Gunsen, the new L5R game from Officedog Games is a fast and highly thematic mid weight engine builder with some really interesting, brutal combat mechanics. My old chum Drew and I had a demo of this at TTS along with the middle spawn (16) and we all loved it, and then we tried another go with our pal Ron; he loves both the L5R setting and Scythe, which this definitely vibes with - though don't let that put you off if you're not a Scythe lover (I'm a bit indifferent to it myself!)
Fundamentally, it's an engine builder with some 4X elements, set in Rokugan, the feudal fantasy asiatic world of Legend of the 5 Rings, though the magical elements are downplayed in this game, mostly. Each of the great clans is represented, and feels strongly thematically different, though you don't need to be familiar to enjoy that: Scorpion play sneakily, Lion play aggressively etc, all very intuitive.
Each turn you pick one of the 5 order cards from the central river, which determines your actions. You work down the coloured orders (Influence, Recruit, Expand or Armoury) gaining resources, moving, building and triggering. You win by achieving 7 of the 10 goals, 2 of which you will have clan specific versions, eg Crab are builders, so get one for that. Occupying locations, winning battles, developing Tactics - crucially, you need a range. Building the right engine is key, but you have ways of putting different orders in other columns (one of your limited number of Noble actions).
Gunsen, the new L5R game from Officedog Games is a fast and highly thematic mid weight engine builder with some really interesting, brutal combat mechanics. My old chum Drew and I had a demo of this at TTS along with the middle spawn (16) and we all loved it, and then we tried another go with our pal Ron; he loves both the L5R setting and Scythe, which this definitely vibes with - though don't let that put you off if you're not a Scythe lover (I'm a bit indifferent to it myself!)
Fundamentally, it's an engine builder with some 4X elements, set in Rokugan, the feudal fantasy asiatic world of Legend of the 5 Rings, though the magical elements are downplayed in this game, mostly. Each of the great clans is represented, and feels strongly thematically different, though you don't need to be familiar to enjoy that: Scorpion play sneakily, Lion play aggressively etc, all very intuitive.
Each turn you pick one of the 5 order cards from the central river, which determines your actions. You work down the coloured orders (Influence, Recruit, Expand or Armoury) gaining resources, moving, building and triggering. You win by achieving 7 of the 10 goals, 2 of which you will have clan specific versions, eg Crab are builders, so get one for that. Occupying locations, winning battles, developing Tactics - crucially, you need a range. Building the right engine is key, but you have ways of putting different orders in other columns (one of your limited number of Noble actions).
Entering a hex will trigger what's there: collecting villages for resources, shrines for improved orders, watchtowers for recruitment, or the city of Toshi Renbo itself as a stronghold. Combat occurs when there is an opposing army, and there's a fascinating push-pull of Might, Damage and Defence, modified by dice rolls, the loser moving out but not necessarily destroyed: so regrouping and harrying become key also.
This is a really impressive, relatively quick upper mid game. The verdict? A resounding success: if we'd had the time we would've played again immediately, and Scythe fan preferred this to it!
About the Author
Sam blogs @big_geekingout and as part of bigcomicpage.com with an emphasis on dad-gaming and IP content. Recovering competitive card gamer, infrequent skirmish wargamer, and average boardgamer. Decent Modeller with a fondness for terrain. Enthusiastic if not especially capable miniature Painter. Media and English Teacher, which is a cover for being a movie nerd. Reasonable cook. Occasional Parent.
