In which I review the Game of Thrones Board Game (2nd Ed)...Wade bought the GoT board game so we had to play it!
*SPOILER WARNING: The game and this review contain no spoilers (unless you consider the names of houses as such), however the game description on Amazon etc. mentions details from the end of Book 1: A Game of Thrones*
Game Details
Cost: £50
Players: 3-6
Play time: >3 hours (took us around 5 the first time)
The Players
We played a 4 player game so we were the houses Baratheon (Mikey), Greyjoy (Rob), Lannister (Me) & Stark (Wade). I got to be house Lannister (by random chance) so my personal goals for the game were to have all the gold and make the Starks bend the knee.* The other 2 players are represented by defense cards on the lower section of the board.
*Disappointingly there was absolutely no gold :(
Game Play
The game is about deceit, alliances and military might. Also wildlings occasionally appear to mess up your sh*t.
Remember in the game of thrones you either win or you die!
Set-up
Every player has a set starting location and army/navy size. It's very easy to follow. I was at Casterley Rock below the Greyjoys at Pike and to the west of the Baratheons at Dragonstone. The Starks were too far north to really bother me.
Before the game starts you work out your location on the victory track (number of strongholds/castles, 7 needed to win) and determine the location on the three other tracks:
Iron Throne.
Fiefdoms.
King's Court.
The top of each track gets the special item associated with it affording you a special bonus. The track order also affects whether you win combat draws and other mechanics:
The Iron Throne - allows you to determine the winner of all non-combat draws.
Valyrian Steel Blade - allows you to add +1 to any single combat in a turn (either side), win combat draws.
The Messenger Raven - allows you to peek at the top wilding card or change an order after deployment.
Early turns
The game has three phases:
Westeros phase - turn over three cards which represent events occuring throughout Westeros†.
Planning phase - plan your various actions and place them face down on the table.
Action phase - play your orders in order!
Due to a slight misunderstanding on my part I used all of my 5 starting power points on the first track betting and only got control of the Raven for it. Luckily after a few turns we were attacked by wildlings wiping out everyone else's power points and leaving me in the perfect position to seize both the Iron Throne and Raven for the next seven turns!
