It is a time of unrest in 1920s Europa. The ashes from the first great war still darken the snow. The capitalistic city-state known simply as “the factory,” which fueled the war with heavily armored Mechs, has closed its doors, drawing the attention of several nearby countries. Scythe is a board game set in an alternate-history 1920s period. It is a time of farming and war, broken hearts and rusted gears, innovation and Valor. In scythe, each player represents a fallen leader attempting to restore their honor and lead their faction to power in Eastern Europa. Players conquer territory, enlist new recruits, reap resources, gain villagers, build structures, and activate monstrous Mech.
BoardGameGeek Rating: 8.3
MSRP: $61.79
Players: 1–5 (7 with expansion)
Ages: 14+
Playtime: 90–115 Min
Publishers: Stonemaier Games
Designers: Jamey Stegmaier
Year: 2016
Concept
A worker placement, resource management, territory controlling, steam powered mech fighting, strategy game.
Quality
Extremely high quality, as is everything Stonemaier Games does. From the player boards, that are double layered with slots to hold all your tiny colored wooden pieces, to the game that includes beautiful Characters and mech minis, this game us a steal at less then $70.
Artwork
The art work is impressive. It is a dark but whimsically take on farming and war, broken hearts and rusted gears done beautifully by artist Jakub Rozalski. The board can feel a little busy at first but once you understand the game it blends well with the theme.
Difficulty
The game itself is not hard, but there are a lot of small (simple) rules to take in at first which makes the learning curve a bit steep, especially if no-one at the table has played before.
Replayability
Don’t be blinded by the fixed tile board. Every character and faction are different which changes your strategy based on who you are and who you play against. — Moderately High
Our Reviews
My rating: 9
by Aaron KlaserWhen this game first came out, I wanted it so bad. Maybe it was because it was impossible to find, but then it did have mechs and minis. And having played it many times now, I love it.
It was a lot to take in at first, but once I got a game or two under my belt and played as different characters I started to see the magic behind this game. Every character board has different pairs of top and bottom actions which you can take each turn. But those pairs being different really change the strategy you should be using, and then you throw in the different faction abilities it adds even more layers of strategy.
But my favorite thing about Scythe is you have to win. It doesn’t just end like these round-base euro games that often feel anti-climatic or end just as they start to get exciting. Scythe starts off a little slow but grows exciting fast. There is a bit of an adrenal rush as you start to get into those final rounds dreading what the other players are going to do. Praying that it makes it back around to you so your plan can play out.
And once the game ends, it’s not over yet. Were you a war hungry jerk the whole ranking in the game, or did you try to be loved by your meeples? This is where the balance of this game comes in, every positive actions you make in the game has a negative conscious some where else, good or bad, and these decisions can change everything when it comes time for the final score.
I can honestly say that this game is probably one of the most well balanced games I have ever played.
My rating: 9
by Beth KlaserI’m like a child in a candy store. At the time of the Scythe popularity boom it was hard to find. Photographs and opinions were popping up everywhere. Now, I’m generally not one to pay attention to another persons opinion. I wanted to buy it and try it for myself.
The first thing I noticed about Scythe was the artwork. The art is absolutely beautiful and touches everything from the box, the board, down to the pieces. Stonemaier games worked with Polish artist, Jakub Rozalski, to produce paintings of the Polish country side. They seamlessly blend the early 20th century with colossal robots.
The first time we played I found the game complex and confusing. However, after playing a few games — I found it wasn’t as it appeared. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Scythe is not a just a game about combat but, also focuses on building and harvesting resources. Don’t get me wrong the combat is there. Characters and Mechs can easily be moved to your opponents territory to instigate combat. The loser has to retreat all mechs, characters, and workers to there home base. It also happens that every.single.time I try to take on my husband in combat, I end up dropping all of my resources and he swoops in and takes them all.
Overall, I find Scythe to be extremely enjoyable. It just so happens there is a new expansion — The Wind and Gambit — which adds airships and resolutions to the game play. Bring.It.On
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