Pillars of Heracles - Awaken the Legends!

The game will contain the following additional Legendary Heroes:

• Achilleús, the Scion of Peleus. With the "Aegis of Achilles" ability, not only does he count as a Hoplite for all game purposes, but other players may not interact with the Land space occupied by him through Mythology cards. See the sketches for this legendary hero in this update and watch our social media channels to see its final incarnation.
• Hektor, the Defender of Troy. With his "Duelling Champion" ability, he may initiate a Skirmish at any time during your turn on the Land space he occupies. See sketches of this mighty hero of the Trojan War in this update.
• Odysseus, Wanderer of the Wine-dark Seas. With his ability as the "Cunning Strategist", he will grow in power throughout the game for each challenge defeated in a different region. See details in this social media post.
  
  

"Pillars of Heracles" is the first chapter in an ambitious trilogy titled "Legends of Hellas," inviting you to embark on an unparalleled journey through ancient Greece. By supporting us, you become part of a larger narrative that spans from the adventurous Archaic Period to the rise of democracy, the clash of Sparta and Athens, and facing the Persian threat during the Classic Period in "Age of Pericles", and onto the expansive conquests and strategic genius of Alexander the Great and the Successor States in "Sons of Heracles." This trilogy is not just about playing a game; it's about experiencing the history of this magnificent civilization unfolding in its entirety.

Over three years of meticulous research, design, and playtesting have gone into "Pillars of Heracles." This game represents a labor of love from a team passionate about bringing the rich tapestry of Greek mythology and history to your tabletop. By supporting us, you are enabling a dream to become a reality and allowing us to continue creating immersive and educational gaming experiences.

By supporting "Pillars of Heracles," you're supporting not just one game but the broader mission of preserving history through gaming. Our goal is to educate, entertain, and inspire by bringing the ancient world to life, promoting an appreciation for history and culture through the unique medium of board games.

Choose one of the five main actions available on the rondel with your action card, determining the focus of your turn.

Either before or after you perform a Procure, Deploy, Build, or Settle Rondel action, you may move your units to explore new territories or take control of powerful cities and regions.

The Procure action allows you to gain new, more powerful Action cards (either Monument cards or Character cards), thereby shaping your unique deck to suit your strategy.

The Deploy action allows you to place Units on the Game board, thereby increasing your strategic choices for Settling, Building, and Movement.

The Build action allows you to construct one or more Buildings and/or Cities
on the Game board. Buildings unlock powerful abilities, and Cities help you win the game.

The Settle action allows you to remove Population tiles and place Pillars on the Game board. This will grow both your economy and your influence on the space.

The Ascend action allows you to progress on the Region tracks by spending Resources, and potentially gain powerful upgrades including Cities, Mythology cards, and Action cards, as well as passive abilities.

You may Invoke one of your Energised Mythology cards by using its ability and turning it sideways. A Mythology card can be used either on your turn, or even on another player’s turn!

To Fulfil a Prophecy, you must have accomplished the quest indicated on it within its Region. Era I/II/III Prophecies contain increasingly difficult missions and provide 1/2/3 Glory at game end.

If you are out of cards, replenish your hand, refresh your pillars on the map, and energize your divine aids to set yourself up for the next turns!

Watch the Official "Pillars of Heracles" Gameplay Tutorial by Slickerdrips!
Our comprehensive video guide takes you through each gameplay aspect, from setup to victory conditions, ensuring you have all the knowledge needed to lead your city-state to triumph. Perfect for visual learners and those looking to get a quick start.

Rahdo Previews Pillars of Heracles:

Richard's and Alex's Final Thoughts on Rahdo:

French language previews:

German language preview by Board Game Burger:

Hungarian language reviews:

Read even more previews and reviews here.

The video from National Geographic provides a comprehensive overview of ancient Greece, highlighting its political system, military prowess, cultural contributions, and lasting impact on world history.

The video by 'Kings and Generals' explores how ancient Greeks settled new lands due to limited resources, overpopulation, and political conflicts. Colonization involved selecting founders (oikistes) who sought approval from oracles like Pythia at the Oracle of Delphi. Settlers performed rituals for divine approval and assurance before embarking on risky journeys, and mainly volunteered for expeditions, populating easily defensible areas with access to water supplies. These new settlements maintained ties with metropolises but governed independently, honoring founders with annual festivals and cults. The death of the oikistes marked the end of the foundation era in a colony's history, with successful colonies thriving and others facing abandonment or conquest.

This lecture by Professor Donald Kagan explains the Greek heroic code, the cultural significance of arête, and the rise and evolution of the polis, highlighting the inherent conflicts between personal glory and community values that influenced Western civilization. The lecture is part of a fascinating series by Professor Kagan, published by OpenYale, and was recorded in Fall 2007 at Yale University. You can watch the entire series here.

In this lecture, Professor Donald Kagan explores the rise of Greek colonies called apoikiai (meaning: a "home away"). He argues that the rise of new colonies was primarily due to the need for new farmland, although he acknowledges several other important reasons. He also shows where the Greeks colonized and explains that the process of founding a new colony probably took place within the dynamics of a polis. Finally, he offers a few important outcomes of this colonizing impulse.

"The Greek Archaic Period" by James Llyod at the World History Encyclopedia

"The Archaic Period" by the National Archaeological Museum of Greece

"The Oracle of Delphi" by History.com

"Ancient Greek Warfare" by Mark Cartwright at the World History Encyclopedia

"In Search of the Pillars of Heracles" by Oliver D. Smith, Open University

These in-depth articles explore the key events, figures, and innovations that defined the Archaic period, from the colonization of the Mediterranean to the rise of tyrannies and the development of the first democratic systems.

When you pledge for 'Pillars of Heracles', you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions:

Items marked as Crowdfunding Exclusive will not be made available through regular distribution channels. They may, however, appear in limited quantities for promotional purposes at conventions, in contests, and directly from Apeiron Games or through our co-publishers (including Grand Gamers Guild) on their websites.

Following standard Kickstarter refund terms, we will provide a full refund if the request is received within 14 days from the end of the campaign. Any requests made after this period will be at the discretion of Apeiron Games and may be subject to a refund of up to 90% of the pledge cost due to Kickstarter and card fees already incurred.

If you fail to accept your package when it is delivered, we will not issue a refund for the cost of the pledge.

We guarantee that the packages you receive will be complete and include all items in perfect condition. If you encounter any missing or damaged items, please fill out and send us the replacement form available on our website at https://apeiron.games/contact. We will replace the items free of charge. In cases of minor cosmetic damage to external boxes, replacement decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.

A couple of weeks after the campaign ends, you will receive an email inviting you to the pledge manager. Here, you can confirm or upgrade your pledge level, pay for shipping, and confirm your delivery address. We will send several emails and updates to notify you of the deadline to finalize your pledge. If you do not complete your information by this deadline, despite receiving notifications, we may not be able to send you your pledge.

We will continue to test and develop "Pillars of Heracles" until it reaches perfection. Due to this ongoing process and potential improvements suggested by the factory, the final product may differ from the prototypes shown on this page. By pledging to this project, you acknowledge that the final game may vary from what is presented in this Kickstarter campaign. Apeiron Games will strive to keep the final game as close to what was presented during the campaign as possible, making changes only to enhance the game. We will also keep backers informed of any significant changes and the reasons behind them.

Please note that the game components showcased in our campaign videos and campaign page as well as social media are produced using 3D printing technology, which allows for a high level of detail and customization for prototype purposes. However, the mass production of "Pillars of Heracles" will utilize injection molding techniques. While this method ensures durability and consistency across all units, there may be slight variations in the final product compared to the 3D printed prototypes featured in the videos. By backing this project, you acknowledge and accept that the appearance of game components in the final product might differ slightly due to the differences in manufacturing processes. Rest assured, any changes will be aimed at enhancing the quality and playability of the game.

By backing 'Pillars of Heracles', you support not just a game, but a commitment to quality and community engagement. Thank you for joining us on this legendary journey!
Risks and challenges

We've embarked on this journey before, and your support for Ahau: Rulers of Yucatán allowed us to gain invaluable experience in successfully delivering a Kickstarter project. We've learned from every step of the process, from production to fulfillment, and we're committed to applying those lessons to Pillars of Heracles to ensure a smooth and efficient campaign.

While we're confident in our ability to navigate the production and fulfillment process, unforeseen challenges can always arise in the world of tabletop game creation. Supply chain disruptions, production delays, or shipping complications can happen, but we're prepared to meet these challenges head-on.

Our promise to you: if, for any reason, Pillars of Heracles is not delivered to your doorstep within one year from the end of this campaign, we will refund your shipping fee. We stand by this guarantee as a testament to our commitment to delivering a high-quality product to our backers.

Your trust and support mean everything to us, and we'll keep you informed and updated every step of the way. Together, we'll make Pillars of Heracles a reality and create a gaming experience you'll treasure for years to come. Thank you for joining us on this epic journey! 🙌