Oriflamme: Alliance (2022) Board Game

Oriflamme: Alliance is a card game that was released in 2022 by Studio H. Designed by Adrien Hesling and Axel Hesling, this game falls into the categories of card games and political games, offering a unique experience for players who enjoy strategic gameplay with a touch of diplomacy.

Game Components of Oriflamme: Alliance

Cards: 10 new action cards, including Infiltration, Trade, Magistrate, Informant, and Insurrection.

Tokens: New tokens such as Sentence tokens.

Rulebook: Detailed rules explaining the new abilities and setup.

Player Cards: Cards from the player’s family (set of cards) used in the Queue.

How To Setup Oriflamme: Alliance

Setting up Oriflamme: Alliance involves preparing the Queue with the players’ cards. Each player selects a set of cards from their family and adds them to the Queue. The new cards from the Alliance expansion can be mixed with cards from the base game, Oriflamme, and its second expansion, Oriflamme: Ablaze. The game includes a setup suggestion to balance the game by combining specific cards from each set.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Action Queue: Players manage a queue of cards, each with unique abilities.

Hand Management: Players need to strategically manage their hand to execute their plans.

Take That: Mechanics allow players to directly affect and disrupt their opponents.

Game Objective: The goal is to accumulate the most Influence points over six rounds. The player whose family has the most Influence points wins.

Player Experience

Oriflamme: Alliance offers a dynamic and interactive experience, encouraging players to balance aggression and negotiation. The game introduces new abilities like Reserve, which allows players to move cards from the Queue to their personal play area, granting ongoing powers. Cards like the Magistrate and Insurrection add strategic depth and potential for significant disruptions.

Pros

Variety and Replayability: The new cards offer a fresh and varied gameplay experience.

Easy to Learn: The expansion does not change the core gameplay loop, making it easy for existing players to adapt.

Strategic Depth: New abilities and cards add more strategic options and complexity.

Artwork: The game features distinct Asian-inspired artwork by Tomasz Jedruszek, adding to the game’s flair.

Cons

Complexity for New Players: Some new cards, like the Magistrate, may have complex abilities that can be challenging for new players.

Potential for Runaway Leader: The game may experience a minor runaway leader problem, which some cards aim to mitigate.

Personal Thoughts on Oriflamme: Alliance

Oriflamme: Alliance is ideal for fans of the Oriflamme series and those who enjoy tactical card games with ‘take that’ mechanics. It is particularly suited for players who appreciate strategic depth and the ability to form alliances while still engaging in competitive play. If you enjoy games that are easy to teach but offer great variety from play to play, Oriflamme: Alliance is a solid addition to your gaming collection.

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