New Civilization Trade Cards

Designed by Francis Tresham
Published by Avalon Hill (1988)


The supplementary Civilization Trade Cards do not change the rules of Civilization. They do, however change the feel of the game. By adding more cards to the market there is more wealth. This, IMHO, makes it easier to make good trades and easier to make purchase throughout the game. It also reduces the frequency of disasters throughout the game. The impact on game play is to reduce tension. This doesn’t make it a better game or even a worse game – just a different game.

The Cards

1 – Ochre
You should remove the original 7 ochre cards and replace them with the new 8 ochre cards. In the original game 7 ochre cards are worth 49 shekels (or whatever currency you wish to use) – the new set of 8 ochre cards are worth a potential 64 shekels.

2 – Iron
You should remove the original 5 iron cards and replace them with the new 6 iron cards. In the original game 5 iron cards are worth 50 shekels – the new set of 6 iron cards are worth a potential 72 shekels.

3 – Timber
You ADD an extra 8 cards to the Salt deck. Timber is worth a potential 192 shekels.

4 – Oil
You ADD an extra 7 cards to the Grain deck. Oil is worth a potential 196 shekels.

5 – Wine
You ADD an extra 6 cards to the Cloth deck. Wine is worth a potential 180 shekels.

6 – Silver
You ADD an extra 5 cards to the Bronze deck. Silver is worth a potential 150 shekels.

7 – Resin
You ADD an extra 4 cards to the Spice deck. Resin is worth a potential 112 shekels.

8 – Dye
You ADD an extra 3 cards to the Gems deck. Timber is worth a potential 72 shekels.

9 – Ivory
You ADD an extra 2 cards to the Gold deck. Timber is worth a potential 36 shekels.

All up you are adding 49 cards into the trade market. That’s a lot of potential wealth put into the game – PLUS fewer calamities.

It has been quite some time since I have played Civilization with the supplementary cards, and as I look through the cards as I write this review I notice that I have some hand-made disaster cards. I have Religious Upheaval for the Salt deck, Barbarian Hordes for the Grain deck, Slave Revolt for the Silver Deck and Inflation for the Spice deck. From memory there is a set of variant rules which appeared in The General magazine (but I can’t think which one) which outlined extra disasters and calamities to go with the supplementary trade cards. Again from memory, I think I found that the supplementary Trade Cards actually took some of the excitement and tension from Civilization and the variant calamities put some of this back into the game.


Are the Cards For You?

It all depends upon what you are looking for in the game. If you are into conflict and tension and like your game to be a challenge you probably don’t want to use the supplementary Trade Cards.

If on the other hand, you really are more into empire building and the smooth-running of a civilization (and I know that there are some of you guys out there) this could be just what you are looking for.


“Dead Men Tell No Tales!”