Imhotep: The Duel

Imhotep: The Duel is a strategic two-player board game designed by Phil Walker-Harding, suitable for players aged 10 and above. In this game, players assume the roles of Nefertiti and Akhenaten, two of ancient Egypt's most renowned royal figures. The objective is to construct four distinct monuments—pyramids, temples, obelisks, and tombs—by strategically unloading valuable tiles from six boats.

Game Components:

• 60 Cargo Tokens:
• 12 Obelisk tokens
• 12 Temple tokens (with 1, 2, 3, or 4 symbols)
• 12 Pyramid tokens (6 light and 6 dark)
• 12 Tomb tokens (numbered 1–12)
• 12 Action tokens (3 for each of the 4 different actions)
• 8 Site Boards:
• 2 Obelisk boards
• 2 Temple boards
• 2 Pyramid boards
• 2 Tomb boards
• 8 Meeples:
• 4 in each of the two player colours: black and white
• 1 Harbour Board:
• 1 reserve space
• 9 harbour spaces
• 6 moorings
• 6 Boat Tokens:Each with 3 cargo spaces

Gameplay Overview:

Players take turns performing one of the following actions:

• Place a Meeple: Position one of your meeples onto an empty harbour space.
• Unload a Boat: If a row or column in the harbour contains at least two meeples, you may unload a boat aligned with that row or column. The meeples in that row or column unload the boat's cargo, with each meeple retrieving a token from the boat's cargo spaces.
• Play an Action Token: Use an action token to perform a special action, such as rearranging tokens on a boat, moving tokens between boats, or placing an extra meeple.

The game concludes when all boats are unloaded and cannot be refilled. Players then score their constructed monuments based on the tokens they've collected.

Strategic Considerations:

• Meeple Placement: Strategically placing your meeples in the harbour is crucial, as it influences which boats can be unloaded and which tokens you can collect.
• Boat Unloading: Timing the unloading of boats is essential to maximise the value of the tokens you collect.
• Monument Construction: Each monument has its own scoring method, so focusing on specific monuments can be a viable strategy.

Imhotep: The Duel offers a compact and engaging experience, capturing the essence of the original Imhotep game in a two-player format. Its strategic depth and quick playtime make it an excellent choice for players seeking a competitive and thoughtful game.