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Game Info
Year
2015
Collection
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Description
In Barony, players are ambitious barons trying to extend their dominion over the land! Who will succeed and become the new king?
At the beginning of the game, players create the board at random with nine tiles per player; each tile comprises three hexagons, with each hexagon being one of five landscape types: forest, plains, field, mountain, lake. Players then each place three cities on the game board, with a knight in each city. They then take turns in clockwise order, with each player taking exactly one action from the six possible actions:
Recruitment: Add two knights to a city, or three knights if the city is adjacent to a lake.
Movement: Move one or two of your knights one space each. A knight can't enter a lake (blub), a mountain with an opposing pawn, or any space with an opponent's city or stronghold or two knights of the same opposing color. If you move a second knight into a space with an opposing pawn or village, remove those tokens and take one resource from the village owner.
Construction: Remove one or more of your knights from the game board and replace each with a village or stronghold, gaining one resource token matching the landscape under the structure.
New City: Replace one of your villages with a city and earn 10 victory points (VPs).
Expedition: Remove two knights from your reserve, placing one back in the box out of play and the other on any empty space on the edge of the game board.
Noble Title: Discard at least 15 resource points, then upgrade your title: baron to viscount, then count, marquis, and finally duke.
Once any player has gained the title of duke, finish the round, then tally the VPs, with players scoring for resources still in their possession, their rank in the game, and the number of cities they built. Whoever has the most VPs wins.
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 20
This page: 20
Sentiment:
pos 19 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–20 of 20
Video W7-5tzDwjks
kovray Top 10 List at 12:40 sentiment: positive
video_pk 89050 · mention_pk 235893
Click to watch at 12:40 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Simple yet satisfying
- Clever scoring
- Easy to teach and play
- Satisfying tile-laying mechanic
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- placing tiles on a park
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Racing to complete certain areas before your opponent does to get more points.
- Tile Placement — You're placing tiles and based on where your place tiles you get there's iconography for other things that you get to do.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I think the crunch of deciding which Cathedral or which Tower I guess you want to go into is really really neat.
- The dice movement around the board and strategically moving so you can get yourself additional bonuses I think is super clever.
- Everything in this game just flows so smoothly and so cleverly that and even the static in this game and the table presence is spring is brilliant.
- I was scared because the expansion has as much content in it as the base game basically it's a half teaks mansion and I was scared it was going to be overwhelming but it's not at all and it's fantastic.
- it's a very intimidating game because they literally give you this giant piece of paper that is your guide to how you should play the game.
- it is a very complex game.
- this back and forth creates this real high tension moment where you don't know whether or not you're going to be able to trade your resources because ilia's over here trying to blockade you and take over your countries.
- it's a really tight game.
- I love that it is just a two-player game it felt super super natural to get into it.
- it is the one of the original bag Builders there's others out there but this is the one that really put when people tell you about bag building on the map and it's a brilliant game.
- it's really crunchy.
- every decision you make in this game is so impactful to your strategy.
- it just flows so well and it has everything that I love in bag Builders.
- if you're looking for a yearly beige type of game that has bag building this is this is it this is the one.
- the decisions that you have to make are extremely tight.
- that's where I think it gets more and more intense.
- it kind of just like snowballs from there it really escalates as you play this game.
- I feel like this is like the game that the complexity is just perfect for what it is.
- it looks very approachable it looks really friendly.
- if the truck doesn't land in exactly at the space where the pipe is to receive that color then everything is ruined.
- this game fits perfectly into what I enjoy.
- it's crunchy it's grindy the mechanics are there the resource management is tight the decisions in the round one versus the round two are really vibrant.
- the way the board is set up there are resources on the board that you could be like oh yeah conveniently you've got this or over here that I'm just going to use because I can.
- it can like create some tense moments in the game.
- I took the port from you I remember that yeah you ruined ruined me maybe that's why it's not as high on my list.
- the sheer element of how you do your actions is based on how you place your tile and if it creates a joint group and all of a sudden you have more of one symbol it's just such a clever way to utilize the actions you can take in the game.
- then there's so much like layers in it goals you can take of racism you are going for the recruiting there's so many different things you can do.
- even the way that you travel with your boat like how you position yourself is so clever.
- I really do think it's the entry thing.
- there's a lot of iconography it's a lot to take in initially but once you play it and once you understand what's happening it's a game you'll simply want to get back and back to the table.
- it's a wonderful game I absolutely love bonfire.
References (from this video)
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Video dKMi0BYIGi4
Meeple University Unboxing at 24:00
video_pk 88193 · mention_pk 232003
Click to watch at 24:00 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- food
- Indonesian
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is one of the big Euro releases from the Essen it's really good we both really enjoy it especially me I think
- It's really fun. It feels like it's very satisfying engine building.
- Competitive relaxing holiday in Japan.
- The design is actually the movie maker or film maker based on the movie and they make the board game out of it
- viral virual what is it called hang on virual revolution virual revolution
- this is Studio H this is the biggest box game I think I've seen from Studio H
- this seems really interesting it's it's I think this was the one from the movie so the design is actually the movie maker or film maker based on the movie and they make the board game out of it
- a good looking map always makes me uh picks my interest
- it wasn't on my list as an anticipated list but I picked it up
- this is a waterfall park
- look at this uh there was a common board and you are a color frame and you place it and then you gain the TOs of the building and you can negotiate to each other to gain the building that you want to score points
- the points is comes from the money that you have you have to buy stuff and then you goate
- those are the games please do let us know which one that you like to see the most or the ones that you actually got either from ENT or pre-order or anything like that and let us know what you think of them hit the like button if you've been enjoying it hopefully you have an awesome awesome day everyone thank you so much and see you next time bye
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Video 0Zsl0JiC4fo
Getting Games Games Radar Vlog at 6:21 sentiment: positive
video_pk 88045 · mention_pk 231010
Click to watch at 6:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- highly recommended by people in the trick-taking community
- simple rules can lead to interesting play spaces
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- trick-taking with simultaneous bids
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- bidding — must follow trick taking game with simultaneous bids
- Hand Management — you're spending an entire hand trying to get your tricks or ducking on these tricks
- Trick-Taking — if it wasn't obvious this is a trick-taking game
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Tiny Epic Game of Thrones it's a 2024 game it says assume the role of a mighty House of the Seven Kingdoms
- players utilize an Innovative limited action dice mechanism M to strategically choose cards such as plot whisper event March and sail with the options to follow other players actions
- players will yield an immense amount of Power with their respective houses through a versatile hand of multi-use cards that allow players to plot against the influential houses of Westeros orchestrate grandio events and partake in exhilarating battles
- Worms span I'm being factious this is like one of the most talked about games over the last few weeks this is a reimplementation of wingspan all about dragons
- Build a cavernous Sanctuary for Dragons of all shapes and sizes
- your player board starts out small they're caves and at the beginning of the game your cave is Tiny I think there's only room for one Dragon but as you play through the game you can dig out your cave allowing you to put more dragons in there
- Wormspan looks cool I like dragons I think they're cool I think the artwork looks neat
- I'm intrigued like wingspan is one of the more popular games to come out in the last seven years and here is a follow-up game with a new theme and some new mechanics I want to see how this one goes
References (from this video)
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Video 8TEVrMAWRZs
Board Game Buzzz Discussion at 6:55 sentiment: positive
video_pk 87293 · mention_pk 227775
Click to watch at 6:55 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I really want to bring Ready Set Bet
- Trio we've been loving Trio so much
- Harmony was fun
- River Valley Glass Works is a must
- I love seaglass and I love the tactile feel of being able to pick the sea glass
- Mysterium it's like clue but better
- Horrified is a great one
- I also love cat in the Box
- Apples to Apples I still love Apples
References (from this video)
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Video _U5JnRJ04_4
3 Minute Board Games Top List at 26:45 sentiment: positive
video_pk 87072 · mention_pk 227019
Click to watch at 26:45 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Positive
Pros
- Pleasing and pleasant gameplay
- Relaxing experience
- Satisfying feeling of creation
Cons
- None explicitly stated
Thematic elements
- Building habitats and populating them with creatures
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- city building — Building habitats on an island.
- Set Collection — Populating habitats with creatures.
- tile drafting — Players draft tiles to build habitats.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
No quotes stored for this video.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video YiMKu-IFHx0
Meeple University Top 10 List at 31:55 sentiment: positive
video_pk 86512 · mention_pk 223985
Click to watch at 31:55 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Best tile-placement puzzle since Cascadia
- Good balance of simplicity and depth
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- tile patterns and scoring cards to meet color objectives
- tile placement puzzle with color and animal motifs
Comparison games
- Cascadia
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- tile_drafting — Drafting and replacement of tiles to manage scoring objectives.
- tile_placement_puzzle — Tiles to build patterns; scoring through tile and card interactions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's so hard I mean look at us like complaining about this you know this thing that shouldn't be complaining about anyways
- starting with number 20 on my top games of 2024 is flat iron
- Captain Obvious ... bulletproof sentence that features the word
References (from this video)
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Video 5HmGVuWUgsw
The Cardboard Herald Discussion at 35:21 sentiment: positive
video_pk 86278 · mention_pk 222787
Click to watch at 35:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Works and is really fun
- Allows players of lower skill levels a chance to win
- Accessible for non-hardcore gamers
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Worker Placement — Mentioned as a game that parents played, implying worker placement mechanics were accessible.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The best tends to be more of that strive for objectivity you know people going like well okay I guess chess is the best game ever or you know like uh but anytime where you get into that like real academic area there there's almost like a oh fine okay I'll admit that this one is probably the best or you know this or that.
- I think that there is a lot more subjective in every sort of evaluation and I do think that those intangibles should be considered in what we try to evaluate as you know like meaningful best reviews.
- I think that there is a lot more subjective in every
- Island root and terraforming Mars were the top three
- my tastes have changed over time I have kind of like shaped and refined my palette
- critics have to watch so many effing movies that of course they're going to prioritize originality
- Spirit Island is going to be in the top three
- Aries Expedition representing terraforming Mars and root are probably going to be up there
- maybe on the horizon that that is going to be our next guest possibly possibly our next guest could could in theory be Dwayne The Rock Johnson
References (from this video)
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Video Gtgf5laI5vo
Chairman of the Board Unboxing at 0:59 sentiment: positive
video_pk 85399 · mention_pk 218684
Click to watch at 0:59 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- New shiny version with a very cool cover
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I just got back from the UK Games Expo. I had a great time as always and I just wanted to make a quick video talking about all of the games that I acquired during the expo.
- The brig and buy was was great, but it was very chaotic and long long cues and longer than we've had before.
- So, definitely um was at capacity. Yeah, the brig and buy was was great, but it was very chaotic and long long cues and longer than we've had before.
- So, I definitely recommend going at least once if you have the faintest bit of interest.
- But for everybody else, I'll see you next time on Chairman of the Board. Bye-bye.
References (from this video)
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Video ah0ZN8SKrgU
Hungry Gamer Discussion at 28:08 sentiment: positive
video_pk 85347 · mention_pk 218470
Click to watch at 28:08 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Love the game.
- Perfect information and chesslike strategy.
- New version includes a mini-expansion with player powers.
- New version has improved art.
Cons
- The original game's art was unremarkable.
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- Splendor
- Majesty for the Realm
- Middle Ages
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- abstract strategy — Similar to chess, focusing on optimizing moves with perfect information.
- Area Control — It is an area control type game.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- It is disrespectful of me to do something with my evenings.
- There is a special circle of hell for people who show up to a graduation with an air horn.
- I really appreciate El Paso, you know, taking pretty much that same experience but distilling it down to the essential moves and it's a quick I don't know how long it took us. Less than an hour.
- It's really hard and it can be really swingy.
- You don't always have to teach a new game. Sometimes it's good to go back to something you know people like.
- It is hard to teach because of the exact thing that I watched Don's face get confused about when you say you're in my garden. I'm in your garden.
- It is chesslike in that you just try to optimize your moves over everybody else's moves.
- It's a heavier game than I usually like, but I just think it's really clever the way it's put together.
- The timer fits the theme in this game. You're driving 50 miles an hour in traffic trying to fight off bad guys.
- Definite Spy Hunter vibes from this game.
- The dice represent nature, which screws up your whole plan for that magic.
- If you're going to play Twilight Imperium, you need to drink water, hydrate or not play.
- And so Gunnet is a game that was sent us specifically reached out to me, asked me if we wanted to cover and they were interested in us covering it on this podcast, which is a first first time.
- The core of the game is having the discussion of, okay, well, I'm going to give you this because you're going to act first and the first thing that's going to happen is we're going to drive the car to the left one space and then you're going to shoot.
- I usually don't like a game with a timer, but you know, the timer fits the theme in this game. You're driving 50 miles an hour in traffic trying to fight off bad guys.
- For a game that's seems like it's about making you feel stressed out for a brief moment and then that stress turns into moments of joy and glory. Like I think it accomplished that more often than it didn't.
- The other game is Rollin One, uh, which is a golf game. Again, small footprint. It's a small box.
- You take turns designing the course. So you take a number of cards that represent parts of the the you know the golf course and you put them together.
- The golf clubs are represented by dice. So there's a d20, d12, d10 and so on.
- And so there's actually some serious strategy to picking your club.
- I thought it was very clever and I think both of the games are pretty darn thematic.
- Make sure you are in the mood for the thing that you're going to partake.
References (from this video)
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Video R_JlOBI-AO8
Chairman of the Board Top List at 13:46 sentiment: positive
video_pk 84642 · mention_pk 215224
Click to watch at 13:46 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Minimalist design with easy-to-understand actions
- Best use of terrain in a war-style game
- Perfect balance of unit management
- Evokes feeling of being a general
- Clear opportunity cost for all actions
- Streamlined combat system (no dice, no charts)
- Focuses on positioning and savviness
- Mount Rushmore level of area control/dudes on a map
- Timeless Euro feel
- Scales great with more players
- Punchy playtime (around an hour)
- Strategically rich with depth and layers
- Management is entirely up to the player
Cons
- Meadow areas are fruitful but vulnerable
- Wooded areas cannot have castles built
- Mountain terrain limits to one unit
- Converting knights to villages removes them from the board
Thematic elements
- Dudes on a map with resource management and rank climbing
Comparison games
- El Grande
- Windstein
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action Point Allowance System — The actions you can choose are are so easy to understand. You just move troops around the map, spawn new troops, convert them into villages, convert them into castles, or even have like watchtowers which will act as blockades as well to stop people from from traveling through that zones.
- Area Control — It doesn't have all of the area control tropes that you'll normally find in this style of game.
- Combat — The combat system is so streamlined as all it all you do is if there's ever two opponents or sorry two two troops against one then the two will win.
- Dudes on a map — It's a a dudes on a map game.
- Resource Management — You're trying to set up villages and harvest the resources from those particular um plots on the map.
- Worker Placement — You need to be making sure that you are exploiting each of your knights as much as you can because not only are they going to be your aggressive troops to try and attack opponent's villages and take their resources that they've not cashed in yet, but you need to use them defensively to prevent them coming into your borders. And they also convert into villages.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This episode might have the highest mean average of five games that I've done yet because all these games are pretty damn good. Um, some of them absolutely excellent.
- It's just a really nice tense little package.
- This games has that feel to it, but with a more familyfriendly, breezy vibe, but with still a good degree of tension in the background.
- For me, I don't really see another party game this year holding up to Itto. It just seems to um just do everything it needs to do perfectly.
- This game kind of is a a one-stop shop for all of those root building mechanisms that I kind of love.
- This game is so beautifully minimalist and the actions you can choose are are so easy to understand.
- It really is more of a game of positioning and savviness than anything else.
- For me, this is kind of on the Mount Rushmore level of area control dudes on a map game.
- It has that real traditional Euro rich, timeless feel to it, which are the games that I want in my collection.
References (from this video)
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Video v2B6qiErqJ8
Chairman of the Board Analysis at 7:12 sentiment: positive
video_pk 83871 · mention_pk 212252
Click to watch at 7:12 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Baron strong debut at number 77 as well.
- Floriferous has actually been in my collection for many years, but year after year it does nudge up and up and up, which goes to show it strength because of course we play more games each year, which naturally makes things fall down. But the fact this has gone from number um 98 to number 78 and it's a new best foriferous 2.
- kind of a passive rise for underwater cities. It's such a quality little engine building game from back onto the list from number 107 up to number 83.
- NAR as well has actually again been in my collection for a couple of years now, but last year in its debut year, it came in at number 124. So, it's pushed onto my top 100 for the first time at number 85.
- Get on board has come back into the top 100 as well, going from number 110 up to number 89.
- another debut with Toy Battle at number 90.
- Far Away, come back onto the top 100 from number 116 up to number 91.
- The same goes with QE went from 120 up to number 92 because I did play that one recently and obviously enjoyed it.
- other than that, we had a bit of a fall for games like Gold West, a bit of a fall for games like Mexico.
- Even brass fell a little bit, just hanging on to my top at 100, going from number 78 down to 96. Now, I really like brass, but I don't really play it too often um anymore.
- No Thanks, the classic little bidding or anti bidding game goes from a 104 up to number 97 back onto the list.
- interestingly, um Subastral and Stellar, two card games I recommended. They've always kind of just held on onto my top 100. Um they are now at number 98 and number 100. Um which was slightly down from number 95, 96 last year.
- the last kind of debut taunt game onto my top 100 is Tag Team. Um, a game I've reviewed recently uh on the channel.
- So, those are all the new games this year.
- So that's kind of why I didn't want to do the whole top 100 again because I thought, you know, it's going to be quite similar to last year's with a few jiggles up and down.
- a lot of these more unique games are going up. card game seem to be climbing for me quite a bit and those euros may be holding their place or slightly falling but the great euros of course I'm anchoring themselves at the top of my of my top 100.
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Video KBJKNLG361U
Where There's A Wilz, There's a Play Top 10 List at 1:55 sentiment: positive
video_pk 83267 · mention_pk 209482
Click to watch at 1:55 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- unknown
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- If you would like to play with me on Board Game Arena, there is my username, Wisco Wills.
- Sky Team I have multiple games going as of right now as well.
- I played 35 times in 2025.
References (from this video)
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Video TyBEOKy8GCE
Game Night Picks - Pair Of Dice Paradise Discussion at 31:30 sentiment: positive
video_pk 82164 · mention_pk 206325
Click to watch at 31:30 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Adds strategic disruption and control over pacing
- Iconic villain character adds thematic depth
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- command and tactical manipulation
- Cobra hierarchy and command
- focus on activation order and strategic disruption
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Activation order manipulation — Ability to influence when opponents' units activate.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Heroscape is a customizable game system that allows players to build battlefields, then battle for victory using fully assembled miniatures in a variety of different themes.
- The Master Set here serves as the base game, providing more than everything that's needed to get started, including 20 new fully assembled miniatures, dice, and 74 pieces of interlocking terrain.
- There's no hero escaping it.
- The rules also include nine new scenarios from capture the flag type skirmishes to area control battles to survival escape missions.
- reinforcements arrive next in the green shirts and battlecopter common army expansion, which includes two army cards, one four figure common squad, and one common hero that's strapped to a mobile helicopter.
- Starting with the G.I. Joe Heroescape series. Starting with the Rumble at the Rift Battle Box.
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Video ndw8xqrgCak
Stonemaier Games Discussion at 30:16 sentiment: positive
video_pk 80182 · mention_pk 194710
Click to watch at 30:16 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Engaging bluffing mechanic
- Helps develop acting skills
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Word bluffing
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- bluffing — Players must bluff about the definition of a word.
- Word Game — Players guess definitions of words.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- It was a 7 and 1/2 hour game day, and I played 10 games while during that time. And there was one group that played this game World Order that played That's all they played.
- The frog can give it and the frog can take it away.
- This is we really worked on like the rules, the reference card, the packaging, the card design, every single element to make it as onboarding friendly and player friendly as possible.
- So, I went online and I picked up this, which is the Spin Master release of the CMON DC Super Heroes United Batman Hush.
- I just remember solving puzzles in my head and just like the thrill of like knowing that I was figuring stuff out, not even winning or losing. Just the thrill of knowing, 'Oh wow, I can figure this out. I can suss this out.'
- It's a beautiful game.
- It's like the drawer of no touchies, which again sounds very inappropriate
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Video RJEcIJkq6Xc
Top List at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 67854 · mention_pk 164127
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Doesn't have all the area control tropes.
- Not overly incentivized to be aggressive and attack other players.
- Best use of terrain in a war style game.
- Everything has its strengths and weaknesses and strategic positioning is paramount.
- Struck the balance of how many units you have just perfectly.
- Beautifully minimalist and the actions are easy to understand.
- Evokes the feeling of being like a general.
- Everything has an opportunity cost.
- Streamlined combat system with no fiddliness or dice rolling.
- More of a game of positioning and savviness.
- Has the look and style of game the host likes.
- Mount Rushmore level of area control, Dudes on a Map game.
- Traditional Euro rich timeless feel.
- Scale's great because more players, the bigger the map.
- Punchy, takes around an hour to play.
- Strategically rich, has depth, has layers.
- Management of everything is down to the player.
Cons
- Meadows are fruitful but vulnerable to attack.
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- El Grande
- Wenstein
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Doesn't have all the area control tropes that you'll normally find in this style of game. You're not trying to control regions.
- Blockades — Mountains can hold one unit at a time meaning that you can build nice blockades that stop people going through and build like nice defense walls. Watchtowers will act as blockades as well to stop people from traveling through those zones.
- Building Villages — Trying to set up villages and harvest the resources from those particular plots on the map.
- castle building — Convert troops into castles.
- Combat — The combat system is so streamlined. If there's ever two troops against one then the two will win. There's no fiddliness. There's no dice rolling. There's no little graphs and charts.
- Dudes on a map — An older game that is a dudes on a map game.
- Rank Progression — You're trying to climb through the ranks and reach top rank before the other players do.
- Resource Management — You are trying to set up villages and harvest the resources from those particular plots on the map. What you're trying to do and how you're trying to win this game is you're trying to get as many resources as you can and then you can convert 15 of those resources or 15 points worth of resources into your next noble rank.
- terrain — Several different types of terrain, ranging from how you can move through them, but also ranging on how many resources they will give you if you build a village on them.
- unit movement — Trying to traverse the map with your knights.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Baron is an older game. It's a a dudes on a map game, which you can probably tell from the the look and the aesthetic.
- But this game probably has the best use of terrain in a in a war style game that I've ever seen because everything has its strength and weaknesses and strategic positioning is paramount in this game.
- So, this game is so beautifully minimalist and the actions you can choose are are so easy to understand.
- This game really evokes the feeling of being like a general to me.
- Everything has an opportunity cost, which is what I love about it.
- The combat system is so streamlined as all it all you do is if there's ever two opponents or sorry two two troops against one then the two will win. Simple as that.
- For me, this is kind of on the Mount Rushmore level of area control, Dudes on a Map game.
- It has that real traditional Euro rich timeless feel to it, which are the games that I want in my collection.
- So I could not recommend this one enough. If your tastes align with mine, I think you are going to get a lot out of Baron.
References (from this video)
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Video qqNKqOkorDQ
Board Games for One Awards Show at 8:40 sentiment: positive
video_pk 36074 · mention_pk 222353
Click to watch at 8:40 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Strong abstract gameplay
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Balance and placement
- Natural-scene motif
- Abstract strategy
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players place elements to maximize harmony score.
- placement / area control — Players place elements to maximize harmony score.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- completely 100% objective and provable and indisputable just try an honorable mention
- the winner for the best party game goes to the one that makes absolutely no sense by title
- I actually can't believe that but it's a good game it's a good I didn't see it coming
- I love you Lois sorry John
- Cape Fear games is located in Wilmington North Carolina if you're ever there on the east coast of the US go check it out
- Mage Knight for $35 from there
- the sponsor for this video my local game store Cape Fear games
References (from this video)
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Video JHXdRPRsErA
Board Stupid Award Show at 3:34 sentiment: positive
video_pk 30175 · mention_pk 88670
Click to watch at 3:34 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- simplicity with depth
- great production
- good price point
- two maps to vary play
Cons
- limited thematic depth for some players
Thematic elements
- accessible map-based card-driven scoring with objective cards
Comparison games
- Cascadia
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — players draft objective cards to score points and shape play
- card drafting / objective cards — players draft objective cards to score points and shape play
- Set Collection — collecting cards to maximize scoring opportunities
- set collection / scoring by cards — collecting cards to maximize scoring opportunities
- Variable Map — two different maps and optional complexity via cards
- variable map layouts / modular maps — two different maps and optional complexity via cards
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Harmony is pushing toward the middle, maybe the top end of our beginner category
- it's a fabulous game
- Barbarian Kingdom is a mosH pit of a game of area control
- Ironwood such an amazing game
- Rebirth is absolutely fantastic
- Lord of the Rings DW is a great pick
- Joy Ride Survival of the Fastest is an amazingly striking game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 73gQ0ydNTsM
Chairman of the Board Top List at 3:26 sentiment: positive
video_pk 9377 · mention_pk 91821
Click to watch at 3:26 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- super smooth drafting
- beautiful visual appeal
- strong optimization puzzle
Cons
- can be punishing if you misplace tokens
- may skew toward perfectionism for solo players
Thematic elements
- spatial drafting and optimization
- A playful habitat-building setting with animal needs
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Drafting and placement of wooden tokens — Draft three tokens per round to fulfill animal needs on your environment board.
- Placement synergy — Placements can synergize to satisfy multiple animal needs at once.
- Worker Placement — Placements can synergize to satisfy multiple animal needs at once.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- a lovely mediumweight Euro by board and dice
- the dice has dual use
- I love the way that everything is driven here through dice
- spatial puzzle
- an instant classic
- a great example of its genre
- I instantly fell in love with it
- Kitzia at his best
- Punchy, colorful and very engaging
- top tier kitzia for me
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video i7UVXtHkVxY
Chairman of the Board Discussion at 5:48 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2802 · mention_pk 124713
Click to watch at 5:48 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- polished feel with refined design
- great balance between short-term and long-term decisions
Cons
- not highly interactive; some players may desire more direct interaction
Thematic elements
- puzzly tiling and pattern construction
- patterns and tiles on a board
- polished and refined
Comparison games
- Cascadia
- Calico
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Pattern completion and scoring — removing cubes to generate points as patterns are completed
- pattern drafting — draft wooden tokens to build interlocking patterns
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's really tight this Bard is and the opportunity cost of doing one thing
- there are so many different ways you can score in this game
- it's punchy
- the game end really does rush up on you
- polished, refined, gorgeous to look at
- you can just take the pieces off the board and go again
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video UdopoAswDKo
Tabletop Turtle Review sentiment: positive
video_pk 2358 · mention_pk 140708
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Challenging puzzle gameplay
- Easy to learn
- Rewards multiple plays
- Adaptable difficulty
- Engaging decision-making
Cons
- Some luck element
- Can be frustrating
- Limited player interaction
Thematic elements
- Animal and Landscape Pattern Building
- Forest/Nature
- Abstract puzzle-solving
Comparison games
- Cascadia
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Contract Completion — Players must complete animal card objectives multiple times
- Contracts — Players must complete animal card objectives multiple times
- Pattern Building — Create patterns to match animal card requirements
- tile drafting — Players draft three tokens each turn to place on their board
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- You can make it as stressful as you want to make it
- The game is challenging you
- Making your own luck
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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