Iliad is a two-player tile-placement strategy game set during the Trojan War. One player takes the role of Achilles (Greeks) and the other plays Hector (Trojans), competing for the favor of the gods. Players place tiles with varying strength values onto a shared board, and when rows or columns are completed, the dominant player claims success tokens representing divine favor. The game blends simple turn mechanics with deep tactical decisions about tile commitment and positioning.
Components
1 Game Board (grid for tile placement)
Player tiles for each side (strength values 1–5 plus Dolos tile), symmetrical pools
Success tokens (placed at the ends of rows and columns)
God favor tokens (5 gods)
Score tracking components
Setup
Place the game board between the two players.
Each player takes their symmetrical pool of tiles.
Place success tokens at the ends of each row and column on the board (2 tokens per line).
Each player draws a starting hand of 2 tiles from their pool.
Turn Structure
On your turn:
Place a tile from your hand onto an empty space on the board. The tile must be placed adjacent to an opponent’s tile.
Activate ability (optional) — When placing a tile, you may activate its special ability.
Draw a tile — Draw a new tile from your pool to refill your hand to 2.
Actions
Tile Placement
Select one of the 2 tiles in your hand.
Place it on an empty board space adjacent to at least one opponent tile.
The tile’s strength value (1–5) contributes to row and column totals.
Tile Types and Abilities
| Tile | Strength | Special Ability |
|——|———-|—————-|
| Value 1 | 1 | Specific ability when placed |
| Value 2 | 2 | Specific ability when placed |
| Value 3 | 3 | Specific ability when placed |
| Value 4 | 4 | Specific ability when placed |
| Value 5 | 5 | Specific ability when placed |
| Dolos | Variable | Mimics the value of adjacent opponent tiles in its scoring line |
Line Resolution
When a row or column is completely filled with tiles, it is scored.
The player with the highest total strength in that line selects one of the two success tokens at the ends of that row or column.
The other token goes to the opponent.
Success tokens may grant god favor or award/cost points.
Scoring / Victory Conditions
Success tokens can earn the favor of the five gods.
At the end of the game, the player who has earned the favor of all five gods wins outright.
If neither player earns all five, the player with the most points from success tokens wins.
The Dolos tile (Greek for “deceit”) adds strategic depth by copying adjacent opponent tile values.
Special Rules & Edge Cases
Symmetrical pools: Both players have identical tile sets, ensuring balanced gameplay.
Adjacency requirement: Tiles must be placed next to an opponent’s tile, creating an interconnected board state.
Dolos tile: This special tile takes on the value of the opponent’s adjacent tile(s) in its scoring line, making it a powerful but situational play.
Token selection: When winning a line, choosing which of the two tokens to take is a critical strategic decision — you might pursue god favor or maximize points.
Hand management: With only 2 tiles in hand, deciding which to play and which to hold creates tension every turn.