This ones going on kickstarter soon. Here's the KS link, should work for when its live as well. www.kickstarter.com/projects/shem/viscounts-of-the-west-kingdom-tomesaga
Interesting that I had this pegged to having a lot of mechanisms (deck building, moving action-takers around a rondel kingdom) in common with Winterborne, which was a small KS'd game from Talon Strike I backed and recently received and I was right. That's a very cool game, which if you haven't tried, you should try to track down a copy of as I'm not sure it is going to retail. This looks like a step up from that in complexity and interaction, which is really cool. I didn't back Paladins because I had a bit of "Shem Fatigue" but my daughter got it for me for Christmas and it's been the single most played and requested game in our group of the year so far. Excellent game that I also happen to be really good at (that never hurts). I'll back this one for sure. Thank you for the preview!
This video is great! There is 1 small error in the rules @ 2:29 The workers in the castle's 2nd level do not shift LEFT & RIGHT when there are more than 3... the 2nd level workers only shift UP.
Man excited about this game love this series so far! So much great play with Architects and Paladins. Artwork is great as always. Seems like a nice switch up of game play.
Thanks for the overview. The rondel and the interaction with the other sections of the game remind me a lot of Crown of Emara, but with extra mechanics on top
You had me at "debts and criminal connections." The previous entries in the series look good, but not so much as for me to pick them up -- this one looks very intriguing! Will have to keep an eye out for it.
@@3MBG I have played both Architects and Paladins only once without trying to play the "morally corrupt" strategy. And I'm almost the only one in my family who tries it. Games with some sort of morality system where you gain a bonus but lose points end game always intrigue me, The Revolt of the Titans module from the Dice Forge: Rebellion expansion is another good example.
This is looking good. I always liked the art and like how it is consitent across the trilogies and whilst each game is different, they share common themes. It will be nice though to see a move away from worker placement. Probably my favourite mechanism, but they have enough of those under their belt. The engine building/card drafting of Paladins linked to limited WP really was a stand out last year. The new art direction of Scythians also looks intriguing.
One slight error. You only move workers left, right and up on the outside tier. The earlier version i played i think had it differently and i didn't notice the rule change. My bad.
Great overview. I didn't want to know too much, I already have the other 5 games in the series. They improved thing with this latest trilogy and this one, I want it too! I love game when your game goal change every time you play. Good luck on their KS!
Yay great video summary Jarrod! Well done! I know it's not easy to explain in such short notice, we had a big discussion before doing our how to play video heh heh, and Tarrant dissapointed a little that the full how to play video is like 28minutes... he was trying lower but couldnt....
Nah, it wouldn't be. I don't do anything other than pause and restart the line. My voice recording sessions are very much bam bam bam, done. If i miss a mark, i pause for a second and go again. If i had all the raw audio from 150 vids, there might be enough for an amusing outtakes package. But mostly, its just set, and go again.
Simple and straightforward, it is not. The thing is, once you play it once, its actually pretty smooth. It's just figuring out how it all works together the first time is a bit of a bear.
Great Video as always! How would you say it compares to the other West Kingdom games? I've been interested in getting one, but they just keep popping up with new ones!
Its very different to the others, while having the common look and icongraphy of them. Architects is the most conventional of them and really good fun with larger groups Paladins is for the people who like heavier, crunchier games And Viscounts is for people who want something different and want to try something that isn't just another worker placement game.
My group LOVES Architects and I have been slowly introducing them to Paladins, the latter has been a lot harder for them to grasp but I think they like it. Curious where might this fall in?
I think it harder to learn/teach than paladins, but easier to play. Especially once you get that its all about what one of 3 cards you play, it initially seems quite overwhelming, but once it clicks, its much simpler than paladins.
It is, and it isn't. It is to explain. But once you play it its pretty easy. Which is weird, but its a rare case of being far harder to explain and teach than it is to actually play
My Te Reo is rough as, so I only use the handful of words i know. But yeah, getting Te Reo out there, even a little bit, is how i show i'm proud of our country and it cultures.
@@3MBG man I really appreciate you doing that, it means a lot to me, both because its important, and I'm a young Maori high school student, it gives me hope in our future :)) I basicly said "awesome Maori speaking my friend" :)) Tena koe, nga mihi
I loved Architects, thought Paladins was okay, but I'm not feeling this one or Scythia, sadly :( Your videos have helped me on a fair few purchasing decisions. Keep up the good work.
I did watch this video about 5 times and still don't get it how the hell you play it :S not for me, I love deck buildings but this one is just a huge pile of unclearness to me: so you go to the middle like in talisman to win, by playing shifting cards like in mutants, and building forever for points like in every damn euro game? I don't like this combination man... sorry I've heard a lot about this game to be the number one of all the shem philips games but still don't get it... or any of games lol so nor for me but thanks for the video
@@3MBG oh wow J that's a lot mate... well I guess I won't be a fan of that I love my games that I can understand and just play it doesn't mean they have to be simple or complex but just streamline boom boom do this and that ok I get it go!
Having Architects and Paladins this one seems mehh.... Way too convoluted and lots of strange iconography... seems like a nightmare to teach... Hard PASS for me :(
@@3MBG Well, it seems that he somehow managed to miss your greeting and your statement that you are promoting New Zealand board game development while using the Maori name for New Zealand. Oh... and your accent too.
@@wbeytel In all fairness, he doesn't have the Letter I thing as much asmost Kiwis do, but you can still tell he's a Kiwi and not a Brit lol (For those who don't know, The Letter I thing is how you can tell Aussies and Kiwis apart, cos Kiwis struggle to sound the letter I in words... thnk, blnk, snk, as opposed to think, blink, and sink, for instance lol)
This ones going on kickstarter soon. Here's the KS link, should work for when its live as well. www.kickstarter.com/projects/shem/viscounts-of-the-west-kingdom-tomesaga
Interesting that I had this pegged to having a lot of mechanisms (deck building, moving action-takers around a rondel kingdom) in common with Winterborne, which was a small KS'd game from Talon Strike I backed and recently received and I was right. That's a very cool game, which if you haven't tried, you should try to track down a copy of as I'm not sure it is going to retail. This looks like a step up from that in complexity and interaction, which is really cool.
I didn't back Paladins because I had a bit of "Shem Fatigue" but my daughter got it for me for Christmas and it's been the single most played and requested game in our group of the year so far. Excellent game that I also happen to be really good at (that never hurts). I'll back this one for sure. Thank you for the preview!
"Like this idea, but love collecting cows?" - proof that there really is a board game for anyone.
You had me at " (noun)s of the (compass direction) (location)" These guys had too much success with such great looking games for me to ignore.
This is exactly how I feel about these games
As one of those words I learnt through reading, I totally didn't realise the 's' was silent.
Ha, yeah i can totally see that. Not sure where i learned it, probably from an old D&D book
Great video as always. Thanks so much J!
Great work again Sam and Shem! Can't wait to give this a try. Will you be at LFG Sydney again this year?
@@JamesFincham Not this year, sadly. Hoping to make it every other year.
Really looking forward to this one and Raiders of Scythia this year. I love the combination of mechanisms in this one.
This video is great! There is 1 small error in the rules @ 2:29
The workers in the castle's 2nd level do not shift LEFT & RIGHT when there are more than 3... the 2nd level workers only shift UP.
Big fan of Architects and Paladins of The West Kingdom. Excited to try this one out!
Man excited about this game love this series so far! So much great play with Architects and Paladins. Artwork is great as always. Seems like a nice switch up of game play.
Thanks for the overview. The rondel and the interaction with the other sections of the game remind me a lot of Crown of Emara, but with extra mechanics on top
Unfamiliar with that one, had a look at it and yeah, i can see some similarities for sure
You had me at "debts and criminal connections." The previous entries in the series look good, but not so much as for me to pick them up -- this one looks very intriguing! Will have to keep an eye out for it.
Both previous games also had debts and criminals BTW, just in case you didn't realise that.
Yeah, its one of the themes of the west kingdom games. Getting debts and using criminals as a high risk/high reward strategy option.
@@DanielHolding I did not! But then again, they didn't appeal to me as much as this one seems to, so I wasn't paying that much attention.
@@3MBG I have played both Architects and Paladins only once without trying to play the "morally corrupt" strategy. And I'm almost the only one in my family who tries it.
Games with some sort of morality system where you gain a bonus but lose points end game always intrigue me, The Revolt of the Titans module from the Dice Forge: Rebellion expansion is another good example.
Architects is fantastic. Has debts, criminals, and morality involved as well. Great solo play too. Highly recommend.
Also worth noting that the Kickstarter is coming with a game mode where you combine all 3 games
Great explanation and overview! Love your work!
This is looking good. I always liked the art and like how it is consitent across the trilogies and whilst each game is different, they share common themes. It will be nice though to see a move away from worker placement. Probably my favourite mechanism, but they have enough of those under their belt. The engine building/card drafting of Paladins linked to limited WP really was a stand out last year. The new art direction of Scythians also looks intriguing.
I don’t think it’s entirely new. I believe the artist is Sam Phillips, Shem’s brother, who also did the artwork for Circadians.
One slight error. You only move workers left, right and up on the outside tier. The earlier version i played i think had it differently and i didn't notice the rule change. My bad.
Love this game
Great overview. I didn't want to know too much, I already have the other 5 games in the series. They improved thing with this latest trilogy and this one, I want it too! I love game when your game goal change every time you play. Good luck on their KS!
Yay great video summary Jarrod! Well done! I know it's not easy to explain in such short notice, we had a big discussion before doing our how to play video heh heh, and Tarrant dissapointed a little that the full how to play video is like 28minutes... he was trying lower but couldnt....
Full how to play videos fill me with terror :) I just can't imagine doing one, so much need for precision
@@3MBG Different challenge with this one, Such tight shots, a lot of editing!
Great video! Your pronunciation of fleur-de-lis was much better than you let on. Cows though.... LOL.
Those are all like, the 5th takes of saying it :)
COWS!
You should post an outtakes video. Could be amusing.
Nah, it wouldn't be. I don't do anything other than pause and restart the line. My voice recording sessions are very much bam bam bam, done. If i miss a mark, i pause for a second and go again. If i had all the raw audio from 150 vids, there might be enough for an amusing outtakes package. But mostly, its just set, and go again.
I watched a movie just yesterday where I finally learned how to properly pronounce the word "viscount" (vīˌkount).
I'm hoping i got it right?
Yup
Yep definitely on my want list. Insta-backer.
This looks great!
You can tell Shem's been playing Vital Lacerda games recently :D
A little, yeah
Looks interesting! Thanks for the review.
That has a LOT going on. Trying to teach it to my group would suck.
Yeah, its a challenge to teach. I'm tempted to do a teaching vid on it.
3 Minute Board Games please do! It looks like a lot
With work slamming me at the moment, im probably not gonna get around to this
@@3MBG *Jim Carrey voice* So you are telling me there's a chance!
Another great looking game! I gotta try this one!
Out of the Paladins, Viscounts and Architects, which one do you preffer and why?
Paladins, because one of my fav things in gaming is crunchy engine building, and Paladins is really satisfying in that regard.
Any word on how the Tomesaga that combines the three into a sort of campaign is? Really bummed I passed on the Kickstarter on this one...
Didn't play that yet, probably wont while lockdown is on either.
This game seems so convoluted.
Simple and straightforward, it is not.
The thing is, once you play it once, its actually pretty smooth. It's just figuring out how it all works together the first time is a bit of a bear.
Has the game timer been reduced compared to Circadians and Paladins? Found both too long for what they offered.
Hmmm, not sure. I'd say game length is a bitshorter, but not lots shorter. Its not a 30 minute sorta game.
@@3MBG Thanks. I found Circadians one round too long and Paladins two rounds. How about this one?
Last time we played, about 3 rounds short :)
@@3MBG ok will likely back it. Good to see Shem adjusting things
Great Video as always! How would you say it compares to the other West Kingdom games? I've been interested in getting one, but they just keep popping up with new ones!
Its very different to the others, while having the common look and icongraphy of them.
Architects is the most conventional of them and really good fun with larger groups
Paladins is for the people who like heavier, crunchier games
And Viscounts is for people who want something different and want to try something that isn't just another worker placement game.
@@3MBG thanks for the quick and insightful reply!
Sounds interesting! I wonder how it will be with 2 players only.
Not sure, played it 3 and 4 player mostly.
I am very much looking forward to this. Isn't the Kickstarter campaign on the 5th of March?
3rd i think. Its next week at least
@@3MBG Thanks for the clarification, Viscounts is definitely an instant back for me 👍
Ooh... looks complicated. I’m in.
Hahaha
My group LOVES Architects and I have been slowly introducing them to Paladins, the latter has been a lot harder for them to grasp but I think they like it. Curious where might this fall in?
I think it harder to learn/teach than paladins, but easier to play. Especially once you get that its all about what one of 3 cards you play, it initially seems quite overwhelming, but once it clicks, its much simpler than paladins.
Holy crap, that sounds insanely complicated. 😬
It is, and it isn't. It is to explain. But once you play it its pretty easy. Which is weird, but its a rare case of being far harder to explain and teach than it is to actually play
Tumeke toku reo e hoa :))
My Te Reo is rough as, so I only use the handful of words i know. But yeah, getting Te Reo out there, even a little bit, is how i show i'm proud of our country and it cultures.
@@3MBG man I really appreciate you doing that, it means a lot to me, both because its important, and I'm a young Maori high school student, it gives me hope in our future :))
I basicly said "awesome Maori speaking my friend" :))
Tena koe, nga mihi
Haha, cheers. Yeah, i did crack it but i had to sit and think out each word :)
I loved Architects, thought Paladins was okay, but I'm not feeling this one or Scythia, sadly :( Your videos have helped me on a fair few purchasing decisions. Keep up the good work.
Hey, if im helping you find the games that work, and warn you away from the ones that won't. Thats job done to me
I did watch this video about 5 times and still don't get it how the hell you play it :S
not for me, I love deck buildings but this one is just a huge pile of unclearness to me:
so you go to the middle like in talisman to win, by playing shifting cards like in mutants, and building forever for points like in every damn euro game?
I don't like this combination man... sorry I've heard a lot about this game to be the number one of all the shem philips games but still don't get it...
or any of games lol
so nor for me but thanks for the video
Its a tricky game because it has so many moving parts. I've played it 6 times or so and still dont quite get it
@@3MBG
oh wow J that's a lot mate...
well I guess I won't be a fan of that I love my games that I can understand and just play it doesn't mean they have to be simple or complex but just streamline boom boom do this and that ok I get it go!
I am sure the game is fantastic, but I am getting tired of looking at the samey art on all their games.
Did you see the second version of raiders thats coming out?
Yes and that looks much more appealing to me :)
@@3MBG where i can find about that?
www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/301880/raiders-scythia
Hard to please he?
Having Architects and Paladins this one seems mehh.... Way too convoluted and lots of strange iconography... seems like a nightmare to teach... Hard PASS for me :(
Fair, its a hard one to teach for sure. Easier to play than teach weirdly.
Nobody:
British people: I think I could be successful at explaining board games on youtube...
British? Lol, whut?
@@3MBG Well, it seems that he somehow managed to miss your greeting and your statement that you are promoting New Zealand board game development while using the Maori name for New Zealand. Oh... and your accent too.
And that's all in the first 20 seconds or so of the video :)
@@3MBG True, he is either a troll or he is really not in the target demographics of Viscounts 😁
@@wbeytel In all fairness, he doesn't have the Letter I thing as much asmost Kiwis do, but you can still tell he's a Kiwi and not a Brit lol (For those who don't know, The Letter I thing is how you can tell Aussies and Kiwis apart, cos Kiwis struggle to sound the letter I in words... thnk, blnk, snk, as opposed to think, blink, and sink, for instance lol)