It is a time of unrest in 1920s Europe. The ashes of the first great war still darken the snow.
The capitalist city-state known simply as The Factory which fueled the war with heavily
armored mechs has closed its doors and attracted the attention of several neighboring
countries. Scythe is an engine building game set in an alternate history period of the 1920s.
It is a time of farming and war broken hearts and rusty gears innovation and bravery. In
Scythe each player represents a character from one of five factions in Eastern Europe who are
trying to make their fortune and claim their faction's share of the land surrounding the
mysterious factory. Players conquer territory recruit new recruits harvest resources win
over villagers build structures and activate monstrous mechanisms. Each player begins the game
with different resources (power coins battle sense and popularity) a different starting
location and a hidden goal. Starting positions are specially calibrated to contribute to the
uniqueness of each faction and the asymmetric nature of the game (each faction always starts in
the same place). Scythe gives players almost complete control over their destiny. Beyond each
player's individual hidden objective cards the only elements of luck or variety are encounter
cards that players will draw when interacting with the citizens of newly explored lands. Each
encounter card gives the player several options allowing them to decrease the luck of the draw
through their choices. Combat is also driven by choice not luck or chance. Scythe uses a
streamlined action selection mechanism (no rounds or stages) to keep gameplay moving at a fast
pace and reduce downtime between turns. While there is plenty of direct conflict for players
who seek it there is no player elimination. Each part of the Scythe has an aspect of engine
building to it. Players can upgrade actions to become more effective build structures that
improve their position on the map recruit new recruits to improve character attributes
activate mechanisms to deter opponents from invading and expand their borders to harvest
greater types and amounts of resources . These engine-building aspects create a sense of
momentum and progress throughout the game. The order in which players improve their engine
contributes to the unique feel of each game even when playing a faction multiple times.
