Material World (1995)

About this game

A game of building caravan/shipping routes to new territories to acquire resources and carefully using them to increase the level of civilization while avoiding or defeating the armed forces of the opponent. The map covers the entire world and the five possible powers are Britain, Germany, France, Russia and the Ottoman Empire.

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 2 to 5.
• Rules load. At 2.9/5 this is a mid-weight game — expect a proper rules explanation before you start.
• Age. The publisher suggests 12 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.