A Interview with Board to Death TV

I am excited to bring you an interview with A Video Review Site, Board to Death TV.  You can find them at http://www.boardtodeath.tv/.  They are known for their high quality video reviews of all types of Board Games.  It's a great site for new gamers and seasoned gamers.  The reviews are organized into easy to view categories. You'll find exactly what you are looking for with a quick glance.  

I was able to speak with Luca Vince Caltabiano, the founder, cameraman, and editor for Board to Death TV about the website and why you should check it out and become a a member.    

Luca started in the board gaming hobby with the awesome game Fire Ball Island.  Though I've never played it, that scary volcano seems pretty cool.  From there Luca started playing more games.  But gaming wasn't his only hobby.  He also started a video production company where he did wedding videos and local commercials for store owners.

A new HD video camera needed to be tested one night.  Luca and his friends tried it out during a game night.  The games that night were Descent and Chaos in the Old World.  They decided to post it online.  They didn't want to post just random footage so they posted reviews.  If you watch these videos on the website you'll see some of their first attempts at video reviews.  Ever since they have been improving on their videos.  After posting two or three videos the e-mails started coming.  People really like the reviews and wanted more.  

They quickly decided to make more video reviews.  Getting games to play was the hard part.  They started contacting companies for games to review.  Companies like Rio Grande and AEG were great from the beginning.  Others, such as Fantasy Flight, didn't respond.

They worked hard on their website, the videos, and playing games.  The hard work has impressed many and now companies are actually contacting them.  The do their best to get all the games played and reviewed so others can learn about the great companies and games.

At  Board to Death TV, Luca said that "you'll find fun, short game video reviews."  They videos are about five minutes, which lets people get a deep, yet quick, overview of the game.  The length is enjoyed by both the viewer and game companies.

Of course Board to Death TV has the most popular games like Ticket to Ride, Through the Ages, and Alien Frontiers.  They review those that are on the "hot" list.  They also have games that many may not know about yet.  Games like Tri-Cross or Guild Quest even get their close-ups with Board to Death TV.  Believe it or not,  that's not all you'll find on the website.  They have monthly contests to win games.  Recent winners received the Walking Dead Game or The Lord of the Rings Deck Building Game.

Luca isn't the only one working at the website.  There are others working together to create the videos on the website.  Some of them are Michaela Di Cesare, Steve Nash, Felicia Mezzanotte, Jessica Elias, and the reviewers Joe Capano,  James Simionato, Giancarlo Caltabiano, Neskins Aujours, Joe Amato, Alex Brunetti, Simon Elias, and Zeb.  They are  friends and many grew up together.  They all work together because they love it.  The fan mail is a welcome result!  The Hosts do the videos for free, with the occasional games as a bonus.

Many of the people who work for the site have a background in film or acting.  Luca has a background in filming and his brother in acting.  Many of their gamer friends have played parts in short films and plays.  This show is the video they make from the filmography to the reviewers in front of the camera.  Even professionals sometimes make mistakes and if you go to their facebook page you can check out some bloopers. 

Even with my limited film editing experience, I know that filming, editing, and posting a video takes time and patience.  There is a lot that goes into the process.  So, I wanted to learn more about what they do at Board to Death TV.

The process begins with reading the rules, four times at least, even if this means reading them in bed before they go to sleep.  The next step is a gaming DAY, and I mean day.  They play the game all day.  I'm sure they go through a couple of pots of coffee.  Luca says you might even spy a cup or two when you watch a video.

During the gaming day they play the game all the ways it can be played.  By team, variant rules, 2 players, 6 players; whatever the game allows.  After a game day the reviewers will then send a e-mail about what they liked or didn't like.

This information is then put into the script.  Writing a script can take two hours or more.  After the script is written they need to contact the hosts.  The hosts will need to shoot the Intros and Voice overs; again at least two hours of work.  Then they have to shoot the close ups of the board game to match the script.  And you guessed it, that means another two hours of work.  Editing and posting online takes the most time, about three hours.

Delays are possible but the viewers, board game companies, and Bored to Death TV know that the videos are worth it.  Luca said that "other reviewers out there take the EASY way out making a review, the "FILM and TALK" review where no time is spent making it nice."  He also doesn't like when they don't show actual game-play footage.  He suspects that many read the rules, play the game, and make the video on the same day.  They want to be the first one out with the review. Luca also doesn't like the "Box Opening" videos.  He gave the example of video game reviews that are all about the gameplay.  You wouldn't see a a video game review with out any actual footage.  Luca has offered up a challenge to reviewers out there.  "START putting gameplay footage and prove to your watcher that you PLAYED that game with a group, or else your review can't be trusted."

Short, concise videos are a great introduction to games for new gamers.  They can see a game, the components, and the gameplay and quickly decide for themselves if they do or do not like a game.  I know my husband used many of the videos from Board to Death TV to help decide on games that we both enjoy.  So I wanted to know if this was a goal from the beginning.  Luca said that he wanted to bring new gamers in his area so he shared the videos with schools and local game stores near him.  The videos would be fun to watch and show that these games aren't hard, once you get it.  The stores used the videos to generate more sales on their site.  Australian game stores thanked them many times over for the videos.  Distributors use the videos to sell games to retailers.  He said, "We are just so proud to hear that, and when we do, all that goes through my head is that hopefully, new gamers were made that day."

So by now you know that Bored to Death TV is a great website, with lots of videos to view, but you still may be wondering about the advantages of being a member.  Why would you want to pay to use the website?  Luca said that with membership you get to see the latest reviews.  Plus if you write comments, use the stars to vote, are active, and make them notice you on the site, you can win some of those Monthly board games.

 
He also said that with only about 10 active people on the site right now your chances are really good.  That's not to say that only 10 people are watching the videos, most people watch them on their YouTube page.  These people are missing out according to Luca.  There is a donation system on the website where you can donate $3.00 a month and that automatically puts you in the monthly drawing without ever going to the site.  Better yet, get your gaming group to donate $3.00 and you can win a game you would all enjoy.  There are only about 6 people doing this now so the chances are very good.  Plus, the more people who join, the bigger the game.  I've heard a rumor about Super Dungeon explorer being a possible prize.  So for just $3.00,  you can have video review and a chance to win a game.

While Luca does have other hobbies, making animations, having BBQ's, most of his last year has been consummed by his latest board gaming project; CarmaRace.  We will talk more about this Kickstarter hopeful in another interview.  But until then be sure to check out Board to Death TV at:  http://www.boardtodeath.tv/.  Also, here is one my favorite games, At the Gates of Loyang given the Board to Death Treatment.

 Picture Credits: Luca Caltabiano (Chez Geeks), Homo Ludens (cvandyk), W. Eric Martin (W Eric Martin), Daniel Barrett (Helljin), Luca Caltabiano (Chez Geeks)

1775 Rebellion

Before the Declaration of Independence,  there was unrest in the 13 colonies.  Taxes and other restrictions were creating a divide between the British and their colonies.  Militias were organized, arms were stockpiled, and people were beginning to choose with whom their loyalty lied. 

Then the Rebellion began with the shot heard round the world.  Militia and the British clashed and 273 British soldiers were killed before they made it back to Boston.  Soon the Rebellion would lead to a Revolution and the Revolution to a new country.

Overview

 Players control the major factions that participated in the American Revolution.  The British side has the British Regulars, Loyalist Militia, and German Hessian Mercenaries.  The American side comprises of the Continental Army, Patriot Militia, and French Regulars.  The Native Americans are also available to be allied with either side.

Players for each side will be strategize together to coordinate their campaigns to control the colonies on the map.  Players may then place reinforcements into any City Area(s) within the colonies their side controls.  The game ends when a truce is called and the side controlling the most colonies wins the game.

Components

There is a lot of care and thought put into the design and components of 1775.  The board is absolutely beautiful and one of the highest quality boards that I have seen.  It's cut so that it lays flat and so little of a gap that it's difficult to see the folds when it is on the table.  The map shows the original 13 colonies plus Maine, Quebec and Nova Scotia.

The game also comes with 205 Unit cubes.  35 red cubes represent the British Regulars, 45 yellow cubes the Loyalist Militia, 40 blue the Continental Army, and 45 white the Patriot Militia.  The allies colors are 12 orange for the German Hessians, 10 purple for the French Regulars, and 18 green Native Americans. 

There are 16 Battle Dice.  These battle dice have different sides and colors depending on the group they represent.  The target represents a hit, the man a flee, and a blank stand for a Command Decision.  There are two red dice for the British Regulars, three yellow for the Loyalist Militia, 2 orange for the Hessian Mercenaries, 2 blue for the Continental Army, 3 white for the Patriot Militia, two purple for the French Regulars, and 2 green for the Native Americans.

There are also four blank turn markers that look like the Battle Dice.   There is one for each faction color and a draw bag that is used to determine turn order.

There is one wooden round marker pawn and 16 double sided control flags. One side of the flag show the British flag and the other shows the American flag.

The last component is the Cards.  There are 54 cards.  The quality of the cards is outstanding.  There are 15 red British cards, 13 yellow Loyalist Milita, 14 Continental Army, and 12 white Patriot Militia cards. 

The box insert is also worth noting.  It is designed to either be kept as is in the box to hold all the factions components and draw bags separately or it can be broken apart by the perforations to be given to the faction players as a holder during the game.  It's a great insert and just another example of the time and effort that went into the game.


Game Set-Up

The first thing players need to do is to choose a scenario.  The game comes with three:  The 1775 campaign, and Introductory Scenario with a shorter playing time, and The Siege of Quebec. 

I will explain the set-up for the 1775 Campaign Scenario set-up, the rule book will detail the other two scenarios.

After deciding on the scenario players should choose a faction to play.  They then take the  corresponding units, Battle Dice, and cards of that factions color.  If there fewer than four one or more players will control multiple factions on one side of the conflict.  All factions must be played.

Colonies - The map shows the 13 original colonies, Maine, and the provinces of Nova Scotia and Quebec.  For game purposes they will all be referred to as colonies.  Each colony is color coded and divided into areas, some of which contain cities.

Placing Starting Units - Some areas on the map are marked with colored squares, which represent the starting placements for the 1775 Campaign Scenario.  Populate the map areas with the corresponding colored units.  

Place Additional Units - Randomly draw a turn marker.  Each faction of the side drawn places four additional units of its color in areas hat already contain its side's units.  Then, each faction of the other side places 4 additional units of its color in areas that already contain its side's units. 

Create Reinforcement Stockpile - With the remaining units, players should create a reinforcement stockpile.  These units will be placed on the map as Reinforcements at the beginning of a faction's future turns or as called for by Event Cards.

Place Control Flags - control flags are placed on the colonies that each side controls.  So there should be British flags in Delaware, Quebec, and Nova Scotia.  There are also American flags in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Create Player Decks, Draw Cards - Each of the four factions prepares a draw deck from the cards numbered 01-12 in its respective color.  The cards above 12 are used in "The Siege of Quebec" Scenario only.  Card numbers are located on the bottom right corner of each card.  Shuffle the cards for your faction draw three.

Each faction's desk consists of twelve customized cards, eight of which are Movement Cards and four that are Event Cards, If a player draws only Event Cards,indicated by the word "Event"  on the card, they should show the other players, reshuffles them into his draw deck and draw three new cards.

Players from the same side may show each other their cards in order to coordinate their future actions.

Place Round Marker Pawn - Place the Round Marker Pawn on space 1 of the round track located on the bottom right side of the map.

Game Play

Rounds and Turns - The game is played over a variable number of rounds.  During each round, all four Turn Markers are placed int the draw bag.  Next, a Turn Marker is blindly drawn form the bag and is placed on the "1st turn space on the Turn Track.  the color drawn denotes which faction's turn it is.  This faction completes its turn before the next Turn Marker is drawn from the bag.

Once all Turn Markers have been drawn and all the factions have had their turn, the round ends.  The round Pawn is advanced to the next round space on the Round Track and a new round begins.

Game End Check - At the end of round 3 and at the end of each subsequent round, the game end condition must be checked.

Turn Sequence - A draw Turn Marker shows which faction takes its turn next.  The person who controls this faction is the Active Player and performs the following phases in order:

A.  Reinforcements Phase
B.  Movement Phase
C.  Battle Phase
D.  Draw Cards

A. Reinforcements Phase

Place Reinforcements and Fled Units.  At the beginning of a turn, the Active Player pulls 4 units from his Reinforcement stockpile and places these into any City Area(s) within the colonies his side controls.  Each faction has a limited supply of Reinforcements.  If they have less than four units in their stockpile they place all remaining units.  The Active Player may also play any Event Cards they hold in their hand if allowed during this phase by the card.  

Fled Units

In addition to placing Reinforcements, any of the Active Player's units located in the Fled Units Space re-enter play by being placed into any City Area(s) within the colonies he controls.

If any Active Player begins a turn in which his side controls no colonies, then he may not place any Reinforcements or Fled Units.  The Active Player loses that turn's Reinforcements and his Fled Units stay in the Fled Units space. 

 
Controlling a Colony

When units of only one side and / or its allies (Hessians or French) occupy areas areas in a colony, that side controls the colony.   Empty areas do not influence colony control.  An area containing containing Native American units prohibits control of a colony.  Controlled colonies are marked with either an American or British Control Flag. 

If a side should move all of its units out of a colony it controls, the colony becomes neutral at the end of the round and the control flag is removed.

Allied Units

Hessian and French Units enter the game when certain Event Cards are played.  These units are always controlled by their allies and never change sides. 

Native Americans - Native American units is an area are independent until allied with a side.  This occurs when British or American units more into an area occupied only Native American units.  Once allied to a side, the Native American units are controlled by that side.  Native American units in different areas may be allied to the Americans and British at the same time. 

As soon as an allied Native units are left alone in an area (due to movement or battle), they become independent.  They can become allied again in the future.

When Native Americans units allied to opposing sides meet in battle, the flee in equal numbers from each side until only one side or neither side has Native American units left.  These Fled units are placed into the Fled Units Space. 

If a side has only Native American units remaining in a battle, they become allied to the opposing side remaining in the area. 

B.  Movement Phase

The Active Player must play one, and only one, Movement Card during their turn.  Units may be moved by land or water, depending on what the Movement Card allows.  The Active Player may also play any Event Cards that they hold in their hand, if allowed during this phase by the card. 

Once played, all cards are discarded, except for the Truce Cards which are placed face up along the right side of the board.

 Armies 

Armies are formed from units in the same area.  An army can be formed wit units from factions and allies of the same side.  A player can include all or some of the units, but at least 1 unit in the army must belong to the Active Player.  The Active Player can then move the army. 

The number of solider figures on a Movement Card represents the maximum number of armies that the Active Player may move, followed by how many areas each o the these armies may move.  an army, including any of its units, may only be moved once during a turn.

Armies are moved from area to area, across area boundaries.  An army must stop if it enters an area occupied by enemy units are independent Native American Units.  Armies cannot drop off or pick up units while moving.  Units may not move multiple times with different armies.

Land Movement Cards

Land Movement Cards allow armies to move from one land area to the next.  Armies are moved by the Active Player as permitted by the Movement Card he played and as modified by any Event Card(s) played. 

A player does not need to move the full number of armies indicated by the Movement Card or use all the allowed movement per army. 

Water Movement Cards

To move over a body of water, a Warship or Fishing Boat Movement Card must be played.  Armies that have a Water Movement Card must be played.  Armies that have a Water Movement Card any move from a land area adjoining a body of water to any other land area adjoining the same body of water, even if that land area is enemy occupied.  A body of water ends where rivers are "greyed" out. 

The St. Lawrence Seaway is connected to the Atlantic Ocean for purposes of water travel.  Units may only land move across river where the river are grayed out.


Fishing Boat Army Sized Limits

Fishing boats allow two armies, of up to three units each, from up to two different land areas adjoining a body of water, to move to one single land area adjoining the same body of water. 

Truce Cards

Each faction has one Truce Card.  These cards are played as a Movement Card.  After being played, they are placed face up along the right side of the map instead of being discarded.
This enables players to track how many Truce Cards have been played.  The game ends at the end of round 3 or at the end of any subsequent round in which the Truce Cards have been played by all factions of a side. 

Event Cards

Each faction has unique Event Cards in its deck.  Event Cards either add extra units to a map, modify movement or affect combat for the Active Player that turn.  each Event Card states in which phase it can be played.  The Active Player may play all Event Cards in their hand (up to two if they have them). 

C.  Battle Phase

A battle occurs when opposing armies occupy the same area.  If there are multiple battles, the Active player chooses the order in which the battles are resolved.  Any Event Cards played that may influence a battle must be assigned prior to battle resolution. 

The Side that moved into the area is the attacker and the other the defender.  The defending players have the initiative, and simultaneously roll their battle dice and apply the results.  If units of both sides remain in battle, the attacking players simultaneously roll their Battle Dice and apply the results.  The battle continues, alternating back and forth, until only one side remains in the area. 

Each faction's controlling player will roll his Battle Dice and make decisions for his own units.  A player rolls a number of Battle Dice corresponding to the number of their units present in a battle.  The maximum number of dice that may be rolled is limited by the number of dice a faction possess.

Battle Dice Results - Each Faction's Battle Dice have a unique combination of Hit, Flle and Blank "Command Decision" faces.

Hit Results - When a Hit die face is rolled, an opponent's unit is removed from the battle and placed into its Reinforcement Stockpile.  The opponents decide among themselves which unit to remove if units from more than one faction are present in a battle.

Flee Result - When a Flee die face is rolled, the faction's player removes one of his own units from the battle and places it into the Fled Units Space.  

A factions Fled Units return at the beginning of that faction's next turn.  Place them into any City Area(s) within colonies controlled by that factions side.

Command Decision Result - When a blank die face is rolled, that faction's player may decide to move one of his own units out of the current battle.  This unit may move into any adjacent area that is not solely enemy occupied. 

An Area that contains both freindly and enemy units (an upcoming battle) may be moved into by Command Decision.  An area that contains only Native American units may be moved into by Command Decision, because they are independent.  Once your unit moves in, they become a ally.

If a battle area is surrounded by enemy occupied areas, a Command Decision movement out of battle is not possible.  An army that moved into battle by water may not move out by water with a command Dennison. 

D.  Draw Cards Phase

At the end of their turn, the Active Player draws his hand back up to three cards.  If there are not enough cards left in the draw deck, he draws what remains.

If the Active Player has no Movement cards in his hand after he draws, he must show his cards, reshuffle them into his draw deck and draw three new cards.  A player must always have one Movement Card in his hand after drawing.

The Active Player's turn is now over.  A new Turn Marker is drawn from the draw bag and the next player takes their turn.  If all Turn Markers have been drawn, the round is over and game end conditions are checked.  If the game does not end, a new round begins.

 Game End

The game end condition is evaluated at the end of round 3 and a the end of each subsequent round.  The game ends at the end of a round if Truce Cards belonging to all faction of one or both sides have been played. 

The game is won by the side that controls the most colonies.  Games can end in a tie.  In case of a tie, neither side wins and America becomes a southern province of French Canada.

My Thoughts

One of my favorite things about board games are the pieces, the components, that move around the board, that you can pick up and feel.  One doesn't get the same interaction with IOS or video games; only board games.  So for this reason, the components, the board, and sometimes even the box itself comes under scrutiny, as they are all part of the game.  I have only good things to say about the components for 1775.  The box insert, the game board, the artwork, the dice, and the cards are all amazing.  I really wish more boards were of the quality of 1775's, it lays flat right out of the box, with no gaps between the folds.  The insert is useful for both storage and game play.  Plus, you have the option to leave it as or tear it apart so each player can have their own tray.  The dice and Turn Markers are beautiful and chunky.  They are fun to roll and will stand up to a younger player's abuse.  The cards have beautiful artwork and Event cards even have a little bit of history to explain them.  There is a lot of care and thoughtfulness that went into every level of this game.

The rulebook is easy to read, concise, and simple, making the game easier to learn.  I did have the advantage of learning the game at a Convention.  So, this showed me the game would be easy to teach.  Even four new players could pick it up quickly.  Of course, the cooperative element will also help new players learn the game.  Each side can plan together and discuss what their best strategy.  I enjoy the discussion that come out in this type of cooperative play.



As a history teacher, and a fan of history, I like the extra effort put into the end of the rulebook with the explanation of the 1775 Rebellion and the Event Cards that were added to the game.

There is both strategy and luck at play in 1775.  Where and when to move your troops, allying with the Native Americans, and when to attack all depends on the strategy you choose.  But there is also the luck of your card draws and the dice.  In the games I have played so far,  have not been able to bring out my French Allies or Hessian allies (depending on the side.)  They are not necessary to win the game, but they are very helpful.  I just haven't drawn the cards before the end of the game.

Rolling dice also adds another element of luck.  You may bring a far superior army into battle but lose on dice rolls.  Of course you can be on the other side where you small army beats up your powerful foes; another win for the underdog.  What is definite is that this is not a pure strategy game, so those looking for pure strategy look elsewhere. 

I don't enjoy heavy war games, I like them simple with  limited options and the addition of dice and cards is also preferred.  This is what I have found in 1775.  You only have 12 cards during the first scenario, and only draw three in your hand at a time.  I didn't feel overwhelmed by options when playing.  I know by the card I played, I can move three armies two spaces and that is all.  I could use an Event Card as well.  Of course when it came to choosing which armies and where it did get a little more complicated.  I like the Event cards that helped you move more armies, add extra units, and bring in your allies.  I didn't so much like when the Benedict Arnold card was played on me, making me lose control of a colony.

Each faction has their own dice, cards, strengths, and weakness.  I enjoy these asymmetrical player powers.  Their abilities create great decision making opportunities during all rounds of play.  Who should you take out with a hit?  The stronger British troop or the weaker Loyalist Militia; knowing that the British have no flee results on their dice so you'll never have more than four new British during the Reinforcements phase.  It is a simple way to show the historic aspects of the opposing sides.

The Command decision result is also useful and can keep a colony from falling into your enemies hands, or take an army from a lost battle to the next one to be fought.  So, no matter what is rolled players are left with useful actions.  The dice rolling and strategic decisions offer a nice blend of thematic game and Euro game mechanics. 

There is also minimal downtime during the game, with either two players or four players.   During a four player game you will be discussing and planning with your partner.  And each turn may be a chance for you to roll your battle dice.  Turn order is determined by the Turn Markers being pulled from the bag so you never know when your next turn will be.  This has both advantages and disadvantages for players.  You can't predict when you will next play so a thought out move may not work after your opponent takes two turns in a row.  I also believe there is a distinct advantage to going last after the second Treaty of Paris card has been played.  It is one of my issues with the game.  When that card comes out and your opponent needs only one more colony to win you better hope you have good luck with your dice rolling.  Of course, many will say that careful planning ahead of time will negate that last move.  But the possibility is there and I don't like it.  I was the one who won the game because of it.  It just felt like a shallow victory.

Overall I have really enjoyed 1775: Rebellion, the game play is solid, the components amazing, and the game length just right.  It's a game that families can play together, school children can use as a fun way to learn about the beginning of the American Revolution, and couples can enjoy as a light war game.  Luck and card draws may keep heavy war gamers away but even they can enjoy the blend of Euro and thematic game mechanics.  It a game that I know will stay in my collection based on theme, fun factor, and ease of play.

 Quick Stats:

Designer:Beau Beckett, Jeph Stahl

Artists: Jarek Nocon, Steve Paschal

Publishers:Academy Games, Asyncron Games, Ediciones MasQueOc, Schwerkraft

Players: 2-4

Game Length:  75 minutes
Ages: 10 and up

Photo Credits: Jeph Stahl (jstahl) (2), Brian Sinclair (Brian Sinclair), Kevin Duke (kduke)

Thanks for sharing your great pictures!

A Game Built for Two Previews: Guile

The world and mystery of King Arthur and his Knights of the Roundtable has long been a favorite.  Knights and ladies performing brave deeds and chivalrous acts filled my young mind with wonder.  I ignored the intrigue and deceit and focused on the good.  Guile, on the other hand, looks at that trickery as one player becomes Sir Mordred who seeks to influence the Round Table, of course Arthur's noble knights won't let him down as they use their own wile and guile to keep the Round Table safe. 

Components

As I only had a preview copy, I can't discuss the quality of the components but I can say that I love the artwork that Brett Owens has created.  Each knight has their own unique personality and the style is beautiful.

The game comes with eight Knights of the Round Table Cards, in the two factions: allies of King Arthur and Pawns of Sir Mordred.  The Knights of King Arthur have red lion in the back ground the Pawns of Sir Mordred have gold and blue bands behind them.  There are also ten influence cards (three ones, three twos, two threes, and two fours).  The double sided Excalibur cards signifies the first knight in the cycle when turned to the side with no coins, and when showing coins it signifies the final cycle when influence will be totaled.  The game also comes with one turn card that identifies the current Knight-errant and three victory cards.


Set-Up

The knights are placed face-up in a circle, alternating by faction to form the Round Table.  Next, choose the start player.  It should be the last person who preformed a chivalrous deed.  They choose a faction to control.  The start player places the turn card above the Knight Errant of their faction (outside of the Round Table) and Excalibur pointing toward the same Knight (inside of the Round Table).

The influence cards should be shuffled and four should be dealt to each player.  The two remaining cards should be set aside as they are not needed this round.

Each player should look at their cards and place one face down on top of each of their faction's Knights.  Remember where you place each card and keep them secret from your opponent. 

Gameplay

On their turn the player controlling the Knight-Errant (identified by the turn card) takes one of two available actions.

A.  Look at the influence card of the Knight-Errant (they must remain secret)

B.  Exchange the influence card of the Knight-Errant with the influence card of any other Knight of the Round Table, including a Knight in your own faction.  

Once the action is complete, the players move the Turn Card clockwise to the next Knight.  The controlling player then takes their turn, and so on.

Once the Turn cad returns to the start Knight, the first cycle is complete.  at this time, flip the Excalibur card coins up.  (Influence will be totaled at the end of this cycle.

Play continues until the Turn Card returns to the start Knight once again.  At this time play stop and the round is over. 

Flip all the influence cards face-up and the faction with the highest total influence wins the round, and the controlling player receives one Victory Card.  The cards are set up for the second round and play continues as it did in the first.

If neither player has won two rounds:  set up the Round Table once again and move the turn card clockwise to the next Knight.  Flip the Excalibur card coins-down and point it at the new start Knight.  Begin a new round and play as before.

A Stalemate?

In the event of a tie after totaling influence, the faction with the highest influence card wins the round.  If there is still a tie, the Influence card with the dagger wins the round.

A Victory

The player who wins two rounds is victorious!

My Thoughts

As a young girl the Legend of Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table was nothing more than brave stories of loyalty, love, and brave acts.  I didn't look below the surface to see the full picture of what was happening behind the scenes in Camelot. 

The same can be said of Guile.  Don't be fooled, there is more than meets eye in this memory game.  Of course you can enjoy the surface view of the game but looking deeper and seeing the deception, bluffing, and devious side of the game is what will draw even more players.

I must admit that I am not usually attracted to a game like Guile.  I'm very poor at bluffing, I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I'm not very good at hiding my intentions.  I make a very poor traitor in games like Shadows over Camelot.  So those who are like me may not fully enjoy Guile.  But I know more who would.  I can easily see my 7th grade students eating this game up in a battle of wits and cunning.  They would enjoy the meta-game of decisions to switch cards, just look at their card, or deciding to switch a good card with another player just to make them think they gave a bad card.  But they really gave you a good and hope you'll either give it back or they can take it in the second round. 

I also know there are many gamers out there that would have a great time playing Guile.  The great thing is that you can play Guile as a simple memory game or play the 'meaner' version depending on who you are playing with and what type of game they want. 

Guile is very well designed game with a lot of thought put into ease of play and the fun factor.  The Excalibur Card and Turn Card are invaluable when remembering whose turn it is and who started the round.  I love the clockwork mechanic of moving the Turn card to the next player.  This could be useful in other games when trying to remember who started the round.  I know some games use start player tokens, but I like the visual reminder that stays out in the middle of the table the entire game.  I also like the tie-breaker rules.  At first I wasn't sure what the dagger was for but it insured there was not tie when we played.

The rules are simple to read and learn.  That's a big plus for someone who doesn't like heavy rulebooks or long rules discussions.  Like many games, the difficulty isn't in the rules but in  the game play and decisions to be made.  Its small footprint is another plus for those who want a portable game.  This would make a great portable game.

Anyone interested in Guile should check out the Kickstarter page at:  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/justinschaffer/guile-a-medieval-memory-card-game-for-two

Quick Stats:

Designer: Justin Schaffer

Artists: Brett Owens
Publishers:Terra Nova Games

Players: 2
Game Length: 20 minutes
Ages:8 and up

 

Picture Credits:  Justin Schaffer 

Thanks for sharing your wonderful pictures!  Also, please note that I received a review copy of this game.

 

Origins 2013

Origins

 June 12^th to the 16^th 2013

Saturday - Day One

Origins Game Fair is Columbus Ohio is full of excitement, anticipation and fun.  For me, the dealer hall is the main attraction but there are many other things to do and see at the show.  There are LARPS, CCGs, Role-playing Games, Miniatures Games, the Board Room (filled with games to play), the Origins Costume contest, the Origins Awards, kid's rooms, and new this year an Electronic Game Room. 

Last year's dates made it difficult for many people to attend, which lead to a smaller crowd and fewer sales for the vendors.  Compared to last year, this year’s event seemed better attended both by vendors and attendees.  I also liked that there were more artists in the dealer hall this year.  Some of the notable artists were: Larry Elmore, Sarah Wilkinson, and Nigel Shade. Some of the vendors were: Stronghold Games, Queen Games, iello, Steve Jackson Games, Academy Games, Eagle Games, Stoneblade Entertainment, Rio Grande, Mayfair and many more.

We stared out this year’s Origins at Academy games with a demo of the recent Kickstarter success 1775.  The people at Academy Games were incredible and took us through this light war / area control game.  I tend to enjoy these types of games when they are card driven and include dice, so my husband thought this might be a hit with me.  I guess he was correct because before the end of the demo I was looking around for a copy to buy.  

1775 is a two to four player game with British Regulars and Canadian Loyalists versus the Continental Army and Colonial Militia.  Play is asymmetrical, as the dice and cards given to each player offer different strengths and weaknesses.  After a few turns, and a better understanding of the rules, play moved quickly and the game eventually ended in a tie.  The rulebook states this means the French Canadians make the whole area their colony.  I loved the negotiation and discussions that occurred between the players.  The game's artwork is also beautiful.  Look for a full review from me on this game later this summer!   

Next stop was Catalyst Game Labs to check out Leviathans miniatures game.  The miniature airships are certainly eye catching.  We were given a quick rules review and turn example and it looked promising.  Miniatures games are always intriguing to me but they can also be off-putting with their complicated rules.  Leviathans offers different rules sets for new and advanced players.  The rules would take a bit to learn but after a few plays you would know them well and could move on to more advanced play.  I unfortunately didn't get our demonstrator's name but he was extremely enthusiastic about Leviathans and got me more excited about the game.

 After a few demonstrations we took a tour of the entire dealer hall.  From my perspective there seemed to be more people in the hall than last year, and they must have been buying games because a few vendors were already sold out of some specific games.  I wasn’t able to pick up the Escape expansions I was looking to purchase.  I did get the new Seasons expansion and the iello version Innovations: Echoes.  I was surprised by this purchase because I didn’t know iello had gotten license to sell Echoes of the Past in the US.  Innovation is a game I enjoy and, though I don't mind the artwork of the Asmadi games version, this artwork is amazing and I look forward to playing the “pretty” version.  We also played a Demo game of Castellan from Steve Jackson Games.  Then came time for one of my favorite things to do at Origins, and that is to stop by Chessex Dice and pick up some of their absolutely beautiful dice to add to our games.  It is an easy way to make your games look a little better.  We picked up extra player dice for Defenders of the Realm, a nice D20 for Formula D, and other games.

Time seemed to go incredibly fast and after a late lunch and one more trip through some of the dealer hall, we were able to get a demo of Mage Wars.  Even though they have been at the last few Origins we haven't had a chance to play.  We almost didn't get a chance this year, but Ray D'Arcy and some other volunteers took time while running a tournament to set up a game and run us through the rules.  This was another game I feared would be overwhelming to learn but with their help and suggestions we were soon casting creatures and spells and trying to be the best Mage.  I ended up losing but had a great time getting there.  A big thanks to the amazing volunteers who took their own time to show us this great game.  Since the dealer hall had closed at this point I couldn't pick up the game but it is certainly now on my buy list.  

Not quite ready to head out we stopped by to see the giant Catan sets at Mayfair and the miniature displays and went to see the Board Room.  Day one passed quickly but I was looking forward to my first Sunday of the con.

Sunday - Day Two

Sunday started out quieter but there still seemed to be a good crowd.  I'm sure this is normal for a Sunday, but this was my first time visiting Origins on a Sunday.  I was expecting a smaller crowd but thought that a few dads may have been given a present of a day at Origins as a Father's Day present.  Of course since there were no day passes available on Sunday a few may not have come just for Sunday.

We spent most of the day in the dealer hall talking with the dealers and playing demos.  We first headed to Zvezda to check out some of their new games.   We were interested in "Armada Invincible," a new ship combat game using the Art of Tactics system found in many of Zvezda's games.   The game is due out sometime in September or October and only a prototype was available.  

The ships are amazing and will look even better when modelers get their hands on them and start detailing them.  Those familiar with The Art of Tactics system will be able to pick up on most of the rules quickly.  My husband and I have been looking forward to a good Tall Ship combat game and now there are two that look promising, this and Sails of Glory.  We will have to keep our eyes on both to see which one will be our choice.

 

While at Zvezda we also checked out some other upcoming games:  The Battle for Oil and the new Disney licensed games for Cars and Planes.  The Battle for Oil is a 'what if' game, where the US and Russia enter a hot war in the Middle East over oil.  Players will be fighting with infantry, tanks, and even helicopters.  

Their children's game for Cars was a racing game with a modular board.  Of course you can buy more models of characters not found in the base game.  The Planes game looks a lot like a Wings of Glory game for kids.  Instead of fighting players will be racing stunt planes through cones.  Of course there will be lots of extra characters you can purchase for this one, as well.  All of these games look amazing and should be coming soon.

After Zvezda we headed over to AEG to check out Guild Hall.  I have heard a lot of praise said about this game and wanted to try before we bought it.  We were given a quick demonstration and decided to pass for now since the demonstrator said that while it works with two players, it's definitely better with more.   

Because they were so nice to us yesterday, we decided to go back and talk to Academy Games some more.  I wanted to hear about their upcoming game Bloody Crossroads: Gettysburg and their upcoming Underground Railroad game.  

We talked with Uwe Eickert, his wife, and his son.  They took a lot of time to explain many of their upcoming games with us. It is very evident how much love and how much pride they put into their games and company.  They also put a lot of time and effort into their research, development, and artwork.  This shows in the products we saw at their booth.

 

Gettysburg is tentatively scheduled to come out next year and it sounds like it is going to be a great game. The map for the game looks suitable for framing.  The game will focus on the three days of the battle but may also offer some 'what if' scenarios that have been debated throughout history.  So now we can finally find out what would have happened if Lee had listened to Longstreet.  He also talked about some other possible games with the Gettysburg theme with similar mechanisms to 1812 and 1775.

They were also very excited about Freedom: The Underground Railroad.  It is a cooperative game where players are working to bring runaway slaves to freedom in Canada.  Players must both raise money for the Abolitionist Cause and move runaway slaves to Canada.  One to four players can work together to bring an end to slavery.  Events can both hurt and help players as they work from a time period that spans from early 1800's to the Civil War.  Players will definitely need to work together to win this game.  I absolutely love the theme.  Look for this one coming to Kickstarter soon.

I always look forward to visiting Jolly Roger Games and we talked to Jim Dietz about his current Kickstarter Kremlin.  He was very excited about this "labor of love."  He talked about how he would be offering a few rules sets to please all the fans of Kremlin that want both the classic rules and those who would like an updated rule set.  He was also excited about the new artwork modeled after 1930 Soviet propaganda style.  The price point for Kremlin is great and there is still time to join the campaign!

He also talked about another game in the works called Antebellum.  This isn't the most common theme for games so it's another great choice for Jolly Roger.   He described the game as having different boards as you travel through the period, and what happened on one board will have an effect on the other.  It will be one I keep my eye on, but it seems like this may be a few years before it is out.

While talking we also stumbled upon a fact about Jolly Roger that I had not noticed before; product numbers for their games are more significant than they may first appear.  The number relates to the game's time period such as the number for Founding Fathers corresponding to the Constitution.

I am a sucker for tile laying games and wanted to check out Voluspa from Stronghold Games.  Steven Buonocore from Stronghold is also a great person to talk to at Cons.  I don't know how he has so much energy.  We were able to get a demo with Dan Patriss of the Geek All-Stars.  He was amazing and a blast to play with.  It was great getting to know him and playing a fun game with him.

Voluspa is named for the oldest poem of Nordic Mythology.  The 12 different tiles in the game were different creatures and characters from Nordic mythology, such as Odin and Loki.  The characters and creatures allow players to block, capture, and intimidate the other tiles to score points.  Players gain points when they place a higher power tile next to lower power ones.  For example, placing a Thor worth seven next to a dragon worth five would give the player two points, one for each tile. 

The game was easy to learn and play, but offered a lot of meaningful decisions, especially at the end of the game.  The entire game was back and forth and came out close in the end.  Dan was a lot of fun to play with, but since it was sold out we didn’t pick up a copy of the game.

Stronghold Games also had a great promotion going on when you had a demo.  They gave you a ribbon for each demo and after five demos (one was not in the Dealer hall) they gave you a percentage off of one of their games.  This would have been great if I had been there more days so I never made it past one demo, put I did get a nice ribbon.  

 After the disappointment of not being able to pick up Voluspa we went to visit Catalyst Game Labs.    Yet again I was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm and willingness to spend time to show us and discuss their games.  When John Rogers found out that I was a teacher he was even more excited to talk to me about how I use games in my classroom.  

He showed me Struggle for Power.  I  wasn't familiar with it, and it may make a perfect addition when I discuss European history in my 7th grade Geography class.   We, of course, ended up picking up Leviathans as well. This may not be the easiest game for me to pick up but it just looks so amazing.  

We hadn't forgotten about Mage Wars and picked up the core set and a few expansions from Arcane Wonders.  They helped us pick out the best set for us and were happy to spend even more time telling us all about what each set came with, how different mages worked best for different types of players and so forth.  We were also able to get some very nice promo cards for the game that will work well with the mages we will most likely play with.  I am very excited about this game and can't wait to get it to the table.  I also have a great feeling about future of Mage Wars.

By this time the end of con was quickly coming and we had fallen into a common trap of Cons... we didn't eat lunch.  So by now we were very hungry and headed to a great late lunch at Ted's, a nearby restaurant specializing in buffalo burgers and some Jeni's ice cream for dessert at the North Market. 

Though Origins was over, there was still more gaming for both of us.  We were lucky enough to meet with Rob Dougherty of Ascension and Magic fame.  He showed us his upcoming two player deck building game, Star Realms.  I will be doing s separate post for this later on, but I think this is going to be a very popular game.  

It is a space combat game with direct player conflict, something I haven't seen in the deck building games we play.  It is its own unique game but you can see the Magic, Ascension, and CCG influence showing.  There are four unique factions with unique abilities that encourage players to buy cards of the same faction in order to trigger some of those abilities.  I had a blast playing it and am very excited about it coming to Kickstarter soon.  Rob said it should be around $15 dollars and come in a small, portable package.  The artwork for the game so far is gorgeous.  I love that one faction, called the Blob, uses bioengineering and has a ship that looks like a humpback whale.

I have been going to Origins for a few years now, and every year I leave with a good feeling about the board gaming industry and especially the people.  From the Origins staff and volunteers, to the companies and game designers, everyone is excited about games and are open and willing to talk with people about the company and their games, answer questions, and lend a helping hand.

I am also amazed at what I didn't get to do at the con.  There is so much more from the boardroom, to the special guests, RPGs, and other events I feel like I have just began to scratch the surface.   Of course all of this is what keeps me coming back each year.  I am already looking forward to next year!

A special thanks goes out to my husband for taking all the wonderful pictures for me and being ready and even ahead of me whenever I wanted a picture.

Other Picture Credits:  Coen Velden (Coenst),Brian Mayer (bmayer)