by RayGuns
Not another review...
As mentioned in the heading, I finally got my copy of Washington’s War (WW) published by GMT games. There are some good reviews, but I feel compelled to write one myself, though I will try to get it simple. My review will be a bit different than the other reviews you might have read. I am only going to focus on my first impressions upon opening the box for the first time. After all, first impressions can often set the pace for the flow of things that follow. Also, I just got the game yesterday and have not played it at least three or four times, which is the minimum for me before I decided if I like or dislike a game.
The Box:Yes, why not let us start with the box. The cover picture on the box is fitting to the game and at first glance you get an idea what the game might be about. While the picture is only a section of the actual painting, it works well for the game cover. The sides of the box (top, bottom, sides) are also fitting and have a nice layout that is eye-catching and not overdone. The back of the box is well illustrated and includes an image of the game board as well as sample game bits. There is other game information on the back including complexity rating, playing time, contents, game scale, etc. Overall, the game box has a good look and design about it. More importantly, upon un-wrapping the game and opening it for the first time, the first thing I noticed was the construction of box itself. It is sturdy and well constructed. My box took a heavy impact during shipping and it only dented the box. I'm sure a weaker game box would have split. So, the box construction actually preserved my game better as the game components were undamaged.
The Rules Book:The first thing I pulled out was the game booklets. I only have good things to say about these. They are printed on nice paper that is slightly heavier than normal and they look very clean. Now some people might complain the booklets are not printed on glossy paper, which is more expensive, but glossy paper tends to give off a glare. These booklets do not do that. As a result, they will be easier on the eyes, though glossy paper or not, not a big deal for me at all. I can manage to read rules books just fine, though, I like the look and feel of the booklets that come with the game.
The Reference Sheets:Next to come out of the box were the ref sheets. Again, I only have good things to say; they are nicely printed on heavy paper with a semi-gloss look to them.
Counters:Next out of the box came the counter sheets. Not too thick and not too thin. Well laid out and accurately punched. In fact, the alignment of the die-cutting was so accurate that the European War and French Navy counters are cut exactly between the two colors that divide the two counters, and I mean exactly. Same with the Continental Congress and Game Turn counters. For the other counters, this precision is not necessary as the layout makes this not as critical. Oh, and the die-cutting is very clean. As for the graphics, well, some have said that the graphics used for We the People (WtP) should have been used. You know what? The graphics of the two games are very similar, also, I like the graphics of Washington’s Wars (WW) as it looks just a little be better. For me that is. As for the historical details for the flags and uniforms, well, since its 'general' rather than 'specific', a more general look is the way to go.
Game Board:Finally, the game board come out. Pulling this out explained why the game has a heft to it. Let me just say right out that I only have good things to say upon seeing the game board for the first time. The board just looks nice and lays flat. I will even go as far to say that the board for WW looks better than WtP, and I like the board that you got with WtP. Could the game board have been printed on heavy card stock instead? Sure, but I’m glad it’s a real game board. I like it, though I know some gamers prefer paper or card stock game boards because they like to mount them on the wall or something. As for me, I’m completely happy with the game board that comes with the game. Should I feel the need to mount it on the wall, or cover it with an acrylic sheet, then I will devise a way. If I had to say anything bad about the game board, my only suggestion would be to make land features stand out a bit more so you can better see the geographical features like mountain ranges and forests that make up that area of eastern America. I’m not saying something like satellite imagery, but just more details to enhance the wilderness, visually.
Plastic Bags:I was surprised to see eight empty ziplock plastic bags. I guess these are used to organize the counters, but not one or two like other games, they gave me eight! On top of that, the dice and plastic stands come in their own plastic ziplock bags! The eight bags even came with vent holes punched in them... which will now lead me to tell you a quick story. Sometime ago, a friend of mine lost many of his games to a flood. It was a bad thing indeed. However, not all was lost. Like me, he stores his game counters and other bits in ziplock bags. As a result, most of the game counters survived the onslaught of water and he held onto them just in case, which was good for me because one day I bought a game off of ebay and it was missing some of the counters. Also, the counters were badly used, though the other game components were like new... strange huh? Anyway, my friend had a new set of counters for me because his game got destroyed in the flood, but the counters survived because they had been stored in a ziplock bag. Not that I’m planning on subjecting my WW game to any bathtub time, but those vent holes can leak there by damaging or destroying the counters should the game become a victim of a flood or something. But like I said, this is just a side-tracked story and in no way a mark against the plastic bags that you get with WW. I think the vent holes are a great idea because they let the trapped air out when putting the game away.
Plastic Stands:What can I say about these, they are just plastic stands, right? Wrong! Not only are the plastic pieces made of good plastic, they are well cast and very clean (no flash). Good game components.
Dice:I’m no dice expert like some of my friends who have vast collections of all sorts of dice, but comparing these game dice to other dice from other games as well as high quality ones you can buy separately, they are of good quality. Not top notch, but better than normal, though, I will pass on any impact tests.
The Cards:I have a high expectation when it comes to game cards. Why? Well, they are some of the components of a game that get the most use and should be of good quality so that they last. After recently playing two games from FFG - Tide of Iron and Talisman - I have first hand remembrance of quality cards. That is one thing I will have to give FFG credit for. Their games seem to come with high quality playing cards. Not all games do this. I have several games that have very nice looking playing cards, but are not manufactured to last. To take only one example, the cards that came with my Duel in the Dark game (and the expansion, Baby Blitz) while look great, they are not made to last repeated handling. So, I was a little eager to see what type of cards I would get with my WW by GMT. I was actually a bit happier than disappointed. While not of a quality seen in FFG games or even a Bicycle brand stand card deck, they are still better than some of my other games. So, I will only report back a positive comment about the game cards. However, as much as I go on about the quality of playing cards, I now tend to sleeve my game cards, and it just happens that I have some custom card sleeves that fit the WW cards perfectly; though a standard sized sleeve will work even if it is a little bigger than the card. So, you might ask, 'If you sleeve your cards, what difference does it make if the quality of the cards is poor?' Simple, not everyone sleeves their cards, also, if I didn’t already have sleeves that fit perfectly, I would have to play the game without sleeved cards. So quality does matter.
Box Insert:Next to be pulled out was the box insert. Yes, the box insert. I only pulled it out to see what was under it, but I also put it back in the box. I have to say I like the box insert! It is simple and works great. Normally, I have to place my heavy game boards at the bottom of the box, then place everything else on top. But with some box inserts, I can place some game components on the bottom followed by the game board. Then on top of the game board, I place the game booklets and ref sheets for easy access.
Conclusion:Is the game worth getting? Quality wise yes, but for the type of game that it is, depends on you, the player. Overall, Washington’s Wars has made a good first impression on me. I was very please after going through the game components (and reading a bit of the rules). I'm please with my purchase because I think this game is of good quality.
Now before you think I’m being biased here (or I play to my favorites), let me just say I’m straightforward and to the point when it comes to my reviews. I try to be unbiased as much as I can, and I draw upon my decades of gaming experience. I also try to take into account what is possible with today’s technology. For example, I do realize a game from the 70’s or 80’s cannot be compared to a game from today or maybe even the 90’s. , Even though some things never change, board games have made significant advices both in the graphics and the game components themselves.
I'm not completely sure why - they say love blinds - but I discovered a long time ago that people seem to get offended and resentful by the truth and/or facts, but it is not uncommon for me to point out short comings of a game. Anyone who has seen some of my other reviews already knows this:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/428353
I also take into account cost, because one would expect higher quality from more expensive games (there are exceptions), and I think WW is a good deal. I need to point out that I have to pay much more for my games than someone living in the US (or Europe). Gone are the days where I use to get free shipping and 20 to 40 percent discounts off the retail price of games. Instead, its retail price plus 20 to 40 percent, not minus.
Should you get this game?Well, I can’t tell you yes or no simply because gamers are different. Also, I have not played this game three times yet, but if you like We the People, chances are you will like this game as well. But if you are concerned about the quality, let me just say that I give this game a
I hope you enjoyed my simple review and I hope it has answered any questions you might have had about the quality of the game components.
I think my next review will be, 'Washington's Wars by GMT or Liberty by Colombia Games, which one do I prefer?' Unless someone beats me to it.
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