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Description
In Kingsburg, players are Lords sent from the King to administer frontier territories.
The game takes place over five years, a total of 20 turns. In every year, there are 3 production seasons for collecting resources, building structures, and training troops. Every fourth turn is the winter, in which all the players must fight an invading army. Each player must face the invaders, so this is not a cooperative game.
The resources to build structures and train troops are collected by influencing the advisers in the King's Council. Players place their influence dice on members of the Council. The player with the lowest influence dice sum will be the first one to choose where to spend his/her influence; this acts as a way of balancing poor dice rolling. Even with a very unlucky roll, a clever player can still come out from the Council with a good number of resources and/or soldiers.
Each adviser on the King's Council will award different resources or allocate soldiers, victory points, and other advantages to the player who was able to influence him/her for the current turn.
At the end of five years, the player who best developed his assigned territory and most pleased the King through the Council is the winner.
Many alternate strategies are possible to win: will you go for the military way, disregarding economic and prestige buildings, or will you aim to complete the big Cathedral to please the King? Will you use the Merchant's Guild to gain more influence in the Council, or will you go for balanced development?
Year Published
2007
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 16
This page: 16
Sentiment:
pos 14 ·
mix 2 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–16 of 16
Video WoyWR9aLmd4
Ninja Geek Games top_list sentiment: mixed
video_pk 13601 · mention_pk 39762
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
none
Cons
- expansion had event deck module
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)
- it's not even a game it's just like a story
- why is it there this is the game about inventions and this is basically telling me to make cutesy patterns with tiles
- the bane of my freaking life this horrible game
- I just want to feel like right I can do this I can do this
- just design one good game one good game one good mode
- why can't I tell you
- they just made them a lot worse
- it's a red flag to the game is going to suck
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video pNGRQ2JNN5U
Picky Board Gamer rules_teach at 0:35 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12568 · mention_pk 36664
Click to watch at 0:35
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Clear progression through yearly phases
- Engaging dice-based mechanics with multiple strategic levers
- Visible production and build paths
- Exciting monster phase with clear outcomes
Cons
- Can be heavy and lengthy for new players
- Rules complexity and setup may be challenging for beginners
Thematic elements
- defense against invading monsters while pleasing a king
- medieval fantasy city-building across five in-game years
- procedural, dice-driven engine with episodic yearly phases
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- advisor_influence — spend dice to influence king's advisors for bonuses
- building_construction — buildings unlock powers and scoring incrementally; prerequisites require higher-level buildings
- combat_and_penalties — combat outcomes depend on strength vs monster; losses may impact resources or buildings
- dice_rolling — dice are rolled to produce resources and determine turn order
- enemy_deck_and_fog_of_war — enemy cards are revealed to determine monster strength and bonuses; top card seen during phase 8
- monster_encounters_and_deck_depletion — monsters are revealed and defeated; monsters removed in end-of-year step
- plus_two_tokens — use modifier tokens to increase dice totals for influence
- resource_management — gather wood, stone, gold, and other resources to build structures
- scoring_and_tracks — final victory points tracked on a scoring track; strength track interacts with power in buildings
- turn_order_manipulation — production phase uses dice totals to determine new turn order
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the game is played over five years and each year consists of eight phases
- the player that has the most victory points by the end of the fifth year is declared the winner
- phase 8 the dreaded monsters approach
- when the enemies destroy one of the player's buildings the player must choose his highest level building
- there is also a king envoy marker with two different uses
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video YO0cnV6GOXg
Unknown Channel top_100_list at 7:53 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12576 · mention_pk 36690
Click to watch at 7:53
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Dynamic and competitive placement
- Keeps players engaged round after round
Cons
- Can run long, especially with many players
- Some iterations feel slightly bloated
Thematic elements
- Dice-based resource management and defense
- Medieval frontier city
- Euro-style with thematic veneer
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dice drafting/placement — Roll dice and place them to take actions
- Resource accumulation and building — Gaining resources to construct structures and gain perks
- Round-based defense against a Horde — Defend against threats at the end of each round
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Fury of Dracula this is a one versus all hidden movement game
- Battlestar Galactica is a carbon copy of the ill-fated TV show
- it's Christmas coming up it's the ideal time to go and get this one in it you filthy bastards
- it's fully deserved it's probably going to be a classic in years to come in it
- you can pull off some amazing shots with this
- endless laughter
- one of the best area control war games that we have played
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ob5KswRrah4
Adam's Board Game Wales analysis at 16:52 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12290 · mention_pk 35864
Click to watch at 16:52
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Engaging resource management tied to dice results
Cons
- Can be highly luck-influenced
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice placement — Simultaneous dice roll determines actions; dice value and placement gate access to spaces.
- resource-based action spaces — Actions provide modifiers/resources and can be mitigated by later upgrades.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- actions selection it's a very hard thing to pin down
- there are so many options but some players will find this totally overwhelming
- one of the most ill-defined sort of category of games
- the clever action selection mechanism here relates to the sharing of these dice between the players
- in Dominion a player has their own personal deck of cards
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video N04zDtHybqA
Unknown Channel analysis at 0:16 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12174 · mention_pk 35581
Click to watch at 0:16
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- quick to teach and accessible for gateway players
- tension from defense against monsters adds excitement
- balanced between luck of dice and strategic building choices
- scales well with player count (2-5)
Cons
- last round can feel anticlimactic once a lead is established
- some players may experience analysis paralysis around die placement
- luck can create swings in short bursts
Thematic elements
- defense and development of a feudal town under looming threats
- Fantasy frontier town facing seasonal monster invasions
- seasonal rounds with recurring invasions and growth opportunities
Comparison games
- Stone Age
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- defense versus invasion tension — risk-reward decisions to balance expanding your village with defending it
- dice-drafting — roll dice and select them to assign to actions or characters, influencing outcomes
- dice-placement / worker-placement — place dice to activate buildings, defenses, and other effects based on die value
- end-game and round scoring — points awarded for buildings, soldiers, and other achievements throughout and at the end
- seasonal rounds with invasions — three seasons per game with end-of-round monster attacks requiring preparation
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the end scoring can be as much or more than the scoring during the game
- it's pretty anticlimactic
- there's a tension that is constantly there
- the higher you roll, the more Goods you get
- Stone Age you're the head of a clan
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video O52aRRhHDa4
Unknown Channel top_100_list at 0:57 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10578 · mention_pk 31153
Click to watch at 0:57
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Variability due to dice outcomes
- Engaging action selection
- Fun thematic flavor
Cons
- Can feel overlong
- Some rounds may drag
Thematic elements
- courtly action selection via dice
- Medieval court / feudal kingdom
- humorous, conversational
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dice drafting / allocation — Roll three dice and place or split them to activate courtly actions (e.g., king, buildings, bonuses)
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Blocky Mountains was infinitely replayable.
- This is an action selection game that involves dice.
- it's a fantastic dice chucking game
- Power Boats looks completely out of dog [ __ ] Looks ugly, unappealing
- the thrill you get of powering through the water and pulling off that amazing prediction of where you're going to go
- I love this game. It's just a nasty feel of it.
- ungrateful [ __ ] bastards.
- kill your own [ __ ] turkey.
- it's one of them stuffy Euro games
- The Mayan Calendar is a gimmick, but it works brilliantly
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video XWrw6s-sCow
The Broken Meeple review at 29:46 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10002 · mention_pk 29478
Click to watch at 29:46
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- kingdom building
- dice placement
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's only a game
- you're listening to the broken meeple show a podcast that speaks passionately about board games
- I am very much a cold blooded I'm a cold blooded lizard I need cold
- the top 50 has finally finished finally it's done
- there is nothing apart from it being bright and sunny there is nothing about the summer that really gets me like you know excited or interested because it's just too hot
- I look at these top 50s uh they certainly increase a bit
- there's a lot of good feedback in terms of what's up next hard to say really
- I would give it at least a seven out of 10 right now and say it's good
- the Arkham Horror games are still pretty solid and you know they're fun to play but they are definitely getting to a point where I don't think I can uh like really say that they're practical
- my tastes were new at that point you know I respected terroriser for its thiness
- I have definitely developed to want more theme in my games
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 11s95ETB2F8
Adam Porter game mechanism analysis sentiment: positive
video_pk 6727 · mention_pk 19991
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Medieval kingdom building
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice placement — Players roll three dice and allocate them to characters on a central board
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Dice are an extremely versatile tool for a designer
- Random effects can snowball creating statistically unlikely runs of bad or good luck
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video HS3UcsEZnUM
Going Analog Podcast interview at 10:06 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6595 · mention_pk 19573
Click to watch at 10:06
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Multiple routes to victory; engaging mix of luck and strategy
- Personal anecdotes and stories enhance the discussion
Cons
- Older design; may feel dated to modern players
Thematic elements
- Dice-driven turn order and city planning
- Medieval city-building with a Viking-era flavor
- Asymmetric advancement with multiple paths to victory
Comparison games
- Charterstone
- Risk Legacy
- Pandemic Legacy
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice drafting — Choose and allocate dice to build and take actions.
- Variable victory conditions — Multiple routes to victory via different buildings.
- Worker placement / action selection — Workers (dice) are used to gain resources and build.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the paragraph book in Legacy of flame is several hundred paragraphs and we have several envelopes of if you make this choice you open this if you make this other choice you open this
- you could go back and play any of those episodes you wanted with any previous flash point stuff
- Pandemic Legacy season 1 blew my mind
- it's cinematic and a different experience than any games I'd played before
- the difference between Faith issues and religious issues
- the best strategies are ones where you help others at the same time you're helping yourself
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video GHTO9q0ouLA
G Boom Goes the Dynamite top_12_list at 42:04 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6311 · mention_pk 18657
Click to watch at 42:04
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Interesting city-building via dice
- Good family gateway with depth
Cons
- Some may find it crunchy for casual players
Thematic elements
- kingdom management with dice-driven decisions
- Medieval city-building under prophecy pressure
- story-driven but abstracted
Comparison games
- Lords of Vegas
- Sky Team
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice_placement — roll dice and assign to civic tasks
- worker_placement — seasonal actions to build and score
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Artifacts Ink is great it is great
- Dice Hospital is fun
- dice babies it's so cute
- Wild Tower West is a gateway game but I've never taught it to someone who didn't immediately want to buy it
- Sausage Sizzle Mick loves this game
- you can chicken out
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video wlIeooaozuE
Rodney Smith (Watch It Played) rules_teach at 16:53 sentiment: positive
video_pk 4927 · mention_pk 14639
Click to watch at 16:53
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- complicated but well-designed
- beautiful board
- character interactions
Cons
- complex to teach
Thematic elements
- fantasy
- medieval
Comparison games
- Tokaido
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Formula D is really the epitome of roll and move games in the modern era
- Settlers of Catan which was perhaps the most significant euro game that really sparked this whole new wave of modern board games
- Yahtzee has become a mechanic in its own right
- epitomises dice games really and how far they've come
- this is a bit of a tricky one to learn, it's well worth the effort
- ridiculously more fun than it should be
- playing with children it's fantastical
- absolutely brilliant
- this is my top 10 different ways to use dice in wooden board games
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 1uiGB3w5Gqk
Dice Tower top_10_list at 8:30 sentiment: positive
video_pk 4147 · mention_pk 12151
Click to watch at 8:30
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Simple core mechanic with deep strategy
- Engaging dice economy
Cons
- Some may find luck factor high
Thematic elements
- Defensive planning and resource allocation
- Medieval kingdom; governors in a five-year cycle
- Dice-driven tension and advisor influence
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- adviser placement — Lowest roller places first on advisers; limited per adviser
- Dice rolling — Roll dice to determine actions
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- deliciously confrontational game with everything out in the open, no hidden information.
- you only have 16 actions for the entire game
- There are two ways you can go in the game. You can stay a merchant for the entire game, and there are definitely some advantages for that, like there's a lot of income, but you can also decide to become a monk
- the action selection progress
- this is the most player interactive game I have in my list, and it is mean, but so much fun
- I love the aliens; at the beginning of the game, there are random aliens placed on the board face down
- you don't roll your dice. You set them to whatever numbers you want
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video pQAXtCbJqjY
Board Game Coffee top_10_list at 7:25 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 2113 · mention_pk 6200
Click to watch at 7:25
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Accessible entry point to heavier euro systems
- Dice-driven tension with expansion paths
Cons
- Original version had balance/production issues that expansions addressed
- Less accessible than some modern designs
Thematic elements
- Dice-based worker assignment and city-building
- Medieval city-state context
- Traditional euro with thematic trappings
Comparison games
- Viticulture
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice-placement — Roll dice and assign to actions to develop the city and defend against threats.
- Worker management — Balance limited workers and dice outcomes with expansion options.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is a gun to our head situation.
- The fate of board games hinges on our decisions.
- Gloomhaven gets lives to fight another day.
- Unlock is evolving; Exit is gone for now, but Unlock lives on.
- Terraforming Mars is the quintessential modern classic.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video -64Q9lXpAB0
Unknown top_100_list at 8:23 sentiment: positive
video_pk 1162 · mention_pk 3359
Click to watch at 8:23
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Thematic and approachable entry point to heavier Euro design
Cons
- Dice luck can influence outcomes
Thematic elements
- Court politics and defense against monsters
- Medieval kingdom under siege with courtly intrigue
- Dramatic, dice-driven decision making
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- courtyard_and_morale — Managing nobles and resources while facing external threats.
- dice_placement — Players place dice onto actions to perform kingdom-building tasks.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- beast of a game on the table
- epic game
- massive box
- one of those awesome massive games that we really do enjoy
- it's tense it's a fantastic experience
- one of the best times for larger groups
- it's one of the most famous cooperative games there is
- we urge you to play Pandemic
- one of the best rondell games that you can play today
- we love Dixit everybody that sticks it you should love it too
- it's a fantastic game we've had so many laughs with Cosmic Encounter
- one of mcgirt's best games and one of his most original games and that is Imperial
- it's a wonderful game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video IVDLQ9oVyfs
The Dice Tower top_10_list at 27:40 sentiment: positive
video_pk 1164 · mention_pk 3369
Click to watch at 27:40
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- classic dice-drafting feel with accessible rules
- easy entry for new players
Cons
- invasions and some corner cases can be fiddly for new players
Thematic elements
- feudal planning and dice-driven progress
- Medieval frontier town
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice_placement — placing dice on tracks to gain resources and buildings
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Nar is a Viking themed whole thing, but the whole timing, the sequencing when you get to fire off those banners, when you're actually making that, it's one of those games that is a small footprint, but I think it builds really well.
- With the expansion, I think it's fantastic. And they integrated some of that stuff in the new version, Sakura Slam.
- I love Clask so much.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video z7_s7KdrtpA
Adam in Wales analysis at 5:34 sentiment: positive
video_pk 223 · mention_pk 622
Click to watch at 5:34
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- effective catch-up mechanism that is transparent
- supports players who are behind
Cons
- luck of dice can still influence outcomes heavily
Thematic elements
- balance of risk and assistance from a monarch
- fantasy kingdom building with king’s aid
- fantasy governance with luck-based aid
Comparison games
- Isle of Skye
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- king’s aid/roll-based reinforcement — the player at the bottom of the priority die ladder receives extra dice to help catch up
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's brilliantly incorporated into this.
- the final sprint is at the end of the game and the wind can change everything.
- these are old games like Monopoly and Risk.
- hidden information is always wonderful … so games like Ticket to Ride stay involving while you don't know who the leader is.
- Power Grid has that brilliant turn order mechanism whereby the player who's furthest back gets the advantageous positions in turn order.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
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