Burning Banners Overview & First Look | Compass Games | Fantasy Wargame Board Game

[@ZillaBlitz]

To E Johnson - I got an email notification with your comment and came here to reply to it, but now it's gone. I'm not sure if you deleted it yourself or if KZbin deleted it, but I wanted to let you know that it wasn't me. :)

[@crokinoledk]

It was good Overview of a good game, Guys! An easy recommendation for fans of classics like: - Divine Tight -Wizard Kings - Warparty - Conquest of Nerath or - Heroes of Land, Air & Sea. From relatively lately released games it’s my second favorite fantasy based strategy (not tactical) war game, followed by The Struggle for Zorn: The Red Blight and surpassed only by Harrow County (although the latter is more horror/gothic than typical Fantasy). Thanks for your work!

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks! And that's a great list of similar games. :)

[@SoloBattles]

I've got mine ordered. I am quite certain that I will be doing one of my narrative solo videos using this game. To address the solo-ability of the game, I'll use my tagline, "I don't play to win, I play to see what happens." This sounds like the kind of game where it will be very fun to see what happens. If you play to see what happens, then the hidden info isn't really an issue. You simply role play what the Kingdom would most likely do. In the rare instance that it matters (ex. I wouldn't attack if I knew they had that spell), I simply roll a die and give them a 50% chance of guessing right. If you want to play the game and tell the story, you can make it work! For me what is a deal breaker for solo is if it has too many fiddley rules and I have difficulty keeping track of where I am in the turn, and what I was doing. I don't think this game is that way at all, unless you try to manage several kingdoms at once.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Sounds like a great plan! And I think it's a system that you can grow into over time, too. :)

[@SoloBattles]

​@ZillaBlitz as a follow up, now that I have the game, it plays great solo. Until I get real familiar with the system I'll be sticking to two player scenarios, but there is no reason to imagine that a full six player would be unworkable. Each player's turn is a self contained sub-routine, so there isn't any hopping around. There is battle magic, but at most that is glancing at 3 or 4 spells, so no biggie. One round combat also helps. As a counterpoint, Battle of Five Armies has multiple rounds of combat and card play, which can get a little overwhelming playing solo.

[@ThymeKeeper]

I have played several times and I haven't come close to seeing all of the treasures and spells. So within any given game you are going to have a lot of variation.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Good to hear, and makes sense, for sure. There are tons of cards in here, and each kingdom seems like it's own mini-game within the game.

[@ericburgess8347]

Great video and this is a fantastic game. We thoroughly enjoyed playing it. Can't wait to get it on the table again.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Glad to hear that you enjoyed it. I can't wait to play.

[@SoloBattles]

I'm really excited to play this game (waiting for the restock at end of this month). I've read the rules. The only thing that seems fiddly to me is the magic rules in combat. Lots of timing specifics. I choose to believe that it plays more smoothly then it looks. @ericburgess8347 what is your opinion?

[@SoloBattles]

Now that I have it, and have played it, I have found the magic system works quite smoothly.

[@johncostigan8747]

Noble Knight Games are fantastic! Have fleshed out my collection in recent times, many of my choices derived from watching your reviews. Aim to continue using them and watching you. ❤🤘

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks so much! Yeah, they can be a great way to get some older games, and used can be a nice way to save some cash. :)

[@swaminic]

This is a great overview of the game. I have it and am going to play it for the first time tomorrow. Can’t wait. The map is a work of art. I believe Chris is going to sell posters of the map as well.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Oh, enjoy tomorrow! The map as a poster would be very cool, too. :)

[@dogtags2010]

Map is beautiful. If it had solo, i would have backed this instantly. Would love to watch a complete playthrough of all the scenarios though.

[@ZillaBlitz]

A complete playthrough of all the scenarios would be a ton of fun, and probably a KZbin channel in itself. :) That'd be a hefty project, for sure.

[@SoloBattles]

I play it solo and it is a lot of fun. When I play solo I don't play to win, I play to see what happens. It's very fun.

[@ThymeKeeper]

Man, do I love this game. I got it hoping to scratch the itch from not being able to afford a copy of Divine Right, then a few weeks later a reprint of Divine Right went on Kickstarter. Still, there's plenty of itch there for me to scratch twice :).

[@ZillaBlitz]

It's funny. I passed on the Divine Right Kickstarter, then once I saw this game was inspired by that, I went to the Divine Right Kickstarter to back it ... but it had closed three days earlier. :)

[@ThymeKeeper]

@@ZillaBlitz I'm sure there will be a late pledge or it will be available from retailers, at least for a short time. You may even be able to swing a review copy ;).

[@MoragTong_]

@@ZillaBlitz Publisher has stated will be open for late pledges once on the Pungo website once the printers are done with the files. Will also be available retail.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Great to know, thanks for the update!

[@georgedeppner418]

Great overview you do a wonderful job on your videos, game looks fantastic !

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks very much! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. :)

[@RobRiddell37]

Great overview video. I really enjoy your channel. I backed this game because of the art and the creator loved Divine Right as do I. I’ve played the basic intro scenario twice and have the first advanced scenario set up. The game play is fast which I like and it’s easy to play solitaire two handed. I think this game hits all the right check boxes for me. The map is amazing and the different factions are great. I can hardly wait to play a six faction game on the big map. 🦋

[@ZillaBlitz]

That's great to hear that you're enjoying it so far! I'm looking forward to getting through this busy stretch of work so that I can get back to playing games. :)

[@flagshipathletics8323]

Great review. Appreciate your depth. Can't wait to pick this up!

[@ZillaBlitz]

Glad you liked it and I hope you enjoy the game! :)

[@coyi51]

Another game added to my wish list, while trying to decide what to buy from NKG sale. So much going on within the game, should keep one occupied for quite some time and expansions to follow. Excellent and informative review. Many thanks

[@ZillaBlitz]

Yes, the amount of scenarios and the variety of the kingdoms, and the spells and treasures all add up to something where it feels like each game is going to play out very differently. I'm excited to see how it plays.

[@Phalanx11]

Like it, might get it. If I do I'll support your channel with it. My wife and I like magical games like Everquest II.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks! I'm extremely curious to see how it plays. Initial reports on BGG are positive.

[@thecustardprophet8434]

This looks most awesome. Really love these fantasy based games, and this looks likes like it has heaps of replayability.

[@ZillaBlitz]

I've played a couple of times now and I think it's the type of game where it gets better as you learn how to play each of the factions. Some seem easier to play than others.

[@QuayleTBird]

Mike, a GREAT overview. I was so pleasantly surprised by the rules. Extremely well written and clear. Especially having recently struggled through the rules of an unnamed GMT game, this was a pleasure. I hope to play this with some friends soon. My only (minor) disappointment was that I had hoped that the game would lean in the direction of SPI's Swords & Sorcery (1978) and make the alliances more "flexible." I loved the aspects of diplomacy as they were represented in that game. However, I can't wait to play this. It is a fantastic game with lots of interesting nuance. And the art is perfect. Thanks, as always for your channel and work! Nick Stasnopolis

[@QuayleTBird]

Also, apparently the next issue of the Compass magazine (109?) is supposed to have some kind of solitaire scenario/rules for the game.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks for the kind words, Nick, and I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying it. And that's very interesting about the next issue of the Compass magazine. Sounds like I'll definitely have to check that out, thanks for the heads up. :)

[@KingKooba22]

i love the art in this game. It's unfortunate it's not one of the more solo friendly CG games :(

[@ZillaBlitz]

QuayleTBird mentioned in his comment that there will be some sort of solo rules in an upcoming version of Compass Games' magazine. Not sure on the details, but I'm not getting the sense that the game is solo-unfriendly either. It seems like it will work pretty well solo to me.

[@KingKooba22]

@@ZillaBlitz from what you've seen from the rules so far, do you think solo may be more in vein of a Men of Iron where you play both sides?

[@ZillaBlitz]

Yes, very much so. You'd be playing both sides to the best of your abilities. I think within that type of play the only mechanic that hinders things is the fact that your cards in your hand would be hidden from your opponent when playing with more than one person, whereas playing solo you'll know all the cards currently in play in the game. I don't think it breaks anything for solo, but it's just a bit different.

[@KingKooba22]

@@ZillaBlitz That doesn't sound too bad then, maybe ill pick it up sooner than later!

[@therealrepete]

@@ZillaBlitzI believe it will be a solo scenario and not a “rule set” for the whole box.

[@majkus]

The designer mentioned that the Basic Game should not be disparaged as 'just for beginners', especially on the Chronicle map, where six players on four maps might be bogged down by the Advanced Game and its additional table space for cards, etc. Knowing the community, expect some unofficial solo campaigns within a few months. Goblins who move stupidly but in great numbers…

[@ZillaBlitz]

Oh, that's interesting to know for the basic game. It seems to leave out so much that I was kind of assuming it was a stepping stone to the real game. Good to know, thanks for sharing. And based on another comment, it sounds like a solo variant is coming to a Compass magazine soon. :)

[@SoloBattles]

I have found that putting all the monsters (land) into a cloth bag to be a great solution for storage and during play.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Good tip, thanks!

[@ThymeKeeper]

I might consider getting some different dice for the different factions. I like to use dice that match the side, whether or not it's a wargame. Also, I prefer d6 with pips. But at least they give you plenty of dice. You will occasionally need a large number of dice but I have never not had enough.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Good to know, thanks. For solo play, I could see having uniquely colored dice being handy too. You could throw them all at once. :)

[@j_atkinson]

Just the map and artwork alone make me want to buy this game! I could look at it for hours and not play it ;)

[@ZillaBlitz]

Haha! I know, right? The map is so good. :)

[@jasonw.543]

I've only played it twice so far, but I really like it. I'm interested to hear what you think after you've had the chance to play a few times.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Good to hear, have you gotten into the advanced game yet then?

[@danno4729]

Hi, thanks for the great video! Are there any other great multiplayer wargames that you might recommend? Thanks again!

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks for the kind words! There are lots of fun multiplayer wargames, do you have a particular time period or complexity you are looking for?

[@danno4729]

@@ZillaBlitz maybe sci-fi or possibly modern warfare. I really like what burning banners offers, with all the random elements, the monsters and cards, etc.. same complexity, level, just looking for a different setting. But with an impressive map, like burning banners has. I like the multiplayer aspect a lot, too. Thanks again!

[@Furby098]

Great video! What I wonder is - there's a lot of 6 player scenarios in - but what if I only have 2, or 3 players. Is this then unable to be played?

[@ZillaBlitz]

There are only 2 "sides" (Invaders and Resistance) so if you have scenarios with more kingdoms they will all still align with one of those two allegiances. So any game for more than 2 players can be played with 2 players by having one player control all the Invader kingdoms and the other control all the Resistance kingdoms.

[@SapperTV1]

Saw the map, bought the game.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Haha, yeah, can relate. :)

[@drunkenork5373]

Can you play this as three players with each player taking control of 2 factions?

[@ZillaBlitz]

That would be a bit tricky because you have two alignments, but there would be lots of other ways to play with 3 players.

[@christophersmith3301]

Mike, did I miss the solitaire rating or how it plays as a single player? Just curious because I pre-ordered it and it's inbound anyway :)

[@ZillaBlitz]

I talk about solitaire a bit later in the video than usual, 18:51 in the video. I think the cards are the only thing that will change as a solitaire experience.

[@johncameron6357]

Quick question - my brother and me are planning on playing over the internet. He’s in FLORIDA and I’m in VIRGINIA and we’ve got most every thing locked and loaded. I would like recommendations from you all about a good webcam either with mic or without. Thanks in advance!

[@ZillaBlitz]

Hi John: I have two that I use and I'm happy with both of them. Here are the links: • Logitech Webcam #1, C922: amzn.to/44ZDnSD • Logitech Webcam #2, C920: amzn.to/4dPlY2Z The C922 is a bit better, but the C920 is great for connecting for Zoom/Discord/Meet calls.

[@johncameron6357]

You are THE MAN! THANKS! We’re trying to set up a way we can play DBA with each other. I think we have the basic logistics down. Not sure how we connect -- your games played on ZOOM-DISCORD - VASSAL -STEAM - RALLY THE TROOPS or something else?

[@ZillaBlitz]

I don't think there is a digital version of Burning Banners yet, so that would be hard to play online. But for other games, all the tools you mention are good, it depends on where the game is available. If there isn't a built-in video or audio connection system within the game, then any form of connecting like you mention would be good (Discord, Zoom, Google Meet, etc.)

[@johncameron6357]

Which do you think is the best on line? Just looking for info to get my 73 year olde brother and me (75) into the 20th errrrr uhhhhh I mean 21st Century!

[@ZillaBlitz]

@@johncameron6357 It's kind of hard to say, to be honest. I like Rally the Troops because it enforces the rules, but it takes a little while to understand the interface, and there has to be a game you want to play there. Steam has some very good games with online play too. Vassal has the most wargames, and some of the modules are excellent. But the interface usually doesn't enforce the rules and it takes some patience to learn. I like Board Game Arena a lot too, but it generally doesn't have a lot of wargames. So if you want to play a specific game, you really need that game to be in some digital format in order to do so, and then use that to play the game, regardless of where it is. If you just want to play anything, I might encourage you to start with Rally the Troops or a particular game on Steam that has good online play, but that depends a bit on what type of game you want to play. I hope this helps some. :)

[@DaraTeaches]

Thanks for the video. After watching, I just don't think this one is for me, despite how wonderful the art looks. Feels like the type of game where I might vicariously enjoy it more watching others play through the scenarios more than investing (both money and time) myself. But THAT'S OK! Not every game can be a good fit for everyone.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Totally understandable! That's one of the reasons why I make the videos, to help people find games that match their tastes. :)

[@classicalmusic3979]

i was awake for 35 hours straight i will sleep tonight

[@Irena_Posner]

Lovely map and the idea of a 6 empires game is great. But the overly simplistic combat mechanic is what will make me give this game a pass. Not my cup of tea.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Not everything is for everyone, for sure! Although I think with all the terrain and other modifiers, I think actual combat math tends to get more complex than it appears on the surface. There appear to be a fair number of things that will impact rolls and number of dice.