Fire in the Lake Review

Intro ()00:00); Board and factions (02:31); Playing pieces (04:36); Cards in general (06:15); How events connect (09:09); Pivoltal events (10:18); Coup rounds (10:44) Players' actions (13:56); Conclusions (19:01)

[@markherman50]

Thank you for taking the time to review Volko's and my most recent effort.

[@ThomasHerlofsen]

Waiting for my wife to finish her jigsaw so I can set it up:)

[@ilqrd.6608]

I am so excited to get my hands on this game! Thanks for all your effort!

[@TheHawkeyede]

Nice review. One thing which I have missed are the solo flowcharts, although

[@williammcguinness795]

An Outstanding Review! One question for other commentors: Since the Vietnamese language uses a western style alphabet, why would GMT use a Chinese pictogragh on the box? A Vietnamese translation of the game tittle would have made more sense. Marc o, you have exceeded your normal high level of performance. If I were GMT, I'd hire you in a minute to do the game instruction videos.

[@jumpingjohnflash]

The Vietnamese written language used a mix of Chinese characters and locally devised characters until the early twentieth century. The characters.are still used there (in the same way that English speakers use Latin or French), and much older literature has not yet been transcribed from characters into the Latin alphabet; so the use of the Chinese character on the box is not an particularly unusual thing. The character is [ gé ] and means to 'transform' or 'change' and is also the first character in the Chinese word for 'revolution'.

[@williammcguinness795]

that makes more sense, some Viet on the cover would've been cool.

[@yuribalestri]

thanks for the video! you could do a mini video , where only explain the differences in the rules from the other coins ...for those who already know the system! (sorry for my bad english)

[@aaronnickell3717]

Exemplary review, Marco! I've fallen in love with Liberty or Death and Pendragon recently, and I can't wait to play Fire in the Lake when it arrives next week.

[@briancampbell6038]

so did you enjoy it?

[@HistoricalConflict]

How does this work with 2 players? Co Op or is it versus?

[@josephgodbout5687]

"The last chapter in the COIN serious . . . ." pretty much sums up everything about this review.

[@gts14300]

Not yet, we have China's War coming up in P500! 😆

[@lastburning]

More than frustrating it can just feel pointless. What's the point of playing such a long game if you are not allowed to make permanent progress?

[@aaronnickell3717]

The Vietnam War was relatively pointless, from an American perspective. Arguably, the COIN system is a sophisticated teaching tool that lets players manipulate the dynamics of "counterinsurgency" operations through alternate histories/narratives. You make strategic and tactical decisions - risk/benefit and luck mitigation - that are worthy proxies of the real-life decisions they represent. COIN is a brilliant system and a worthwhile pursuit. I suggest them highly.

[@pleasestopalready]

Which given the nature of the conflict seems appropriate. It was a war of attrition that eventually led to an unceremonious retreat without any "I shall return" vow. A simulation of such a complex, and often bewildering, war should play out as I have heard this game does. Will it be fun, maybe not (which again seems appropriate), but it can be educational.