Game of Thrones Board Game

[DaveSumm]

Hey guys, do you think that playing the board game in 2 (or 3) players is a mistake?

I mean, I want to buy the game but I only know 1 person who's reading the books and I could convince my sister to play it with us (for a total of 3) but I don't know if playing it with so few people would ruin the game. I've read that it loses a lot if it's not played in a group of five (or four).

What do you suggest?

You can't play with two, it's 3 - 6 players. So far I've played with six and four, both were good. With six, whichever way you march you'll hit players so you need a plan of where you're going to focus on. With four, Dorne is open to invasion which is exactly what I did with House Baratheon. I should have been stopped by Lannister but they weren't particularly good, so I'd say with fewer players it's more important that you recognise when someone's running away with it and take action.

While probably better with more, it's such a great game that even with three it'd be worth getting. Plus it's made with such respect and faithfulness to the books, to be honest I'd still buy it just to ogle all the parts and house cards. :)

[Wichfried]

I have to agree with DaveSumm and have to add, that i think the game is great fun for players who haven´t read the books, too.

Played it once with 4 people who hadn´t read it, and they all enjoyed it very much.

[IanOfWinterfell]

Here is my review of the game, if anyone is interested.

http://ianthecool.wordpress.com/2012/08/22/a-game-of-thrones-in-the-game-of-thrones-you-win-orr-you-pay-for-the-pizza/

And yeah, its a good game even for people who aren't fans. Its not that much of a requirement.

3 players works fine, but I wouldn't bother with just two.

[DaveSumm]

Your suggestion in the review of using Tyrell instead of Greyjoy in four player games: has anyone tried this, and does it work? It seems there must be some important reason why the rules forbid it. I played that exact example recently, Baratheon takes Dorne for the 7 castle win, and I didn't even enter combat once. Another solution might be to play the three player neutral force tokens on Dorne, thus closing of Dorne entirely. Seems a shame to exclude parts of the board though. Really, Greyjoy and Lannister should have made a pact to free up Lannister to attack me. This would also free the Greyjoys up to harass the west coast of the North, thus focusing Starks conquest down the eastern side. Then I definitely would have had more difficulty.

[IanOfWinterfell]

Your suggestion in the review of using Tyrell instead of Greyjoy in four player games: has anyone tried this, and does it work? It seems there must be some important reason why the rules forbid it. I played that exact example recently, Baratheon takes Dorne for the 7 castle win, and I didn't even enter combat once. Another solution might be to play the three player neutral force tokens on Dorne, thus closing of Dorne entirely. Seems a shame to exclude parts of the board though. Really, Greyjoy and Lannister should have made a pact to free up Lannister to attack me. This would also free the Greyjoys up to harass the west coast of the North, thus focusing Starks conquest down the eastern side. Then I definitely would have had more difficulty.

We played that way for a while, giving the Tyrells to the fourth player. It seemed to work. Later on, a fifth player joined us and jumped in as the Greyjoys. The Starks won that game, so take that as you will I suppose.

[dansnow]

I've played the game using lots of different combinations for 3 player games. I find they all work relatively well, sometimes the difficulty is significantly higher for one faction (ex in martell-Baratheon-Tyrell it was really difficult to break out of Dorne as the Martells) but as long as the people you are playing with are aware that difficulty isn't exactly even it's playable with any combination you want and winnable as any faction

[Willow]

A friend of mine brought the game recently and the last time we tried to play we all struggled a bit (granted it didn't help that only two of us had read the rules) but I loved it. I have the card game and I brought the Greyjoy expansion today. Can't wait for the weekend to play it.

[DaveSumm]

Had a brilliant game yesterday, three players on 6 castles including myself (Tyrell) going into turn 10, I went for broke and invaded Kings Landing with the odds against me.....the Tides of Battle card brought me level, and my one position higher on the Fiefdoms track won the game. All other players on 6 also had an invasion plan to make 7 castles, all of them less risky, but I spent all my power tokens on the last Iron Throne track to make sure I went before them. That was a tense drawing of Tides of Battle cards, I can tell you...

[Captain Victarion Greyjoy]

That was a tense drawing of Tides of Battle cards, I can tell you...

i HATE those cards...luck can play such a big role there.

[IanOfWinterfell]

Had a brilliant game yesterday, three players on 6 castles including myself (Tyrell) going into turn 10, I went for broke and invaded Kings Landing with the odds against me.....the Tides of Battle card brought me level, and my one position higher on the Fiefdoms track won the game. All other players on 6 also had an invasion plan to make 7 castles, all of them less risky, but I spent all my power tokens on the last Iron Throne track to make sure I went before them. That was a tense drawing of Tides of Battle cards, I can tell you...

Nice. Sounds pretty epic.

[Captain Victarion Greyjoy]

Ok...the expansion came out

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=3493

Can't wait to get my hands on it....The Mountain that play's

[DaveSumm]

Ok...the expansion came out

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=3493

Can't wait to get my hands on it....The Mountain that play's

Ordered. Costs a total of $23 with shipping to get to the UK, if anyone's interested.

[DaveSumm]

Had an experimental two player game yesterday: two people each controlling two houses. We did Stark/Baratheon vs Lannister/Tyrell (I figured the amount of land Stark/Baratheon had meant Lannister/Greyjoy would have too tough a time) and it was actually an excellent game. Came down to strongholds after 10 rounds (we ignored the seven castles rule, otherwise you could intentionally hand over castles from one house to the other for the win) and Lannister/Tyrell won due to the prominence of strongholds in the west. We gave Pike an imaginary 5 neutral force token, and also allowed mixed armies (controlled by the greater combat force in the army, ties being decided by the Fiefdom track, and supply limits taken from the controlling house).

A great game......but mentally taxing. Took four hours in total and I was exhausted, having to constantly focus on multi-house tactics. But definitely recommended. The next logical step would be three player doubles, playing all six houses. But having to deal with two houses AND dealing with multiple enemies to either side......be a pretty serious strain on the brain.

[Rhyella Targaryen]

If anyone knows where can I get this in Mexico..please let me know. Tho, I don't have anyone who wants to play with me but I would love to have it

[True Northerner]

Bought the game yesterday and played with 6.

It was all our first time with the game and it took us a VERY long time to complete the game. Intial reaction is that this game could get really fun, once we've played it a few times.

I think I'm going to play again this coming Wed, but with 4 people. Hopefully that makes it all go faster.

I'd also implement a time rule. One person playing with us took forever to place her order tokens and slowed the whole flow down.

[DaveSumm]

Bought the game yesterday and played with 6.

It was all our first time with the game and it took us a VERY long time to complete the game. Intial reaction is that this game could get really fun, once we've played it a few times.

I think I'm going to play again this coming Wed, but with 4 people. Hopefully that makes it all go faster.

I'd also implement a time rule. One person playing with us took forever to place her order tokens and slowed the whole flow down.

I personally 'chair' most of our games, saying "right, it's Martell's raid tokens......you have two on the board, that one's useless so get rid of it.....that one can raid Baratheon's raid token....d'you wanna do that?". Speeds things up quite a bit. But yea our first game went on till three in the morning and that was curtailed to 8 rounds.

[True Northerner]

I personally 'chair' most of our games...

That's a great idea... especially when it comes to mustering troops and ensuring supply limits aren't surpassed.

[The Angry Teatowel]

All over this like a cheap suit when they have it in stock at the Geekest Link (thanks for the link, by the way!)

[DaveSumm]

That's a great idea... especially when it comes to mustering troops and ensuring supply limits aren't surpassed.

The only thing I'm a bit slack on is special order tokens. Somebody could easily play more than they're allowed and I wouldn't notice, probably because all tokens are flipped at the same time whereas mustering and supply limits etc are done in turn order. I suppose you've just gotta trust who you're playing with at the end of the day.

After my two player/two houses each game, I've thought more about variant games......at first I was wary of messing with the rules but as somebody before said, the game's very playable with most combinations of houses. It seems a shame to leave Martell to only six players. I was thinking that, geographically speaking, it'd make more sense to include House Arryn than Greyjoy. Be interesting to think up house cards for Arryn, although technically it's set just after Robert's death, thus no Jon Arryn and no Littlefinger and no Alayne. Just Lysa, Sweetrobin, and the Royces etc.

[Captain Victarion Greyjoy]

Anyone know how to use vassal , it's an app that let's you play many boardgames including GOT.

I have the map ...problem is I am to lazy to learn how to use it...so if anyone can give me some points ..we can make a game online.