For example, in my session, I wanted to create an Irrigated Farm and the criteria for that was for me to collect the appropriate number of Materials, Timber, and Metal Tools (which can be crafted at a Workshop). To begin crafting, I’d select how many Metal Tools I needed, which was going to take several turns – I wanted to boost this. So, I “fed” the Metal Tools additional resources of Gold and Materials to help speed up production. After a few turns, my batch of Metal Tools was complete, and I could go about constructing the Irrigated Farm Improvement. Adding to the wealth of choice, these crafted goods can double as a valuable trade commodity with other Leaders – your choice in how to spend them can make all the difference.
Ara is set to launch with more than 30+ Leaders, with more to be announced ahead of launch, each with unique bonuses that can feed into your gameplay strategy — whomever you pick, it would be wise to play to their strengths from the start. For example, Nefertiti (Egypt) has “Rays of the Aten” which gives Farms a +1 to Food per Turn if placed adjacent to a river, so perhaps you lean in on agricultural aspects of your strategy. Or if you go with Shaka (Zulu), you’re given “Buffalo Horns” which gives a +25% Force Strength for Forces in certain Formations, meaning a direct conquest approach may be better suited for you to employ.
Leaders are also given shorter term Act Goals, that can give you a tremendous boost to your Prestige, by building structures like a Palace, The Colossus of Rhodes, or The Great Pyramid of Giza. For my session, I aimed for the Pyramids, which would require me to craft Lithic Tools, Rope, and Ceramic Pots. These Act Goals also seem smartly designed to help push you along the lines of advancement, gently teaching you how to play in the process. In this instance, those Ceramic Pots: that component was locked behind researching Masonry, which wouldn’t become available until I advanced to the Iron Age, the next Technology Era. This compelled me to start redoubling my efforts if I hoped to build this Triumph before another nation beat me to it.
