A Song of Ice and Fire Miniatures Game Review

Retrieve about a few Telly series that you accept watched or are watching, then put each one into these categories? The one that may take the highest ratings or spends the most coin on production or the one that trends on social media before, during and after it arrogance, maybe the i that has the most 'WTF' moments or 'tin't expect until adjacent calendar week' reactions. For me, but one series truly ticks all of these boxes, that being the one and only Game of Thrones which is the theme for CMON's brand-new 2-player war game: A Song of Ice and Burn.

From the beginning, I love the theme, love the fact that this war game is put out by a 'board game' company and designer Eric Lang, both of whom I am very familiar, and I've been mega hyped nearly playing it since its proclamation fashion back when: Allow's detect out if it holds upwards to expectations.

This starter set pits Business firm Stark against House Lannister and features a good chunk of your favourite characters, such as Rob, Catelyn, Jaime and the infamous Cersei, too as supporting characters The Mount and the Dire Wolf Gray Wind. This is a rank and file war game, meaning your miniatures will be organised into move trays fighting as one cohesive unit rather than individually (at that place're some exceptions).

As with most tabletop miniatures games, edifice your army is most as enjoyable as actually playing the game, with A Song of Ice and Fire beingness no unlike. CMON recommend an army of 30, 40 and 50 points depending on the size of the boxing you desire to play, time you have to play it, and more importantly, how many expansion packs y'all may accept purchased. In this starter set, you will become merely over 30 points' worth of each faction, significant y'all can modify your armies slightly from game to game, but let's face it, if you like the game, then you lot will buy more factions and units to play with.

For instance: A unit of measurement of Stark Sworn Swords will toll you 5 points, adding a Captain will accept that to 6 points, whilst adding Rob Stark to these will increase that unit to 9 points. With these Leaders come up their zipper cards which detail special abilities, such as extra movement actions or improved die modifiers, besides every bit others giving a lot of versatility and tactical changeability to each unit.

Each histrion will as well construct a 20-card tactics deck; similarly to the tactic board, these cards are played throughout each round (of which at that place're vi) and will affect unit abilities, whether that is yours or an opponent'due south.

The game comes with not-combat units: Catelyn and Sansa, Stark and Cersei and Tyrion Lannister, which make upwards i of the most pleasing aspects of play. Players will normally choose only one from each
business firm; used just like the gainsay units, they will exist placed on the tactics board, which volition requite benefits to your army or negatively affect your opponent. Recall of it like a political track from other games where your off-field scheming tin can impact on the battle itself.

Once your army is built, it is time to deploy: Yous tin can either choose a game way from the rule book or create your own, as with all state of war games. The ones in the rule volume are platonic to reinforce the core rules, and so I would advise that yous start there.

From this point, A Song of Water ice and Burn down plays out mechanically like nearly other rank and file state of war games, so I won't labour gameplay any more than I need to. Players will activate units in turn order, moving, charging attacking, etc. until all deportment are exhausted. Players use a rigid measuring stick to measure altitude and movement a set number of inches depending on the unit, which has its ain number of health, hit points, morale, etc. Players apply standard D6s to decide the outcomes of combat and tests, taking into business relationship modifiers from grapheme abilities, the tactics lath, tactic cards and terrain.

The game is objective based, and these objectives will be placed out on the battlefield with players needing to command these objectives to get extra special abilities and earn victory points. Showtime player to become a set amount of VP or to eliminate their opponent wins the game.

The one thing that y'all're guaranteed to get with all CMON games is excellent components, and A Song of Ice and Burn down is no different. The minis are absolutely outstanding with plenty of item and made from a harder plastic, so angle is not an issue. Each unit, such as the Stark Sworn Swords or the Mountain's Men, accept multiple poses which added to the characters and flagbearers, and they make the movement trays await exceptional on the table. The movement trays themselves have little holes on either side, assuasive players to choice the trays up to move them without sending the minis tumbling across the tabular array; groovy idea that is very much appreciated.

The second affair that hit me about this game is just how skillful the artwork is. In fact, it's absolutely gorgeous. As the game is based on the books, CMON have deputed all new artwork, significant no 'lazy screen grabs' from the TV series, instant win for me!

I love the integration of the tactics board and how information technology non only affects the battle but also massively adds to the theme. Having Cersei in the front line of the Lannister Guardsmen would have been silly, simply other companies may accept done just that to get her in the game. Having her pull the strings from the sidelines is a phenomenal idea and peradventure my favourite attribute of the game.

So far, I've not really mentioned the terrain which, if yous play the provided game modes, tin play a large part in the battle itself. Terrain ranges from castle walls to hedges, forests to bogs, too as some lovely corpse piles, and are provided in the grade of second cards' board pieces. As expected, sure terrain will restrict move or have die modifiers for morale tests, etc., and then they volition bear upon a player'south strategy throughout the game.

The rule book is well written, using loads of diagrams to explain rules, although the game itself is not that rule heavy. It also has a actually handy summary on the back page detailing actions, conditions and terrain rules; if you have read whatsoever of my previous reviews, and then yous will know that this is something that I really like.
The motility seems a fleck 'erstwhile hat', which is in stark dissimilarity to its competitors', such as Fantasy Flight's RuneWars, which has a actually cool 'twin dial' and motion ruler system, or the jointed movement ruler of Star Wars: Legion. In nearly circumstances, you can pivot your units either before or later on movement, merely it'south still only '3 inches forrard' and then on.

I was also a little disappointed that the game came with standard D6s instead of custom dice; again, this feels slightly onetime and unfinished, and although I fully appreciate that the whole organization was built around using them, it even so feels a scrap….meh.

Something that I was pleased with was the retreat action, which differs from most rank and file war games that usually punish you massively for retreating to the extent that information technology's just non worth doing. This turns games into a simple 'manoeuvre, charge, then slug it out until all units are dead' run across, which in my stance is a bit tedious. In A Song of Water ice and Burn, you can retreat usually to a safe distance to forestall an firsthand counterattack and reposition ready for the next round of play. This might not be major for almost people, but information technology certainly jumped out equally a positive for me.

If nosotros take away the theme and concentrate purely on the game itself, you're left with a very simple to play, fairly light tabletop war game, and information technology'due south precisely for that reason that I am not sure it volition appeal to 'hardened' state of war gamers who aren't in information technology only because it'due south Game of Thrones. This stance might be due to but playing with starter gear up units and could change if I was introduced to a variety of units and a large full-scale game, merely I can only rate what is in front of me, and for that reason, I didn't observe a massive amount of replay value. I did enjoy playing the game, but having seen through the theme, the game merely didn't grip me like some of its competitors have done.

On a positive notation, CMON have flung their whole weight behind this championship and are producing a ton of content, such as more factions, likewise as minor houses that will integrate with the larger houses, so for those of you lot that opt for this game, you won't be left wanting someday soon.

Check out Asmodee for more games similar A Song of Ice and Fire or notice your nearest games store Hither

Designers: Eric Lang, Michael Shinall

Publisher: Cool Mini or Not

Release: Sept 2018

RRP: £135.99

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Source: https://gamingrespawn.com/featured/37191/a-song-of-ice-and-fire-review/

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