Kevin's Watch

Apparently, they are very very good!

www.fantasyflightgames.com/agotbg.html

My copy is on its way!

I played the original (without any of the supplements). It's fun and intriguing, and requires some tactical skill. Unfortunately, the method of winning varies anywhere from easy (three player game) to ridiculous (full game). Also the mustering system leaves something to be desired, although I liked the constant threat of wildlings, and the champion cards are very cool (main characters like Stannis etc), depending on what geographical area you own. Just one other thing, though and it pretty much ruined the whole game for me. Should you get stuck with Dragonstone (Stannis), you're pretty much screwed. Anyone who has played it a few times truly realizes the disadvantages inherent to a "naval based" game. (In fact, unless you get a muster card within the first few rounds of play, you can be trounced in less than five turns. Personal experience. ) The naval advantage is no advantage at all, as you'll either stretch yourself too thin too early, or be forced to defend the land you have with everything you've got. (You're surrounded on three sides; Winterfell, Sunspear and and the formidable Tyrells, easily the strongest group.) Only slightly worse off are our friends of the Iron Islands, though if you're careful, you can snatch some Tyrell and Stark lands almost off the get go.

Sadly, this game has a limited number of turns, and determining the winner is convoluted at best. Of course, all my complaints are based on the very first installment of this game, and I understand some supplements based on the following books are out and hopefully, some of these weaknesses have been addressed.

I particularly enjoyed the freedom of making (and sometimes breaking) any alliance I chose to make with other players. Oftentimes, a player would ride the coattails of the strongest, only to turn on an ally at the last minute to claim the win. Good stuff.

Overall, it was enjoyable, though some glaring weaknesses (mustering, combat rules that are far too inflexible), but I played it several times, at least in part because it is ASOIAF, and for the intrigue as well. But then I tend to be critical of any new board/card/video game, unless it stands head and shoulders above par. Surely worth a few plays, and I enjoyed the artwork on the champion cards. (Tyrion comes to mind, and Loras as well.)

Hope you like it!
-B

Sorry to necro, but

I was introduced to this by a friend at college. First time lost, second time kicked ass, though the second time was more a war of attrition than anything.

(First time as baratheon, second time as greyjoy, turns out both times not playing entirely according to the rules as specified)

I love the board game more than the books or TV series, which is saying quite a lot. I think its highly complex and deterministic nature (increased by revealing top 3 westeros cards) is really excellent. Super awesome. Etc.

Also, this is I think not spoilers, but regarding a certain dead character

Spoiler

In A Storm of Swords, Ned Stark is apparently not dead, but instead in the Lannister dungeons. WTF??? Is he jesus or something???

lore : your link is broken. and you have had five years. is it a good game or not?

sgt.null wrote:lore : your link is broken. and you have had five years. is it a good game or not?

Just to intercept the question (though I would like to hear his answer),

It is a good game as long as you have people to play it with. It is quite long, have played it for ~7 hrs before. Lots of rules to keep track of.

damn seven hours? kind of like monopoly?

sgt.null wrote:damn seven hours? kind of like monopoly?

More like Twilight of the Imperium, which apparently tends to run twice as long.
(Never played Twilight but "trusting the experts" here.)

It's closer to risk than monopoly, but closer to axis and allies than risk.

Like I said, not much left to chance, unless you count the moves of other players as chance.

Also I believe games are usually more in the 4 hour range...

i just can't imagine sitting down and playing any game for that continious amount of time.

sgt.null wrote:i just can't imagine sitting down and playing any game for that continious amount of time.

Then don't. It's just a board game, and I'm not planning on selling it, unless my life depends on it. And it won't for a very long time, if ever.

(I took a few breaks myself. Also, there are "save sheets" you can record the status of the game on, so you can break up play sessions, but that means you need to play with a group of friends you can rely on seeing again, or open yourself to the idea of changing players.)

I liked the original board game a lot. My husband didn't like it; compared it to Risk, I think. Depends upon what kind of game you're after.

We have the card game, but still have yet to play it. A year or so later. Heh.

JazFusion wrote:I liked the original board game a lot. My husband didn't like it; compared it to Risk, I think. Depends upon what kind of game you're after.

We have the card game, but still have yet to play it. A year or so later. Heh.

Ah. The card game doesn't look like it's that much fun. Oh well. Just my opinion. It might be more brilliant than the board game.

i like cribbage and julie likes scrabble. i would need friends who play such games. and i have none like that around here.

sgt.null wrote:i like cribbage and julie likes scrabble. i would need friends who play such games. and i have none like that around here.

That is depressing. You're in Texas, right? Nothing I can do about it right now. But whereabouts?

(Future Elohimfester, or so he hopes, trying to find out about other KW members!)
(I suck at scrabble and have never played Cribbage)

an hour south of houston - angleton. small town near the gulf. cribbage is easy to pick up.

sgt.null wrote:an hour south of houston - angleton. small town near the gulf. cribbage is easy to pick up.

Sweet. I had to pick up some pretty heavy pieces of sod earlier so I want to pick up some easy pickings whenever I have the time.

Holsety wrote:

sgt.null wrote:an hour south of houston - angleton. small town near the gulf. cribbage is easy to pick up.

Sweet. I had to pick up some pretty heavy pieces of sod earlier so I want to pick up some easy pickings whenever I have the time.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oShTJ90fC34

sgt.null wrote:

Holsety wrote:

sgt.null wrote:an hour south of houston - angleton. small town near the gulf. cribbage is easy to pick up.

Sweet. I had to pick up some pretty heavy pieces of sod earlier so I want to pick up some easy pickings whenever I have the time.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oShTJ90fC34

I <3 you too.

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sgt.null wrote:i like cribbage and julie likes scrabble. i would need friends who play such games. and i have none like that around here.

Cribbage is the best card game ever. Period.