Game: Game of Thrones, A

Thread: Re: Diplomatic component too weak? A couple of easy suggestions...

gixx — 2008-05-07T04:54:06+00:00

I don't think that there is need of adding another phase in the game, because it will lenghten the game that, with CoK expansion, is already long (3-4 hours for personal experience, with 10 turns).
Also, diplomatic agreements could be useful in different moments (both before order assignment, or after order revealing, for example).
What I dislike on "table talk only" in AGoT is that it's not a "realistic" form of diplomacy, according to the form of communication depicted in the books, in which communication between houses was made mainly using messenger crows, so supposedly involving only two houses and leaving the others obscure.

Thread: Re: Diplomatic component too weak? A couple of easy suggestions...

oatesatm — 2008-05-07T04:15:38+00:00

Lately, the 2 games we have been playing the most are Diplomacy and AGoT, which have very different forms of negotiations. Like you said, most of the negotiation in AGoT happens in the form of table talk, but we were thinking about adding a diplomacy phase at the beginning of each turn before the orders are placed to see how it would work out.

Thread: Re: House (Combat) Card Variant to use ALL 3 DECKS!

MikeyMike79 — 2008-05-07T02:04:21+00:00

okay... so we've been playing with the following variant and it has been working great! All the players love the additional of a *little* more uncertainty in the games.

We took out 3 of the strongest COK cards and shuffled the rest of the COK, ASOS, and AGOT cards together in a deck for each house (using card protectors to hide the type of card).

Each house now has a deck of 18 cards. We draw 4 cards from that deck. Once a card is used, it is discarded and a new one is draw. IT gives the game a little bit of a CCG feel during battles.

Also, the holder of the messenger raven can choose to spy on the cards of another player once per turn.

Great great fun so far...

Thread: Re: Diplomatic component too weak? A couple of easy suggestions...

TrekkerMJ — 2008-05-07T01:50:25+00:00

Suggestion 1 is spot on. Take the extra step to print out a copy of the board map from files on this site. That allows you to discuss and visually point out your grand scheme with your conspirator in the next room over.

I've never tried Suggestion 2. While I might look a bit bottom heavy I definitely can move around enough to conspire in the other room! ;)

Thread: Diplomatic component too weak? A couple of easy suggestions...

gixx — 2008-05-07T12:39:05+00:00

I noticed too that this game could be not as much diplomatic as expected when first reading the rulebook, so I thought to a couple of possible solutions to this problem, without having to touch the game rules.

Suggestion n.1:
Stand up from your seat and move!
Just don't stay around the table for all the game, but stand up from your seat with other players and make secret deals with them.
If all players stay around the table, all deals must be done openly, and I noticed that the consequence is the game being less diplomatic.

Suggestion n.2:
If you are a lead-ass (or if you want to have always the board under your sight), this is a good replacement for the previous suggestion.
Put inside the box some sheets and pencils. At the beginning of the game, give a pencil and some papers to everyone. All players, during the game, could write messages to other players.

Not tried these yet, but I think that these could be the Egg of Columbus for those who feel that AGoT diplomacy is faulty.