Targi is a 2-player only game set in North Africa.
Can you expand your tribe better than your opponents?
As leader of a Tuareg tribe, players trade goods from near (such as dates and salt) and far (like pepper), in order to obtain gold and other benefits, and enlarge their family.
Targi Game Overview
Quick Rules Summary
9 cards are placed randomly within a 16-card border making a 5×5 grid.
At the start of a round, the Robber moves one border card clockwise. Once the robber gets to a raid space in a corner then a Raid is resolved on the card. Then the Robber is moved on one more space.
Players take turns placing their 3 Targi’s on the Border cards. They can’t be placed on the Robber, another Targi or opposite an opponents Targi.
Then players activate the border cards they placed their Targi. They also activate any cards in the grid where the Targi intercept on the row/column.
These give resources, gold, tribe cards and other effects.
Once a central cards is used, that card is replaced by a card of the other type (good/tribe) face down.
When done, central cards are flipped face up and players discard down to 10 goods and 3 coins.
How do you win?
When a player has 12 cards the game ends at the end of the round.
The game can also end if the Robber reaches the 4th Raid.
Players get VP from VP Tokens, Tribe cards and bonus VPs from completing lines of Tribes in their tableau.
Main Mechanisms
Worker placement drives the actions, resource management drives the economy and set collection drives the scoring.
USP
Most two player only games aren’t this in depth.
Theme
The theme is interesting. There is a lot I can learn about the Tuareg people of North Africa.
Setup
A bit of shuffling and placing cards, resources out… Not too much.
Components & Artwork
The components and art are fine for a 13 year old game.
Ease of Teaching
There are a few complicated elements to explain. However, all of the information sin the game is open so it’s not too bad.
Similar Games
Here I would put Holmes: Sherlock & Mycroft as a 2 player only worker placement, set collection game.
Targi Review
Positives
Fun and quick game play.
It’s nice to have such a heavy 2-player only game as an option.
Balancing getting cards for your tableau and their resources is a fun puzzle.
It’s in a nice small box.
Negatives
It’s quite repetitive and at 60 minutes, it takes a bit too long.
Summary
Not a bad game, a great option for 2-player game nights.
Jesta ThaRogue