Rating distribution for BTdubs
Ratings
Thu 29th Jun 20:03
I have played exactly one game on this board and found it delightful. Easy to pick up the rules, which also fit the theme.
Clicking on the balloons can be a bit tricky for those us who frequently play on mobile, and imho it doesn’t quite make sense for the balloon borders to exactly match the land borders (looking at you, Canada) but that’s the limit of my criticism.
I am interested to see how people adapt strategies to this board, which looks standard vanilla Risk but is not standard vanilla Risk.
I have played exactly one game on this board and found it delightful. Easy to pick up the rules, which also fit the theme. Clicking on the balloons can be a bit tricky for those us who frequently play on mobile, and imho it doesn’t quite make sense for the balloon borders to exactly match the land borders (looking at you, Canada) but that’s the limit of my criticism.
I am interested to see how people adapt strategies to this board, which looks standard vanilla Risk but is not standard vanilla Risk.
Sat 10th Dec 11:43
If played correctly, this board is basically an overly complicated game of Russian roulette.
To win you:
1) prevent others from gaining bonuses
2) wait for someone else to goof
3) wait for card values to get high enough that a player can be wiped out on a single turn
4) hang on to your cards so that when #2 happens you are ready.
Is there some strategy to this? Yes.
Does it feel rewarding and fun? No.
If played correctly, this board is basically an overly complicated game of Russian roulette.To win you:
1) prevent others from gaining bonuses
2) wait for someone else to goof
3) wait for card values to get high enough that a player can be wiped out on a single turn
4) hang on to your cards so that when #2 happens you are ready.
Is there some strategy to this? Yes.
Does it feel rewarding and fun? No.
Sun 3rd May 10:21
Excellent board for disciplined, creative play.
Know about capitals, be able to think two and three moves ahead, and prepare to count to six repeatedly. Oh, and read the notices on the board. The ones that tell you how placement, capitals, and bonuses work? Turns out that is important -- yet people get through whole games with obvious ignorance of the stuff written RIGHT THERE, and freak out when 600+ troops show up out of nowhere...
Neutrals serve well to slow down an early leader, game dynamics are challenging and apt for the scenario. Team games are hugely different from melees, but no less interesting.
Strategic thinking trumps luck in this one -- but by such a thin margin that even near-perfect players can lose to someone good-but-lucky.
Multiple strategies are viable, comebacks happen, and 3-way stalemates are virtually impossible.
Great board.
Excellent board for disciplined, creative play. Know about capitals, be able to think two and three moves ahead, and prepare to count to six repeatedly. Oh, and read the notices on the board. The ones that tell you how placement, capitals, and bonuses work? Turns out that is important -- yet people get through whole games with obvious ignorance of the stuff written RIGHT THERE, and freak out when 600+ troops show up out of nowhere...
Neutrals serve well to slow down an early leader, game dynamics are challenging and apt for the scenario. Team games are hugely different from melees, but no less interesting.
Strategic thinking trumps luck in this one -- but by such a thin margin that even near-perfect players can lose to someone good-but-lucky.
Multiple strategies are viable, comebacks happen, and 3-way stalemates are virtually impossible.
Great board.
Sun 3rd May 10:02
I would rate this board "hilarious" if that were an option. Strategy is something like rock, paper, scissors -- it is mostly a mind game you play against yourself. Every move has a counter-move, but do you play the move or the counter?
Graphics are deliciously minimalist, so is the gameplay.
I would rate this board "hilarious" if that were an option. Strategy is something like rock, paper, scissors -- it is mostly a mind game you play against yourself. Every move has a counter-move, but do you play the move or the counter?Graphics are deliciously minimalist, so is the gameplay.
Sun 3rd May 09:48
Learn about capitals before playing this one, or you will die.
If you like seven kingdoms, or Of Kings And Men, you might like this one. On the down side, graphics are clumsy; on the up side, so are many of your fellow players.
The fact that capitals on the same continent can attack each other really matters, and the various dice bonuses also matter.
The thing I like about this board is that it plays differently than almost everything else; the bottlenecks are different, the bonuses are different, defensive placement actually requires you to think, and a blitzing attack is a big, unpredictable gamble. Rewards clever play, is utterly unforgiving on overreaching play.
If you get more than ten turns, somebody's doing it wrong.
Try it privately first with at least four players.
Learn about capitals before playing this one, or you will die. If you like seven kingdoms, or Of Kings And Men, you might like this one. On the down side, graphics are clumsy; on the up side, so are many of your fellow players.
The fact that capitals on the same continent can attack each other really matters, and the various dice bonuses also matter.
The thing I like about this board is that it plays differently than almost everything else; the bottlenecks are different, the bonuses are different, defensive placement actually requires you to think, and a blitzing attack is a big, unpredictable gamble. Rewards clever play, is utterly unforgiving on overreaching play.
If you get more than ten turns, somebody's doing it wrong.
Try it privately first with at least four players.
Sun 26th Jan 19:57
This board has loads of features - read the description or you will lose the game. Read it again in the middle of the game, because by the time you have the troops to work with, you won't remember what all the stuff does.
Beautiful board, well-executed concept, loads of flexibility, strategically tricky trade-offs, and reasonably well-balanced without being symmetrical. I can't imagine anyone ever getting to a stalemate on this one.
I was going to give this a nine, but realized there was literally nothing more I could ask for in a board design.
This board has loads of features - read the description or you will lose the game. Read it again in the middle of the game, because by the time you have the troops to work with, you won't remember what all the stuff does.Beautiful board, well-executed concept, loads of flexibility, strategically tricky trade-offs, and reasonably well-balanced without being symmetrical. I can't imagine anyone ever getting to a stalemate on this one.
I was going to give this a nine, but realized there was literally nothing more I could ask for in a board design.
Sat 25th Jan 13:12
Great dueling board, great 16-player board. Room enough to show your skills (or lack) and room enough to recover from mistakes.
A good board for people who are relatively new but looking for a challenge - what you see here is what you get, no capitals, no factories, no special borders. Just lots and lots of dead-ends, bottlenecks, and tricky choices.
Enjoy.
Great dueling board, great 16-player board. Room enough to show your skills (or lack) and room enough to recover from mistakes.A good board for people who are relatively new but looking for a challenge - what you see here is what you get, no capitals, no factories, no special borders. Just lots and lots of dead-ends, bottlenecks, and tricky choices.
Enjoy.
Sun 5th Jan 13:20
A challenging board, best for patient players.
On the default setting with a bunch of players you can't see much at all, and the game takes a long time to get going. The hub-and-spoke design makes this different from many other large boards. Also, the vision from hub-to-hub means figuring out who's where is a bit of a brainteaser.
I guess I'm in the minority, but I think the weakest part of this board is the artwork. The pipes are a little small and the numbers at the hubs are hard to read. If anybody's playing grey, white or black as a color, they get hard to see. (Nygma, maybe you could remove these colors as options?)
A challenging board, best for patient players.On the default setting with a bunch of players you can't see much at all, and the game takes a long time to get going. The hub-and-spoke design makes this different from many other large boards. Also, the vision from hub-to-hub means figuring out who's where is a bit of a brainteaser.
I guess I'm in the minority, but I think the weakest part of this board is the artwork. The pipes are a little small and the numbers at the hubs are hard to read. If anybody's playing grey, white or black as a color, they get hard to see. (Nygma, maybe you could remove these colors as options?)
Sat 7th Dec 09:57
Praise: This is a board with room to maneuver, and interesting play via negative bonus areas, small and large continents, and strategically challenging bottlenecks and cross-board connections.
I especially like the way continents are sometimes inside other continents.
Because this board is large, a lot of luck factors even out - an excellent set of rolls won't win you as much, and a terrible set of rolls won't hurt as bad. Some players will get frustrated by this. Also because of the size of the board, expect a long game.
Warning: New players shoulder really really think about those negative areas. The raised/lowered continents are sometimes hard to discern, but games last long enough for you to get used to it.
Mixed: In no-fog or low-fog games, it can take a while for the game to resolve - even after it's no longer winnable for the weaker player(s). Don't give up too soon - mid-game it's common for players with a bad opening to come up big, and players with a good opening to lose their foothold.
Awesome: Rampaging on this board is some of the most fun there is to be had - there are so many territories to conquer! In fog games, smaller players have room to lurk until they pick up a new set of cards and blast in out of nowhere. (The flip side - you've got to be smart if you're aiming to eliminate someone)
Verdict: This is a board to play when you're tired of getting screwed by luck rolls on the conventional Risk board. It rewards thinking and planning.
Praise: This is a board with room to maneuver, and interesting play via negative bonus areas, small and large continents, and strategically challenging bottlenecks and cross-board connections. I especially like the way continents are sometimes inside other continents.
Because this board is large, a lot of luck factors even out - an excellent set of rolls won't win you as much, and a terrible set of rolls won't hurt as bad. Some players will get frustrated by this. Also because of the size of the board, expect a long game.
Warning: New players shoulder really really think about those negative areas. The raised/lowered continents are sometimes hard to discern, but games last long enough for you to get used to it.
Mixed: In no-fog or low-fog games, it can take a while for the game to resolve - even after it's no longer winnable for the weaker player(s). Don't give up too soon - mid-game it's common for players with a bad opening to come up big, and players with a good opening to lose their foothold.
Awesome: Rampaging on this board is some of the most fun there is to be had - there are so many territories to conquer! In fog games, smaller players have room to lurk until they pick up a new set of cards and blast in out of nowhere. (The flip side - you've got to be smart if you're aiming to eliminate someone)
Verdict: This is a board to play when you're tired of getting screwed by luck rolls on the conventional Risk board. It rewards thinking and planning.
Sun 24th Mar 19:05
Well worth playing. Gameplay is fun, fast, and often ends with just shooting in the dark...
This board is begging for a simulgear variation.
Well worth playing. Gameplay is fun, fast, and often ends with just shooting in the dark...This board is begging for a simulgear variation.
Sun 24th Apr 15:08
I'll admit, I didn't like this board until I played it with fog, 3-players. Now I love it. Nicely interlaced continents, one-way borders with disadvantage, and just barely enough room for three competitors, so games are quick. Use it that way, and it's near-perfect.
Without fog, I agree with the poor reviews--bonuses are big, and easily broken, frustrating and not 100% worth your time.
With fog, the real fun is in figuring out where your opponents are and how far along they've got in racking up bonuses. Figure correctly and you get to ransack the whole countryside in one turn--figure incorrectly, and you're pretty well done for.
I'd say more, but then you'd know how to beat me, and that can't be permitted.
I'll admit, I didn't like this board until I played it with fog, 3-players. Now I love it. Nicely interlaced continents, one-way borders with disadvantage, and just barely enough room for three competitors, so games are quick. Use it that way, and it's near-perfect.Without fog, I agree with the poor reviews--bonuses are big, and easily broken, frustrating and not 100% worth your time.
With fog, the real fun is in figuring out where your opponents are and how far along they've got in racking up bonuses. Figure correctly and you get to ransack the whole countryside in one turn--figure incorrectly, and you're pretty well done for.
I'd say more, but then you'd know how to beat me, and that can't be permitted.
Mon 11th Apr 14:44
This is a great board, beautifully done up, but it's not quite up to the top-notch mind-blowing creative-play standard that I've come to expect from Mr. Nygma. After a few go-arounds on this one it's fairly straightforward play for any board with capitals, and I found the lovely 3-d castles led me to want to go through borders behind them that don't actually exist.
Excellent use of return-from-reinforce and other concepts, and a nice place to enjoy devouring hapless newcomers.
Hint to newcomers: Ignore the hordes bonuses and you'll last a bit longer.
This is a great board, beautifully done up, but it's not quite up to the top-notch mind-blowing creative-play standard that I've come to expect from Mr. Nygma. After a few go-arounds on this one it's fairly straightforward play for any board with capitals, and I found the lovely 3-d castles led me to want to go through borders behind them that don't actually exist.Excellent use of return-from-reinforce and other concepts, and a nice place to enjoy devouring hapless newcomers.
Hint to newcomers: Ignore the hordes bonuses and you'll last a bit longer.
Thu 20th Jan 16:28
Enjoyable, varied, and probably not for beginners. Not a map I always win, but a map I'll always play. And yeah, the capitals are kind of a big deal here.
Enjoyable, varied, and probably not for beginners. Not a map I always win, but a map I'll always play. And yeah, the capitals are kind of a big deal here.
Thu 20th Jan 16:25
Long games, good for many players, but there's not a whole lot of variation in strategies, so play it with fog after your first couple tries.
Play this one if you like siege-style warfare.
England is the Australia of this map.
Long games, good for many players, but there's not a whole lot of variation in strategies, so play it with fog after your first couple tries.Play this one if you like siege-style warfare.
England is the Australia of this map.
Thu 20th Jan 16:22
Average. All other boards are either better than this or worse.
Average. All other boards are either better than this or worse.
Thu 20th Jan 16:19
A perfectly good board.
The best thing about this board is that everyone knows how it's played, and everyone thinks they know how to win, so everybody's willing to play.
Shouldn't this be average, by definition?
All other boards are either better than this or worse than this. But why play boards that are worse than this?
A perfectly good board. The best thing about this board is that everyone knows how it's played, and everyone thinks they know how to win, so everybody's willing to play.
Shouldn't this be average, by definition?
All other boards are either better than this or worse than this. But why play boards that are worse than this?
Thu 20th Jan 16:16
Deeply meh. Playable board, nothing wrong with it, answers a question we've all asked. Actual game play tends to be slow, and usually comes out about the same way it would with a world map.
Mainly it keeps poor players in the game longer, so this might be a good map for beginners?
Deeply meh. Playable board, nothing wrong with it, answers a question we've all asked. Actual game play tends to be slow, and usually comes out about the same way it would with a world map. Mainly it keeps poor players in the game longer, so this might be a good map for beginners?
Thu 20th Jan 16:11
Versatile, intuitive, relatively fast, very deadly.
More like war, less like math.
Uses many of the special features available in WarGear (Capitals, fog, fortify & artillery borders, hordes bonus system).
You can play this board forever and still come up with new gambits. I suspect a couple of our more experienced players may have rated this board lower because the various unit caps mean that a thoughtful rookie actually can (and does) take down an otherwise dominant player by doing ridiculous stuff that no experienced player would try. (I know it's happened to me.)
Expect to love this board, even when you lose.
Versatile, intuitive, relatively fast, very deadly. More like war, less like math.
Uses many of the special features available in WarGear (Capitals, fog, fortify & artillery borders, hordes bonus system).
You can play this board forever and still come up with new gambits. I suspect a couple of our more experienced players may have rated this board lower because the various unit caps mean that a thoughtful rookie actually can (and does) take down an otherwise dominant player by doing ridiculous stuff that no experienced player would try. (I know it's happened to me.)
Expect to love this board, even when you lose.
Thu 20th Jan 15:57
I'm a sucker for anything simulgear, and this is a good one of it. Not a lot of brilliant maneuvering on this board, but some good solid anticipation and persistence. I definitely feel like luck has screwed me on this board, but I also don't feel like I've won by just being lucky.
It's no gentleman's duel, but will we every see such brilliance again? No, seriously, THAT board is the BEST.
I'm a sucker for anything simulgear, and this is a good one of it. Not a lot of brilliant maneuvering on this board, but some good solid anticipation and persistence. I definitely feel like luck has screwed me on this board, but I also don't feel like I've won by just being lucky.It's no gentleman's duel, but will we every see such brilliance again? No, seriously, THAT board is the BEST.
This board rewards strategic thinking about whether and when to build up forces or attack enemy forces. It has almost no bottlenecks. The right thing to do actually does depend on what the opponent is doing. Feels like a space battle because maneuvering to gain territory and shooting down enemy ships are different actions.
Takes some getting used to because you can make mistakes (like abandoning territories you did not mean to!).
Note that this board includes some uncommon mechanics: artillery borders, capitals, maximum units per territory, limited number of attacks, limited number of transfers, territory abandon is on, etc.
My only complaint about the board is that it is sometimes slightly unclear which ships can or cannot attack other ships, which can make it difficult to plan the number of attacks needed for a given attack path. It’s possible to get this information from the board explorer, so this is not a fatal flaw.