Through The Ages 3p Play-through, Teaching, & Roundtable discussion by Heavy Cardboard

Are you interested in learning how to play Through the Ages? Here is your chance! Edward, from Heavy Cardboard, along wtih Sweater Mike, teach you how to play in this video.
Later, they are joined by Ash for a full-game play-through. Let us know what you think in the comments below, and don't forget to like and subscribe!
00:22 - Intro
02:15 - Rules Explanation
52:10 - Game Start
5:04:20 - End Game
5:07:45 - Roundtable Discussion
BGG Game Link: boardgamegeek....
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13611 E. 104th Ave
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Thanks for watching and remember to comment below with your thoughts & feedback!

[@johngray516]

After watching you guys play I picked it up immediately. I have over 250 games and this is by far my favorite. Keep it up guys!

[@pop9095]

So much for Mike explaining the game. There is something to be said for consistency in terms and likely preparation wasted.

[@joowen4468]

Just finished your 5 hour playthrough. Thoroughly enjoyed it so thanks guys. My friend and I have dabbled in two plays of the short game so far but chomping at the bit to get stuck into the Age 4 game now I've seen this!!!

[@zsoltbihary3347]

I just started watching, and Im already amazed how clear and well articulated the speech of this guy is... Wow.

[@iloveu1ube]

yup, smart people mastered this.

[@bcmboardgames2688]

Would love to watch another playthroygh of this game.

[@LobBazar]

I work graveyard shifts and having just discovered this glorious channel, I've been having a lot of fun going through and watching these play throughs. I'm about a payday away from supporting you boardgame hero wizards on Patreon!

[@teslavoltagames3208]

That was a slaughter. Wow. Sweater Mike brings it home again.

[@gmavrack]

I love this game! Can you please do another session?

[@jamiee78]

would love to see you guys do a 2p game session next time. It might keep the playtime down, but also enable us to see/follow players moves a little easier.

[@classactionsteve]

Mike loves this game so much it sounds like he's gonna come whenever he talks

[@Acroherd]

This playthrough was/is great. I second the thoughts of seeing another one! I love playing this on the app. Wish I could play it in person.

[@king6dutch]

Oh I love this game. I suck at it but I love it.

[@Heavycardboard]

We always love the ones that hate us ;)

[@evatar4052]

I relate deeply to that statement

[@serpentsreign]

Agreed

[@eirinialexandridou-tsoumit2739]

It would be awesome to upload a play-through of Robinson Crusoe

[@michaelcunningham3933]

Shout-out to Heavy Cardboard: Love your walkthroughs both for games I'm experienced with (like TTA) and those that for which I"m still in learning-curve mode. One slightly negative comment on the TTA walkthrough: TTA newbies, don't do what Heavy Cardboard does with respect to the practice of having the Phasing Player finish his or her turn while the next player starts the next turn. This is where many mistakes and oversights occur. For example, Sweater Mike got distracted by the the beginning of Era Four activities which started with the next player breaking the Era Three deck while repopulating the card row. He neglected to score Culture (10 points) and Science (9 points) from his preceding turn. I guess this makes his substantial margin of victory even more impressive. In a closer game, obviously, this would be a bummer. This occurs, roughly, at 4 hours, 45 minutes.

[@tbui817]

Is this still your favorite game? This playthrough sold me. Just picked it up... Now to convince my group to play 😅

[@Heavycardboard]

It’s Top 5 for sure. Enjoy!

[@jcradunz]

Been giving a lot of thought on buying this one, it seem pretty amazing, the only thing I believe it lacks for me is a map to make me get the feeling of my civilization expanding physically. On the other hand, right now it is the only Civ game that was released in my native language (Brazilian Portuguese), so it is almost an instabuy. Great stream you guys !!! Keep up the awesome work !!! wasn`t able to stay till the end of the live stream but could catch up and watch the end of the game today =) Cheers !!!

[@Heavycardboard]

Ash actually addresses that and feels similar as you re: the lack of a map. Thanks a bunch for watching and the comment and really glad you enjoyed it!

[@ryanfurton2]

Would love to see another playthrough, subbed

[@Heavycardboard]

There is a very good chance that we'll do another, probably a 2p play-through of it too.

[@ryanfurton2]

Awesome!

[@Pantoffel_CH]

+1 for this one :) would love to see a second play-through :)

[@johnyramble]

Obviously this is a better game than Nations, but Nations is still a great game and it takes half the time so the fact that I'll be playing it many more times than I would play TTA (because my group can't afford to spend 5 hours on one game) is a significant advantage for Nations. Think of it like Twilight Imperium VS Eclipse. Obviously TI is a much richer game and experiencing it at least once a year is fantastic, but Eclipse is an amazing game as well that plays in under 3 hours and so I can afford to play it at least twice a month, so it provides far more value than getting TI.

[@the_luggage]

Thanks for playthrough, really enjoyed it! Helped me decide whether to buy it, or not. I really want to play it, but won't buy it as most of my gaming is with the Mrs. and it's too take-that for her. Thanks again!!

[@ryanfurton2]

Best game ever made

[@brentman1000000]

Great play-through! My #1 game as well. Thank you for doing this!! Just a side note...the BGG game link is for the 1st edition version, not this version.

[@Heavycardboard]

Thanks, Brent, and we fixed the link. Good catch!

[@dkoudrin]

Nice stream, amazing game.

[@ropearoni4]

I just traded some magic cards for a copy of the "new" civ (had orignal copy but traded it off when it had value, and not played enough), and now this playthrough makes me want to get it to the table even more. My wife is dead set on the Colonists complete game first. Next, though, this!

[@unknownmysterious9918]

2:53:00 the age 2 event card should be place in the future event pile(left side) 3:04:00 developing organized religion will cost 1 civil action and upgrading theology to become a second age religion building will also cost 1 civil action

[@teslavoltagames3208]

What is the Glory to Rome board? Did I miss something?

[@driftwood8943]

Sweater Mike needs a spin off show like the lone gunmen, where he combats threats both terrestrial and extraterrestrial. Good show too.

[@evanmullinix8792]

1:29:22 Theology costs two CAs

[@blkbird]

Was checking the comments to see if someone mentions this. Nobody at the table seemed to notice. I've only played digital, does this type of error happen a lot in person?

[@zinho73ninguemperguntou]

@@blkbird all the time, :)

[@threepoint14159265]

"Robespierre combos with constitutional monarchy!" I'm sorry what now?

[@Dometooplz]

He actually combos with republic. Developing Republic via revolution costs only 1 science, it is 6 for constitutional monarchy. And as Robespierre 's ability ties to developing government via revolution it combos perfectly with republic :)

[@quadparty]

I missed the start of the stream, so I didn't get to help with the rules corrections for the first couple of ages, but the rest of the stream picked up most of them. Except one. Age I ended a turn too late. An age ends when the deck runs out, so after Edward's turn where he said he thought Age I was going to end, he was right. It doesn't matter than no Age II card was needed on the conveyer - the Age I deck had run out, so Age I was over. Yellow cubes should have been taken away at that point (which would have put the cost for Sweater Mike up for his hire), but he missed out on drawing Age II military cards that turn, so maybe it evened out :-)

[@Heavycardboard]

I thought that happened, but had looked away and didn't see that the deck had run out, else I'd have piped up. Thanks for the heads up and for watching, Graeme!

[@darianjofficial]

ugh. I wish this video was uploaded without the comments from that feed showing. SO distracting

[@washijo229]

So I own this game and have tried 3 different occasions to play, but couldn't seem to get past the idea this is "Abacus: The Board Game". However, I'm watching this and have seen reviews and can't help but feel I'm missing something that would make it awesome.

[@washijo229]

Update: So The Mrs. and I finally got through a complete game. The beginning was very slow, but by mid 2nd Age, it got really tense all the way to the end and we finally got to see why it is so awesome. Still Abacus: The Board Game in parts (then again, so is Terraforming Mars), but enjoyable.

[@gabrielsarikov2514]

you did the end of first round wrong, When replenishing the card row for the first time, the cards come from the Age A civil deck. (In the unlikely event that you run out of Age A civil cards, fill any remaining empty spaces by dealing from the Age I civil deck.) When the card row is replenished for the first time, Age A ends and Age I begins. Put the rest of the Age A civil deck in the box. Shuffle the Age I civil deck and place it on the lighter half of the current age board. From now on, the card row will be replenished with Age I civil cards.

[@gabrielsarikov2514]

oh i see you fixed it later :-)

[@Heavycardboard]

;) Thanks for watching and good looking out! :)

[@steelbeard151]

At 27:00 and following, I think I get what you're trying to say about calculating the tactics, but it was a bit confusing because you have blue cubes on your Knight and Warrior cards. There is also the yellow cube on the Warrior that you started with. Shouldn't they all be yellow? I thought blue was for mines and farms.

[@audraogilvy2605]

yes

[@DanielBRLima]

Thanks for this video!!!!!!!

[@Joppy554]

I really liked the dark wood card holders you were using. Are they hand made or did you order them from a store?

[@Zero2tm]

I also would like to know where did you get the wooden card holders from please?

[@marccampbell3851]

Stream starts at 1:28

[@MrDragoon73]

Your video guys is super helpful and enjoyable for new players several years after it was created. However I noticed that after replenishing the card row for the first time you did not use the deck A cards. As per the rulebook you replenish the cards using deck A and then discard what's left from it and AGE I begins. Isn't that correct (57' 15'' ? ok i see you corrected that later on !! GREAT VIDEO!!

[@kenwen7791]

1:22:39 apparently, in mobile version, homer's ability to have an extra resource for upgrading and building a military unit is mandatory, I have ever encountered this and still face corruption anyways

[@vexingarcanix95]

IMO this game is best with 4 players, but I do enjoy it at any player count.

[@jonathanwork7070]

I used to play the first edition of this game. I did not like that version due to concern about military victories. I might end up liking this version of the game.

[@texascpa]

Love this game, but c'mon Ed, Nations is great too. :D

[@Heavycardboard]

+texascpa Not the last time I played it it wasn't;)

[@Thesussysuscat]

Hey nations is great too

[@matto2971]

If I have the older version should I adopt the military rule that anyone can buy into this technology?

[@aweso]

Nice video, I always enjoy watching these playthroughs and hearing the discussions at the end. But Through the Ages has always been an odd game for me in that both times I played it I found it really generic and forgettable, while so many people whose opinions on games I tend to agree with just absolutely rave about it. Probably more than any other game TTA makes me feel like a crazy person, but I really just don't see what makes this game special, why it stands out from any other engine builder. I'd be interested to hear more in depth thoughts at some point (as far as I can tell you guys haven't done an episode on it). Though maybe it's just down to my particular taste, I know that I tend to value at least some uniqueness or cleverness in games and it seems like the appeal of TTA as far as I can tell is just in being a very competently designed, tight, involved engine builder and not necessarily that it actually does anything particularly interesting.

[@haslo_]

I think what makes it special to me is that it's so smart about being unobtrusively thematic. Every wonder and leader and event just makes so much sense.

[@aty57]

I actually have Nations the board game and we've had some fun with it. Is it worth getting Through the Ages even when I own Nations?

[@rafajmate]

Sry for my english ;) I think there is a fault at 1:43:50, If you like to play a military technology, you have to pay the "light balls" and a CIVIL action. If you like to upgrade/create a soldier, then you have to pay the resource and MILITARY action. So 1 CA to take the (military)technology from the card row, 1 CA + the light balls to play it, at last, 1 MA+resource to create/upgrade 1 soldier Am I right?

[@Heavycardboard]

Hello Janos and your English is fine! :) First off, thanks for watching so closely. You're 100% correct and we just goof'ed on that one. Great catch. Hopefully you enjoyed the play-through and thanks again!

[@rafajmate]

Of course I enjoyed :) Thanks for the video!

[@chrislef351]

and this is why is subed :)

[@steelbeard151]

Did the interview with Francis Tresham ever happen? He died in October 2019.

[@Heavycardboard]

It most certainly did and was something absolutely memorable. It’s available on the podcast.

[@RafaelSanzioBorgesjp]

2:08:00 he could hate drafting by taking one of the two cards before the irrigation.

[@serafar]

hey guys.. kind greetings, love ur videos.. i have a question, we bought the game month ago and while playing with 3 players a pact card was played between the two other players excluding me. the pact was loss of sovereignty.. so it says on the pact no one can attack side B. which allowed that player to just focus his game on developing winning points and totally abandon military part of the game.. any idea if we played it right and if so what can be done to somehow bounce back..

[@Heavycardboard]

Only the other player in the pact can't attack side B. If you're not a part of the pact, you don't have to abide by that. ;) Thanks for the kind words and for watching, serafar!

[@johnyramble]

Also, the fact that you take your whole turn at once makes downtime a nightmare that Nations avoids altogether.

[@shpini1]

Maybe the best game ever created. The expansion should have come out on Essen 16 but didn't and now they say Essen 17. BTW, the game can easily be determined by war, one or two turns left behind on can make you lose the game.

[@Chordus_Gaius]

Don't mind me just saving the timer: 48:48

[@kimhines9091]

What does the ship icon on the Colossus card mean?

[@kimhines9091]

I figured it out!

[@alexbroadie7314]

1080p.....You really should find a way to add a reminder either on the board or on the screen to tell people to adjust video quality to 1080p

[@Dometooplz]

The sausage-men story I've read on Reddit was more interesting :P

[@Chordus_Gaius]

Don't mind me. Just saving a timestamp 3:51:02

[@threepoint14159265]

Could someone explain the Glory to Rome running gag?

[@Heavycardboard]

It's a very polite, safe-for-work way of us telling one another "Go &^$# yourself" for messing up our plans! :)

[@teslavoltagames3208]

Screwed up so many rules in my first game.

[@Heavycardboard]

Hope we helped with it then!

[@vidanovicd]

1:09:33 why he did not pay 3 science for taking that drama? Actually, he did not have science points for it, so it seems illegal move?

[@Bobbe45]

You dont pay 3 science to take it.

[@stevegeorge7773]

Not liking the take that element of this game. Particularly when, in the cards that do it in this play, have targeted the last player. Vlaada I recon is one of the best designers out there, Mage knight I do like. This is to take that for me.

[@JJ_TheGreat]

Steve George Civilization games tend to have a lot of Take That elements... For some reason, every time I try to watch a video about how this game plays, I end up falling asleep. I WANT to know how this game works, but I guess I prefer a map in my civ. games. I would like to play Sid Meier’s Civilization: The Board Game for an epic experience!

[@svingvejvafkungsorn8697]

Hmm being a kid and seeing adults play. WOW

[@rocklands15]

Dude stop interrupting the game explanation. I gave up on this video 7 minutes in because two people talking at the same time was doing my head in.

[@Thesussysuscat]

"So what he means is ...."

[@Ar_bgg]

In this game Almost everything happen on the player boards and watching score boards all the time didn’t help me learn anything whatsoever! Nice group, fantastic boardgame to play, video recording is terrible though! 😣😣😣

[@pop9095]

Not sure it's reasonable to poo poo game as 4 player simply because your players lack focus or experience or an ability to not filibuster. The skill of being prepared to take your turn is one worth cultivating.

[@kingpietro1279]

They are cheating because they aren't counting the food you need to not to starve