Mr. President: The American Presidency, 2001-2020 is a board game that allows players to step into the shoes of the President of the United States from the years 2001 to
Designed by Donal Hegarty and published by GMT Games, this game delves into the intricate world of modern warfare and political decision-making.Game Components of Mr. President: The American Presidency, 2001-2020
Game Boards: Two mounted boards, a 22″ x 34″ main board and a 22″ x 17″ secondary board.Crisis Cards: 180 Cascading Event Cards that introduce various crises and challenges.Counters and Markers: Over 500 counters and markers spread across five counter sheets.Rulebooks and Aids: Multiple rulebooks, including a “How to Play” book, “How to Play a Turn” FlipBook, Scenario Book, World Chart Book, Domestic Chart Book, Peer Competitor Action Books for Russia and China, and six player aid cards.Cabinet Members: Cards representing the VP, Chief of Staff, Secretary of State, and Secretary of Defense, each with unique attributes and abilities.
How To Setup Mr. President: The American Presidency, 2001-2020
Setup involves selecting key cabinet members, each with their own attributes and abilities. Players choose a VP, Chief of Staff, Secretary of State, and Secretary of Defense from a limited pool, considering their domestic, diplomacy, and military attributes. The game also includes a detailed setup process outlined in the rulebooks, which guides players through the initial configuration of the boards, counters, and cards.
Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective
Resource Management: Players manage limited resources to advance their agenda.Crisis Management: Navigate ongoing crises, political enemies, public opinion, and relations with Congress and the press.Turn Sequence: Each turn is divided into a start phase, four activation phases, and an end phase, with each activation phase split into reactive and proactive parts.Crisis Chits and Cards: Draw Crisis Chits that lead to Crisis Cards, introducing unexpected events and challenges.Domestic and Global Tracking: Use the game map to track domestic issues, world opinion, relations with Congress, media relations, homeland security, and the state of the US economy.Objective: Survive a four-year term and achieve the best possible outcome based on prestige points earned by advancing domestic and social agendas, while managing global challenges.
Player Experience
Playing **Mr. President: The American Presidency, 2001-2020** is a complex and immersive experience. The game requires careful planning and adaptation as players face a dynamic world with unpredictable crises. Each turn is a multi-hour commitment, and the game’s complexity is managed through detailed rulebooks and turn sequence guides. The experience is likened to “Pandemic on steroids” due to the constant need to react to new challenges and manage limited resources.
Pros
High Replayability: With 180 Crisis cards and multiple subsystems, no two games are alike.Detailed Simulation: The game simulates a wide range of presidential responsibilities, from legislation to international relations.Challenging Gameplay: Designed to be challenging, with many potential auto-loss conditions and tough decision-making.Resource Management Depth: Players must juggle limited resources to achieve their goals.Historical Scenarios: Includes historical scenarios with different rules and criteria for success.
Cons
Complexity: The game has a steep learning curve due to its numerous rules and components.Lengthy Turns: Each turn can be several hours long.Simplistic Rival Portrayal: The game’s portrayal of rival nations, such as China and Russia, is somewhat simplistic and always negative.Overwhelming Components: The game includes a large number of counters, markers, and rulebooks, which can be overwhelming to organize.
Personal Thoughts on Mr. President: The American Presidency, 2001-2020
**Mr. President: The American Presidency, 2001-2020** is for gamers who enjoy complex, narrative-driven experiences and are interested in strategic resource management. It is ideal for players who appreciate the intricacies of political and global challenges and are willing to invest time in learning and playing the game. While it can be played solo, the game also allows for collaborative play with friends, dividing roles to manage different aspects of the presidency. This game is not for the faint of heart; it is designed to be challenging and requires a significant commitment of time and effort.
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