Fallen Lands is a medium weight game for 2-5 players. It has a modular board which is different every time you play and varies in size according to the number of players. Additionally it has 2 sets of rules: regular rules and advanced rules.

What do you get?
Wow, there is a lot of stuff in this box! there are cards, coins, follower tokens, field hexes, and glass color chips. there is also a Reference card which summarizes play. everything is of good, but not excellent quality, and i was very happy with what i got for my money. besides which, it isn't about the bits, it is about how fun the game is, right?

Gameplay

This is an overview of the gameplay, to give you a good idea if you would like it. I have only ever played the regular rules, so this is what i am reviewing.

The premise is you are sent into the Lands to rid them of the monsters. You never actually see any monster, but the artwork used on all of the cards and hexes is pretty cool.

There are hex tiles which you set up randomly at the beginning of the game. each hex has a difficulty number on it representing how hard it is to conquer. they are numbered 1-12. when they are set up, 2 Field Hexes of the same value cannot touch.

The deck of cards contains 3 types of cards. Troop cards, used to attack a field hex, fortification cards, used to improve the support value of a troop card, and magic cards, which perform various functions.

There are 3 types of Follower Tokens; Warriors, Craftsman, and Mage. they are required in different combinations to play a Troop, Fortification, or Magic card. Each card has Icons on it showing which followers and in what number are required to play that card.

In order to play a card on your turn, you must use your follower tokens. for example, to use a light cavalry, you need 2 warrior tokens. the light cavalry has an attack value of 2, so you can attack and conquer a field hex with a value of 1 or 2. When you conquer a Field Hex you get money equal to the difficulty level of that Hex. In this way you build up your money.

Also if you then wanted to fortify a field you can play the number of token required and place a fortification card along with the troop card you already have on the hex. why would you do this? Because you may want to attack a neighboring hex of a high value, but you do not have the attack value available to do tis.

Let us say on your next turn, you wanted to attack a field hex with a value that was greater than any attack card you have. If that hex is adjacent to other hexes you have already conquered, you can add up the value of adjacent troop and fortress card support values, add that to the attack value of the troop card you are playing, and in that way conquer the field hex.

At the beginning of each turn you may hire one follower for a cost of 5 coins. You can do this at the beginning of each turn. Then you may use as many followers as you have to perform as many tasks as you are able to with what you have at that time.

At the end of each turn, your followers are "restored", that is, you may use them again on your next turn. You also get to draw one card from the deck. in addition, for every Mage you own, you get to draw an additional card. In this way, the cards you use each turn are replenished.

The game requires a lot of thinking and a lot of posturing. Do i try to conquer this field or another one? If i do, what will my opponents try to conquer? Should i go over there? I want to try to get that hex if possible, do i have enough support in that area or am i spread to thin?

Game end

So how do you win Fallen Lands? is it the most hexes conquered? Or is it the highest number of cumulative points when adding up your hexes?

The answer is none of the above. It is the most money at the end of the game.
Money is acquired by conquering a field hex. When you conquer a Field Hex you get money equal to the difficulty level of that Hex.


This is the tricky part, because you cant just keep buying followers at the beginning of every turn. if you keep on spending your coins up to the last turn of the game, you will be behind in coins when you add them up at the end. but you cannot stop buying to soon, because you will not have a big enough "following" to help you attack the largest tiles near the end of the game. There is an optimum point where you stop spending coins, to try to be in the lead with money at the end. but this is different each game depending on the cards you hold and the tiles you are trying to conquer.

So is it Fun?

For me, i don't care much for complex games. I don't want heavy games with complex rules and bidding for turn order, etc. When i play, i usually play with my wife, and i want to have fun, and in my opinion, Fallen Lands is fun! My wife likes it to, and she also does not like games which are overly complex.

What does it compare it to?

Well, it is a little bit like Samurai, because of the way the cards you lay down can influence neighboring tiles, but that is where the comparison ends. I really like the settler-like hexes, and varying size board, because the game is different every time.

So what do i think?

If you like medium weight games with strategy, i think you will like Fallen Lands. There is some luck involved, because you do not know which cards you are going to draw, but that isn't a bad thing. From looking on the Geek, not a lot of people own this game, but i think more people should try it, and i think it is flying under the radar here. In addition, with the advanced rules, you are getting more bang for your buck, since it is like getting 2 games in one.

Final score, i give Fallen Lands an 8.5. I really love this game!