Crusaders: Divine Influence
Information:
Mechanics: Mancala, Rondel, Area Movement Variable Player Powers
Player Age: 14+ Player Count: 2 - 4 PlayersTime to Play: 40 - 60 Minutes
Game Designer: Seth Jaffee
Player Age: 14+
Game Designer: Seth Jaffee
Introduction:
My favourite mancala/rondel game Crusaders Thy Will be Done has gone out of print (for my original review go here). Luckily, Renegade Game Studios has come and reprinted the game in all its glory. Not only have they reprinted the game but they have blessed us with the long-awaited expansion, 'Divine Influence'. This expansion adds four new buildings, 4 new characters, and a revamped system for influence.
Influence System:
The original influence system was the easiest action in the game where you simply gained points equal to the number of action cubes that were spent on the action. The expansion revamps this action and now each location on the board will have an influence token attached to it, allowing for different things to happen.
The majority of these tokens have a one-time bonus of a future action such as as plus one to build, crusade, influence, travel, or muster. 12 tokens have a one-time effect of either upgrading a wedge or re-distribute tokens on a wedge for free. Five tokens have a permanent plus one to each of the five actions and the last two tokens will score one point at the end of the game for each influence token you have gained throughout the game.
To gain these tokens you simply have to do the influence action equal to the influence tile cost on a location hosting one of your knights. The tokens range in cost dependant on the ability it provides. Gaining the influence token can be done when an enemy is still at the location. After this, the player gains points equal to the level of influence token (one point for a level one token) and will place a personalised coat of arms on the location in place of the removed token. This coat of arms allows movement at this location to cost one less, helping players better navigate the board. 
New knights:
The new knights are mainly focused on the new parts of the expansion. Two knights on the new buildings and one focuses on the Influence. The last knight can be used without the expansion as she simply replaces two wedge tokens with a giant token that will count as two tokens instead of one.
New buildings:
The other essential part of this expansion is the four new buildings. These buildings don't take up the normal building space in each location but will only allow one new building built per location. The buildings are the keep, chapel, mill and vault and cost 2 more than your standard building. That is unless there is a building already erected at this location from any player that matches this building type. For example, the mill matches a farm, so if anyone has a farm built at the location the player can build a mill at the reduced cost. Castle matches the keep, church matches the chapel and banks match the vault
These buildings have great additions that they focus on. They focus on more troops, added wedge tokens, removal of other buildings to gain the benefit without the cost, and upgrading your wedges.
Final Thoughts:
Key Points:
- Crunchy (tough decisions) new influence system.
- Harder to gain points for the people that relied on the older influence system.
- Amazing new buildings that can bring additional action tokens to further buff up later turns.
- The game has been balanced with different enemy boards as players gain strength for crusading through the expansion faster.
Crusaders Thy Will be Done was already a favourite game simply because it elevates one of my favourite mechanisms, mancala. This game is a crunchy point salad game that has players erecting their buildings across locations while gaining strength, reach and influence. This expansion elevates the game further by increasing the decision space of the game. This is done by having special influence bonuses on the board that give a one-off benefit or an ongoing bonus to one of the actions, allowing players to target these bonuses so they can further grow in their strategy or allow for a leg up. The game is additionally enhanced by the new buildings which bring more exciting, and possibly greater, bonuses than the original game but have more work required to gain them. I already love the original game and the expansion merely enhances the game without too much-added complexity so this expansion, like the base game, easily earns a Go to Golden Game Seal. Well done Renegade Game Studios, you have delivered a great expansion that lives up to the long-awaited hype.
Click...feed the addiction:
Crusaders Thy Will be Done on BGG
Expand Your Game Facebook page
Expand Your Game Instagram
Comments
Post a Comment