Hansa — How to Play, and Why It's a Gem

This week's older board game gem is Hansa (not Teutonica), from Michael Schacht and Abacus Spiele in 2004. Players are merchants trying to buy goods from one place, sell in another, but they all share the same single ship. So they pay to sail it from city to city, trying to make their individual fortunes — but it is a competition, so don't end your turn with the ship in an opportunistic place for the next player!

The game features basically no luck (the goods locations are just randomised) and provides a thoughtful, dare-I-say "elegant", experience. The presentation, with artwork done by the designer, is understated, calming and mature. A new version called Traders of the Air gives it a slight steampunk theme, but it's the same game under the hood.

00:00 Intro
01:54 How to Play
13:47 Why It's a Gem

Board Gems is a weekly video series highlighting board games that aren't talked about much any more — maybe they're a bit old (though not usually crazy old), or maybe they didn't make a big splash when they came out — but are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!