Matt Adlard

Picked this game up on a whim and pleased did as it is a lot more complex that it appears and offers a lot of strategic play and resource planning and manoeuvring.

It is very much a game of long term plans and occasional risk taking through playing of cards to quickly alter others plans and possible change yours.

We found most games last 45min-1hr and it makes for good option during a games club session.

The basic premise is to finish with the most coloured blocks of your colour, and it is very much a long term strategy play style game.

Played this for the first time a few weeks back and had to say the rules do not help new players to gaming get into gaming.

This is something that benefits from the lead player playing through the rules a couple of times and watching some demo games online.

It is fun and has lush miniatures and feel to the game, its very much one younger gamers can enjoy and feel they are making progress.

Overall its a game that requires some dedication and is not a pick up and play for a brief diversion.

Played this one a couple of time and have to say this is a fun and enjoyable game that does not use luck to win.

Firstly the game box looks a little dated and seeing this one on Amazon was not taken with it as a must grab and purchase it. That was a shame as one has been missing something.

Simple but clever mechanics, where you are trying to buy resources for your power plants but are also juggling the fact you may be looking at buying new power plants that may require different resources to run, so its all a balancing act while trying to invest and out manoeuvrer the competition.

This is a simple game that is very much a competitive and social pleasure.

The mechanics work well, and the emphasis on both remembering what you have and trying to be tactical in play and work with others means that you are juggling both facts and your tactics as well.

It is a clever premiss and we often find ourselves being competative against the game its self, which is a very strange place to find your self.

Ok where to start,

As well as a rulebook, you also get a team roster sheet pad to record your team’s stats and progress, designed for league games, however the game works fine playing one-off challenges, and is really greta fun for getting new players into the game. If you have every played Bloodbowl, has some aspects that both have same in common.
You also get large-sized cards of stats for the Ninja Clan teams and six for Shrine teams. Also inc deck of 52 Moon Cards which are played throughout the game to either help your team or hinder your opponent, 12 cards of Clan Heroes, 26 cards of assorted Ronin and best of all a deck of stat cards for Ninja’s to be used in Super Dungeon Explore, which many also have a copy of.

You get two sheets packed with counters, the counters are colourful and nice and thick to use in the game, Most feature status effects – Activated, Curse, Delay, Haste, Lucky, Moon Power, Poison, Protect, Slow, Stealth and Stun.
The game board is exquisit and double sided which makes it more usable. One side an japanese manor house or temple on the other. Miniatures move from dot to dot, some of which have restrictions marked on them depending on their surrounding terrain. This can effect movement, status, LoS.

The 16 dice [8 black & 8 white] feature symbols of the six elements – Air, Earth, Fire, Spirit, Void and Water. This is a nice touch as it makes it friendly for new players. The dice are used to make tests and easy to understand.

Combat, Attacker rolls a number of dice equal to their Attack stat, Defender rolls dice equal to their Defence stat. These stats can be modified by certain circumstances. The results of the two rolls are compared, dice are eliminated based on counter elements, i.e Fire/water, etc. Result, the player with the most dice chooses a single die from those remaining for the result of the attack. Simple. Injured Ninja are placed in the Healing House until they heal, then move along to the Training House.

The miniatures are chibi manga in style and excuisite with a lot of fun and style. They hve alot of character and are both a painters minaiture and can be used just as is. The miniaturea are a draw as they are and really worth the cost of the game its self. If you are looking for a game that can get both adults and kids into gaming this has to be one of the draws. This is a clever rules style as its very easy to learn and play but difficult to master as you constantly learning something new.

The game itself Hmmm, how best to answer this, like one suggested before it is similar to bloodbowl than a traditional wargame, as you cannot kill the other Ninja’s just take them out of the game. You are injured or stunned. The game penalies poor choice and tactics, but rewards clever or smart play, so new players quickly learn how to improve the game play and can easily win

Recommended purchase.

This is a great game for both family and gaming groups, and anyone who’s looking to buy a new game and does not have this should at least consider it as a serious buy.

the game play is both smooth and logical with a high playability factor.

The rules are easy to digest and new players can get to grips with the game quickly and feel that they can compete from the offset, something that other games can fail at. While the rules may appear simple they pack a lot of hidden tactical playability and thinking. It also balances play styles with more experienced players being able to take a bigger chance and risk with more complex routes, but easily rewards those who take it steady and cautiously.

The artwork is nice and complements the game with a friendly approachable feel that one feels help make the and add to the games charm.

Played this game at the games club several times now and have found that it is always well received by both new players both to the game and board gaming and more experienced hands.

Ok played this with some interest as came with a lot of good reviews and the game played well enough with plenty of potential to create tension and playability.

However overall just kind of felt, ‘Meh’ Its good and as said its ok but from a couple of games can see that if you have played before and with the same players you can quickly get a grasp of everyone’s idea of what to do and work through the game. Appreciate a lot of people like this and its ok, just from the hype felt it would be a little more.

Worth having in collection though as a co-op game worth having.

Was introduced to this game tonight at local Nottingham gaming club and have to say very impressed.

It looks far more complex than it really is and so can be very off putting. The subject of a historical game and lots of counters and board bits makes it look dense and kind of boring.

However the truth is far more convoluted. The game plays quickly, you can get to grips after the first game, and it has massive levels of playability. Its a very much resource management but with levels of tactical play and future planning that mean you are having to plan and think two or three moves a head and change plans quickly.

This is one to add to peoples collection.

This is a great wargame and the poor cover art belies a well crafted game.

One is a big player of GoB and a fan. The rules are flexible and cover the basic figure ranges of Foundry yes, but can easily be suited to proxies or other models, and have seen this enough times to know.

While the game was written for the Foundry Figure range obviously its nicely figure flexible.

The mechanics seem simple, but hide the fact that it is a tactical game and requires some clever thinking at times as you realize that Jake Thornton has layers of rules that work well and allow real forward tactical thinking a little like chess.

Basically

The Game play focuses on commanding an army rather than the minute intricacies of individual miniatures, and what they are armed with.

The rules are simple enough to follow and easily allow players to concentrate on what you want your army to be doing, not like some systems which sub-paragraph whole categories of rules which players in the end argue over.

The rules may not be some super-new, innovative, like every yearly release of say WHFB, but they are smooth and play well, with a hidden depth and tactical approach which makes it an enjoyable system. Leaders, musicians and standard bearers all have a point to play in the game and add not only interest but define how your unit works.

The system covers everything you need to play with no hidden extra issues like, must buy several add-ons to play and support the game. (This I like, one book to rule it all)

Jake Explain in his blog:
As well as all the basics of building armies and how to move and fight across the battlefield with them, God of Battles contains rules for miracles, weather, scenarios, camps, baggage trains, varying terrain and 10 complete army lists with over 20,000 words of background. It is a complete product in a single volume.

The combat system is based on the declare and then measure, so that makes for a fun (defender) and at times bloody (attacker) frustrating.

Army lists are easy and cover the usual races.
Norse Dwarfs
Orc Warlords
Thousand Tribes – Mix, Inc. Halflins
Lords of Undeath
Blood Gorged – Beastmen
Mercenary – Human
The Godless – dark (very) elves
Sea elves
T’lekkan Empires – Giant bugs

Scale of engagements is:
Skirmish 24 points
Battle 36 ” ”
Havoc 48 ” ”
Slaughter 60 ” ”

Example army list – cut down

– Blood Gorged –
Brutes Ravagers 12 Points – 10 Models
Brutes 6 Points – 10 Models
Slayers 12 Points – 10 Models
Younglings 12 Points – 8 Models

– Command –

Herdlord 12 Points – Character
Shaman 18 Points – Character

Such costs mean that you do not need a lot of figures and the system allows any ranges to be used as it is very flexible.

Magic has no range an if you want to cast spells you need a priest or shaman, and the system here means that an opponent can try to stop or thwart your casting, at the risk of not having enough spell points to cast their spells.

Movement and targeting are from leader to leader and allow players to easily range and stops attempts to fudge the rules.

Musicians, standard bears and such all have uses and can help turn a battle.

Average army size is about 30-40 miniatures so small scale but fast action. Good for those looking for a change from WHB or trying out a new fantasy system as compatible with any fantasy miniatures.

This is an interesting one as it represents an expansion that both works and is not just a badly fitted suit that makes it appear as a cash grab.

The game dynamic it brings is both interesting and thoughtful, it makes it a fun game expansion and packs a lot of interesting aspects that change the games dynamics from a fairly complex game that is easy to get involved with and fun to play into a real tactical style game with new moves that allow you to play as a real villain and smarter style of play.

A absolute blast and great fun, a game that engages with all the family and draws even new players in with clever tactical play and strategy, but leaves players just seeing the great game and enjoying themselves.

A good game for people new to board gaming or introducing new people to gaming as the subject is simple and non threatening.

The expansions and other variants are also enjoyable but they do not need to be bought as the basic game is by its self and a lot of fun.

Great game, good one to get pc gamers into board games.

The game feels and plays like an Arcade game which it is designed around as such can be a little same’ay. However it offer a host of potential and a lot of fun and with the cute chibbi style figures makes for a ** cute family game.

The game play is smooth and the rules easy to learn, with clear examples and diagrams showing what is needed in simple easy to learn steps.

Great game, complex, yet simple.

This is an interesting game to review as having played it it represents two very different aspects.

The game is very deceptive in that it looks and feels far more complex than it is.

It is a great game and actually plays better with more players which is unusual with board games as they tend the other way.

It is a very fast and playable game, great to get new comers of boardgames into it and old hands will appreciate as well.

On a different note the game is very deceptive, it looks and feels very complex but it is not and it feels like a con in a away as if you are missing something but it plays well and is fun.

Ok, were to start.

The game is from a designers point absolutely lush and so very subtle and suitable. It looks and feels as part of the game.

It is a very interesting game, lots of playability and fun, it balances the creepy and the humor as well as the serious play of the game.

The art is exquisit and looks and feels like the designer understood the game both from a concept and as a look.

The mechanics are well thought out and work well, the game plays well, and will offer a lot of fun nights.

One was introduced this at a games club and it sounded complex and slightly unwieldy from the description, however after the first game it became an easy to play game with hidden complexity and enjoyable game play.

The cards and card stock is of quality and will last which is something that is often a bug bear.

OK, Horror game.
Concept: Deduction, Adventure, Bluffing, Card Game,
Mechanics: Player Elimination, Dice Rolling, and odd team ups.

Each player is unique and has Variable Player Powers and conditions to win.

Game play, Turn order proceeds in a game typical clockwise fashion. On a player’s turn, they move their character by rolling the dice and moving their player piece to the area card corresponding to the number they rolled. I.e, so if a 7 is rolled, the player may choose, but a 3 would mea they have to place their counter on a specific place. Next, the player may choose whether to use the ability stated on the area card. Finally, a player may decide if they want to attack another player within range.

It is very much a do or don’t with how you play, and shows some thought in its design.

a fexible and enjoyable system.

The game offers massive scope and covers everything the GM and players can want.

Personally consider it as the D&D with out the ****. Plenty of expansions available, yet they do not mean that they are required. The syste allows for a take it or leave it attitude to the expansions.