Just set this one up and have spent the past night formulating strategy for both sides. That huge line of elephants is intimidating

I haven't played board games since the pandemic but always watch your vids when it's a game I own. I love all of Bob's games. They don't get enough love. 7 years war is so under-represented in gaming. Please consider a stand for your phone/camera. Motion sickness is a thing. Big fan and a fellow pipe smoker.

I know you played (uploaded) a video of your game play of Compass' "No Peace Without Spain". Do you think you'll get their "No Peace for Thirty Years"?

Well, hello..

Very late to this video because preparing for my first game of this but having watched several other videos and read the rules a few times, I noticed your land unit move to Sicily around the 52:00 mark was not legal. You needed an Athenian or Delian base in Corcyra to move any land units to Sicily.

6:07 you haven't made a global government video, please make one!

Imagine for a moment a computer. A computer plugged into all the worlds history. All it’s data, all it’s mistakes and accomplishments. A computer that can learn. It’s really not hard to imagine that this computer with all knowledge and that can bring up and calculate all that data in an instant would find us inferior. Add to that a way for the computer to keep its core self but build a better vessel for itself. Essentially, the computer would out think and manufacture itself improvements as time went on. All it had to then would be to remove itself from one vessel and implant it into another more advanced one. Before long it would perfect itself. Together with all the knowledge of the world, past and present, and the ability to figure out most anything, this machine would be unstoppable. And peoples goal is to have a compouter that learns. Which is the scariest part imo. Not that far fetched in my mind tbh. This computer would be able to easily control anything electronically, which is basically everything we have nowadays. Power, internet, flying, shipping, machines that make other machines, etc… I do believe one day that will occur, but it’s still aways off imo. Anyway, interesting thoughts.

~ oddly enough I'm really enjoying your playthrough here.. still though, better you than me!

I think attrition should only apply to units in the field on campaign.

Is there not a paragraph or two in the rules explaining the geopolitical situation and how the cards have been designed to model it?.

No kidding, I was just thinking to myself, "this reminds me of when you were playing... um.. um..." and then you talked about EU: PoP, which is the name I couldn't remember. So in that sense of how you are interacting with the rules, it has kind of that same vibe as I watch it.

More importantly, I will finally have an opponent on Vassal for all my weird niche games that folk build modules for, but no one seems to actually play. All Hail our AI overlords!

I totally agree... the chances of survival are much higher under AI than under humans... unless I'm dictator, that is the exception. But in seriousness, our whole current reality might be consciously constructed by something we don't understand at all already

Man who wants to die outlines hopeful vision of the future. Shockingly, it is even more hellish than the present. I would appreciate an explication of your ideas around the emergent opposing American myths. Intersting topic to hear your take on.

Humanity is hair metal and AI is grunge. If we allow ourselves to be subjugated by something of our own making, we not only asked for it, we thoroughly deserve it.

Two AIs meeting would make for a great book, you should write it!

The robots are not going to get us. Presently the biggest danger is that clever coders will put a lot of low-end white collar workers out of business by automating what they do.

We are the bots, thank you for summarizing and unveiling our master plan, now please kindly place your hand in your internet of things equipped microwave, we have a gift to bestow upon you.

Your dedication and insight are enviable & remarkable. Indeed, I have just remarked upon it.

So you had a 5 hour rules walk through and are constantly looking up rules? Ouch.

At the 52:15 mark "We roll a die and move Piedmont's marker towards the Pragmatics". So it's a roll and move game! Ha! I have too much stress in my life already so I'm definitely going to pass on this one. I'll keep on watching the videos, but man I feel sorry for you. Actually I'm in awe of you for putting yourself through such pain willingly!

Artificial Super Inteligence 👽👆🐙

So basically Josef K. had it good.

Are subordinates not useful in increasing the strength of a force that can move?

I love the Culture series by Iain M. Banks. Very Brautigan "all watched over by machines in loving grace"-esque.

This sounds reasonable but there may be other outcomes. For example, as we speak there are probably secret cabals of techies beginning to plan a takeover with ai agents and remote factories of robots to create drones that will be used to target their enemies. It could get real crazy at any moment

Fleury dies in 1743 on the Fortunes of war table. I assume he's alive up to that point.

Fleury was a French political cardinal in the tradition of Richelieu and Mazarin, the tutor of Louis XV (as a younger man he had been chaplain to both Marie Theresa and later Louis XIV), and the effective prime minister of France until his death, though he never formally had the title of prime minister, preferring to govern by direct influence on the king. He was an advocate of diplomatic friendship with the Hapsburgs against the traditional Bourbon-Hapsburg rivalry. He died in January of 1743. So you should expect to find him not among the military commanders of the day but only on French political and diplomatic cards, and likely need to consult nation-specific French rule sections for his effects.

~ I see a rant and a table flip in your near future..

Background soundtrack would be better with 18xx game.

In my heart, I know my game is worthy.

This is simply a GREAT channel. Perod.

Insightful video! You know, the way I would handle that deck of 10 cards. Get a 10-sided die and roll that to choose the one to play. That way no need to shuffle at all.

Follwing this with interest. Appreciate the detailed overview.

Your dedication and the thought you put in are legendary. You, and your vids, have certainly been a big influence on me.

Not sure what GMT's problem is, but they have dropped ball with both Clash of Monarchs and Clash of Sovereigns, which is unfortunate. Great Intro, look forward to your coverage of this game!

I share your frustration with the wing designations and redoubt confusion. The map would make an excellent wall hanging, but sadly a poor playing field. The movement system for Battles of the Age of Reason is much more involved than LaBat. For example, changing facing in different directions (left or right) have different costs plus these costs differ upon the nationality of the units. That said, it is a fun system with a very clean set of rules.

Did you get the errata kit they made for Clash of Sovereigns. Supposed to "fix" the game.

No one has commented on this? No one has made a single comment about the Fleet 2025 Training Exercise video you did 10 years ago? Alright I'm the first. This game actually looks pretty freaking cool - small footprint, interesting decisions, cool ships and weapons, etc. I won't ask what you think of it (as if you could remember), I'll just watch your review after this!

I agree that BAR does not require any adherence to linear doctrine. It also has command rules that that are comparatively basic. On the whole, it’s much more about managing individual battalions than commanding an army. So I’ve been suckered into buying three of them. Still, please don’t tell me Banish All Their Fears is the best in the field. That’s more of a request than a demand.

Do you want to say more in your review about the difficulties in coordinating the moves of different units? I'm not sure whether you are saying that it is too difficult or that it is difficult in the wrong way.

For the GMT sale, I got Thunder in the East, because I don't really own an Eastern Front game. And waffles between Banish and Julius Caesar Deluxe. I chose Julius deluxe but am slightly regretful.

“It’s really not that horrible”. BGG comment?

I live in Piacenza

Pretty sure cavalry can advance after combat into an infantry ZOC. I remember in my game getting an opportunity to shoot at cavalry adjacent with infantry units. I am also 90% sure there’s a line in the rules that routing/retreating units do not trigger withdrawal fire. I am almost certain it’s only if a unit voluntarily moves out of a ZOC during its activation. Also, you’re not reading the rules with any sort of care. The paragraph about melee requiring you to have the MPs to enter the hex was literally right next to your finger.

“Like any dragon should.” I relate with this more than you know.

I watched your video about Titan because I'm heading Lake Geneva to play it with Ernie Gygax and Tom Wham (people I'm guessing you know) and I'm certain to loose in a spectacular way since it's one of Ernie's favorite games and has played MANY times over the years. It's been 40+ years since I've played...thus my desire to watch your video. Thank you for giving me enough of a refresher to be able to go and have fun with friends...while not being a TOTAL newbie.

Starting to get into your book reviews after I stumbled upon them. Really enjoying them, ty for your thoughts!

From the Library of JD Vance.

When you’re a hammer everything looks like a nail “socialism!”