REVIEW OF Kasl
Upon reading the rules for Kasl (Magma Games, 2007 - Marc Beaudoin), I was immediately reminded of Risk. Some consider this a bad thing, as Risk is frowned on by many gamers (myself included) for being too luck driven and/or too scripted. I disagree (except for anything negative you say about Risk – I got your back there!) But I think that it’s an important part of the board game world to have simple, “conquer your neighbor” games – they are in high demand and quite popular. If I’m really to speak out against Risk, is Kasl a viable alternative I can offer?
The answer is yes, although not as resounding as I would like. Sure, the pieces are tremendous – although a bit abstract with the chunky wooden blocks. The rules are simple yet add a good amount of options to the game. The advanced game is superior to the basic game, if only because it cuts out a huge dollop of luck; but randomness is evident throughout game play. Kasl is a good game that is like a modernized, better version of Risk, but I’m not sure that Risk detractors will be pleased. I like the game but worry that it might lose its flavor after a few more plays, even though it is more streamlined.
The board is made up of one large continent with forty-eight territories, divided into seven different colored groups. Mountains block some territories from others, and rivers also form impassable boundaries – with some bridges crossing them. Each player takes all the pieces in their color, and a deck of cards that matches each territory is shuffled. Cards are evenly distributed to each player, and they place an infantry unit in each one. Players then use dice to determine player order, and each player places one fortified city, three archers, and a lord in any territories that they control. Each player places a score marker on the track on the number that is equal to their largest principal kingdom (most adjacent territories). Finally, a black plague marker stack is placed on the first space of an eight space track.
At the beginning of each turn, the player markers are adjusted according to how the sizes of the principal kingdoms may have changed. Play then occurs in different parts of the round from the player with the smallest kingdom to the largest. Then the black plague is checked; with one player rolling a six-sided die. If the number on the die matches the number on the black plague space – the black plague strikes the board. (The number range increases throughout the game.) The top card is flipped over; everything in the matching territory is destroyed, and a black plague marker is placed there. On future turns, during this phase, each territory adjacent to a black plague zone must have a die rolled for it and with a “1” result have the same thing happen to it.
Players then receive “automatic recruitment”, depending on any strongholds they own. Fortified cities have an infantry unit added to their territory; fortresses have an archery unit added; and castles have a cavalry unit given to them. Players who may have no stronghold may add one with an archer unit to one of their territories. After this, each player may add a new lord unit to the board if they control an entire fiefdom (all territories of the same color).
Then, players take one of three strategic choices:Additional recruitment – If a player choices this option, they look at a recruitment chart that references the size of their kingdom and their largest stronghold, showing the number and types of units they add to their territories.
Fortification of a Stronghold – The player may upgrade one of their strongholds to the next level. Fortified city to Fortress to Castle. They also add an infantry unit to the same territory.
Build a new fortified city in any territory, along with a new archer unit.
After this, players may attack their enemies, moving armies into adjacent territories. Players must have two armies in a territory to attack but may attack as many times as they wish. When attacking, players count the CVs (combat values) of their army. Infantry units provide one, archers provide two, cavalry units provide three, war machines provide two, and lords provide none. The attacker rolls two dice if they have 2 CVs or less, three dice if they have 3 CVs or more, and one additional die if they have a lord participating. The defender does the same, except they also add one six sided die for each level of any stronghold that may be present. After dice are rolled, each “5” or “6” counts as a hit, causing the opponent to lose 1 CV. Units with values higher than 1 CV cannot be destroyed unless multiple hits are rolled. If either player has a lord in the battle, they may reroll any “1” that they roll.
If the attacker only has cavalry, and the defender has none , they instantly win. War machines cancel any bonuses that fortress give, and combat continues until one army is destroyed. A few other rules govern combat, but it’s mostly fairly simple. After combat, each player may redeploy units from one territory to an adjacent territory. Either way, players must always leave one unit in territories. Players may also redeploy one lord per turn.
After eight turns, players calculate their victory points by adding the number of territories in their principal kingdom to the values of their strongholds (2, 4, and 6), to the values of their lords (2 points). The player with the most points is the winner!
In the advanced rules, players get two random cards, receiving victory points if they capture one of the territories and build a stronghold on it. They also get points if they conquer an entire fiefdom the same color as one of the cards. The Black Plague can also be played by using up one of the secret mission cards, rather than by the roll of the die.
Some comments on the game…
1.) Components: The board is a fairly nondescript map, but with very bright colors for each of the fiefdoms, as well as a different simple shield in the background. It’s quite functional for game purposes, but a bit abstract. Along the same lines, the wooden pieces are shaped in simple chess like configurations, allowing one to tell them apart but make them a little cold and distant. The fortresses are actually pretty neat, as players place each section on top of the others, forming a three dimensional castle when done. The cards simply show a color and number of the territory – a picture of where it is on the map would have been nice, and the cards are slightly low quality. Still, the game has almost an austere look, and everything fits inside the sturdy box easily.
2.) Rules: The rulebook is nine pages of full color rules and explanations. A couple of examples of attacks might have been nice, since combat is a major portion of the game. Also, a recruitment chart is included on a small card, which is very nice; but they should have included four of them – it’s annoying to constantly pass the card around, as one will never memorize the chart. The game is fairly simple to explain, although players will constantly need to be reminded of their options.
3.) Players and Time: Sadly, the game only covers four players, although the system seems that it could handle more than that. Still, I like the fact that the game can easily be finished in 90 minutes or so; the eight turn limit keeps things moving at a good clip. Most decisions are simple; the only time players really have to make tough choices is during the attacking phase.
4.) Battles: The battle system is lucky, as a player who rolls terribly can have a strong army wiped out. That being said, it does tend to even out; and I really like the addition of lords and war machines, which really keep the game interesting. Cavalry units are VERY powerful, but they can be taken down; and one won’t see too many of them on the board, since upgrading to a castle takes several turns. Battles are quick and quite deadly, and you won’t see the long drawn out battles in other games – things are bloody and fast.
5.) Black Plague: In the basic game, the Black Plague could possibly be enough to cause what I call a “table flip”. When your main kingdom and large army is destroyed by a freak draw of cards, it will make you never play Kasl again. I like the advanced version much better, although it can still wipe a player out. We play with a house rule that strongholds are immune from the initial outbreak of the plague, which reduces this quite a bit. I’ve had one player really get upset when their main castle was destroyed, and I understand the feeling. The idea of a spreading plague is pretty nifty, but in a game with a length of an hour, a setback like this is not a good idea.
6.) Building: I really like the options that players have. Building their initial fortified city up makes sense, so that a player can get the awesome cavalry units on the board. At the same time, having multiple fortified cities allows a player to spread their forces and avoid one large devastating attack. This is a simple choice, but it’s a good one – and I enjoy this aspect of the game more than any other.
7.) Fun Factor: Kasl is a game that will be enjoyed by three or four players who simply want to slap each other around with forces. The Black Plague basic rules are quite annoying as written (reminds me of a similar “table flipping” rule in Tenjo), but with a simple fix can be avoided - but didn’t they even think of this in playtesting? Still, other than that, the game works fairly well, and I highly recommend the advanced rules over the basic ones – they offer more strategy and give players a more focused attack plan than simply just whaling on everything in sight.
I will recommend Kasl but only to those who like Risk and/or are looking for something with more depth. The depth is here, and other than the annoying Black Plague rule, everything flows fairly smoothly. A little more injection of theme wouldn’t have hurt, but the speed of game play has caused some to really enjoy the game; and it’s a big hit with the teenagers I’ve introduced it to. Not one that I’ll want to play often, Kasl still takes an obsolete classic (in my oh so not humble opinion) and revamps it to make it more interesting and more tactical.
Tom Vasel
Real men play board games
www.thedicetower.com
The answer is yes, although not as resounding as I would like. Sure, the pieces are tremendous – although a bit abstract with the chunky wooden blocks. The rules are simple yet add a good amount of options to the game. The advanced game is superior to the basic game, if only because it cuts out a huge dollop of luck; but randomness is evident throughout game play. Kasl is a good game that is like a modernized, better version of Risk, but I’m not sure that Risk detractors will be pleased. I like the game but worry that it might lose its flavor after a few more plays, even though it is more streamlined.
The board is made up of one large continent with forty-eight territories, divided into seven different colored groups. Mountains block some territories from others, and rivers also form impassable boundaries – with some bridges crossing them. Each player takes all the pieces in their color, and a deck of cards that matches each territory is shuffled. Cards are evenly distributed to each player, and they place an infantry unit in each one. Players then use dice to determine player order, and each player places one fortified city, three archers, and a lord in any territories that they control. Each player places a score marker on the track on the number that is equal to their largest principal kingdom (most adjacent territories). Finally, a black plague marker stack is placed on the first space of an eight space track.
At the beginning of each turn, the player markers are adjusted according to how the sizes of the principal kingdoms may have changed. Play then occurs in different parts of the round from the player with the smallest kingdom to the largest. Then the black plague is checked; with one player rolling a six-sided die. If the number on the die matches the number on the black plague space – the black plague strikes the board. (The number range increases throughout the game.) The top card is flipped over; everything in the matching territory is destroyed, and a black plague marker is placed there. On future turns, during this phase, each territory adjacent to a black plague zone must have a die rolled for it and with a “1” result have the same thing happen to it.
Players then receive “automatic recruitment”, depending on any strongholds they own. Fortified cities have an infantry unit added to their territory; fortresses have an archery unit added; and castles have a cavalry unit given to them. Players who may have no stronghold may add one with an archer unit to one of their territories. After this, each player may add a new lord unit to the board if they control an entire fiefdom (all territories of the same color).
Then, players take one of three strategic choices:
After this, players may attack their enemies, moving armies into adjacent territories. Players must have two armies in a territory to attack but may attack as many times as they wish. When attacking, players count the CVs (combat values) of their army. Infantry units provide one, archers provide two, cavalry units provide three, war machines provide two, and lords provide none. The attacker rolls two dice if they have 2 CVs or less, three dice if they have 3 CVs or more, and one additional die if they have a lord participating. The defender does the same, except they also add one six sided die for each level of any stronghold that may be present. After dice are rolled, each “5” or “6” counts as a hit, causing the opponent to lose 1 CV. Units with values higher than 1 CV cannot be destroyed unless multiple hits are rolled. If either player has a lord in the battle, they may reroll any “1” that they roll.
If the attacker only has cavalry, and the defender has none , they instantly win. War machines cancel any bonuses that fortress give, and combat continues until one army is destroyed. A few other rules govern combat, but it’s mostly fairly simple. After combat, each player may redeploy units from one territory to an adjacent territory. Either way, players must always leave one unit in territories. Players may also redeploy one lord per turn.
After eight turns, players calculate their victory points by adding the number of territories in their principal kingdom to the values of their strongholds (2, 4, and 6), to the values of their lords (2 points). The player with the most points is the winner!
In the advanced rules, players get two random cards, receiving victory points if they capture one of the territories and build a stronghold on it. They also get points if they conquer an entire fiefdom the same color as one of the cards. The Black Plague can also be played by using up one of the secret mission cards, rather than by the roll of the die.
Some comments on the game…
1.) Components: The board is a fairly nondescript map, but with very bright colors for each of the fiefdoms, as well as a different simple shield in the background. It’s quite functional for game purposes, but a bit abstract. Along the same lines, the wooden pieces are shaped in simple chess like configurations, allowing one to tell them apart but make them a little cold and distant. The fortresses are actually pretty neat, as players place each section on top of the others, forming a three dimensional castle when done. The cards simply show a color and number of the territory – a picture of where it is on the map would have been nice, and the cards are slightly low quality. Still, the game has almost an austere look, and everything fits inside the sturdy box easily.
2.) Rules: The rulebook is nine pages of full color rules and explanations. A couple of examples of attacks might have been nice, since combat is a major portion of the game. Also, a recruitment chart is included on a small card, which is very nice; but they should have included four of them – it’s annoying to constantly pass the card around, as one will never memorize the chart. The game is fairly simple to explain, although players will constantly need to be reminded of their options.
3.) Players and Time: Sadly, the game only covers four players, although the system seems that it could handle more than that. Still, I like the fact that the game can easily be finished in 90 minutes or so; the eight turn limit keeps things moving at a good clip. Most decisions are simple; the only time players really have to make tough choices is during the attacking phase.
4.) Battles: The battle system is lucky, as a player who rolls terribly can have a strong army wiped out. That being said, it does tend to even out; and I really like the addition of lords and war machines, which really keep the game interesting. Cavalry units are VERY powerful, but they can be taken down; and one won’t see too many of them on the board, since upgrading to a castle takes several turns. Battles are quick and quite deadly, and you won’t see the long drawn out battles in other games – things are bloody and fast.
5.) Black Plague: In the basic game, the Black Plague could possibly be enough to cause what I call a “table flip”. When your main kingdom and large army is destroyed by a freak draw of cards, it will make you never play Kasl again. I like the advanced version much better, although it can still wipe a player out. We play with a house rule that strongholds are immune from the initial outbreak of the plague, which reduces this quite a bit. I’ve had one player really get upset when their main castle was destroyed, and I understand the feeling. The idea of a spreading plague is pretty nifty, but in a game with a length of an hour, a setback like this is not a good idea.
6.) Building: I really like the options that players have. Building their initial fortified city up makes sense, so that a player can get the awesome cavalry units on the board. At the same time, having multiple fortified cities allows a player to spread their forces and avoid one large devastating attack. This is a simple choice, but it’s a good one – and I enjoy this aspect of the game more than any other.
7.) Fun Factor: Kasl is a game that will be enjoyed by three or four players who simply want to slap each other around with forces. The Black Plague basic rules are quite annoying as written (reminds me of a similar “table flipping” rule in Tenjo), but with a simple fix can be avoided - but didn’t they even think of this in playtesting? Still, other than that, the game works fairly well, and I highly recommend the advanced rules over the basic ones – they offer more strategy and give players a more focused attack plan than simply just whaling on everything in sight.
I will recommend Kasl but only to those who like Risk and/or are looking for something with more depth. The depth is here, and other than the annoying Black Plague rule, everything flows fairly smoothly. A little more injection of theme wouldn’t have hurt, but the speed of game play has caused some to really enjoy the game; and it’s a big hit with the teenagers I’ve introduced it to. Not one that I’ll want to play often, Kasl still takes an obsolete classic (in my oh so not humble opinion) and revamps it to make it more interesting and more tactical.
Tom Vasel
Real men play board games
www.thedicetower.com
