Raiders of Scythia Review - with Tom Vasel

[@Danny_DaKid]

Wow I’m surprised how many people don’t like the artwork. It’s pretty unique looking I think. It was the main thing that pulled me in the first place.

[@kenrickcarlsonkeh191]

I'm one of those people. I prefer the artwork on North Sea and West Kingdim trilogies.

[@morganstevenson7614]

I ordered this but still prefer the ROTNS artwork.

[@Fighterfan69]

I'm one as well. It's all personal opinion of course. I felt the same with Circadians. Same artist and look I feel.

[@pipstevenson5146]

It not about disliking the art, I actually do like it and think Sam is a fantastic artist, but still prefer the Mico. I like this a lot more than the art for Circadians

[@koalabrownie]

It's probably just polarizing.

[@shannonpepitone4920]

Can’t wait to see your comparison video.

[@DanielHolding]

Ditto

[@TheBrehamilton]

It's always natural that games get iterated on but...!

[@shannonpepitone4920]

Brett Hamilton ya it seems to be basically the same game. Hum.

[@drxsmetalhippie]

This looks really cool, but I think I prefer North Sea's art and iconography over this. I don't see a reason to own both.

[@jimmytorres2658]

What do you think for someone who does not have Raiders? Should get Raiders + 2 expas OR only this?

[@drxsmetalhippie]

@@jimmytorres2658 hard to say since I haven't played Scythia yet. Looks like there are a few interesting additions (horses & eagles). I personally think North Sea's art is more interesting and less busy than Scythia's so I'm weighing playability over a few gameplay changes. I'd wait until Tom does his full comparison video to make the call.

[@kevinshoemaker2393]

@@jimmytorres2658 - I would personally look at the prices. If you end up trying to get Raiders of the North Sea base game, plus the two expansions, you're going to either need to keep the game in seperate boxes or else get another box (which could be the nifty collector's box they sell). That can be pricey. If Raiders of Scythia is cheaper than all of that, it might be worth getting because a lot of the content from North Sea's expansions make it into this version.

[@Ruination800]

@@jimmytorres2658 i would say go with Raiders of the north sea.! You could always wait to get this one later. Since the gameplay is almost similar (the eagles and the horses sure are an interesting add on) you would not be missing out too much. Also the theme is much better and the iconography is superb in north sea.!

[@morganstevenson7614]

I chose to preorder this as I didn't have ROTNS at all and thought it would be a cheaper alternative to buying it and the HOH and FoF expansions. Oh and Raiders is available on pc now.

[@aarond.8586]

Thank you for the great video review as always, Tom! I just put this game on preorder. 😊

[@jackiejlw5493]

We own all the other Shem Phillips games so am very excited to add this one to our library. The ‘take that’ actions from RotNS are really fun, and add great tension but limits who we can play with as new players find it too upsetting. I think this one would scratch that itch to get on the table more often and easily with anyone. 🎉🎉🎉

[@daveshafer7908]

Thank you for that gentle toss of the cards😋

[@trashl0rd]

I'm most interested in the solitaire capability of this one.

[@drbasseri]

Nice review Tom! I've been looking forward to your opinion 🙂

[@meepleminded7738]

This seems to be essentially Raiders of the North Sea with the Age of Artisan expansion concept for Architects of the West Kingdom. Sounds interesting.

[@Baldricksturnip]

This one is officially now on my no1 to get list. I looks and sounds great!

[@adamholt5395]

I missed out on Raiders of the North Sea and this game looks like a perfect replacement for me. I really enjoy the artwork for this game. I will miss the Mico's artwork from the North Sea, but this game should make up for that.

[@jimmytorres2658]

It is available at Amazon. Com

[@JLH111176]

Iconography looks fine to me

[@TheShapingSickness]

I'm so happy this is packed in a small box. I'm so ready to get this one!

[@paulallison6418]

I don't own North sea or any of the other games in this series so maybe I can jump into this one? It looks pretty cool, but I will wait for your comparison review.

[@MichaelM-ev9ek]

I did not own any of the previous games and bought this first. I found it to be a fresh breath of worker placement...

[@spaztekwarrior]

This is super similar to Raiders, as you say... but no where near as nice to look at IMO. No reason to own both as far as I’m concerned. I’m happy with Raiders of the North Sea, the expansions, and the collector box. Thanks for showing this:)

[@ChrisBarrows]

I feel the same as you on this. I don’t dislike the art in this - but I prefer the Raiders art.

[@Drewkas0]

Cool game. I like the art. I wish the crew abilities were a little more significant and that the raids were a little more exciting. As it stands it feels slightly more like accounting than I would like. Being a bit riskier to make the raids more exciting makes the game more fun for me, but it also pretty much ensures that I will lose against an opponent who treats the game like a actuarial exercise. I guess I'm more of a Champions of Midgard kinda' guy.

[@kingxerocole4616]

Literally have this set up on the table, ready to play later today.

[@austinthegamer25]

How was it?

[@kingxerocole4616]

@@austinthegamer25 It was a real thinker! I rolled really poorly while Raiding and wounded all of my Crew, to the point where they were basically useless. I wasn't sure how to recover after that. Pros: The strategies to winning seemed varied, and I loved the Quests. Con: I think my main criticism is that the Crew cards seem extremely uneven, which can lead to a lucky player getting an objectively better Crew. Since there's no counter-play, there's no way to stop them.

[@jeremi84]

I dig this art a lot, am kinda getting sick from seeing the same art style on the Valeria series and the xx of the west kingdom series. The icon of this one looks fine for me and they somehow reminiscing the icons from “Power Grid”. You know that old comic book colour scheme with bold border stuff.

[@jamescartwright1150]

If you already have North Sea do you think you need this one?

[@faithmorante]

Nice review! Although I think a crew dies when strength is -1

[@IJJusion]

Definitely a fan of the art, some of it looks a little strange, but the board looks amazing, and i like the very clean look of it all - just nice to have something a bit different from Garphill - the raiders/west kingdom art looks great too, but I can like both :)

[@dominich2263]

Greetings where is the comparison with RotNS?

[@brucesmith8584]

I love this game. Don’t hear a lot of people talk about it though.

[@lhorbrum1818]

Not played either, but wanting to buy. Prefer the art of North Sea and don't like the top to bottom layout of Raiders of Scythia. However, North Sea will cost with expansions close to £100, where as Raiders of Scythia; £45.. So that's made my choice lol

[@SaschaW82]

Just noticed Pangea there on the background. I own it and somehow I like it, but not as much as I hoped I would like it. I love the theme, but the gameplay feels so unintuitive and clunky. I would love to see a Dicetower Review tho

[@dddmmm21]

I think he already mentioned it on video listing a bunch of games he did not like and that were not worth a comprehensive review.

[@mariocrest]

So, It's similar to Raiders of the North Sea, with a touch of Both expansions. Quests from Hall of Heros and wounds from Fields of Fame.

[@lioneart19]

Seems like a mechanical improvement over Raiders of the North Sea. North Sea looks visually better, though

[@ambrosehuang897]

raiders of north sea/scythia vs champions of midgard?

[@joelwolski]

Tom likes the "Where's Waldo" type board art? I wonder if he noticed Jonah puked up on the Assyrian shore by the "great fish"?

[@elvishopper4495]

Is this a good entry game to get my wife into? She doesn’t normal play games btw

[@jhowd78]

It is excellent..been playing for several months. Better than raiders with expansion

[@jimmytorres2658]

Can you Please elaborate a little more about that? :)

[@pierrewhite2062]

Bleed together!

[@jherrenor]

The drabness of the board and components is putting me off from the start. I'm sure it's a great game but feelings are feelings.

[@TerrierHalo]

Been waiting for this review since it was teased, this goes to the must buy list. Thanks for the review!

[@BoardgameLiker]

I thought the crew had to take 1 more damage AFTER hitting 0 strength to kill them.

[@theshogunstein6475]

I am very happy with Raiders, not need to buy what is almost the same game.

[@ErmacFellwalker]

I wonder why this wasn't simply an expansion to North Sea. Or is Shem creating his own fantasy setting now where we will see several games....

[@andrewplaysyellow]

Scythia is/was a real place...

[@MichaelM-ev9ek]

Tom calls them falcons instead of eagles, but pretty close, I guess. Anyhow, am I the only one who's gold tokens aren't as orange as Tom's?

[@garphillgames]

Tom is using a pre-production copy where the gold was the wrong colour.

[@mrbastos]

Can't wait to get mine. It arrived at my office because I thought we'd be back when I ordered it, but forgot all about where I sent it until it arrived lol

[@Manny-M]

It’s a good thing that art is subjective, because I vastly prefer the art in this to Raiders. I noticed 5e confusing iconography between those two resources while the game was being explained... odd it wasn’t picked up on. Can’t wait to get this one.

[@BoxOfFear]

Shots fired at Explorers of the North Sea. That’s one game you’re wrong about, Tom!

[@edu64]

Explorers is very great, I love it too

[@edmundengland]

I bit scary ad. Just when you Tom said the word vaccum an ad started with an ad for a vaccum cleaner.

[@Jonathan-ei7vp]

If they had reworked that awkward long game board I wouldnt hesitate to get it

[@Skarpo89]

The board looks way to busy for me 😖

[@koalabrownie]

I don't get these games- it's supposed to be about raiding and pillaging but the board is just a tons of cubes. I'd rather the resources were kept only in your play area and the map board had good looking tiles like Queendomino.

[@Fighterfan69]

I can't get past the art. Sorry. I know some people can say the same for The Mico(Whom is my favorite game artist right now) Circadians interested me but again couldn't get past the art. Aside form that, the heroes seem like a neat addition and perhaps can be added or a variant using the heroes in Raiders of the North. The eagles and horses also seem like a nice addition. I think I would enjoy playing it when getting a chance but as far as owning it and Raiders? I don't think so. Raiders with both expansions is fine the way it is.

[@scoopblue]

I like the art and the theme, but the busyness of the board and and the iconography looks too much for me.

[@MisterAbysmul]

Wow the iconography and art make this a no for me. I plan on getting Raiders of the North Sea now that I’ve seen this. Oh well looks mechanically excellent

[@nezukoshop]

Pass on this. Not really that different from Raiders of North Sea. I thought in this game once you raid all spot in a region, you can get another action in those region. It just a reskin of RotNS.

[@dddmmm21]

Thie game IS WAT BETTER than North Sea and every single way EXCEPT on graphic design... the main board is particularly ugly and busy. Card's art is not great either.

[@Crs9072]

The art, graphical design, and components all look way worse in this than the Raiders of the North Sea version. The board especially look horrible and really distracting.

[@youperguy]

I don’t like the new artwork for some reason.

[@brucebush5744]

Strange one - just looks like an uglier and less fun version of the original

[@goncalofernandes8217]

Isn´t this Raiders of the North Sea? lol