Euro games are hit and miss with me, that’s no secret if you read this blog, but I had heard about Kingsburg repeatedly from a number of sources, each more reputable than the next that Kingsburg was a really great game. I took the plunge this month, so here is your review.
Kingsburg is a game in which players take on the roles of governors who must gather resources, construct buildings and protect their investment. Most of the elements of this are fairly abstract, this is a very Euro game and largely handled through an interesting take on the worker placement mechanic.
It’s a very pretty game and while busy, very clear, a trademark of Fantasy Flight Games organization and quality.
In Kingsburg, the game is broken down into 5 years, during which you have different seasons in which to act. Various events transpire but you are largely doing worker placement to gain resources and then constructing advantageous buildings all while scoring points. The worker placement mechanic is represented by 18 of members of the kings court (including the king and queen herself). During each season players will roll 3 (sometimes more) six sided dice and use those dice to purchase the favor of one or more of the members of the kings court. Doing so, earns you the benefit of that noblemen and of course as all worker placement games, blocks other players from claiming that spot.
For example if you roll a 3, 5 and 6, you could secure a higher member of the court for the full amount 14, or you could split the dice up and take several lower positions perhaps a 6 and 8 (3+5). The various buildings you construct during later phases can allow you to manipulate the dice results, there are ways to get additional dice and various other benefits all forming a pretty wide variety of strategies for this ultimately pretty simple worker placement game. There are other elements including raising armies to face the threat that comes at the end of each winter, ways to manipulate turn order and a few other little moving parts.
What you construct defines what sort of strategies will open themselves up to you. There are plenty of different ways to approach the game which is great for replay-ability.
Ultimately though like most worker placement games it’s all about smart use of your workers, resource management and finding openings to score points since naturally the player with the most points at the end of the year wins the game.
I’ve got a few worker placement games under my belt now, including my favorite, Lords of Waterdeep. I really think Kingsburg stands out compared to most of the worker placement games I have played thanks to interesting inclusion of the dice into the mix, the many ways you manipulate the games positions and I in particular liked the fact that there was a lot more player interaction (which lacks in a lot of worker placement games). The board is really tight, in particular in a 4 or 5 player game so there is pretty stiff competition and the games are very clutch.
While the worker placement mechanic is driven by dice, the dice also drives the turn order while the game offers ample ways to mitigate dice rolls. It has randomness but you would have to be pretty unlucky consistently for it to have any impact.
I’m not sure that the game did a particular great job of presenting the theme, though the theme itself is pretty vague. I think Kingsburg art helped it a great deal to make it aesthetically pleasing and the game board itself is incredibly functional with easy to read iconography.
I’m not entirely sure I can say I love Kingsburg, I think it’s a fine game, but it has not dethroned Lords of Waterdeep for me. It’s a pretty quick game and I like that and unlike Lords of Waterdeep, it plays quite well with just 3 players. My understanding is that the expansions is well worth getting though I’m not sure I like the base game enough to actually pick it up. I don’t have any particular beef with it, but like many Euro designs, Kingsburg lands in a kind of neutral area for me. It’s got a great spin on an already established mechanic, its production quality is high and I find it appeals a lot more to kids thanks to this art style and randomness of the dice mechanic. I think given the option I would still rather play Lords of Waterdeep but Kingsburg is not an altogether shabby alternative, though it certainly didn’t blow me away.
One thing I can say about board games is that I like most of them at first. The truth is that board gaming as a hobby is actually less about the games for me and more about spending time with friends. It’s a social occasion, which is why I have never enjoyed playing games online (I have tried many times). The experience is just not the same.
That said however I do find that over time, most games I tire off. In fact, despite having played hundreds of games over the years, my actual collection is quite thin. I don’t hold onto games I don’t have an itching desire to play and the result is that there is a tremendous amount of culling of the collection that happens.
There are some games however that have made it into my collection and have proven themselves to have lasting power, some for over decades. Today I will talk a bit about some of these great old school games that, even though they didn’t make my top ten lists, I would never get rid of. It’s not so much that they are amazing games by today’s standards, though they are good in their own way, but it’s that they have a certain element to them that just makes them keepers for me.
Ikusa (Formally known as Milton Bradly’s Shogun or Samurai Swords)
This 1980’s classic has been in my collection since I started gaming nearly 30 years ago. It’s a game that hasn’t aged particularly well in light of modern mechanics and is often referred to as “RISK like” which has its own negative connotations to gamers. It’s a long game and it can be a bit mean given the potential for player elimination, but I still love it for its purity as a classic war game.
While many gamers consider dice chuckers like RISK to be beneath them, to me Ikusa has sufficient “extra’s” to make it a quality strategic game. The fact that it looks amazing on the table is just a cherry on top.
There are many war games made today but very few of them go for the pure war mechanic. Most are filled with card play, overly complicated, have various euro style abstractions, some even go the gimmick route and while I like many of these games, classic RISK style dice chucker war games still appeal to me. I grew up on games like Fortress America, Axis and Allies and Ikusa.
Ikusa is actually seriously underrated as a board game even for today’s standards. It is a dice chucker for certain, but it has a pretty considerable depth to strategies that can be employed and there is far more to it than simply building units and fighting, there is a kind of sequence of events that transpires. First there is this war preparation period, the consolidation of troops, the choosing of battlefields, the defining of borders and alliances. In the second part of the game all hell breaks loose, pure chaotic war, when players make all of their big moves. Than in the final rounds there is that last man standing period where players get clever and try to push the limitations of their forces and prepare for the end game. The climatic finish usually comes in the form of two or three contending players fighting out a couple of critical make it or break battles that define the winner. It’s always clutch in the end and though usually a couple of players lose the war much earlier, there are always two or three contenders for the win in the final rounds.
The game can stagnate in the sense that these “periods” in the game can get pretty extensive, but it’s a war game made for gamers who are accustomed to 4 to 5 hour games. Faulting it for taking a long time is like faulting golf for being played over 18 holes instead of a more manageable 5. It’s part of the game and you kind of embrace it or don’t play it.
Ikusa has never disappointed me, it’s always fun to play and just easy enough to teach to anyone. While its mechanics have aged a great deal in comparison to some modern improvements in war games it still holds up quite well in my opinion and remains one of my favorite games to pull out for that pure war game itch. I actually love many of the old Milton Bradly classics but games like Axis and Allies and Fortress America are really two player games, Ikusa is the only one in that group that works well with multiple players and yes, it’s a far better alternative to RISK.
Ticket To Ride
I have never played a game of Ticket to Ride I didn’t enjoy. Despite its simplicity and casual nature, it’s one of those games that just finds its way to the table out of convenience. It’s so easy to teach, it’s very kid/family friendly and really requires very little of your attention so it makes for a good beer and pretzels, not too serious type of board game night. While light on the theme, it’s clearly a game about trains which I think is a topic that has always appealed to me.
Ticket to Ride is a simple game, doorway game that is perfect for introducing people to the hobby of board gaming. It’s theme is attractive and strategies immediately apparent.
Despite this casual nature though the game has some mini depth, there is actually quite a few strategic options and if analyzed a little closer can actually get people involved on a higher than normal casual game level. It’s a doorway game one I played a decade ago and fully expect to still play a decade from now, it’s a staple game.
The Great Dalmuti
Simple trick taking card games like the Great Dalmuti are ideal for camping trips or as fillers. It’s ability to handle larger amounts of players can allow it do double as a small after dinner party game.
A very simple trick taking card game it is THE game that goes into a backpack on any road trip, camping trip or anywhere else where I might find myself with a group of bored friends wanting to relax and pass the time. There are many such games out there but The Great Dalmuti is definitively a social game and plays as well with 4 players as it does with 8 players. It has this addictive nature to it, I’ve never introduced it to any group who ended up only playing it once, it always gets repeated plays and over the years I have had to replace my copy 3 times because of wear and tear. Great, simple game, an old stand-by classic.
REX (Formally DUNE)
A long time ago when I first got into board gaming on a bit higher level there was a game based on the beloved franchise DUNE (called not surprisingly DUNE). It’s a quasi-war game, though it plays more like chess where multiple players fight to control of the thematic spice planet. Each player had unique and very different special powers depending on which house they represented. With immense replay ability, great strategic depth and a lot of intrigue, negotiation and surprises, its one of those games that I vividly remember playing.
REX is a really deep game, but relatively simple to teach. It’s not really a war game, but there is plenty of conflict via intrigue, diplomacy and bluffing.
When the game was reprinted using the Twilight Imperium Franchise I naturally jumped on the opportunity to revisit it and while a bit different than Dune, REX is just as good and carries the game thematically just as well as the old classic.
REX is relatively easy to teach, but it is definitively a gamers game, in fact, I find most people either absolutely love it, or absolutely despise it. It can be a rather infuriating game because there is so many things to consider and the human element has such an enormous impact on the outcome of the game. It’s a purely strategic game with no luck element and is perhaps one of the most balanced games I have ever played. Absolutely fantastic and the truth is that if I had the opportunity to play it more often it would very likely creep it’s way to my top 10 list. If you find a likeminded group who appreciates intrigue games, REX can be a beautiful thing.
Illuminati
Steve Jackson is a notorious game designer, notorious because his games are always very different than anything that has come before it. Whether it’s GURPS and its focus on realism, Munchkin which pokes fun at other games or Illuminati, quite possibly one of the meanest and infuriating games you will ever love to play.
Not a game I play often, definitely a “gamers” game-
Illuminati no doubt deserves far more praise from me than I give it, but the truth is that I haven’t played it for years. It’s main drawback is that Illuminati is a bit mathi and it’s a bit difficult to teach. Those two flaws however when overcome like a lot of great complex games, results in a fantastic gaming experience. It’s pure brutality, but it’s so well balanced and so fun to watch people squirm. It’s one of those games where you have “I can’t believe you just did that” moments.
It’s in the same category as Race For The Galaxy for me and see’s little play for the same reason, I love playing it, but hate teaching people how to play it. It’s been in my collection for over a decade, built into its gameplay are nostalgic memories of friends from years ago I miss very much. A game I never see myself getting rid of.
Carcassonne
There are many expansions for this game, but for me personally the simplicity and elegance of the base game makes this a perfect warm up game. I’m always happy to play it, though I would be hard pressed to give you a good reason, its just fun.
I don’t know why this game lingers as it does, it’s really kind of simplistic and while the expansions (of which there are many) add a lot of variety, I rarely ever play anything but the base game. I suppose it’s got that “Monopoly” thing where it’s a game everyone knows, requires little explanation and is quick to play. I don’t love it but always enjoy playing it, there is no denying its appeal as a simple, quick game.
I think any gaming blogger worth his salt has a best of list, so this will be mine. Included in this list are going to be board, card and miniatures games. This list is what I consider the best of the best, though the term best may be defined as deepest, most strategic or perhaps most fun. Simply put, these are the games I enjoy most, I highly recommend them all.
Star Wars X-Wing
It shouldn’t come as a surprise if you read my blog, but X-Wing has so much going for it without even mentioning the most obvious thing, its Star Wars!
In my humble experience, regardless of what sort of gamer you are, whether casual, serious, one looking for depth or just pure fun Star Wars X-Wing is the single best game on the market today that can easily meet the requirements of any gamer. Easy to teach, impossible to master with infinite replay-ability and bursting with theme, there is no game that I would rather play always than Star Wars X-Wing. I love it’s flexible point system that allows for simple one on one quick dog fights, to its epic level hundreds of points super games that can involve multiple players. I love that it can be approached thematically, or competitively, I love that it can be used to create scenario’s or just basic death matches.
For me personally the collectable element of the game is not a drawback, In particular given the fact that you buy a complete “thing”, unlike most miniatures games that ask you to construct and paint miniatures before you can play. I do realize however that this adds to the expense, and depending on what you buy, can change the experience for you. In a sense, Star Wars X-Wing is a self-contained hobby game, more than a pull it off the shelf all in one complete game. Once you get sufficient amounts of miniatures however, you really don’t have that sense of “keeping up” as you do with most miniatures games. You need a good selection of ships, but once you have it, its simplicity and approachability is there like a typical board game. It’s far more approachable in fact than many board games on this list which is why to me it deserves that number one spot.
Finally, on a personal note which I think is something of a theme for me, I love games where the planning stage of the game and the execution stages are separated. A game where you formulate a plan, make decisions and then a stage in which those plans are executed. A kind of, “now that we planned our strategies, let’s see what happens” thing. Star Wars X-Wing does this beautifully which for me is just icing on the cake.
Twilight Imperium 3rd Edition
Epic is an insufficient adjective to describe Twilight Imperium 3rd edition. It is the ultimate gaming experience for hardened veterans.
There are many very approachable games on this list, Twilight Imperium 3rd edition is not one of those games. In fact, it may be the most difficult to get into games on this list. The complexity of the rules, the depth of the strategies and the sheer volume of moving parts all define this game as a very heavy strategic board game. Difficult to teach, impossible to master, It’s on my list in the number two spot for one very important reason. It is, hands down, one of the most biggest, one of the most elaborate and one of the most extraordinary gaming experiences I have ever had. Exploding with theme, amazing reply-ability and unmatched strategic depth, Twilight Imperium is the very definition of epic board gaming. As a gamer, you simply can’t go bigger because bigger doesn’t exist.
I love it, it’s a gaming event in a box and there is no game on this list I jump at every opportunity the way I do with TI3. There is never a game I rather play instead. It’s THE game on for me and it’s been my number one for the better part of a decade, Star Wars X-Wing is the first time it’s ever been any lower which says as much about TI3 as it does about Star Wars X-Wing.
War of the Rings 2nd Edition
War of the Rings is a story in a box, but not just any story THE greatest fantasy story ever told.
While War of The Rings is definitely a very heavy game, I find its much more approachable than it appears. The rules are very streamlined and straight forward and although there is a lot to this game, you rarely ever need to teach it to more than one person. Once you find a partner for War of The Ring, in particular a fellow Lords of the Ring fan, magic happens. War of the Rings IS Lord of the Rings (all of it) in a single box. Every theme, every plot and sub-plot, every character, every nuance, everything you expect out of the epic tale that is Lord of the Rings is in this game and it demands to be played.
I think of all the things I love about War of The Rings the most, the story it tells, or perhaps better to say re-tells is unforgettable. I love other games on this list, but there are few games I play in which I can recall the details as vividly of specific games as War of the Rings. It’s as much an experience as it is a game, win or lose, playing it is always a pure joy.
Fury of Dracula
My love of thematic games aside, Fury of Dracula is actually a wonderful mechanic I wish we would see in more games, the theme is just icing on the cake.
You may have noticed that every game on this list so far is bursting with theme, something you can expect to continue. Fury of Dracula is no exception; it is a thematic wonderland from the visuals, to the mechanics and everything in between. Whether you are playing as Dracula or as one of Dracula’s pursuers this is a game that infuses the story into the mechanics with so much insistence that you can’t help but feel as if you’re playing a role-playing game rather than a board game. The investigation elements, the chase, the powers of Dracula and the investigators, the equipment and nuances of the day night cycle, they all help to bring the story to life.
The most wonderful element of this game is that it’s very easy to teach and grasp, in fact, there is almost an instinctive expectation based on the visuals on how the game works and sure enough it works how you would logically expect it to. There is this almost natural flow to the game, everything makes sense, is organized and streamlined. Now the game is not “quick”, but you really don’t feel the passage of time as there is this constant sense of involvement as regardless of who’s turn it is, there discoveries and actions beg for your attention. Wonderful game and while mechanically it plays well with any number of players it supports, it’s one of those games where the more, the merrier.
Game of Thrones 2nd edition
Be ready to swallow jagged little pills while playing this game, because it’s very much as brutal, cut throat and mean as the books and tv show.
I will be the first to admit that I have a love hate relationship with this game because I love it, for what it is, an amazing board game, but man will it frustrate the living hell out of you. It’s not so much the games fault however as the cut throat brutality of the competitiveness it creates. It’s a political thriller war game, really a strategic multiplayer chess with betrayals and a never ending stream of shocking “I can’t believe that just happened” moments. It’s as dark and deep as the human soul, friends turn to enemies without notice and in the game of thrones, like the books and tv show, you can’t trust anyone, ever.
Why do I love it? Because it captures the spirit of the story on which it’s based flawlessly. The events that transpire in a typical game, are as shocking as they are reading the books or watching the tv show for the first time. It’s got this edge to it, a tension that builds before the pieces are ever placed on the board. The untrusting looks, the combination of subtle, suspicious moves, the constant sense of looking over your shoulder wondering what people are up to, to the moments when plans are revealed and the creation of frantic chaos. It’s not a game for the faint of heart and it’s definitely not a game you want to play with people who can’t get into the spirit of its theme, but when you get together with friends and fans of the Game of Thrones franchise it’s truly a wonderful albeit (like the books and show) a teeth grinding experience.
Shogun (Queens Game version)
The contrast between the quiet, contemplative planning phase and the outrageously chaotic execution phase make this one of the most memorable Euro games I have ever played.
Most of the games on this list are clearly lovingly identifiable as Ameri-Trash games and it may be a bit unfair to see so few Euro style games on a best of list. It’s not that I don’t like Euro games, but they simply don’t have the same presence nor offer the same memorable experiences as the thematically heavy American designed games. Shogun however is an exception, a game very close to my heart and without question a moderately heavy Euro. I mentioned my love for planning and execution based mechanics in games and Shogun is perhaps one of the greatest exaggerations of that concept as the planning and execution phases are so vividly divided. Shogun is one of those games where players contemplate, strategize, analyze and over think during the planning phase, carefully mapping out their coming actions trying to predict how events will unfold in a respectful silence. Than during the action phase there is a frenzy of explosive activity, climaxing with people rising from their seats cheering at the wildly unpredictable dice tower as their little cubes coming out of the tower give its results. There are heartbreaks, clench victories and shocking revelations, but most importantly uncontrollable smiles from ear to ear around the table amidst the chaos.
I love Shogun for that reason, it’s a fairly deep game, but it hinges on this very unpredictable element and you just can’t help but grin as you play it. There is this anticipation and build-up of the execution phase, this element of prediction of events with the climatic conclusion. I have played this game more times than I can count and its effect never dulls. For me it lands in this odd space in limbo between deep strategy and just silly chaotic fun.
Tide of Irons
It looks and feels like a heavy world war II strategic game, without that uncomfortable elitness required from most games in the genre or that silly need for realism or historical accuracy.
I found it odd that I have two, two player games on my list given that it’s really not that common for me to actually have the opportunity to play with just two players, seems I almost always end up with a group. Tide of Iron makes it’s appearance for a number of reasons, but one is probably quite obvious. Who doesn’t want to play with toy soldiers? I’m not a world war II or a historic gamer, I don’t really care to replicate reality in my games nor do I have any particular need to play war games (though combat tends to be a common theme in my preference). Tide of Irons however brings out that war gamer in hidden inside me, I can’t help but take it kind of seriously and I prefer to play it with kind of serious gamers.
Tide of Irons is fiddly, but it has that spirit of classic miniatures gaming combined with the tactical complexity of war games yet is actually simple enough to teach to casual fans of board gaming. In fact, I have played this game almost exclusively with casual gamers and have found that the effect it has on me, being a game that lends itself to being a bit more serious, is the same one my opponents experience. Perhaps it’s the subject matter, but Tide of Irons while doesn’t claim or really even try to be a serious tactical war game, actually plays like one with the caveat that its simple.
I have never bought any expansions, nor care to, for me the core game is already so robust and offers so many options and scenarios that even after years of playing it, I never find its effect wares off on me or becomes repetitive. Even playing the same scenario’s multiple times, it just seems to me with each play through I find new ways to approach old scenario’s. I find the strategies and depth of the game easy to grasp, easy to teach, but very engaging. I have played a lot of tactical world war II games and perhaps it’s because I’m not a huge fan of the genre, but I just find them quite boring, yet this one I not only like but it is among my favorite games to play (world war II games or otherwise).
Formula D
It’s a party game that doesn’t require you to make an ass out of yourself to entertain your guests.
You know I would be lying to you if I said I love Formula D for any other reason than I love games in which you chuck dice, push your luck and create frantic chaos when you fail or succeed. Formula D is basically a party game as far as I’m concerned and I have never introduced the game to anyone who didn’t absolutely love it gamer or not. I know that there are expansions and rules for Formula D that try to convert this dice chucker into a more serious game, but for me it’s just wacky fun and it’s one of the few games on this list that truly comes through as a game in which who the participants are be they family, friends, gamers or of any age group, it’s always fun to play.
I love that it can be played in teams and I love that it can handle a lot of players. It’s visually appealing and despite its randomness there is actually a fair amount of strategy to it, though, largely I find people ignore this and just try to win in the spirit of the game, by pushing the pedal to the metal.
I really hate stupid party games and there are so many awful ones and while this game might not be categorized as a party game, it certainly feels like one because I have never played it without everyone at the table laughing hysterically at the chaos it creates. I love it, always have, it’s been on my top 10 list for years and while I don’t consider it a serious board game, to me, a board games primary purpose is to have fun playing it. Of course there are many deep strategy, thinker games I could have put in its place on this list, but when it comes to creating great gaming experiences you can’t go wrong with a game like Formula D, it never lets me down.
Lords of Waterdeep With Expansion
My inexplicable addiction, what can I say, I love it and I’m not entirely sure why, its just fun to play.
I don’t really know exactly what it is about Lords of Waterdeep that I like so much, it really is a rather simple worker placement game with a rather thin connection to the theme, thicker than others, but still thin. There is just something appealing about it, it seems, no matter how many times I play it, I’m always drawn to it.
I like its simplicity and the expansion adds this push your luck element which combined with the tightness of the space in which players must compete, it just has that “let’s play again” addictive nature to it. It’s a game that rewards you for smart play and its aesthetically pleasing. I suspect someday this game will fall off my top 10 list, in fact, I struggled between this and Kingsburg already because I really like both of these worker placement games for the same reason. It’s hanging in there right now though, I think largely because we just play it all the time and every time I play it, I find myself wanting to play it again.
If pressed to answer the question, why do you like this game so much, I would have to say its because I think it’s a simple, yet relatively deep strategy game that has this sense of urgency where you plan your move’s carefully and hope that your able to combine the plan into a long term strategy. Yet you sort of stumble against the actions of other players, constantly having to re-think how you will complete the same goal in a different way. It has this sense of involvement, the urgency of a race and with the expansion this push your luck element that when combined simply makes for a great game. I’m always surprised to see how often this game gets chosen over many other games higher on this list, in fact just last week we decided to skip X-Wing to play Lords of Waterdeep and I honestly can’t explain it, but suffice to say given its impact on me and my gaming group it would be dishonest not to include it on this list. I play it often, it’s as simple as that.
Dominion
You simply can’t deny how clever this game is, it might get tiresome, but its a rare gamer I have met who didn’t go through a heavy Dominion period.
Number 10 was really hard for me, there was a lot of games I could have put into this spot, but ultimately I went with the game who’s quality I simply can’t deny. I don’t play it often anymore, but that is not a commentary on what I think about it, quite to the contrary the reason I don’t play it often anymore is because when I first got it and for a very long time, Dominion was a game we played the living shit out of. If I took all the games on this list, I can easily say that I have played Dominion ten times more often than everything else combined.
Dominion was a phenomenon when I first got it, it didn’t matter what we planned to play at any given event, at every session we ended up playing dozens of rounds of dominion. It just has this addictive nature, with layers of depth, despite it being one of the simplest games I have ever played with any regularity since I was kid playing checkers. I still love it and would not hesitate to play it if requested and though it largely collects dust on my shelf, I have never been able to get myself to get rid of it. I just need it there, because it really is an amazing game and It proves it to me over and over again. Each time I introduce it to a new person, the end result is the same for them as it was for me, an insatiable appetite to play it over and over and over again. It happens every time and it’s a tribute to its clever design, its complexity masked by its simplicity and its addictive nature.
Honorable Mentions
There are many games I love excluded from this list, in fact, if you removed these top ten games as selections, I could easily create a new top 10 list from the games not chosen to be on this one. There are also many new mistresses that have recently arrived I was very tempted to put on this list, but for me, a game on a top 10 list has to be a game with longevity, something I still like after many plays.
Some games not mentioned include Power Grid, a game I consider a staple. It didn’t make the list because it’s kind of heavy and slow, I find that I really enjoy playing it sporadically, but as soon as two plays of the game have too little space between them, I find I enjoy it less. Perhaps it’s a bit too heavy and a bit too slow, and let’s face it, the theme is kind of try.
Its a good game, but heavy Euro’s can be a real slog sometimes.
Carcassonne is another one I really like, but in light of the other games on this list I found it to have insufficient “umphf” as a game. I have played it many times and undoubtedly will play it many more times, but I have never felt a particular need to have it in my collection. Still I think it’s a very clever game, I like it’s simplicity and certainly with the many expansions there are lots of interesting variants.
I have a few old favorites I really like, but find are not always particularly fun to teach and as such, I have a hard time justifying them for the list. Race for the Galaxy for example is a game I really enjoy, but typically I find that if I ask “hey want to play Race For The Galaxy” and realize the people I’m asking have never played it, I’m immediately trying to get out of having to teach it to them, because it’s just a pain in the ass to do so. Ikusa (formally Samurai Swords and Shogun by Milton Bradly) is another such game. Not that it’s particularly hard to teach, but it has such subtle and fragile strategic elements that playing it against new players unfamiliar with the game is always a drag and more importantly it can drag on for hours and hours, not to mention the potential for player elimination. It’s an old school game, I love playing it with old school gamers but these days it rarely hits the table. Steve Jacksons Illuminati is another one that falls into that, fun to play with people who know what they are doing but sucky to have to teach it and play it with newbies.
A cult classic, a pain to teach and kind of mean, its one of those games I love to play with people who already know how to play and love it to. Teaching it to new players is a real bitch.
REX (also known as DUNE in the 70’s version) is another game I personally love, but find it’s rarely requested and a bit difficult for new players. I think it’s one of those games you really need to know to play well, each race has unique abilities that play a vital role in the game and if you don’t have them memorized, you are at a major disadvantage. It also suffers from this very fragile balance, it’s very possible for the game to end in round one if players aren’t careful and fall into the traps veteran players set for them.
I love games like Descent, Imperial Assault, Battlestar Galactica, Zombiecide and Star Wars the card game, all worthy games to mention, but each with quirks that sometimes annoy me.
Do not be surprised if Star Wars Imperial Assault hits my top 10 in the future, after the first few play I can only say that Fantasy Flight Games has done it again. Masters of Gaming, that’s what they are.
Hope you enjoyed the list, I will probably periodically do an update when I see sufficient things have changed for me in the future.
I debated a lot about writing an article about list building because it’s a subject difficult to breach as it is largely based on preference and is always highly debatable. Any list I put together can be argued for or against and as such, suggesting lists to players is almost kind of a politically incorrect idea. Still, when I was a new player I found I lost a lot of my matches not because of what I did during the game, but the mess I created before the game while building my list. I’m going to focus more on general list building advice, things to consider, things to avoid and a few general lists that you always have to consider when building your own.
Getting Started With List Building
Naturally, your ability to build solid lists is going to be limited to the collection you have, so realistically speaking until you have collected a fair amount of ships and associated cards that come with them, it’s going to be difficult to build lists that are going to be competitive against players with a wider selection. Being competitive however isn’t about building really strong lists, but more about avoiding building weak ones and building counters to strong ones. What I’m referring to here is the concept of “people use what works” and as such, most X-Wing players are kind of predictable and so what you will be facing can sort of be predicted.
There are going to be three types of list you always have to be ready for, these lists come in many different forms, but they pose kind of general strategies that you always have to consider when building your own lists.
The Swarm
The swarm is typically done in Imperial lists, though these days it’s possible to face rebel swarms as well. The jist of the swarm is a list with a lot of, weaker ships, that when combined can create pretty significant firepower. They are in essence lists that rely on the statistical truth that the more often you roll shooting dice, the more likely you are going to succeed.
While considering building lists to face Swarms, don’t overlook the importance of good asteroid placement. Swarm lists depend highly on staying in formation and asteroids make that difficult.
A very common form of this list is the Tie Swarm and when building any list you always have to consider “how will my list deal with a Tie Swarm”.
You have to imagine facing 8 Tie Fighters, coming down the center of the table, singling out one target and focusing all their firepower on that one target. Strictly speaking, with 8 ships shooting at a single target you are facing a minimum of 16 dice, broken down into 8 rolls which will yield an average of 8 hits, but you can expect divergence where you could end up with 10+ hits. Very few ships in the game can stand up to that kind of firepower.
Preparing to deal with swarms via list building is difficult, but the one strategy that you must always assume that you may need to employ when facing them is splitting up your squadron. In essence you want to make sure that your list can split up and still be effective and this should always be considered when building any list. If your list is less effective when it splits up, you are going to have a problem against swarms, so always make this assertion about what may need to happen when building your lists.
The Big Guns or Alpha Strike Lists
There are many forms of big gun lists, but in general a big gun list is one which there is a ship or ships, that can produce a lot of dice and or high odds of rolling hits (via re-rolls etc..) in a single round. In essence these lists are made for simply focusing on a target and taking it down in one shot. Very often these lists are built on a 360 degree firing arc, either because of the ship (like the Falcon for example) or because of the gear used. It’s not always the case but the point of the list is to get a target in range and roll lots of dice and do big damage in one shot.
Many ships like the YT-1300 can be turned into pretty efficient alpha strikers and can shoot at 360 degree’s. Dealing with them is not easy, but alpha strikers are usually point heavy so taking them out efficiently can often yield you a quick win. It’s often an all the eggs in one basket situation.
You MUST always assume you will face Alpha Strikers. Dealing with lists like this must be assumed when you are building your own. How will your list deal with big Alpha Strikers. The solution for Alpha Strikers is all about having the means in your list to circumvent or reduce dice odds. You want to have something in your list that will throw a wrench into someone’s plan, a ship, effect or equipment that will reduce the effectiveness of a ship that can alpha strike.
Some examples of that are pilots like Biggs Darklighter, who forces ships to target him, allowing you to control who get’s shot (controlling the range) or having something like R2-D2 fixing his shields can buy you the necessary time to counter an alpha striker. Other ways is just using straight maneuverability, staying out of the fire arcs of Alpha strikers. Ionization is another method, controlling an Alpha Strikers movement can be very effective. Countering it with your own Alpha Striker is another method.
Point here is that you have to assume that you will be facing pilots with a high pilot skill that can do a ton of damage in a single round and have a plan on how you are going to deal with that situation when it comes up. Any list not able to deal with Alpha strikers is a weak one.
Maneuverability Lists
The final type of list you will certainly face are lists built around insane maneuverability. There are many incredibly maneuverable ships like Tie Interceptors, A-Wings, E-Wings and many more that can when combined with different types of equipment and specialized pilots produce unpredictable and impossibly agile ships that will stay out of your range and firing arcs at their leisure. You have to assume you will face such lists and have a plan for how to deal with them. Any list that assumes that ships will simply fly in front of you to shoot at them is certain to see a lot of losses.
Ships like the Tie Interceptor are extremely agile and can be difficult to keep in firing arcs, but they are just Tie-Fighters as far as dice statistics go, one clean shot can take out a 25+ point unit. Expose that fragility by forcing them into vulnerable positions by splitting up your forces and covering multiple angles.
The trick to dealing with agile lists is understanding that in most cases, agile ships give something up for that agility. For example Interceptors are incredibly agile, but fairly weak with only 3 hull, catch them once and they are dead. A-Wings are very agile but don’t have much firepower, so that agility while keeping them safe doesn’t offer much in the way of firepower threat. E-wings are very agile and have a lot of firepower but are very costly even for what you get.
The end result is typically agile lists, will have fewer ships and or less firepower, it’s the agile lists akiles heel. To put it simply, agile lists are best dealt with through focus fire and disruption of their advantage either through 360 firing arcs, using your own agile ships or Ionization. In particular ionization spells doom for most agile ships and the nice thing is that ionization based ships are generally dirt cheap.
For the most part however agile lists need to be dealt with on the field, there are things you can do to your build, but typically any list is capable of handling maneuverable lists through strategic positioning on the field, but you must assume you will face such lists and have a plan.
How I build Lists
Given the advice above let me tell you how I build lists, which, I will admit right out of the game is simply my preference. I make no vows or promises of success, but I find when I fly lists that play on my strengths in the game, I do better even if the lists themselves are not terribly strong.
I work on lists using a three step process.
First, I choose a single ship around which my fleet will rally. This is usually the ship that creates synergy or is somehow important to the strategy of the list, the gimmick of the list if you will. For example using a Han Shoots first, or a Vader Doom Shuttle, a stealthy Phantom or a synergy based B-Wing. Whatever the case may be, the point here is, that this ship, is what will define the strategy of the list.
One of my favorite new modification for X-Wing. There are some great combinations this card can be used with to base lists on.
I find this easier to do because once the ship (or concept if you will) is chosen, what else belongs in the list becomes very obvious. You start seeing the combinations and possibilities more clearly and the list practically builds itself. Without this I feel kind of lost and find it more difficult to sort of construct a force that works together.
The second thing I do is called “fat trimming”. This takes a bit of experience but I will give you an example.
Let’s say I want to add a ship to a list for an Ionization effect and I chose something like Horton Slam which allows me to re-roll blanks at range 2-3, a good ship to have when using Ionization effects. But he costs 25 points + equipment. I will pose the question, how important is it that I have a high pilot skill and the re-roll effect for this list? Can I get away with a Gold Squadron pilot for 18 points instead? This will of course depend on the type of list I’m building, but the idea is to really question the necessity of having more expensive pilots for certain goals of the list. Sometimes it’s vital, sometimes, it’s not. Trimming what is not is important because every point counts and you want that fleet as lean as you can get it. You can often end up with sufficient points to add a whole separate ship when trimming the fat and more importantly come up with more efficient squadrons. I do the same thing with equipment, I question the necessity and most importantly the value of equipment for a particular ship. I make sure that every piece of gear I have is something that is absolutely vital to the ship and strategy. If it’s not, it gets cut or replaced.
The third and final step is what I call the maneuverability test. Every list I make, must have a natural flow to maneuverability. I think about deployment and consider how these ships will enter the game, what position they will be in and try a few different configurations.
I find that by doing this I often find places where more cuts (trimming) can be done and sometimes where I have trimmed too much. Consider that pilot skill defines when ships will move, when mixing different pilot skills the result can be that certain ships must move too soon, while others move too late in the sequence that will be your turn. I want my fleet to move in a natural expected way on my turn and often I find that if the sequence of events aren’t efficient, there is an awkwardness to a squadron that makes it difficult to pull of a strategy.
For example let’s say I’m using a Firespray combined with interceptors and the Firespray has tactical jammers on him. If the interceptors move first, it can be difficult for me to guesstimate the position of where the firespray will end up on his move. As such, I might find that, while less effective combat wise, a lower pilot skill on the firespray is preferable for him to accomplish his main task in the fleet (as an obstacle).
These little details are important, I really need that movement to happen in a comfortable sequence and often making the adjustment makes the ships cheaper, allowing me to create more synergy and effects in other ships, or adding a whole extra ship into the fleet.
Final Thoughts
List building is actually more complicated than the game itself when it comes to Star Wars X-Wing, in fact I would say most people lose games more often because of bad list building than they do because of how they actually play. This can be frustrating for new players, but if you really consider the types of lists you will be playing against, and have a strategy or method if you will for building lists that works for your style of play, you will eventually find that you can build a wide variety of effect lists with a wide range of ships.
World Champion Paul Reavers B-Wings where outgunned and out numbered, but yielded him the victory. It wasn’t the list, but the player’s skill that played the biggest part of this win. You have to make your own lists and learn to play them, the list alone will not be enough.
In fact, my personal strategy of choosing a single ship to represent the core strategy of a list is a very effective method for me and I think can be for pretty much anyone. It gives you a solid start and foundation for creating a list, and makes building the rest of it more natural and almost obvious.
It’s important to get good at list building but I think it’s a bad habit to copy other lists. This is still a skill based game and simply taking a championship list is not going to be sufficient to help you win because it’s understanding and knowledge of how to run that list that makes a difference. Its far better to create lists that feels natural for your play style.
Since Fantasy Flight Games took over the Star Wars license for making board, card, miniature and role-playing games, there can be only one thing said about it. Perfect. There is absolutely no doubt that across every platform they have produced not only the best version of a Star Wars game in that class be it Board, Card, Miniature or Role-playing games, but they have done it by such a wide margin I can’t even remember what we had before it.
Let’s go over the list shall we.
Star Wars Edge of The Empire Role-playing game
Up until I played Star Wars Edge of the Empire, role-playing in the Star Wars universe was always a frustration for me. Every system I tried from old West End Game version, to more modern D20 versions by Wizards of the Coast, nothing did the trick. These systems always failed miserably in some element of presenting the Star Wars universe. Some of the these version of Star Wars RPG’s managed to get some things right, like the Saga system’s combat system was not all together terrible but they fumbled other things like ship to ship combat or messed up balance between force and non-force users. There was always a problem.
Star Wars Edge of the Empire has grown to include a ton of material, but the truth is that the core book alone already makes this one of the best RPG’s ever made
Then came Star Wars Edge of the Empire and what can I say about it other than not only is it hands down one of the best Star Wars role-playing games ever made, it may just be one of the best role-playing games in any genre ever made. It’s simply exquisite, it works on every level, it’s got depth where it’s needed, it’s streamlined, it handles every element of the Star Wars universe flawlessly, simply put, it just can’t be done any better. A++ to Fantasy Flight Games for finally making a Star Wars RPG we can actually play without frustration.
Star Wars Card Games
There have been many and frankly, they have been miserable failures across the board. There has never been a good Star Wars Card game until Fantasy Flight took over and not only did they produce Star Wars The Card game, a fantastic living card game but they gave us Empire vs. Rebels as a bonus.
This catchy Star Wars Card Game is filled with a variety of depth and strategies, but it’s quick and painless to setup and play. More importantly FFG maintains it’s living card game strategy as opposed to the presumptuous and often over priced CCG style games.
Both are amazing games that represent the Star Wars universe in perfect splendor capturing its many nuances with style. More importantly I don’t see how it would be physically possible for the art to scream STAR WARS any louder, the game is worth buying just for the illustrations and collectors of Star Wars Memorabilia do just that. Awsome job, another A++ for both games.
Star Wars Board Games
Now I will say this, there have been some pretty awesome Star Wars board games in the past. Queen’s Gambit, Epic Duels, even Star Wars RISK was actually quite fantastic. When it comes to Board Games toping games like the elaborate Queen’s Gambit wasn’t going to be easy but as always Fantasy Flight Games was more than up to the task. It took a while but the result is Imperial Assault, a game I believe will be in the top 10 on board game geek within the next year or so, already debuting at number 37. Now this is a kind of cross over game, one could say it’s a miniatures game but the truth is that by those standards so would Queen’s Gambit be. The truth is that if you’re going to make a Star Wars game, it very clearly needs to have miniatures in it, it’s just part of the allure of that franchise and it needs.
Queen’s Gambit is an as impressive to look at as it is fun to play, but unfortunately it’s out of print and has become something of a collectors item making it very expensive to pick up these days.
That said Imperial Assault not only blows any Star Wars game that came before it out of the water, but it does so with style, balance and experience. It’s a fantastic game that offers immense amount of replay ability and I suspect like the Arkham Horror series, this one is going to see a ton of expansions.
Star Wars Miniatures
Without question Star Wars X-Wing is not only the most successful miniatures game in decades, but it may very well rise to be one of the most successful miniatures games of all time. It’s simple to learn impossible to master mechanics and infinite replayability made accessible by taking the work out of the hobby with pre-painted miniatures has paved it’s way with gold. It is hands down in my humble opinion one of the best products Fantasy Flight Games has produced to date and with each expansion they release the game is improved 10 fold. It just gets better and better and better with no end in sight. Now with a third faction released, the game has already immortalized its iconic status, if nothing is ever released for it again it would still be a near perfect game. To say I love it would be an understatement, if I was stuck on a desert island and was forced to choose a single form of entertainment to take with me, Star Wars X-Wing would unquestionably be that entertainment.
I will probably never stop praising Star Wars X-Wing, easily one of the best games ever made.
Star Wars Armada
So why should you be excited about Star Wars Armada? Well if it isn’t obvious already, Fantasy Flight Games kicks ass at making Star Wars games and Star Wars Armada is slated to be the biggest, most epic and most iconic Star Wars game to ever be made. If they succeed, they will have done more for the Star Wars franchise than the last three movies did.
Star Wars Armada is as ambitious as it is elaborate and expensive, it’s going to have to be one hell of a game to get my money.
War on a massive scale with all the fittings of Star Wars X-Wing, but bigger and more elaborate. Now I don’t usually do hype, I believe very firmly that objectively speaking no matter how excited I get for something, I recognize the possibility that I will be terribly disappointed, but I can say that if Armada isn’t the crowning achievement of Star Wars based games coming out of Fantasy Flight Games, my disappointment will reach epic proportions. It has all the markings of an amazing game, designed and produced by an amazing company at a time when they are on a hot streak of perfection. It’s the perfect storm for success, but it may also be the perfect recipe for disaster. I reserve my opinion until I play it, but to say that we should be anything by hyper excited would be selling the potential short.
Fantasy Flight Games is an amazing company, they have done for gaming what Quentin Tarantino did for movies, they showed us that games can be awesome again, that the status quo can be changed and that it’s still possible to invent new things or take old things and make them new again. They have done an amazing job and they have earned every bit of praise for their accomplishments. For me personally if I’m looking for a new game my first stop is always Fantasy Flight Games official website, there are so many diamonds in their product line I feel like I should just mail them my credit card.
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