Kingswood (2020) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Kingswood is a fantasy-themed board game designed by Henry Audubon and published by 25th Century Games in in 2020. The game takes place in the mystical forest of Kingswood, where players take on the role of brave heroes competing to earn the most victory points by completing quests and defeating monsters.

Game Components of Kingswood

Location tiles: Common and special location tiles set up in a circle.

Monster cards: Divided into Chapter 1 and Chapter 2, with varying requirements to defeat.

Tokens: Hearts, weapons, magic books, and coins.

Adventurer meeples: 3 meeples used for navigating the locations.

King’s Guard meeple: Affects player movement and access to locations.

Guild cards: Unique starting tokens for each guild.

Scoring board: To track fame points.

How To Setup Kingswood

To set up the game, players start by choosing a guild and receiving the corresponding starting tokens. The location tiles are arranged in a circle, with one special location added to the common ones. The Adventurer meeples are placed on their starting spots, and the tokens are set aside in piles. The monster deck is prepared with Chapter 1 cards on top of Chapter 2 cards, and three monster cards are revealed next to the Forest location. The King’s Guard meeple is kept nearby.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Rondel mechanism: Players move Adventurer meeples around the location tiles to access different abilities.

Set Collection: Gathering resources like hearts, weapons, and magic books.

Worker Placement: Managing meeples to optimize resource collection and monster battles.

Variable Player Powers: Each guild has unique starting tokens and abilities.

Solo / Solitaire Game: Available for single-player mode.

Objective: The first player to reach 20 fame points by defeating monsters wins the game.

Player Experience

Kingswood offers a balanced blend of strategy and simplicity, making it enjoyable for both kids and adults. Players must manage their resources carefully to defeat monsters, while the rondel mechanism adds a layer of strategic depth. The game encourages competitive play but also allows for some light-hearted interference with the King’s Guard, adding a fun element to the gameplay.

Pros

Family-friendly: Suitable for players aged 8 and above.

Easy to learn: Simple rules with a quick setup.

Strategic depth: The rondel mechanism and resource management offer strategic challenges.

Variety in guilds: Unique starting tokens and abilities for each guild.

Good artwork and components: Quality cards, boards, and meeples.

Cons

Lightweight tokens: Some players find the resource tokens hard to handle.

Limited complexity: May not satisfy experienced gamers looking for deeper mechanics.

Personal Thoughts on Kingswood

Kingswood is an excellent addition to any gaming collection, particularly for families or groups with younger players. It strikes a perfect balance between ease of learning and strategic engagement, making it a great starter or filler game for game nights. The game’s accessibility and the variety it offers through different guilds ensure that it can be enjoyed by a wide range of players, from casual gamers to those with some experience. However, seasoned gamers might find it a bit too light and straightforward.

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