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PECUNIA NON OLET

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Authors: Christian Fiore &
Knut Happel

Publisher: GOLDSIEBER 2005

Awards: none

EVALUATION

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G@mebox author Ralf Togler writes about the game :

As you will probably know, the Romans introduced a lot of fascinating things, that were forgotten in the Middle Ages, but had a kind of revival in our times. Furthermore, the well-off - especially the emperors - were extremely inventive in finding methods to increase income. Especially in the late Roman Empire, the monarchs lived a life of luxury und had to collect a lot of taxes, because the time of conquests was long over. So one day emperor Vivian had the idea to impose a tax for using public loos. And this is the starting point for Pecunia non olet, which can be translated with "money does not stink".

In the game the players take over the role of owners of three latrines each. Passengers like senators, citizens and slaves have to pay a charge to use these toilets and thus the players get their money. Of course, there are passengers who have more money and are more generous than others. So the players always try to call those well-off people to their toilets. But because the latrines in the old days were quite rare, there is always a queue.

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What you must know is that costumers in old Rome did behave well and normally did not jump the queue. So you, as the owner, normally have to serve costumers in order, one by one. And this is really a mess, because there are some very fat ones, which will occupy your valuable toilet space for several rounds, before they are finished and pay the charge. Fortunately a player draws an action card each round that helps him improving the quality of his queue. But there are also cards to harm the opponents. So for example a fish poisoning will force a passenger to stay two rounds longer on the loo. And a vote will call all senators of a player to the senate, leaving the toilets and the queue without paying.

Of course, discrimination was also a major topic in old Rome. As a result senators may never be placed in a toilet next to a slave. Fearful women however, may go to the toilets in pairs, phenomena you might know from your own experience, too. In the end the player, who first reaches a specific amount of money, wins the game.

Pecunia non olet is a wonderful and quick game. The illustrations of the cards are beautiful and stimulate to grin quite often. The story fits to the game mechanism very well, which can't be taken for guaranteed for new games in the last years, if you ask me. Of course the game must not be taken too serious. Luck rules the game, but there are still some tactical elements that can influence the game. So if you always dreamed about making shit to money, you now have the possibility to live your dreams with Pecunia non olet.


Looking for this game? Visit Funagain Games!


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Copyright © 2005 Frank Schulte-Kulkmann, Trier, Germany