Editing Civilization (1980 board game) (section)

==Gameplay==

[[File:Civilization-194-end-of-game-4-players.png|thumb|End of 6h 4-player game on Greece and Asia]]

A game starts with each player having a single population token in the area based on the specific civilization represented (e.g. on the island of Crete for the Cretans or in Africa for the Egyptians).  As the first few turns progress, the population expands exponentially. Since any given area only supports so many population tokens, players need to spread out, eventually meeting the civilizations of other players. 

[[Trade]] is the most important activity in ''Civilization''. Trade cards give a player's civilization wealth, which ultimately helps their civilization advance on the AST. As each civilization grows, adding more and more population to the board, players can convert excess population into cities by gathering six population tokens in an area favoring settlement (or twelve in other areas). Each city grants a trade card to the owner, one of eleven [[commodity|commodities]], such as iron, salt and grain. Having more cities gives access to more valuable commodities, such as bronze, spice and gold. Each such commodity has a value equal to the number of cities required, so for example once your civilization grows its third city, you can gain a salt card, valued 3, and you need eight cities to have a chance at a gems card, valued 8. However, collecting more cards in a set gives an exponentially larger payout (number of cards squared times the commodity value). For example, as mentioned one salt is worth 3 points. Two salt, however, is worth (2^2x3=)12 points, and three are worth (3^2x3=)27 points.

The total number of cards in each set differs. There are nine salt cards but only four gems cards, for instance. While collecting all four gems cards pays (4^2x8=)128 points collecting all nine salt cards pay (9^2x3=)243 points, so every commodity remains relevant. Thus, players are encouraged to trade with each other to collect sets of the same commodity. You trade by selecting some of your cards to offer another player, truthfully stating one of them, as well as the total points value of the proposed trade. If that player agrees, you swap cards. 

The quirk is that along with trade cards come eight [[Disaster|calamity]] cards such as [[volcano]] eruptions, [[famine]] and [[civil war]], which destroy population and cities. The player that is stuck with a particular calamity card at the end of trading suffers that calamity. Since players are only required to tell the truth about one of the cards and the total points value they are trading, calamity cards can be slipped into a trade to avoid their effects. Many "trade sessions" can become quite vocal and exuberant as players try to out-trade one another. 

After trading is complete and calamities are resolved, players can cash in their sets of commodity cards. Gains from trade are used to purchase civilization cards, such as [[agriculture]], [[Currency|coinage]], [[philosophy]] and [[medicine]], which grant special abilities and give bonuses toward future civilization card purchases. The goal of the game is to advance (on the AST) through the Late Iron Age and become the most advanced civilization on the map board.  This is accomplished through clever game play and purchase of several high-value civilization cards, while trying not to antagonize your neighbors.