from Mayfair Games website:
A House Divided simulates the epic struggle of the American Civil War that was fought over the twin issues of slavery and state's rights. The period from 1840 to 1861 saw these issues brought to a boil, and in 1861 the nation became tangled in a terrible war that lasted four long years.
The game depicts the war between North and South from the First Battle of Bull Run (or Manassas Junction) to Lee's surrender at Appomattox Courthouse – or Grant's surrender at Harrisburg... Each player leads one of these two nations and makes the strategic decisions which determine the outcome of the war.
The game board represents the United States, north and south and from the Atlantic coast to just west of the Mississippi. [...] The play map contains a number of boxes, each representing a city, town or locations important to the war. These boxes are connected by transportation lines – blue for rivers, tan for roads and black for railroads – which provide the paths to victory or defeat.
Can you keep the Union whole or force the separation of the United States?
- Looks very pretty
- Looks really pretty
- Art and culture
- Japanese nature
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Pattern Building — Harmonize Japanese nature and culture elements to paint the most beautiful landscape
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- We love trick taking games
- This game is so much freaking fun
- I adore GMT games, they are becoming one of my favorite game publishers
- If you remember Vast Crystal Caverns is in my top five games of all time
- We bloody love it
- We can't stop playing
- It's a blimp game not a train game
- That's just work
- I don't think I want to play it
- I'll get it eventually