Fealty is an abstract strategy board game released in 2011 and designed by Sarah Farooqi. The game is set in a medieval theme and focuses on territory building and area majority/influence mechanics. Asmadi Games is the artist behind the visually appealing components of Fealty, making it an aesthetically pleasing game to play.
Game Components of Fealty
Player Decks: Each player has an identical deck of 18 cards, divided into two sets: Missives and Suns. The Suns deck contains more complex abilities.Pieces: 9 wooden discs per player, labeled on both sides corresponding to the Missives and Suns decks.Boards: 6 double-sided boards, each representing a duchy and divided into 36 square spaces with various terrains (fields, forests, mountains) and features (roads, cities).Influence Markers: Plastic tokens for each player to mark their influence.Presumptive Heir Token: Used to break ties and determine player order.
How To Setup Fealty
To set up Fealty, players first assemble the board using a random selection of duchies, with one more duchy than the number of players. Each player shuffles their deck and draws a hand of three cards. The board starts empty, ready for players to place their pieces.
Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective
Simultaneous Action Selection: Players select one card from their hand simultaneously and reveal them to determine the order of play based on the card’s number.Piece Placement: Players place their corresponding piece on the board in the determined order, following rules that restrict placement in the same row, column, or duchy as previous placements, and avoiding obstacles like mountains and other players’ pieces.Special Abilities: Each card has a special ability, such as moving previously placed pieces or placing conflict markers.Influence Expansion: After 8 rounds, players place influence markers around their pieces, with the order determined by the piece’s number and type.Objective: The player with the most influence markers at the end of the game wins.
Player Experience
Fealty offers a fast-paced and challenging game experience, lasting about 30-40 minutes. Players must strategically plan their piece placements, considering the limitations imposed by the game’s rules and the special abilities of their cards. The game’s simplicity in rules belies its complexity in strategy, making it appealing to fans of abstract strategy games. However, it may become chaotic with more players, particularly with four.
Pros
Replayability: The game includes double-sided boards and multiple card sets, allowing for significant variability in each play.Strategic Depth: Despite simple rules, the game requires thoughtful planning and strategic thinking.Quick Gameplay: Games are relatively short, making it accessible for a variety of players.Variants: Includes variants such as team play and tournament rules.
Cons
Chaotic with More Players: The game can become unruly with four players, leading to increased complexity and potential analysis paralysis.Rule Clarity: Some players have found the rules to be unclear on certain points.Aesthetics: The game’s components and artwork are functional but not particularly visually appealing.
Personal Thoughts on Fealty
Fealty is ideal for fans of abstract strategy and area control games who enjoy quick, tactical gameplay with deep strategic elements. It is particularly suited for 2-3 players, as it becomes more chaotic with four. The game’s replayability and variability make it a solid addition to any game collection, although it may not be the best fit for those who prefer games with strong thematic elements or more complex rulesets.
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