Sunday, June 12, 2011

First Impressions: Warrior Knights


This game caught my eye back in the late '80s when it was produced by Games Workshop, LTD., but I didn't buy it.  Then the game went out of print.  Five years ago, Fantasy Flight Games (FFG) released an updated version.  The two things about the original and revised version of this game was the artwork and the title.  A game called 'Warrior Knights' sounded too cool to pass up.  But a quarter century ago, I did just that.  So when I found a copy on sale, I jumped at the opportunity I let slip away. 


A World Without String provides a thorough breakdown of the game's components and an examination of the rules:

http://www.preeminent.org/awwos/aworldwithoutstring/Games%20Blog/CC7A8F29-803C-481C-B3CB-0C1291C821C9.html

I cut and trimmed the cardboard counters and organized the cards, so my knights are standing ready to do battle.  Although, from the reviews I've read, Warrior Knights is more than just a game of medieval bloodletting.  Each player must take economics, politics and even religion into consideration in order to win.

I'm impressed with the high quality of the playing pieces and artwork on the cards, especially the mercanary troop cards, which really evoke a sense of impending battle.  The map is mounted on durable cardboard and represents a fictitious region of France, that for me, can be used as a campaign map for some of my miniature wargames.

My only minor complaints are the cards are smaller than normal and some of the colors on the map and counters, lean towards the pastel range. 

BoardgameGeek gives Warrior Knights a 6.98 rating out of 10 and provides a lot of cool pictures of the game in action, playing aids, forum links and an on-line market place:

http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/22038/warrior-knights

FFG did a great job renovating a classic and I'm glad I got a second chance to purchase it before becoming a 'collector's item.'

What out-of-print items are you on a quest for?

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