In Pax Pamir, players take the role of Afghan political factions in the early nineteenth century. For generations the Durrani Empire held the region together. Now, their authority has collapsed. Rivals both old and new have emerged from the shadows. It's up to the players to see if a fledgling Afghan state might come into being. The core of Pax Pamir is simple. Each turn, players will draft cards from a central market and then play those cards. Cards can be used to entrench your position and grant players access to powerful abilities. Throughout the game players will command mighty armies, direct the subterfuge of their spies, and undertake daring political manoeuvres. Players have many tools at their disposal, but the work of forging a new central Asian state is not easy. Players will often need to band together in coalitions. However, only one player will be the winner. As a coalition grows in size, its members will have to fend off internal rivals and secure their own personal dominance. Pax Pamir takes its subject seriously. The game is the product of over five years of research and draws on a wide range of both primary and secondary sources. For this reason, the game may not be suitable for all groups. It offers an extended meditation on life at the fringes of European power and asks the players to understand the many currents that guided the history of central Asia in the nineteenth century. It is also a deeply interactive game where the path to victory often cuts through the hopes of your opponents.
