After The Empire Review - with Tom Vasel

Tom Vasel takes a look at worker placement castle defense game! After The Empire
00:00 - Introduction
01:05 - Game overview
10:43 - Final thoughts
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BGG Link: boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2...

[@Last_March_of_the_Gents]

"Are clearly wood cubes" - holds cubes out of cameras focus lol. Jokes aside, fantastic review

[@Forza1988]

Tom you’re going to make me go broke

[@romainnaim426]

The moment I watched that video, that was an instant buy for me! In fact, I didn’t even wait the end to preorder my copy. That game really resonates with me. Thanks Tom! I cannot believe I missed this Kickstarter...

[@AthexTube]

Great review Tom this one wasn't even on my radar until this!

[@gaaraxebeard]

Mine just arrived today. I can't wait to try it!

[@scyldscefing3913]

I was able to play this with the developers at the Portland ComiCon a couple years ago. It had just launched on Kickstarter. I was destroyed as you might expect, but had a great time. I didn't back the kickstarter, but certainly plan on purchasing the game.

[@jpotter2086]

Theme and toy factor from the '80s added on to popular mechanisms from the '10s = ultimate geekbait :D

[@ferver-san]

The marauders had some pretty good gold detectors back then.

[@BillyIndiana]

Can't wait to receive my Kickstarter

[@successfulgeek]

This looks really cool! Hope to try this at Dice Tower East!

[@joerihessels8230]

Great review! I love the tension in this game, you have to push your gold to win, but the invaders will come at you hard. Will you survive yet another siege or get sacked? It is also great how you sometimes survive against nearly unsurmountable odds, like nearly 20 soldiers attacking one side of the castle. Love the game!

[@dylanjacobchin4237]

Went into this review thinking it looked cheesy and uninspired, but it actually seems really really neat.

[@samfirth1592]

Thanks for another great review Tom! That's another game added to my wishlist, much to my wallet's chagrin. I would have been even more excited about this game if they had given it an Arthurian theme, perhaps with the base game set during the time of Uther (Arthur's father) and other competing kings/warlords, with an expansion set during the time of King Arthur adding a cooperative mode with players with players taking on the role of Knights of the Round Table.

[@EfrainRiveraJunior]

This game looks amazing. And this review got me very excited. I wish I could back this one on Kickstarter.

[@jaspervanimpe5010]

Looking forward receiving my KS copy 🤩.

[@jeffgoggin1394]

As soon as I saw the board and you and you started explaining tie gameplay I thought "Tom HAS to love this!"

[@dahger7]

I'm going to show this to the game group.

[@tyrussleightholme7261]

Just played this for the first time, played it again right after, great great fun.

[@mystemo1980]

Deluxe was definately the way to go. Cannot wait for everyone else to receive their kickstarters

[@hepsbok171]

Mine came in today!

[@theearlyresetband]

Mine is still sitting back because of the snow storm- ahhh! Ready to play this one 👍🏻👍🏻

[@TheSpizer]

I'm so happy I backed the KS version with the nice components. Even sprung for the GameTrayz insert which makes setup so nice. This game really is fantastic and a worthwhile purchase.

[@jalanaga7289]

I'm so happy that you're so happy enough to announce to all of us that you are happy about backing something.

[@Aaackermann]

@Jalan aga I am happy you are happy he is happy.

[@junosynth]

I'm just happy!

[@thephantomhennes]

Thanks Tom for showing the basic retail copy that all of us can buy.

[@bold1066]

I decided not to back the Kickstarter as I wasn't sure. Watching this, I wish I had. Especially with some of the exclusives. Oh well.

[@PsychicLord]

Great review....

[@TheBoardDad]

Awesome looking game and the theme is right up my alley.

[@MathieuVIII]

Glad I backed all in then!

[@Eddiearch]

Hilarious that the upgraded wood cubes are plastic with a wood effect for added realism, when the basic cubes are ACTUALLY MADE OF WOOD

[@spaztekwarrior]

This looks very good!!

[@sirremicable]

Aaaand pre ordered.... love how it looks

[@ryanmauk]

Yay! Thank you!

[@chewiewins]

Is this out at retail? UK?

[@mananshah267]

Thanks for After the empire review, but I see Dwergar on the shelf behind you, from where did you pick it up?

[@drhumupower8570]

Ugh, I really thought about backing this game, and didn't, and now I regret it. 😭😭

[@damianjohnson4707]

Me too! Very sad I'm going to miss out on the upgrades now😭

[@davidarchambault2093]

This is coming to Gamefound this week :)

[@florisvandenbussche9616]

You can back it at gamefound at the moment with all kickstarter deluxe items

[@patcraig1637]

Reminds me of Stronghold

[@TheEarthIsRound365]

The dice in the intro actually landed on 4 and the tower module represents 6

[@northlakeghost]

Tom, I really like the music in your reviews. (i.e. the Vince Guaraldi-esque piano intro and the chill bass transition music). Where does it come from?

[@EpicGamingNight]

The intro music is a Dice Tower theme and the bass music it’s some thing I made up in garage band! 😝 I’m glad you like it!

[@northlakeghost]

It's so chill. Props, @@EpicGamingNight!

[@m0tty11]

@@EpicGamingNight Go Roy!

[@ryanmauk]

@@EpicGamingNight I know Tom is the one who likes hats, but you sure do seem to wear many hats around there as well :)

[@rawkyle9385]

Did this game defeat the component drop?!?!

[@peterjs007]

Looks like a similar concept to The Great Wall by Awaken Realms that's coming out later this year.

[@dustinfreund5196]

All the castle walls and reinforcements in the world still won't protect you from Tom's gavel!

[@MrHubtech]

Can't find the "live game of this" that Tom mentions at around 11 minutes into the video - I'd like to watch that.

[@ryanmauk]

Here ya go! - kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3rOgYpna7ShhqM

[@MrHubtech]

@@ryanmauk Thank you.

[@jaspervanimpe5010]

Roy, Mike, Tom, Maybe worthwhile adding “After the empire” in the title of the KZbin video, so it pops up while searching for the playthrough of the game on KZbin.

[@danielwoltanski1413]

When they first announced this game, I knew it was made for me. Can't wait for it to arrive.

[@LeeroyPorkins]

Imagine if they used the dice recruiting system of Champions of Midgard.

[@tom2678]

Love this game

[@zeroenth7743]

It does carry a little bit of a price but man do I like it a lot too.

[@cbazler]

Dice Tower Judgment... "Ouch!"

[@daanrousseau7845]

Does anyone have the link to the live playthrough he was talking about?

[@ryanmauk]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3rOgYpna7ShhqM

[@stephenwyda2568]

Is this game available for backing still?

[@UndeadVikingVideos]

No but you can order it from the publisher directly.

[@NakedGamer]

Where is the live playthrough? anyone got a link?

[@ryanmauk]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3rOgYpna7ShhqM

[@NakedGamer]

@@ryanmauk thank you :)

[@Benjahmin1138]

I can't find the live play of this on the channel

[@ryanmauk]

It's hard to find because After The Empire isn't in the name. Here ya go! - kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3rOgYpna7ShhqM

[@mgk2020]

@@ryanmauk Thank you.

[@shaneannigans]

Love tower defence games and this looks amazing!! But does anyone know if it has a solo mode?

[@ryanmauk]

Hey Shane! Currently there is no official solo mode, but if you are interested in being a playtester for the one in development, please do let us know! You can reach out to [e-mail] and Evan (my co-designer who is doing most of the work on the solo mode) can loop you in :)

[@rodgermoore7960]

Also you can join Grey Fox Games discord server. We play it on there as well. :-D

[@shaneannigans]

@@ryanmauk I really appreciate the offer but fear I wouldn't have time at the moment to playtest it properly and give reliable feedback in time. Will be keeping an eye and ear out for a solo mode

[@shaneannigans]

@@rodgermoore7960 I'm really more an in-person, face-to-face sort of guy 🙂 I also only collect games that have a solo mode in case I love a game but my friends/gaming groups don't. Playing via internet is the reason I left video games and got into this hobby. Thanks for letting me know 🙂, but I guess that's just not my jam. 🤷‍♂️

[@Thisslapsmydude]

Can someone link the play through

[@ryanmauk]

Hey Ray, Here's the live play through / learning game the Dice Tower streamed last month: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3rOgYpna7ShhqM

[@Nic1700]

I call Ledgerman!!!

[@Leuler89]

I think it's very wired to upgrade woodn wood-Qubes to plastic wood-cubes. I mean... what can be better to represent wood than wood???

[@jauggy]

Where is the live gameplay video?

[@ryanmauk]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3rOgYpna7ShhqM

[@NeilY1000]

reprint up on gamefound. Take my money

[@pcpandemic3394]

hmm I dunno, feels a lil too random for my tastes

[@maxducoudray]

Just like real warfare. 😉

[@ryanmauk]

Hey PCPandemic, We certainly understand that some folks may not like the random-attack direction, and (to an extent) accounted for this in the game. There is a mechanism called "scouting" that allows you to move your troops around after the reveal of the invaders. Scouting is represented both in a board action and on many cards that you can acquire. We've found this helps with the dislike of randomness some players have, and gives them an avenue for a different strategy than others may take. Hopefully you get a chance to try it for yourself at some point!

[@pcpandemic3394]

@@ryanmauk it's on the wishlist don't you worry ;)

[@nicjyc]

Seems like this is the game that B-Sieged was supposed to be.

[@paradox1995]

Mo money Mo problems Mo barbarian invaders.😬

[@Andrew.Griffin]

Nice cover. (1st? Ha-ha-ha)

[@meenki347]

Roy is not a better player than Tom!

[@ch5477]

kind of lame this board game is sold out everywhere in one day.

[@ryanmauk]

Copies still seem available on the Grey Fox website!

[@ScytheNoire]

That direction of attack card makes no sense. Any normal person would place the card with the text to be readable, matching every other component on the board. They should've used compass directions on the card and player boards. "Attack from the East." And how would enemies on horseback attack from the water? Poorly designed.

[@PSG_gammagoat]

Hello! As someone who's played this over a dozen times, I can shed some light on this. The cards themselves are randomized rather than printed with cardinal directions because each player board's cardinal directions are based on the compass on the main board. So each card affects a player differently depending on where they are facing in relation to the main board. In Tom's example, the card will come from the right side on the player's board if they are facing the main board right-side-up, but the invaders come from the left side of the players sitting on the opposite side. Also, because you randomly rotate that deck when you shuffle it, it makes it to where you can't count card based on how many have shown up from a given direction. I hope this helps!

[@ScytheNoire]

@@PSG_gammagoat So unless a person purposely rotates the cards, they would all show up from the same side, as Tom showed?

[@PSG_gammagoat]

@@ScytheNoire Per the rules, the cards are supposed to be shuffled in random orientations, which is why they are square and look the same no matter which direction it is oriented.

[@ryanmauk]

Hey ScytheNoire, It was a purposeful design choice on our part to have the cards be spin-shuffled instead of always coming out right side up. This choice was made because otherwise players could learn the deck and fit that into their strategy. For example, someone could say "oh, we've had 8 North cards, and there's only 8 North cards in the deck, I no longer need to defend my northern side at all". We certainly considered this during development, and some playtesters had the same preference as you. In the end, keeping the combat unknown/exciting and allowing for better replayability was the choice we made. As to the horseback on water comment, I assume you are talking about the fact that Tom chose to present the player board with a frozen water side? None of the castles actually have a water side in design, or graphical choice. They are meant to be land (or effectively land) on all sides. The other three player boards are mostly forested, or lush/hilly, and not in a frozen environment. Although the art on this one board shows a coastline, it is meant to be frozen and traversable as if it were land. I hope that addressed your concerns/questions.

[@danielengel4593]

Grey Fox Games, hmm, biased?

[@museofire]

PLASTIC! Come on, why so much plastic in 2021? Can we not try to find a biodegradable alternative for use in our board games (or even try to lessen its use)?

[@jeremyfrost3127]

Who's throwing board games in the trash? Prefer my components not bio-degrade

[@museofire]

@@jeremyfrost3127 So long as you keep playing it and no component gets lost or broken it may stay in your collection and there's no problem. Any of the above occur and the use of non-degradable plastic will be adding to the problem.

[@richardblkmann3298]

I'm going to go throw a car battery in the ocean, just for your comment.

[@museofire]

@@richardblkmann3298 make sure you hold on to the metal contacts if you do

[@richardblkmann3298]

@@museofire the fact you think that would do anything showcases your ignorance of how the scientific world works. Stop listening to the TV and wishing harm on other human beings.