| Comparison Criterion | Tyrants of the Underdark | Altay - Dawn of Civilization | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Players | 2-4 players (confirmed by BGG: optimal for 3-4) | 2-4 players (confirmed by BGG: optimal for 3-4) | Scalability is roughly identical |
| Game Duration | 60 minutes | 45-90 minutes | Altay felt longer to us |
| Number and Type of Resources | 2 abstract resources: Power (for map actions like deploying/assassinating troops) and Influence (for recruiting/promoting cards). Accumulated in a personal pool through cards, without physical tokens. | 5 concrete resources: Food, Wood, Metal, Stone, Culture. 80 total tokens (16 per type), produced by cards/territories and spent to acquire cards, build, or develop achievements. Thematic variety tied to terrains. | In many cases, resources in Altay can also be used as if they were abstract |
| Map | Territories connected by lines (grid) | Set of areas | The Sailors expansion allows new types of map movement |
| Asymmetry | All decks are identical | Each deck has a different set of starting cards | |
| Combat Management | Deterministic: actions like Assassinate (3 Power to remove an enemy or neutral troop where you have presence) and Supplant (replace an enemy troop with your own, spending Power). Simply eliminate opponents or neutral units (40 white unaligned troops) to gain majority control; spies act as wild for control without direct conflict. |
Play Attack cards to attack adjacent territories; strength from cards/achievements/settlements. Winner captures settlements (1 VP) or neutral territory tokens (1 VP per 5 points). Defense with Defense cards; surrender option (helps manage hand). |
Altay is more similar to Tigris & Euphrates in combat management |
| Neutral Units | 40 White (unaligned) troops placed on map spaces, which can be controlled or eliminated to gain influence and VP. | 33 neutral people tokens (values 1, 2, 3) placed on territories; serve as neutral units to conquer for VP (1 VP per 3 points), especially on mountain territories (value 3). |
Capturing neutral tokens seems less rewarding in Altay |
| Technologies or Achievements | No. Card aspects for bonuses, but no dedicated system. | Yes. Project cards in 3 levels: Level 1-2 (technologies, permanent effects like defense/trade bonuses); Level 3 (Wonders, mainly extra VP). Developed with resources/settlements; an initial secret wonder for bonuses. |
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| End Game Conditions | Ends when the market deck is empty or a player deploys their last troop from the barracks. Complete the current round for equal turns, then final scoring. |
Ends at the end of the round when a player exhausts all 15 settlements. Complete the round for equal turns. Another end condition is the elimination of a player from the map. |
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| Victory Conditions | Highest total VP: from site control (+total bonus), VP tokens earned, VP on cards in deck/inner circle, troops in trophy hall (1 VP per 2 assassinated). | Highest total VP: from developed achievements (+secret wonder bonus), VP on action cards, controlled territories (VP markers), captured settlements (1 VP each), conquest points (1 VP per 3). |