Paladins of the West Kingdom (2019) Board Game

Paladins of the West Kingdom is a board game designed by S J Macdonald and Shem Phillips, and published by Garphill Games in in 2019. It is set in medieval Europe and follows the story of noble paladins working to defend their kingdom and expand its influence.

Game Components of Paladins of the West Kingdom

Player Boards: Each player has a personal board to manage garrisons, commissioners, and absolve tokens.

Paladin Cards: Players have a deck of Paladin cards, each providing unique workers and bonuses.

Worker Tokens: Colored workers drafted from the pub each round.

Townsfolk Cards: Cards representing townspeople who can aid in various tasks.

Outsider Cards: Representing external threats that players must confront.

King’s Order and King’s Favor Cards: Provide additional objectives and actions.

Attribute Tracks: For faith, strength, and influence.

Muster, Negotiate, and Ally Cards: Introduced in the *City of Crowns* expansion.

How To Setup Paladins of the West Kingdom

To set up the game, each player starts with a player board and a deck of Paladin cards. The main board is populated with various action spaces, and the pub area is set up with available worker tokens. King’s Order cards are distributed at the beginning, and King’s Favor cards are introduced starting from Round 3. Players also draft their initial workers and choose a Paladin to play for the first round.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Worker Placement: Players place workers on their board to perform actions.

Open Drafting: Players draft workers from the pub.

Market: Interacting with the King’s Orders and Favors.

End Game Bonuses: Scoring points based on various achievements.

Objective: The goal is to accumulate the most victory points by building outposts, fortifications, commissioning monks, and confronting outsiders.

Player Experience

**Paladins of the West Kingdom** is praised for its deep gameplay and strategic depth. Players must balance multiple tasks, including defending their city, building structures, and spreading faith. The game requires careful planning and resource management, as resources and rounds are limited. The solo mode is particularly commended for its challenge and engagement.

Pros

Deep Strategy: Offers complex and engaging gameplay with multiple paths to victory.

Beautiful Artwork: High-quality artwork and symbology enhance the gaming experience.

Challenging Solo Mode: One of the more compelling and challenging solo variants in board gaming.

High Replayability: Numerous combinations of Paladin cards, Townsfolk, and Outsider cards ensure different experiences each game.

Cons

Steep Learning Curve: The game is complex and takes time to learn, especially for new players.

Time-Consuming Setup: Setting up the game can be lengthy due to the numerous components and tracks.

Small Box: The game box is often criticized for being too small to hold all the components neatly.

Personal Thoughts on Paladins of the West Kingdom

**Paladins of the West Kingdom** is ideal for experienced board game enthusiasts who enjoy worker placement and resource management games. It is not suitable for casual players due to its complexity and steep learning curve. However, for those who appreciate deep strategy and are willing to invest time in learning the mechanics, this game offers a highly rewarding experience. If you’re looking for a game that challenges you at every turn and provides high replayability, **Paladins of the West Kingdom** is an excellent choice.

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