I would agree that this is more for the deck builder. I am not one of those though I have all the expansions. I personally found it easy and I'm not an expert. I played the Egyptians and actually 'built' a deck which was different for me. I happened to build one that produced a lot of gold. Drawback was that there wasn't a lot of workers produced so you could be at the mercy of the common deck if you didn't get workers and/or card draws to help you get more cards to play. So focusing on drawing cards worked well for me. I had no problem maintaining provinces with the amount of gold produced during the game. They took the PnP campaign and made it available for the MP game. Just wish they had events that could randomize some uncertainty. Like playing cards require more wood/stone to build or other things that can give you tension. This did not provide that.
The only expansion I haven’t liked is the “we didn’t start the fire” expansion. I have everything for this game and we have really been enjoying the campaign. I think what we are going to do is switch up our factions when we move onto the next sheet. Just for a change so we aren’t just playing the same faction for 20 games. The rule book could have been much better. 100% And I totally agree that this expansion is for big fans of the game. You really want to know what you’re doing with the deck building and know the game inside out before playing this campaign. It would be very frustrating otherwise.
I agree that this is for huge fans of the game who want more. Love the Quests, feel the provinces are thematic(ish). Wish you could level up quicker as you said. My husband and I are enjoying it in self isolation, but it won’t get much play otherwise.
Thanks for the great and honest review. I loved the idea of a campaign, but not sure the deck building part is right for my group. We just like to play with all the cards, which is not the way it should be done, but we don't care, we just like having it all. I'll pass, and instead get Barbarians for Empires of the North, which is a game we do prefer more with it's pre-constructed decks ready to go.
I feel you could make a house rule that you use quests only, you get 3vp points for completing a quest first then just 1vp after that. 3 new quests each round.
It's similar but doesn't have events, Provinces are easy to maintain. I think the only tension is when you start in the next era as your provinces don't carry over. I think they should as it could be harder to maintain all those provinces. You lose your progression on the tracks as well. Basically a soft reset. For me, If events were in the game, it might have a been a better experience. I'm going to hold off to see what this next faction will bring to the table before abandoning it altogether. I'm already thinking of trading it as Empires of the North gets more play. I understand there is a faction in the works.
Interesting review. I'm not a deck builder in imperial settlers and I'm almost through the second age. My scores have stability increased every game, and only came close to crumbling early on. I am playing solo, so that might be why my experience is different. Where did you see them say you have to deck build? I've watched a bunch of play thrus by Portal and they never mentioned once that they had built their decks. I always assumed they were using the base decks.
Phew, thanks lots for this. Only played the base game so far and liked it enough to make me contemplate getting this expansion. You saved me some money and nerves! Cheers.
I love imperial settlers, but never thought the two expansions I purchased were as good as just the base game itself (Aztecs and Atlanteans). This expansion looks to be way off from what the base game experience offers and they are going in the wrong direction...
Unless Portal releases an expansion faction that does not start with the letter "A" (e.g. Atlanteans, Amazons, Aztecs), this Imperial Settlers game is unofficially DEAD. D - E -D - E. DEAD.
@@Fighterfan69 An African expansion would be a great idea. It's a very overlooked area of the world in gaming, and would fit better with Imperial Settlers than Empires of the North.
Yes thanks I won’t be buying this lol. I have most stuff for this game but I don’t like deck building so I usually just have people play with all the cards and then just have the ability to pass a card they picked if they don’t like it and pick the next card instead. Like a second chance.
I would agree that this is more for the deck builder. I am not one of those though I have all the expansions. I personally found it easy and I'm not an expert. I played the Egyptians and actually 'built' a deck which was different for me. I happened to build one that produced a lot of gold. Drawback was that there wasn't a lot of workers produced so you could be at the mercy of the common deck if you didn't get workers and/or card draws to help you get more cards to play. So focusing on drawing cards worked well for me. I had no problem maintaining provinces with the amount of gold produced during the game.
They took the PnP campaign and made it available for the MP game. Just wish they had events that could randomize some uncertainty. Like playing cards require more wood/stone to build or other things that can give you tension. This did not provide that.
The only expansion I haven’t liked is the “we didn’t start the fire” expansion. I have everything for this game and we have really been enjoying the campaign. I think what we are going to do is switch up our factions when we move onto the next sheet. Just for a change so we aren’t just playing the same faction for 20 games.
The rule book could have been much better. 100%
And I totally agree that this expansion is for big fans of the game. You really want to know what you’re doing with the deck building and know the game inside out before playing this campaign. It would be very frustrating otherwise.
I agree that this is for huge fans of the game who want more. Love the Quests, feel the provinces are thematic(ish). Wish you could level up quicker as you said. My husband and I are enjoying it in self isolation, but it won’t get much play otherwise.
Thanks for the great and honest review. I loved the idea of a campaign, but not sure the deck building part is right for my group. We just like to play with all the cards, which is not the way it should be done, but we don't care, we just like having it all.
I'll pass, and instead get Barbarians for Empires of the North, which is a game we do prefer more with it's pre-constructed decks ready to go.
I feel you could make a house rule that you use quests only, you get 3vp points for completing a quest first then just 1vp after that. 3 new quests each round.
A very comprehensive review. Thank you.
This is basically the solo campaign PnP. Do you think it makes more sense for solo, where a game can be played in about 20 minutes?
It's similar but doesn't have events, Provinces are easy to maintain. I think the only tension is when you start in the next era as your provinces don't carry over. I think they should as it could be harder to maintain all those provinces. You lose your progression on the tracks as well. Basically a soft reset. For me, If events were in the game, it might have a been a better experience. I'm going to hold off to see what this next faction will bring to the table before abandoning it altogether. I'm already thinking of trading it as Empires of the North gets more play. I understand there is a faction in the works.
The rule book could really be much better. I just read in the comments that some guys switch factions in between sheets, I really like that idea...
Awesome review, thanks Z!
Interesting review. I'm not a deck builder in imperial settlers and I'm almost through the second age. My scores have stability increased every game, and only came close to crumbling early on. I am playing solo, so that might be why my experience is different.
Where did you see them say you have to deck build? I've watched a bunch of play thrus by Portal and they never mentioned once that they had built their decks. I always assumed they were using the base decks.
Phew, thanks lots for this. Only played the base game so far and liked it enough to make me contemplate getting this expansion. You saved me some money and nerves! Cheers.
Same. I like the base game, but this is probably not for me given it takes so many plays to complete.
Asmodee didn't even translate (in french) the last 2 expansions so I'm not even thinking about this one...
I love imperial settlers, but never thought the two expansions I purchased were as good as just the base game itself (Aztecs and Atlanteans). This expansion looks to be way off from what the base game experience offers and they are going in the wrong direction...
Unless Portal releases an expansion faction that does not start with the letter "A" (e.g. Atlanteans, Amazons, Aztecs), this Imperial Settlers game is unofficially DEAD. D - E -D - E. DEAD.
African????
@@Fighterfan69 An African expansion would be a great idea. It's a very overlooked area of the world in gaming, and would fit better with Imperial Settlers than Empires of the North.
Yes thanks I won’t be buying this lol. I have most stuff for this game but I don’t like deck building so I usually just have people play with all the cards and then just have the ability to pass a card they picked if they don’t like it and pick the next card instead. Like a second chance.