Game Info
Year
2022
Players
1-4
Age
14+
Playtime
120 min
Collection
Your Tier
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Description
An area-control game set in Dark Ages Britain where players lead asymmetric kingdoms competing for supremacy
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 6
This page: 6
Sentiment:
pos 5 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–6 of 6
Video KjJoyTuKEQA
Zilla Blitz Other at 17:47 sentiment: other
video_pk 84253 · mention_pk 213982
Click to watch at 17:47 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Excited
Pros
- 1-4 player capability with a strong 4-player potential
- Engaging historical setting
- Fantastic components including miniatures and a strategic map
- Solo mode available
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Viking raiders, Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, claiming the crown of Britain
- Dark Ages in Britain, 796 AD
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Alliance building — Players will engage in building alliances as part of the game's strategic interactions.
- Area Control — The game is described as an area control game, where players compete to control different regions on the map.
- conflict — The game includes elements of conflict as kingdoms vie for power.
- diplomacy — The gameplay involves diplomacy between the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, indicating negotiation and alliance-building elements.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- If it plays as well as it looks, this is going to be spectacular.
- I really like these. Actually, I've been dabbling in game design. This is the game I was thinking on designing.
- This looks juicy. Looks very very juicy.
- This is very different than a Forlone Hope that we looked at, right?
- It's got a number three in the bottom. So maybe each one of the the maps and missions have each one of the missions have a little bit of a different map to it.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video VL8B5g_fs9M
Zilla Blitz Other at 0:02 sentiment: positive
video_pk 83847 · mention_pk 212153
Click to watch at 0:02 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Instant win conditions for achieving victory points.
- Permanent victory points from chronicles.
- Variety in gameplay due to seasonal cards.
- Strategic depth from action selection and ruler abilities.
- Excitement of combat and variable dice outcomes.
Cons
- Chronicle cards can be difficult to achieve.
- Certain actions might be impossible to perform twice in a turn.
- Potential for defeat if dice rolls go badly in combat.
Thematic elements
- control of England
- 796 AD England
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection — Players choose from a limited set of actions (development, collection, recruitment, movement) each turn, with the restriction of not repeating an action within a turn.
- Area Control — Players vie for control of regions on the map, which is directly tied to earning victory points.
- Building/Development — Players can build different types of buildings (abbeys, port harbors, mead halls, granaries) which can provide victory points or other benefits.
- Card Play — Lordship cards and Chronicle cards influence gameplay, providing special abilities or objectives.
- Combat — Units engage in combat, with dice rolls, unit stats, and potentially lordship cards determining the outcome.
- Dice Rolling — Dice are used in combat, with different colored dice representing varying strengths and outcomes.
- Set Collection — Completing 'chronicle cards' involves achieving specific objectives, such as controlling a certain number of buildings or regions.
- Variable player powers — Rulers have different characteristics and special abilities that influence player strategy.
- Victory Points — Victory points, called 'dulks', are the primary way to win the game. They can be gained through geographical expansion, controlling abbeys, and completing chronicles.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The goal basically is to get your marker moving up here and trying to get more victory points than any other faction.
- So, geographical expansion because you'll notice that each one of these regions starts the game with only one region under their control.
- Chronicles represent unique achievements that your faction can get.
- Brett Walda is a three-year game, and each turn is one season.
- One of the key elements, I think, to playing Brett Walda effectively is keeping in mind your lordship cards.
- Red Spring Battles. Gain one gold coin for each opponent unit you slay in battle in this entire season.
- So, we've taken control now of three areas. We've got one DULK, one victory point, and more so we've got three cities.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video WwCeMtRs6lU
The Discriminating Gamer Review at 1:27 sentiment: positive
video_pk 83439 · mention_pk 210274
Click to watch at 1:27 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Fantastic dudes on a map game.
- Still fun even when losing.
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Danes — Dealing with the Danes from the base game.
- Neutrals — Dealing with the uh neutrals from the base game.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Brett Walda: Vanish Kingdoms is an expansion for your game of Brett Walda.
- I'm a big fan of Brett Walda.
- I think it is just a fantastic dudes on a map game.
- It's And again, that's a mark of a good game even when you're losing and you're still having fun, right?
- All told I like the spice and sugar that this new expansion brings to the game that these new kingdoms bring to the game.
- On the Cody scale as an expansion, I'm going to go ahead and give Brett Walda Vanish Kingdoms an eight.
- Did you hear about that guy who died after he fell into a vat of coffee? His wife said he didn't suffer. It was instant.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video yqXIU6pqoVk
Zilla Blitz Top List at 3:42 sentiment: positive
video_pk 83430 · mention_pk 210240
Click to watch at 3:42 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Captures the 4X feel
- Beautiful components
- Tremendous depth
- Creative design
- Spot-on theme
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Fighting for control over Britain
- Britain in 796 AD
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- 4X (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate) — Captures the feel of PC 4X games.
- Euro blend — Incorporates Euro game elements.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- My criteria for this particular list is enjoyment. The games that pulled me in and captured my attention, had some sort of an emotional rush, or just created great memories.
- Gettsburg, A Time for Heroes from Worthington Publishing, a fantastic Gettysburg game.
- Old School Tactical Volume 5. If by the way, if you are curious about this one, there are four volumes before this. They're all, I imagine, very good, but this has just been my experience with the system so far.
- Combat Commander is number three on the list, and it might be one of the games I'm most excited to continue playing in 2026.
- This game, I I think part of the reason why I liked it so high and why I put it so high is that it has opened up my eyes to the potential of the Cold War Modern Combat series and families of games, which to be fair, I haven't really explored yet.
- I could probably rank these games in almost any order and be happy with it. So, I wouldn't take the rankings of the games so seriously.
- Traces of Victory. Uh my top game for 2025 and just I can't say more about this game. You should check it out if you like operational World War II level combat games.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video aYLE0kwLu3o
Review at 1:31 sentiment: positive
video_pk 74253 · mention_pk 178715
Click to watch at 1:31 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Fantastic production and aesthetic
- Delivers on the 'dudes on a map' feel
- Fun proxy warfare via manipulating Danes and neutrals
- Engaging combat system with different strength dice
- Satisfying sense of board evolution with buildings and development tiles
- Not overly complex and relatively quick to learn
- Great area control game
Cons
- Die colors in combat are muted and sometimes hard to distinguish.
Thematic elements
- competing for land and territory
- medieval England
Comparison games
- Game of Thrones board game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — It's a great area control game.
- bidding — There's a bidding mechanism that allows the winner to decide to draw cards and decide from those cards what part of Britain the Danes are going to attack. You can bribe them to go after your enemies and cause problems. There's a bidding system in the autumn to actually manipulate these neutrals and the Danes to get them to go and cause problems.
- Combat — Combat may ensue when Danes pillage areas or when players move into spaces with dots (victory points) or encounter opponents. Combat involves playing lordship cards, rolling dice with swords (wounds) and shields (defense), assigning wounds, removing casualties, and potentially retreating. A second battle round occurs if neither side retreats, with the defender winning if both sides still have troops.
- Player Elimination — The game is won instantly if a player claims eight douts (victory points) at any point, or if a player has seven douts at the end of any season. This implies a race to a certain victory point threshold.
- Secret objectives — Chronicle cards are secret objectives that you can use to score doubts (victory points).
- Set Collection — Completing chronicle cards, which have douts (victory points), is a way to score.
- Worker Placement — There are four different actions: development (get kingdom tiles, build buildings), collection (collect taxes and food), feared (recruit and upgrade units), and movement (move units).
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Hello, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the discriminating gamer.
- I'm sorry, Cody, but I can no longer perform your transplant surgery.
- Why didn't you tell me sooner?
- I wanted to, but I didn't have the heart.
- You know, I always like combat systems that let you roll kind of different strength of dice.
- This game is, I think, great fun. Um, frankly, one of the best of the year. I really enjoyed it.
- I'm going to go ahead. I'm going to give Brett Walda a nine out of 10 on the Cody scale.
- Thank you once again for joining us today on The Discriminating Gamer.
- It would mean the world to me if you would subscribe to that channel as well.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 2v0N0nN9e6Y
Zilla Blitz Playthrough at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 31217 · mention_pk 91982
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- engaging mix of tactics: bidding, development, and Viking placement.
- high thematic immersion; setting feels authentic and historically flavored.
- combat and lordship cards add depth and surprise.
- late-game potential for strategic shifts via diplomacy and alliances.
- promotes dynamic board state with Viking threat and winter pressures.
Cons
- edge cases and rule clarifications can be tricky; host notes possible misreads.
- winter phase imposes harsh penalties that can swing fortunes unpredictably.
- board interaction is complex; some rules can be overlooked by new players.
- special abilities on faction boards risk being missed by players unfamiliar with the game.
Thematic elements
- medieval conquest, diplomacy, and resource management
- Anglo-Saxon England with Viking incursions
- 4X-inspired conquest with historical flavor and intertwined diplomacy
Comparison games
- Hood: Troubles in Sherwood
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- ally markers — temporary tokens that influence bidding capacity and Viking control.
- Auction / Bidding — players bid gold and ally markers to determine Viking placement and control.
- bidding — players bid gold and ally markers to determine Viking placement and control.
- collection and economy — collect gold and food based on controlled regions and buildings like abbeys and granaries.
- Combat: Dice — players move units and resolve combat with dice-based results; lordship cards can impact outcomes.
- development tiles — tiles provide ongoing action modifiers and ally coin bonuses.
- Movement and combat — players move units and resolve combat with dice-based results; lordship cards can impact outcomes.
- ruler and leader management — each faction has rulers and eldermen; losing leaders can alter end conditions; multiple rulers lead to game-end risks.
- ships/movement around the board — ships enable faster movement and unit deployment; adds strategic mobility.
- vikings and pillage — Vikings arrive and pillage adjacent areas; policymakers must defend or leverage them.
- winter and food — winter imposes extra food consumption and a bloodier battle via red/white dice; food is crucial for survival.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The flow of gameplay... gives you that 4Xish type of game board game experience in a very classic setting that feels and just oozes art and culture and history here.
- I really like this game.
- It's a pretty cool time for us to play.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–6 of 6