The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon remain one of the most debated Wonders of the ancient world: no confirmed archaeological evidence has ever been found, yet ancient writers described them in ecstatic terms — terraced gardens rising like a green mountain above the flat Mesopotamian plain, irrigated by an ingenious system of pumps drawing water from the Euphrates.

In 7 Wonders, Babylon begins with Clay production — the quintessential building material of the ancient Mesopotamian river valley — and its Wonder board reflects the city's legendary tradition of astronomy and mathematics.

Babylon's three stages give you 3 VP (Stage 1), a free choice of any science symbol (Stage 2), and 7 VP (Stage 3), totalling 10 direct points plus the scoring value of that science symbol.

The Stage 2 science symbol is where Babylon diverges from the pack. Science in 7 Wonders scores in two ways simultaneously: sets (1 VP per matching trio of different symbols) and pairs/singles (1/4/9/16 VP per identical symbol squared). A bonus symbol from your Wonder can complete a trio you're one symbol short of, or push a pair into a quadruple. The closer your science count is to a strong pattern, the more that one free symbol is worth.

Babylon is the science Wonder. Your Wonder's Stage 2 is an extra science symbol that you assign during final scoring — choosing whichever type maximises your points. That means you should spend your Age drafts building up Green science cards, knowing that your Wonder will smooth out any awkward gaps in your collection at the end.

Typical arc:

• Age I — draft Green science cards alongside Brown production. You need Clay and other materials to build your Wonder stages, so don't ignore Brown entirely.
• Age II — continue prioritising Green. If you're leaning toward one symbol, draft two of it; if you're pursuing a set, grab whichever symbol you're missing. Build Stage 1 for the 3 VP.
• Age III — build Stage 2 before final scoring is calculated (you assign the symbol at the very end). Draft Guilds and Blue VP cards where possible to supplement your science total.

Babylon is strongest in games where opponents neglect to starve you of Green cards. If a neighbour realises you're running science and starts passing you nothing, you'll need your Wonder's symbol to do a lot of heavy lifting.