Stronghold Games announced that they will be releasing
Stronghold 2nd Ed
later this year.
While all of the differences between the original Stronghold and Stronghold – 2nd Edition were not available at press time, some of the changes will include:
• Streamlined rules and enhanced rulebook
• Shorter gameplay, featuring attackers being placed on the board during setup
• Glory Points rules replaced with a more straightforward system of castle defense in 7 rounds
• Improved components, such as a larger game board and new better artwork
I only played the original version once and it always felt like a game that could have been something better. Not that it was bad, but it had more of a design focused game rather than a game focused game. I've thought off and on about trying to get a copy but always fell back to realized that realistically it'd never get played by me so I always ended up passing.
These 2nd Ed changes sound promising though. Especially if it means a move more towards the Robinson Crusoe side of game design rather than the Caylus side of design. One of only a handful of games now that I'm going to be keeping an eye on as it gets closer to release.
I'm actually jazzed about this. I thought about buying the original so many times, just based on the siege theme, but the gameplay just killed it for me. It seems like they're on the right path: streamline, abstract, minimize the boring shit.
Me too'ing the sentiment here. I am especially intrigued by "improved components" because it always looked fucking nice in the pictures I have seen. This is one of those games I will get because it's gorgeous more than awesome to play.
The following user(s) said Thank You: SuperflyPete
I definitely liked the idea of a castle siege game. I would consider it one of my grail game ideas, BUT I don't think Stronghold quite pulled it off. It came off as a little dry, and didn't have any flexibility of creating different strategies based on Castle defenses and Siege mechanisms. I think there is so many more possibilities they could have taken the game.
Plus, it took damned near forever to teach the game.
If they can pull off little minis also rather than cubes...That alone I think would be a huge improvement to an already pretty damn good looking game. So my fingers are crossed that's why a bigger board is needed.
Is this the one where the designer did a blog and everyone watched as his cool original idea spiraled down into the euro-mechanics abyss? I seem to recall there being quite a story at the time.
Interested because I believe it's the only major Ignacy Trzewiczek design I haven't played, and he and Portal are one of the few companies I take regular interest in, as both seem to have goals other than get product on a shelf. I'm not interested in the theme, but I'd like to give it a try. Hopefully it won't throw in a bunch of plastic to set the price at $80 or so.
The following user(s) said Thank You: SuperflyPete
There is no possible way that their 80$ miniatures can compete with the fully painted WHFB Ork army I got for 15$. This game will look fucking BRILLIANT with the Orks vs. the human miniatures I'll be using.
No, keep the miniatures. I'm fine with cubes. Totally agree with the wise and noble Legomancer on this one.
I hate it when Euro fans take exciting themes and turn them into dull cube-pushing efficiency tasks. Can't they stick to pleasing the prince or something?
I'll never understand the desire to engage in a pastime where performing an optimization exercise is superior to "living" a story vicariously through the game. It's the difference between reading advanced calculus textbooks versus reading Philip K Dick.
I own and have played Stronghold once, though I think we would probably play it again (although the announcement has left me with a wait-and-see approach). Components wise, I have no complaints about the game, but I do see a lot of rules improvement potential and would just prefer that I could graft new rules onto first edition components. I think replacing the VP mechanic is a good start because besides being a little abstruse it didn't mesh well with the timer; there were ostensibly ten turns but the invader had to win in 6 or 7 or rarely 8 or not at all.