Hoplomachus Victorum | Game Review

[@bltwegmann8431]

Every modern game needs to address storage and table administration like this.

[@vyttieri]

ok

[@kevinerskine3299]

Thanks Liz! Sounds like it's right up my alley! You mention Mage Knight, Thunderbolt Apache Leader :) All great stuff.

[@Filthyanimal9]

Really looking forward to this coming with the final TMB expansion-appreciate the quick overview and can’t wait for your playthroughs!

[@PACEUK22]

As a backer of this I’ve been waiting with great anticipation for your review as I know our solo gaming tastes are aligned . I am so glad you love it! Great review! Thanks

[@bryanscollick8305]

It is certainly my most anticipated game this year and watching the GenCon demo, your review, and the table presence- we solo gamers are worth it!

[@tonybowers9490]

WOW. Exciting to see you try and contain your excitement. Thanks for sharing about about the game and thanks for your in depth comments. I’m a backer! Now I’m even more excited about the game! It’s one of my most anticipated games for 2022 too. Oathsworn is 1st, Hopo is 2nd.

[@cardboardconflicts]

Can’t wait! Thanks for this and your original TTS preview which prompted me to back the project. It looks huge but definitely something to crank out a few missions a night and leave set up on my game table for a bit.

[@KSpllr]

Great video. Totally excited for the game and can't wait for my copy to arrive. Thanks for providing content to shorten the waiting time.

[@sirtrevis]

Good review. It was a pleasure watching. Thank you. Now, on to see if you broadcast any of your Hoplo games.

[@BeyondSolitaire]

That's coming up! Give me 1-2 weeks lol.

[@booksbricksandboards783]

This just made me more excited about my Hoplo preorder. Love original Hoplo and glad that another Hoplohead is so positive on the changes to the game.

[@sirtrevis]

"Hoplohead." Ha ha. ... Good one. I'm going to borrow it. ) Hope you don't mind.

[@alanhow2441]

Great summary, with appropriate warnings. Thanks.

[@BeyondSolitaire]

I need to get back to this! I can't review anymore b/c I work in the game industry, but I do still enjoy the game and should put in some playthrough time. :)

[@alanhow2441]

I always enjoyed your game summaries Liz. Perhaps you can do a few more?

[@BeyondSolitaire]

I'm planning to do a lot of short "How to Solo" videos that showcase games and include a couple of example turns.

[@alanhow2441]

I look forward to seeing them. Thanks.

[@dayoltay]

What a great review, thank you.

[@WayneHansen]

Well done and balanced review. Thank you for sharing your honest thoughts. Great review 👍

[@deemich1815]

such a fantastic review! as always!

[@picklebuckeye]

It’s so beautiful… 😁 Thanks for the review!

[@elzheiz]

It's a good thing I'm not an Apple computer person then 😂 Great review was usual, looking forward to your playthroughs because each review is making the wait harder! One thing I'm doing is creating permanent effects for each Scion (like banes but cannot be removed) to make them more impactful so I'll post some stuff on BGG when we get the game and I've tested it.

[@Tombonzo]

Thanks for an honest review. I don’t like grinding in video games as it gets way to ‘Samey’ and repetitive - Man I hope that doesn’t become a trend in board games too. The Original Hoplo had really nice, quicker battles! Hopefully, Remastered will retain that.

[@PaulMB40]

Subscribed based on that great review, the first I've seen of yours as I was searching content on HV. If only it wasn't $43000 to Ship to Australia...

[@BeyondSolitaire]

I'm so glad you stumbled on the channel! Not so glad about the shipping, though. :(

[@jazepi]

Lucky. ;) So so so looking forward to this!!!!

[@markus4479]

Great overview - thank you Really good coverage You mentioned some other games you like with character progression - but I didn’t get the names - what are your favorite games you mentioned in the video you like ? THX 😀

[@BeyondSolitaire]

My all time favorite solo game is Mage Knight, where you get increasingly powerful throughout the game. I also mentioned Thunderbolt Apache Leader, where you do some planning and management between missions, and compared that to contemplating your camp/strategy and then fighting a little battle in Hoplo: Victorum. TAL is much heavier on that aspect, though. If you haven't played Too Many Bones yet, it's a fantastic game also from Chip Theory that has had years to develop and mature, and I kind of see Victorum going in a similar direction. It's already great, and I firmly believe that with expansions it's going to become even better.

[@Gdohhhrzzzz]

A year has passed already! Do you still like it? 😊

[@BeyondSolitaire]

I do, it easily survived my massive game cull that I did before moving!

[@Table.Fables]

Great review Liz! How do you feel about Victorum vs Too Many Bones for solo play? I’m considering a Chip Theory Games purchase but not sure which was to go…

[@BeyondSolitaire]

Honestly it's such a personal choice. Too Many Bones is the more mature game and it has co-op, which means you have the option of playing it not-solo. Victorum is great and will get more developed with time as expansions come out, and it's the ultimate solo luxury because it's pure solo. It's really going to have to be a choice from your gut, most likely.

[@Table.Fables]

@@BeyondSolitaire I’ll try… my gut says Too Many Bones, my heart says Victorum and my head says I don’t need to buy more games 😂 Thank you for the help!

[@bigtony1988]

@@Table.Fables I don’t think I’ve ever agreed with a comment more in my life! 😂 I’m debating getting Too Many Bones this weekend, or holding off and waiting a couple months for Hoplo. What did you decide??

[@Table.Fables]

@@bigtony1988 I went with my head and decided I don’t need more games… right now anyway 😂 the burning need for either one has died down, but these things tend to be cyclical and I have no doubt I will be itching to buy one or the other at some point. Good luck whichever way you go; both seem like amazing games!

[@bigtony1988]

@@Table.Fables you are a stronger person than I am! I’m thinking TMB is the right choice for me right now, but still undecided… maybe if I wait it out long enough my desire will cool as well. We shall see.

[@phk975]

Thanks for the review, was really looking forward to this one. Do you think the repetition problem could be alleviated with a variant with (dis)incentives to encourage players to choose different map/combat types? Also, any thoughts on the premium components (chips, dice, char sheet)?

[@BeyondSolitaire]

Oh yeah I am talking in the realm of easy tweaks, TBH. The premium dice are stunning. I normally say I don't care about that sort of thing but good lord those premium components are nice.

[@ModularLanding]

Great overview. I don’t think the fault that you blamed yourself for (choosing the option that is easiest or most favors your character) is a fault of yours, but a potential fault of game design. Many players are going to choose an optimal strategy, so if this leads to repetitive game play this can’t be seen as a fault of the players but of the game. You mention Mage Knight and I wonder how this compares to Mage Knight? I only started MK recently but it’s a really cool game.

[@Dratio]

How is the challenge? I had Rise of Rome and I loved how quick and smooth the combat was, but it also felt a little too light for my tastes. Think I saw the designer mention that the first hoplo was meant to be able to introduce new gamers to tactics games. It didn't take very long to puzzle out how to beat the 4 AI opponents. On the other hand I've played their other games like TMB and Cloudspire and know that they are totally capable of making tougher more involved games so I'm curious where Victorum fits on that spectrum

[@BeyondSolitaire]

I personally find Victorum difficult, and it scales with you. Right now I am still in the growth phase as a player so I keep realizing plays that would have been smarter, or opportunities I didn’t exploit and should have. And there are ways to make the game significantly nastier.

[@rahulc]

Given we seem to like the same things about Mage Knight and Thunderbolt/Apache Leader I am very hopeful I'll like this! Curious if you have ever played Titan (the older Avalon Hill game, later Valley Games) as that's the other favourite I'm seeing a bit of here.

[@BeyondSolitaire]

I haven’t, maybe I should track it down!

[@nlmatts]

Love this review! 7 months on, how are you feeling about the longevity of this game? Have you found yourself coming back to the game as much as you hoped?

[@BeyondSolitaire]

I never get to play anything as much as I had hoped, but I do keep coming back to this one and I actually like it better over time. I just got some of the deluxe components so I can trick it out even more! >:)

[@nlmatts]

@@BeyondSolitaire ooh nice they look amazing! That’s great to hear, think I’m going to take the plunge and get a copy. You sold me on Mage Knight (which I’m absolutely loving btw) and I’m sure I’m going to love this. Thanks Liz, keep up the awesome content - you’re the reason I started solo gaming, and I’m having a blast 😁

[@BeyondSolitaire]

@@nlmatts Yes! Solo gamers unite! :D

[@Copterman]

Great video! Just subscribed

[@RyanSchneider314]

You mentioned that you might do a review or look back a year from now. How has it been?

[@BeyondSolitaire]

Good, but I am now waiting on some expansion stuff that should arrive soon and then I will do a full re-review with the new stuff. :)

[@RyanSchneider314]

@@BeyondSolitaire I didn't know there was any expansion stuff! It must be under dev?

[@BeyondSolitaire]

@@RyanSchneider314 gamefound.com/en/projects/chip-theory-games/hoplomachus-pandora-expansions--base-game-reprints

[@Wealtharch]

Thanks for the review Liz, if some like my so has limited time, would you guess if is it worth playing both remastered (which I know you haven’t tried yet, but you’ve played the old one) and Victorum? Or just Victorum if that simply replaces remastered?

[@BeyondSolitaire]

I don't have an answer yet, but I have reason to believe that I'll get a copy of Remastered when it's ready and then I'll tell all. :D I will say that Victorum is really wonderful.

[@Wealtharch]

Thanks for the response Liz

[@jkallemb]

How did you like your subsequent plays?

[@BeyondSolitaire]

Good except it's hard to get enough of them in because the game is time consuming. lol

[@JoeHuddleston]

I haven't played it yet. Could you house-rule it so you *can't* see the top card of the event decks?

[@BeyondSolitaire]

You could but part of the point is to choose your path, and spectate if you want to sift through the deck a bit.

[@AR15UserRev1]

Would you pick this or remastered as an entry into the system?

[@BeyondSolitaire]

I can’t answer that yet because I haven’t seen Remastered yet. Hopefully I will be able to update soon!

[@barrydavis4238]

If you have hopp original do you need Victorum

[@BeyondSolitaire]

It’s basically a totally different game. “Need” is always subjective as games go but for me this is a distinctly improved experience.

[@Freddy_da_fox]

Can you mix stuff in from the other hoplo remasters?

[@BeyondSolitaire]

To my understanding, yes. There was a section in the rulebook that I skimmed about mixing the two. I'll update fully when I can review Remastered.

[@Freddy_da_fox]

@@BeyondSolitaire that would be nuts. I just ordered victorium, but if it's possible to add stuff from the other box I would take that as well. Well done video 😊

[@misteryee]

Liz - any comments of the "Remastered" version (I only care about solo)? This game went under my radar until I saw your vid. I need to see if I should jump all in! Feedback please!!!

[@BeyondSolitaire]

I haven't played it, but I know that it has solo and I am personally excited about it. It's not ready yet though. I'm hoping I will be able to review that one, too, when we get closer to the time.

[@seansmith2650]

How do you like it compared to their other titles. Too many bones is an all time fav for me. Burncycle is a definite miss.

[@BeyondSolitaire]

Hoplo and TMB are close but I think Hoplo edges into the lead. Cloudspire is a great game that I don't play as much but do love. Burncycle! is a solid game that I respect, but it doesn't give me the same rush as the others.

[@Anwar-AT]

How does it compare to Cloudspire? 🤔

[@BeyondSolitaire]

They are really different games. I like both. Victorum is designed from the ground up for solo, though, and ultimately I would give it the edge. I'm pretty sure Mike Kelley from One Stop Co-Op Shop would prefer Cloudspire, though! lol

[@ionutcaiuteanu5346]

Do you like this more than MK?

[@BeyondSolitaire]

I do not. But I like it better now than I did at the time of this review, which is a great thing!

[@ionutcaiuteanu5346]

@@BeyondSolitaire I did ask something about Units on your video . How can I recruit Elite units? Only if is White City conquered? Is there any other method? Thank you for your reply

[@BeyondSolitaire]

@@ionutcaiuteanu5346 It's been too long for me to answer off the top of my head. (A sign I need to pull the game back out.) The Mage Knight Facebook group is the place to go.

[@ionutcaiuteanu5346]

@@BeyondSolitaire I did found the answer on the group. Thank you

[@masacuna]

for the price this is a huge NOOOOOO