Hordes of Grimoor (2015) Board Game

Hordes of Grimoor is a card game released in 2015, designed by JJ Ariosa and published by Small Box Games. The game is set in a fantasy world where players take on the roles of powerful warlords seeking to conquer the land of Grimoor.

Game Components of Hordes of Grimoor

Cards: Each player commands a Horde of Cohorts, which are represented by cards.

Territories: These are plots of land that players can capture and build into strongholds.

Curio Cards: These cards have powerful actions and provide extra points.

Player Boards: For tracking territories, strongholds, and other game elements.

How To Setup Hordes of Grimoor

To set up the game, players start by shuffling the deck and dealing a starting hand of cards. Each player has a player board where they will track their territories, strongholds, and other game components. The objective is to create a strong horde of cohorts and expand your domain.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Card Multi-Use: Each card has multiple uses, including serving as cohorts in battles, using special abilities, building strongholds, and empowering curio cards.

Cohort Abilities: Cohorts have unique abilities, such as drawing cards, playing additional cohorts, or manipulating the opponent’s horde.

Focusing Cohorts: Players can “focus” cohorts to use their abilities, but this reduces the cohort’s strength.

Territory Capture: Players capture territories by winning conflicts, and these territories can be built into strongholds for higher points.

Side Battles: There is an ongoing side battle that continues until the end of the game, providing additional points.

Game Objective: The goal is to have the strongest domain by capturing and holding territories, building strongholds, and winning side battles.

Player Experience

Playing Hordes of Grimoor requires strategic planning and clever use of your hand. Each card deployment and action taken must be carefully considered, as every decision impacts the game’s outcome. The game is reminiscent of John Clowdus’s other work, Omen: A Reign of War, but in a more compact and fast-paced format.

Pros

Strategic Depth: The game offers deep strategic play with multiple uses for each card.

Quick Gameplay: Games typically last around 15-30 minutes.

High Replayability: The variety of cohorts and abilities ensures no two games are the same.

Cons

Central Conflict: The central conflict can feel less intense compared to other game mechanics.

Less Personalized Cohorts: Cohorts feel less individualized compared to those in Omen: A Reign of War.

Personal Thoughts on Hordes of Grimoor

Hordes of Grimoor is ideal for players who enjoy strategic, quick card games with deep mechanics. It is particularly suited for fans of John Clowdus’s other works and those looking for a compact, yet engaging, two-player experience. While it may not match the intensity of Omen: A Reign of War, it stands out as a minor success in its own right, offering a fun and challenging experience in a short amount of time.

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