Ethnos Review - with Tom Vasel

[@TheMrE]

A few clarifications: 1) during setup the number of face up cards at the top of the board is "twice" the number of players 2) you keep your markers between ages (that's why one might want to add a marker in regions with initial value of "0") 3) when you play cards (bands) you keep them in front of you for scoring at the end of each age.

[@RoyAnderson]

I haven't seen Tom this excited about a game in quite a while! It must be good.

[@Atlasfilms08]

Feels like a family game like this should have art more like Small World.

[@jflartner117]

John Howe! Also, the mechanisms really remind me of one of my favorite games - Airlines Europe.

[@rolandbruno686]

Nice! Always looking for entry level games along the lines of Ticket to Ride or Karuba.

[@Blackwarrior2003]

Saw the live play through of this game and thought it looked like a good game, I'll have to add it to my wishlist of games I want but will probably never get.

[@natelinhart114]

This game looks fun. My only concern is how often you may be drawing blindly off the top of the deck.

[@revimfadli4666]

I suggest a house rule where you instead draw several(say, 3) cards, pick one, and discard the rest

[@Alluvian567]

Looks really fun. Not sure if I could convince my wife, she really loves super attractive games. Wish the board with the regions had more interesting art. Like a colorful version of an old fantasy map with depictions of the various races and dragons around. Does look to have neat mechanics, and the other boards and cards are pretty nice looking.

[@JSlink22]

I struggle with the same thing! If a game looks ugly, she won’t like it half as much. Luckily competitive markets have been pushing publishers to produce better looking games. Unfortunately, there are games like Ethnos with strong mechanics and ugly artwork that will never hit the table at my house.

[@revimfadli4666]

A Root-style theming & art would've worked wonders

[@namelessfire]

Man, I would love an official expansion for this game. It's pretty out of character for CMON not to print five expansions immediately upon launch.

[@zmollon]

I just want a new version with a retheme and some updates.

[@heikkihegemon493]

I'm really excited about this one. Seems fast and for what I've understood it only cost's around $40! Now I'll just have to wait for it to find it's way on my retailers shelve here in Finland which might take up to six months...

[@davedogge2280]

Near to Finland is the excellent Alphaspel.se Swedish online shop which seem to have Ethnos on some kind of pre-order. I'm in Spain and I've ordered a few items from these guys with reasonable shipping costs. Just make your order and then contact them via email to arrange shipping costs and then they amend the order and then you pay for the item + shipping. Simples. alphaspel.se/491-bradspel/70489-ethnos

[@heikkihegemon493]

Thanks for the hint!

[@KMReviews]

This game should have a new reprinted versions with better art and I would love to buy it. I keep seeing people say it’s great but it’s just LOOKS so boring lol

[@conillet]

Well-deserved praise here; "Ethnos" is really that good.

[@clumsydad7158]

Interesting game play, the special abilities and/or side boards for different races put the game over the top. I have to agree though, the artwork leaves me slightly cold. The mechanic of discarding your cards for others to take, excellent!

[@revimfadli4666]

One of the nice things about these "Rummy with a board"-type games

[@lukewatson4489]

Big question. This or Century: Spice Road?

[@cursivecurses]

I suspect they're sufficiently different. One is area control, one is engine-building.

[@firewire8912]

Good stuff, although as for comparisons does it compare and or replace other games.... Just so people arent adding another game that like another

[@Glacius512]

Great question john

[@wilhelmbackhaus4931]

Aside from the inelegant expansion-like mechanisms like the abilities of orcs, giants and merfolks and the need to sort out the cards everytime, this is such a great game.

[@paulinaminarikova1359]

Haha, why is it a map of Slovakia?! :D

[@undersci]

Tom, how do you see the balance between the races? The game concept looks great to me, but I just watched a video review saying the game is terrible because the races are completely unbalanced, so I'd love your take on this point.

[@adamkenney6932]

undersci I'm not Tom and I haven't played, but I assume since all of the races are available to all of the players, the balance isn't that much of an issue. It's really about decisions of what cards you'll choose. Check out their Replay to see what it's like in action and you'll get a better idea of what I mean.

[@austinkunz739]

10:51 is the best. Lol

[@gooberweevil]

that is one bland looking map. graphic design needs an overhaul but it looks fun

[@BondNo]

I find usefull to score for the bands right away not at the and of era. And drawing jusut one card seems kinda slow to me....I was thinking about switching it up so when you want to draw a card from the table you can draw just one but if you want to draw from the deck you can take two. What do you think?

[@KndKdad]

So this or Smallworld? Or is that comparison inaccurate? Seem similar based of DT reviews.

[@RoyAnderson]

The similarities are skin deep. They are different games in almost every respect (except theme).

[@kotieerwee2593]

KndKdad Smallworld is a very different beast. Might be very similar to Royals?

[@llyrghmnghyll]

royals really suffers in comparison.

[@AhJong0]

In dire need of a board game makeover.

[@grasonwhite4873]

I actually like the board art...

[@madifinley7018]

This review was a nice surprise. Usually I see a review for a game I've never heard of and I'm thinking this is going to be a bad game. No way is this game getting a good review. Well done. The art if very serious but it sure is beautiful.

[@nallosword]

maybe the gameplay is cool but its looks like a 90' grafic.... :S the colours are so pale, but the rewiev is great if i see this game i'll try it but its a nobuy for me for sure ty for your thoughts Tom, keep up with the good work

[@J-Wheeler-G]

This is my favorite game. The only bad thing is the game board (art)

[@jpotter2086]

So that's what John Howe is up to.

[@FatManWalking18]

who else thought "we're getting the band back together"

[@johna6108]

It looked boring. But then I saw all these extra boards.

[@wroot_lt]

Tom wantsnto show the components and drops them all over the place 😁

[@geertvlaenckx9942]

The island looks like Slovakia 😂

[@woehrle17]

This one is just not doing it for me.

[@barbaobardo2692]

Why this guy keeps hammering his games? He's a collector, for christ sake...

[@vanguardhanoi2468]

This game need re-designe Is look ugly but is fun for family game night

[@pixelqube3274]

Yes we all know the art is terrible. The map is boring yea we got it. EVERY REVIEW. Do any of you watch each others reviews or read any reviews?

[@thedicetower]

Maybe my review was first?

[@pixelqube3274]

I apologize for my post. I saw a lot of reviews before finding yours. It got personal really quick when so many people commented about the graphic design. Personal reasons. I will edit my posts from now on. Thank you for replying.

[@MassEffectFan113]

Most played in the past several weeks? Really? Boring area control with pasted on theme? Ok Tom... lol. You can admit you like it simply because it’s CMON.

[@Valordar]

...Just Smallworld

[@Tennethums1]

Valordar yeah, I'd say if you have Small World this game isn't necessary. I dare say Small World is better, though I've not played this.

[@RoyAnderson]

Apart from the themes (which are definitely similar), the mechanics of this game are nothing like Small World. I'd be interested in hearing your take on how they relate.

[@kotieerwee2593]

Valordar I dont feel the Smallworld comparison too strongly, it did however remind me alot of Royals.

[@jeremiahkool1]

Well if you haven't played it you can't say Small World is better - D'oh!

[@fustercluck666]

What a disappointment. The cover of the game looked so amazing, but what a boring board! The cards seem pretty dull as well. I could not bring myself to play an ugly game like this.

[@richardsaunders9214]

This doesn't look fun at all. If this, if that..

[@TheMrE]

Richard Saunders The actual gameplay I thought looked like fun. Check their live gameplay on the last day of the 30 hour live play. I think it's a light but fun card management (a la Ticket to Ride) area control game. We like Condottiere, TtR and a few area control games (Revolution!, SmallWorld, Royals, etc) ; this might be perfect for us.

[@tabletophunter5052]

This Game is ugly

[@davidbbeattie]

Terrible game. Random.