Moytura: Review
Information:
Mechanics: Area Control, Two Player
Player Age: 12+
Player Count: 1 - 2 Players
Time to Play: 45 Minutes
Game Designer: Trevor Benjamin, David Thompson (I)
Game Artist: A. Giroux, Harry Conway
Publisher: Bitewing Games
Year Published: 2026
BGG Weight: 2.25
Disclaimer: A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher.
Introduction:
Azure was my first entry in the Mythos line by Bitewing games. Moytura is my latest venture into this line of two player games. Moytura is an area control game of region supremacy where players aren't only competing with the other player but are having to manage the swarm of the three enemies as they fill the board. Whichever player (or enemy) has the most points after two scoring rounds is the winner.
Game Anatomy:
Board:
The board contains a score track surrounding the outside of the board, in which each player and the group of enemies will place a score marker. On the board are 11 regions denoted by a different colour. Each region will also have a score for the group with the most and second most followers/enemies in the region. This score will trigger twice in the game each time five rounds are played. There are also lines moving from region to region, this is the standard way enemies will spread throughout the game.
Deities and Tuatha Dé Danaan:
Each deity has a unique method of how players can expand on their turn. The Tuatha Dé Danaan and the bottom deity are always free. Every other deity will cost one more as they move up the column. The higher the deity the more followers the player will place when performing the expand part of their turn, shown in the right side of the track.
Enemies:
Enemies will swarm the board throughout the game plaguing the board slowly filling the board, unless players fight for a piece of the regions. There are three enemy types, which can either play the same way or each have various game changing effects which makes it harder for players to anticipate their movement. For scoring, rule explanation and worship token purposes all enemies are equal on the same enemy team. Each colour will also contain a stronghold in their starting location this cannot be expanded into and will act as a backup spawn location for that enemy type if necessary. In the scoring rounds it will also award the player scoring the top points in that region a bonus two points.
During the game an enemy card will be drawn at the end of the round to dictate what colour is expanding and if each occurrence how many enemies will spawn. Once players are familiar advanced enemy types can be used to create more variance in the game. Three are included in the base game and three more add to the replayability with the expansion.
Ellén Trenched (Three Headed Beast):
When the Ellén enemy has a placement of two troops they instead of the normal rules expand on every location that is available next to the biggest group, not just the normal expansion lines.
Olliphéist (Sea Serpent):
This process for expanding can happen up to three times based on the card revealed. Olliphéist will expand to each space adjacent to the largest group by sea. If an enemy troop is in the way this will move to the next available space by sea.
Banshees:
The banshee cards have locations where the enemies are spawning. Banshees are unique in that they will coexist with any enemy troop already in these locations.
Player Pieces:
Each player will have 46 followers of their colour, 9 player tokens and two player aid cards.
Worship Tokens:
Worship Tokens are used to activate higher deity actions on a turn. These can be gained through expanding into their location on the board, choosing Tuatha Dé Danaan on the turn,
or trading in three enemy tokens. These worship tokens are scarce so to have a good range of potential selection on a turn it is crucial to use these wisely.
Setup:
- Choose how many advanced enemies are in use
- Select one map setup to use. Place the enemies and followers as shown on the map setup.
- Each player takes their player pieces.
- Take the matching enemy cards for the enemy types in play. Flip the enemy tokens to match if using the advanced enemies. Shuffle the cards to create two piles of give cards.
- Give each player two worship tokens, fill the unoccupied mound locations on the board with one worship tokens each.
How to Play:
Moytura is played over ten rounds. With one scoring round midway after five rounds and one at the end of the game. On a round each player will choose one deity to expand their followers, after the two players turn an enemy turn will occur.
Player Turn:
Each round each player will have a turn selecting which movement they are doing based on the deity they select.
Choose a Deity or Tuatha Dé Danaan:
The player will select which way they are expanding this turn, the bottom deity and Tuatha Dé Danaan is free. Each deity higher will cost one more worship token, the top deity will cost three worship tokens.
Upgrade Deity:
If the deity chosen is the top (fourth) or second from the top (third) deity then the player will upgrade an action on that deity for the rest of the game for that player. The first upgrade can only be upgraded on the third spot and the second upgrade can only be upgraded when the deity is chosen from the fourth spot. Upgrading a deity twice is very challenging.
Expand:
Based on the deity selected there will be a different method in how the player expands. The amount the player expands will be determined by any upgrades on the deity and the amount of followers indicated on the right side of the deity track. When a player expands they can select any location they have followers and expand from that location. The location expanded to cannot contain the enemy stronghold, their own followers or their opponents followers. This game does not have direct conflict built into how players expand.
Resolve Conflicts:
Conflicts will not occur directly between players but there will be plenty of conflict between players and enemies. If the player's followers enter a space with the enemies, the enemies and followers will be removed from the board at 1:1 ratio. The player will then gain the enemy tokens to be traded into worship tokens when enough is gained. If an enemy is defeated on an enemy's turn, the player cannot gain the enemy tokens.
Claim Worship Tokens:
Claim any worship Tokens gained this turn or trade in three enemies for a worship token (any amount of times).
Reset the Deity Display:
Move the deity used this turn to the top of the column and move all other deity tiles down to fill the vacuum in the column created. Don't move any deity tiles below the one activated this turn.
Enemy Turn:
During the enemy turn the top card of the current stack will be revealed. This will determine the enemy colour activating, the amount of enemies that will expand and any other necessary effects. The largest group of that colour will be the group to expand. Any location near this group that meets these three conditions will expand placing enemies equal to the number on the card on each location.
- It is connected via a path.
- There is no already existing enemy unit (any colour) in this location.
Conflicts act the same as the players turn, however the defeated enemies do not go to any player when defeated.
Scoring:
After the fifth and tenth enemy turn the regions will score. The enemy or player with the most followers in that region will gain the larger value as points and the player with the second most presence will gain the smaller points. If it is tied at all, the points will be halved (rounded down) and the next value to score will not score. If any player holds a majority in the regions with enemy strongholds they will score a bonus two points.
Final Thoughts:
- If not managed the enemy can easily swarm the board.
- An interesting non-conflict based area control game.
- Unique upgrade system.
- Worship tokens are crucial and scarce. The game still allows for two movement options if the player has no worship tokens.
- Once playing the gameplay is easy and intuitive, however the rules did not sink into my brain easily when learning.
Moytura, is an interesting control puzzle. Unlike other games, players are not directly conflicting with each other instead they are making choices in how they choose to cut off the enemy and how to block the opponent's path. This is not easy to do however, since players have to carefully manage their worship tokens allowing the players to have the range of movement choice at crucial times and to decide when it is best to upgrade the deity movements. This is a fast playing area control that does feel unique. What's more is the built in variability once the game is understood by creating different enemy patterns to create challenges based on the players preference. If you enjoy two-player and area control games that feel unique I can easily recommend Moytura.
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