Duel of Ages, Set 2 - Intensity
# 1 on my "Top 10 Board Game Expansions" list.
If you've read my review about Duel of Ages, Worldspanner (Set one), you know that it's one of my favorite games I've ever played. I'm really amazed at how the makers blended together so many different styles of gameplay and came out with a balanced, fun game.
Duel of Ages Set 2 - Intensity is not a stand alone game. It is rather an expansion to the basic game. There are currently 6 expansions to the game. This one is easily the best of them all. Why is that? - For all the things it adds to the basic game. The basic game is varied enough, but if you want more... this is what you get:
1). More characters: A pile of Weewaks (slow, but can absorb a lot of hits), the Bladed Terror (a lean fighting machine that I hate with all my heart!), Joshua Jordan (the superhero), Beowulf (the mighty hero), Homer Morgan (with his trusty baseball bat), and 23 other characters. Combined with the basic set, that gives you a total of 56 characters. That's enough fo hundreds of thousands of combinations. The new characters are a lot of fun, and you will find yourself picking your favorites (and your most hated - why DID that Bladed Terror kill three of my men).
2). More quests: The quests were nice and varied in the original game, but here are more - so many that you'll play different quests in each game.
3). More platters: You receive three more platters, the maps of the game. That gives you a total of 7 maps, which is certainly enough to have many, many different layouts of the map. (If you want more maps than that, you have to buy expansion three).
4). Mesas: Terrain in the first set was great, with different types to manuever around. With the addition of mesas, however, a whole new level of complexity is added to your tactical movement. Should you move up to the top of the mesa, or should you take the longer way around? I"ve stuck characters on top of mesas with guns, while running up them to hide from other enemies. They add a three dimensional quality to the terrain.
5). Creatures: A new type of item card is added to the mix. You can unleash pets at your opponent, sending a Bengal tiger roaring at him or a timber wolf. Creatures focus on one enemy character, and can attack no other character. When one is sent after your character, you may feel a little panicked, as it really feels as if that animal is hunting down your character. However, there are also equipment cards (fodder) that allow you to "feed" the incoming monster, giving you control over it! Another Creature you can release is the Sentinel. These are like non-moving characters that you can set up in certain places to annoy your enemy. For example, if your enemy is heading to the ancient labyrinth, and you drop off a sentinel right in the doorway - you have to get past this thing to go into the labyrinth. Sentinels and Pets have their own tokens, and make the game more unpredictable, and frankly - a lot more fun!
6). Lith Strategica: This is a key (connecting piece) that has a bunch of towers on it. If you NEED to use a tower, it has its uses, but other than that - we usually leave it alone. Maybe it's uses are subtle, that we don't notice it yet....
7). Lith Alliance: This is just like a labyrinth, except that the team marker starts at the beginning of the "key". To move the team marker, characters must complete difficult tests. There are no immediate awards, but if the team gets their token to the final space first - then they geta new character - a huge advantage! Not only that, if a team gets their marker past the Tower of Ages, a new tower in this "key", than they can use it. And the Tower of Ages is one of the best towers of the game, giving you and people from the same era as you cards and health! The Lith Alliance is quite a fun addition to the game.
8). Cubes: Cubes are like an "interrupt". They are equipment cards with one use that can really help you, or really hurt your opponent. While they are great to have, and can really change the outcome of the game, I just didn't get the same thrill from drawing them from the deck as I did when drawing the Claymore or Bengal Tiger. They are certainly useful, though.
9). Team Bases: For me, this is hands down the best addition to the game. Team Bases add a whole "capture the flag" element to the game. Each team, black and white, gets a "key" that is their home base. The base has three gates through with they can move freely. The base changes the original game in that it is where all your new characters start. It also has three special spaces in it: The Vault, the Prison, and the HQ. At the beginning of each game, 2 cards are placed in each player's vault. These are able to be picked up by characters on each team. Characters can also store cards in the vault, and other adventures, etc., add cards to your vault. Your own base is nice - but the enemies' base is so much nicer. If you can get in, you can wreak a lot of havoc on them. There are three gates to get into the base: High, Low, and Main. Anyone can get into the enemy's main gate if they pass a yellow stealth test. (Not too easy) Respected Characters (finally can use that ability!) can just waltz right through the High Gate. Decent and Dishonorable characters can bribe their way through the low gate with one card.
Once in the gate, you can go after the enemy vault. You make a blue wits challenge. If you fail, you might be imprisoned, but if you pass, you can raid their goodies and take cards from their vault! Also, in the enemy base, you can attack the team's HQ. If you suceed in this, and even destroy the HQ, not only are the opponent's players (-2) to all actions next turn, but you gain a victory point, unless they destroy your base during the game.
The prison is a very interesting place. You can interrogate your own prisoners, and steal their cards. Or you can raid the enemy base and free your own prisoners. This can be a lot of fun. I used the bumbling agent 911 to attempt to steal from the opponent's vault. He was caught and imprisoned. However, later on I was able to sneak another character into the prison and free agent 911, who then went on to create more havoc elsewhere.
Their are other ways to get thrown into prison - such as having the opponent roll a double amaze when attacking you. You can also surrender to the opponent, which they must accept if they are honorable or decent. Team bases add something to the board that you can defend and attack. They make the game much more fun, in my opinion. I don't think I'll ever want to play a game without them.
All in all, the game has the same quality as the first - and a bunch of new elements that make playing DOA even more fun. So if you want an expansion, this is the one to get! If you don't want an expansion, consider this one anyway. You can get away without buying the other 5 expansions, but this one adds SO much, I think you should snag it while you can!
Tom Vasel
"Real men play board games"
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