Steve I

This game (in all it’s iterations) can be massively complicated (intricate and detailed,) fantastically time consuming, thoroughly emotionally engaging, and, when fought well, the entire outcome may hinge upon a single roll of the dice. Yet, like a good bad habit, it keeps you coming back for more. Days of my life have been spent playing, planning, and fretting over this game. Each new version increases the depth of the field further ratcheting up the intensity. There have been issues taken with the newer pieces, and the subtleties make it hard to master the details. That said, I have rated it at 15 stars, because it is that good. It really rates an 11 (3 for new components and easy to learn), but the Replay value is closer to 9, so that evens out. 🙂

Nothing beats talking trash with your buds in your best pirate vernacular! Aar! Fast paced, easy to grasp yet plenty of room to stab that scurvy dog in the back! Similar to games like Junta, where you are not sure how much booty each pirate has stashed until the end. Well worth the price of admission.

Fun and easy to learn, but to date, hard to master. It is fun to play against the board, though a sadistic teacher can make the game a bit painful. :} My only issue is that you can loose the game by experiencing a quantity of outbreaks, even if you can contain the spread; too much emphasis on quantity v. quality of response.

Great play, fast action, and I love those tough choices. Is someone a traitor? Are you being played? Why did you put that siege engine in front of our castle?