UN-BOXING 'Pub Battles: 1777 Brandywine' with The Chief Bonding With Board Games

[@coachace123]

Wow, these can easily replace the frikkin wine bottles in my wine rack! My single malt doesn't store too well in that rack, but these would!

[@BondingWithBoardGamesRPGs]

Bam! I like what they do

[@stevew9916]

I really like the direction Command Post is going with the pub series. The problem is price. At $60 - $65, I'd consider buying the series. At $89, I won't buy even 1 title--a shame, really, when you think about it.

[@BondingWithBoardGamesRPGs]

I've got to get this on the table for review but I will say that the price is not that far off in regards to a small war game publisher, but I spend way too much money on games in general.

[@bgm-1961]

I agree that the contents of the tube doesn't look like you're getting what you're paying for - and that's comparing to other wargames by small publishers. I recognize that the canvas map does increase the price over other game boards... but still, even considering that, the price differential to other games in this market niche is more than one would expect.

[@marshallbarrington4986]

We have some nice $20-40 Pub Battles options now. Check them out!

[@marshallbarrington4986]

I just did a Google shopping search for Napoleon's Triumph. It only comes with a cheap cardboard map that bows really badly and doesn't lay flat. These are the results I got: $200 ebay $168.83 ebay $300 Hobby Chimp $300 Hobby Hero $295 ebay used nobleknight games $299 used Amazon -simmons kids I got the new Kevin Zucker Waterloo game. With the expansion it was around $125. It just had a folded paper map and cardboard counters. Many of the charts were just b&w xerox copies. Columbia games go for $60-100 depending on the game. They have wooden blocks but just a cheap cardstock map. I'm not knocking these games or companies. I love them! I own most of them. Great games. Comparing the value of the production, Pub Battles seems way too cheap. Just the canvas maps alone sell as artwork for $100-350. No game at all. Based on what Napoleon's Triumph did, these would be a great investment as a collector. They are only $87 now. Once they go out of print, they will very likely shoot up to $300-500.

[@BondingWithBoardGamesRPGs]

Wow. Now a bit of plexiglass will solve the bowing map problem. I use a big sheet I have for all of my big paper unmounted map boards. Works really well.

[@bgm-1961]

Your post is based on faulty logic. When Napoleon's Triumph was in production it was selling for much less than Pub Battles is selling for. The prices you quoted for NT are COLLECTOR'S prices. That's because NT is a superior game. Pub Battles is not a superior game. Plus you also can't compare the csnvas map to the artwork pieces which you mentioned. You can take an image to your local print shop and have a canvas version printed for $25. So that comparison is also faulty. Granted, even a $25 canvas map costs more than a $9 board. The only thing that I can think of which would drive up the cost of the map would be the artwork. But even that can't be compared to the examples you gave. Still, I'm looking forward to the Chief's review!

[@Conflict_Boardgaming]

Got into the Scotch early tonight, eh?

[@BondingWithBoardGamesRPGs]

Lol...A little a day keeps the Doctor away.

[@bgm-1961]

LoL! I've been watching the Chief for a while now, and I was thinking the exact same thing!!

[@Conflict_Boardgaming]

They're nice, but cost too much money, and I certainly wouldn't take it to a pub. But that's just one mans opinion.

[@BondingWithBoardGamesRPGs]

I would lose one of the blocks at a pub and it would drive me crazy. I look at their company as a different take on war gaming. In many ways. No box-Tube. No board-fancy old looking style map. Short or maybe even loose rules instead of a massive binder of rules. They are a bit expensive but here is my dirty confession...I've been dropping some big money on Kickstarter and I mean big. I get a lot of bling out of it but I'm not always sure I get a lot more game. I've been puzzling about this lately and looking at my personal behavior. I'm still contemplating. Bart

[@BondingWithBoardGamesRPGs]

Great comment John

[@marshallbarrington4986]

Hey, we've got some cheap options now that you might be able to afford. Check out Monmouth: www.commandpostgames.com/product/monmouth/

[@Darthvegeta8000]

I checked the price. Ridiculously expensive for what you get. I'll skip this range despite the initial appeal. For that amount of money i expect at least a few scenarios and components that aren't... well 'that'. Oo;

[@marshallbarrington4986]

Compared to the production value of other wargames, I'd say they are ridiculously underpriced. They should go for $300-500. We have a number of cheap options now available for only $20-50. You should check them out! We are also experimenting with some Print n Play options if you can't afford that much.

[@bgm-1961]

It would've been nice if after you unrollled the map - but before turning the camera back on - you had read the portion of the "1-page" rules which explained the map features that you struggled to identify. Would've avoided the uncertainty that you expressed while describing some of the map features. Just sayin'. :)

[@BondingWithBoardGamesRPGs]

The uncertainty is exactly what I’m looking for in an unboxing. Same uncertainty on Christmas when you grab a gift and feel it touch it and then unwrap it. A Games even better. What’s this card? Look at this piece. Ohh check out the map. It’s all about first impressions.

[@marshallbarrington4986]

Hey guys! I'm from the Command Post. We have been listening and we have some new low priced options out. You can get the battle of Monmouth for only $22-37. www.commandpostgames.com/product/monmouth/ You can get a paper version of Brandywine now for only $45! www.commandpostgames.com/product/pub-battles-brandywine/ We are also very close to releasing a new Ancients Pub Battles system. You should be able to buy these 1 army at a time for only $20-40 range. They'll be a great way of trying out the system without breaking the gaming budget.

[@bgm-1961]

I'm confused. Upfront, you espouse this game in part for having only one page of rules and the packaging specifically advertises "1 page rules". Yet you pull out an eight page rulebook. Huh? If the rules require 8 pages (which seems right) then don't advertise the game as coming with only one page. Very misleading on the publisher's part to do that.

[@BondingWithBoardGamesRPGs]

I say they have a quick start one page guide and then usually a rule book with 6-8 pages of rules.

[@BondingWithBoardGamesRPGs]

I cover that at min 1:09

[@bgm-1961]

Yeah, I saw and got that. I guess I'm being a little snarky with my point, but it's valid nonetheless... and that is that the publisher clearly states on the package, and on their website, that the game comes with only one page of rules. But it doesn't. It comes with a one-page "Quick Start", which serves only that purpose. But to actually play the game, you need the other eight pages of rules. And I think that's very disingenuous on the publisher's part. If the publisher advertises "One page of rules" as an appeal to potential buyers, then the game BETTER be able to be played entirely off of that one page. To put in other words, given the "One page of rules" claim that the publisher makes, then ANYONE (no matter their experience level) could simply throw-away the eight page rulebook upon opening their copy and play the game just fine, without any questions or needing to know any expanded sequences or rules? If this is not the case, then the publisher has no business claiming the game uses only one page of rules. I think that's a cheap lure to get people to buy the game.