Wildlands (2018) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Wildlands is a fantasy board game released in 2018 that combines elements of fighting and miniatures gameplay. Designed by Alyn Spiller and Yann Tisseron, the game is published by Osprey Games and is suitable for 2 to 4 players, with a recommended age of 14 and above. The game features variable player powers, secret unit deployment, and hand management mechanics, making each playthrough unique and engaging.

Game Components of Wildlands

Cool miniatures representing various factions

Solid card stock with multi-use cards

A well-drawn, double-sided board offering two distinct maps

Character cards with numbered spaces for deployment

Jewel tokens

Health tokens

Interrupt cards

Faction-specific characters, each with unique abilities

How To Setup Wildlands

Setting up Wildlands is relatively straightforward and low-setup. Each player scatters five jewels of their faction’s treasure on the board, across 5 of the roughly 40 spaces. Players secretly hold five cards indicating where their characters will deploy on the board. Each player starts with a hand of seven cards. The game includes two core sets, each with four unique factions and a double-sided map, ensuring cross-compatibility across different themes.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Hand Management: Players manage a hand of multi-use cards to move, attack, or defend their characters.

Character Deployment: Players reveal characters on the board based on their card hand.

Interrupt Actions: Players can use Interrupt cards to take over an opponent’s turn or disrupt their actions.

Combat: Characters engage in combat to reduce each other’s health; killing a character earns a point.

Jewel Collection: Collecting jewels on the board also earns points.

Objective: The first player to score 5 points, either by collecting jewels or knocking out opponents’ characters, wins the game.

Player Experience

Wildlands offers a chaotic and cerebral gameplay experience. Players must carefully manage their card hand to execute strategic moves, attacks, and defenses. The game is known for its tense moments, particularly when using Interrupt cards to snatch victories or disrupt opponents. Games are typically short, lasting about an hour even with new players. The game’s accessibility allows newcomers to quickly learn and engage in the skirmishes, while its depth emerges as players parse their hand and make informed decisions based on the board state.

Pros

Easy to Learn: Low-setup and easy to teach, making it accessible to new players.

Tactical Depth: Offers a rich experience with careful hand management and strategic decisions.

Asymmetric Gameplay: Each faction plays very differently, adding variety to the game.

Short Playtime: Games are typically short, lasting about an hour.

Cool Miniatures: The game features high-quality miniatures and well-designed components.

Cons

Character Activation Limitations: Character actions are controlled entirely by the cards in your hand, which can feel constraining.

Limited Health: Characters have low health and no healing options, leading to frequent character eliminations.

Not Highly Dramatic: The game lacks high drama and explosive moments, focusing more on tactical decisions.

Personal Thoughts on Wildlands

Wildlands is ideal for fans of tactical skirmish games and those who enjoy hand management and strategic card play. It is particularly suited for players who prefer resource management and careful play over randomness and high drama. The game’s accessibility and short playtime make it a great addition to any game collection, especially for those who appreciate the blend of fantasy themes and strategic gameplay. However, players seeking a game with more dramatic moments or special abilities might find Wildlands a bit subdued.

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