Review: Landsraad faction from Etsy

Looking at the Landsraad faction from Zoltan’s etsy store.
www.etsy.com/l...

[@thejourneyproduction2753]

After playing the Landsraad in a 1v1 (5 times) 4 player (3 times) and 6 player (twice) I can say that as they are now, they are 35-40% Okay and the rest is just muddied water that takes up too much time for basically no payout. The landsraad NEEDS to have a revive rate of 2 forces for free due to how they play with their restriction token essentially stalling the game. The alliance of stars and the restriction token are absolute godsends in every regard and actually have a lot of computational value when deciding what to do. Get rid of the grand council commission or make it 50% rounded down. Give them more maneuvers instead that may benefit or harm players. Get rid of the storm vote to restrict a players shipment or movement, that one is the most aggressive feels bad middle finger in the whole pack, our group HATES that one. The Gahina vote is actually fine but give them more votes like “all factions revive 3 additional forces for free or one leader - Tlelaixu gets paid double” or “All cards up for bid for this round are now face up!” And such like that. Also make the access side of the token also do something and give incentive to use the (if in a sand territory with no spice, add 2 spice) by making shipping into the access token at guild rates. Then they should be a lot more fun. Also please give them their own troops and leaders, I’ve already had problems with players playing every faction but the ecaz and the landsraad do not gain duke fidol. Their alliance ability? Gorgeous like a really solid one. Their nexus card Betrayal? Meh, cunning? Absolutely worthless, and their secret ally? The most broken overpowered thing ever printer in this game ever. Seriously, gain access to an alliance card and it fails to say for one round or one turn. You get this card? Cool you get the voice for the rest of the game. Overall? 3/10? 4/10? Needs work but it has a soul at least

[@Ninjobii]

I always thought the Landsraad as a social game mechanic rather than a faction would be cool. Not entirely sure what it would entail but the game politicking has always been one of my favorite things about Dune.

[@zoltanjakab7548]

Thanks for the video, Jack. Some clarifications: Setup: when you pick a Great House, eg. Harkonnen, Ecaz's Harkonnen Ambassador won't trigger four you, because you are the Landsraad, you have got own Ambassador Token. On the other hand, I didn't want own Prediction and Traitor cards for the Landsraad, because they could have been spotted of the original cards. And thus it even remained thematic to use one of your Great Houses. Access Tonen: "no forces can be shipped, move into or through the territory", so you are also restricted. Alliance of the Stars: "This chosen ability suspends your current alliance advantages - if any - for both you and your ally." So, if you choose a faction in play, eg. Atreides, that will not block that faction's or their ally's advantages. Only yours and your ally's will be suspended. The Will of the Folk: "they must pay you 10 spice, collectively", the whole point is to make the factions to work coopearivly... or make same arguing, if somebody do no want to add spice into the decision.

[@djacobmadrigal]

I was excited to get this the other day. Thanks for doing this video. It reaffirms that this was a bad purchase bc the rules for this faction are muddled and poorly thought out. Board Game Geek has a very different version of the landsraad. I really don’t care much for either. I will have to come up with my own rules if I’m going to use this faction. At least the market cards and the Karama cards that I got from Zoltan were great purchases. Thanks again.

[@zoltanjakab7548]

Sorry, if you feel that way.

[@justininexile3445]

As mentioned in other comments I don't really like Landsraad as a faction idea. I would much rather like there to be an actual voting phase, same as the Agenda Phase in Twilight Imperium, where players would vote on some events or gameplay rule changes.

[@jackredathewarp]

I quite like Landsraad as a faction, as it is analogous to CHOAM and other large institutions that aren’t a single house. It should have more of a feel of multiple houses trying to come to accord.

[@justininexile3445]

​​@@jackredathewarpI guess, though I always felt like we are all playing as parts of Landsraad, my head canon was that deals are binding because of that fact and CHOAM is more of a IRS with some ties to our factions or something like that :D but could imagine it either way.

[@jackredathewarp]

@@justininexile3445 There’s definitely no Landsraad like consensus among the houses in the game typically, nor even in lore. Harkonnens attacked Atreides without any aid or blessing of the other houses, and other examples exist. But I can see the Landsraad at large feeling compelled to act as one to oppose specific houses, as depicted at the end of the second movie.

[@justininexile3445]

@@jackredathewarp hmm I think it was implied in the first book that houses in Landsraad did know what was going on (maybe not about the Sardaukar involvement), but due to bribes, jealousy and envy agaist the Atreides they didn't look into it.

[@jackredathewarp]

@@justininexile3445 Plenty of houses liked and supported Atreides, and would not want them wiped out. That’s why the Emperor felt they needed to be wiped out. It’s a big imperium so some houses were bribed to not make a stink, but not the whole Landsraad, or even a majority.

[@maxobyrne1474]

I don’t know the character’s place in the books (if any!) but I believe Baron Moat was one of the heroes in that Lansraad expansion for the original Avalon Dune, which was included in their The General magazine, Vol. 26 #1

[@jackredathewarp]

@@maxobyrne1474 yes, I know that… but who the heck is he??

[@B4BAIKA]

Hey Jack. My group and I had a question during last game. The rulebook says that allies can pay for each other during bidding and snipment&movement phase. Does it also apply to paying for combat dial?

[@jackredathewarp]

No, not unless the faction says otherwise (e.g., Emperor and CHOAM).

[@aidancooper675]

Will any or all these Etsy boosters be the 4th expansion or is there something bigger coming?

[@jackredathewarp]

None of that will be in the 4th expansion. It's all quite a lot bigger.

[@aidancooper675]

@@jackredathewarp can't wait

[@djacobmadrigal]

What is tts?

[@MrPalp]

Table Top Simulator. A program on steam.

[@egorsencha2428]

Who designs the new dune editions, as It sounds like it is not you? In this case, why so?

[@jackredathewarp]

I am one of the designers. Not sure why you would think otherwise.

[@egorsencha2428]

​@@jackredathewarpI thought so, as you seemed rather not knowing what the expansion will be, rather then not being able to tell. Well, maybe both are true :)