front of you) or in an opponent's domain (in front of them), simply place it in one of the two options. Know that, at the end of the game, each of these cards will give you 1 victory point if the Family is esteemed, while removing 1 victory point for each card if this Family falls from grace.Cards in a domainAfter playing your 3 cards, draw 3 new cards from the top of the deck to be played on your next turn. Now it's the turn of the player to your left. If the deck is empty, this was your last turn. Wait for the current round to end.That's a turn for Courtisans!Ending the GameThe game ends when the Courtier deck is empty and no one has any cards left in their hand.Now all face-down Spy cards are revealed.Those on the Queen's table are moved to their respective Families, without altering their level, i.e., cards above the playmat remain above, those below the playmat remain below.Next, determine the situation of each Family on the Queen's table:- Families with more cards above the playmat end up esteemed;- those with more cards below have fallen from grace;- if there is no majority, the Family is neutral;- don't forget that Nobles count as two cards.Nightingale and Hare have fallen from graceBased on each Family's situation, calculate each player's score:- Each Courtier in an esteemed Family is worth 1 point;- Each Courtier in a fallen from grace Family causes you to lose 1 point;- Families that are neutral have no effect;- Don't forget that Nobles count as two cards;- Each player then reveals their Secret Mission cards, each completed card is worth 3 points;- Uncompleted Secret Mission cards don't score.Based on the previous image, this player scores 11 points!Whoever has the most points, wins. In case of a tie, the tied players share the victory.Strategy TipsCourtisans is one of those games where paying attention to your own game and your opponents' is necessary, as it makes the difference between victory and defeat. The secret is knowing the perfect time to place a Courtier card under your control, your opponent's control, or on the Queen's table.The Courtier cards, especially the Special Characters, make a big difference in the game, each with a specific strategy, namely:- Assassin: although eliminating a card with the Assassin is optional, don't let this opportunity pass you by, as you have the chance to weaken an opponent;- Noble: use it to make a Family esteemed or fallen from grace, after all, this card counts as two, or use it to have more cards of a particular Family;- Guard: is always a "safe haven" type card, after all, the Assassin can't eliminate it. Use it to get more cards from a particular Family or to either help or worsen the situation of a Family on the Queen's table;- Spy: is that card that always gets people anxious. If played in any domain or on the Queen's table, there will always be doubt in the air; it's one of the flavors of the game, the bluffing.The Secret Mission cards are also a highlight, because:- Fallen from Grace Missions: 6 cards that score points if some Families fare badly;- Esteemed Missions: 6 cards that score points if some Families are esteemed by the Queen;- Other Missions: 8 cards that score points for set collection, that is, collecting more or fewer cards from a given Family.Your strategy should be based on these Secret Mission cards, as they can compensate for negative points if one or more Families in your domain fall from grace.Courtisans is a game where the situation of the Families changes all the time; it's up to you to adapt to this and use your best strategy, sometimes using the Assassin in your domain to avoid scoring negatively.Furthermore, pay attention to the opportunities the game presents, devise your best strategy, find the best timing, and win in Courtisans.Unboxing, Rules, and Gameplay VideosUnboxing:Rules:Gameplay:Pedagogical TipsIf you're looking for a light, fast-paced, fun game that's easy to teach and play, and on top of that has beautiful artwork, Courtisans is the game for you!Courtisans is a simples, yet highly strategic game, with absurd shifts in the prestige of the Families, a fact that will make children laugh and create good memories together.As learning incentives, Courtisans scores really high, offering:- resource management: based on the game's overview, managing your own cards;- strategy: knowing what, when, and where to play;- decision-making: making the right decision, based on the overall view of the game and its secret missions;- logical-mathematical reasoning: to calculate scores in real time and know what action to take.From a pedagogical standpoint, Courtisans addresses resource management, stimulates strategy, decision-making, logical-mathematical reasoning, and on top of that, it's fun!I recommend Courtisans for your collection!!!
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