Description

In Valenrelm you play as a kingdom that is competing for domination of the land. Start the game by choosing which kingdom you will play as and the tactic and specialty you will start off with. Tactics change the way your armies move on the map and specialties give you a bonus in one area. You can change these during the game as the world map unfolds changing situations require new capabilities.

There are two main decks that you draw from, the tile deck and the action cards. The tiles are used to explore the world and build the world map as the game progresses. This means the game has near infinite variation and no two games will ever result in the same world map. As you explore, you will encounter brigands who have come to inhabit the land of Valenrelm. Defeat them in battle and occupy the farms and villages they guard to expand your kingdom and gain the resources you'll need to recruit more armies and play action cards. Farms provide you with food while villages provide either iron, wood, or stone. There are also camps and castles that are used to recruit armies. The different types of armies have different abilities on the world map and are useful in different situations. Moving your armies on the map will allow you to conquer more territory.

Action cards are used to give you a temporary advantage over the other players. Most of the cards cost resources so having a steady supply of them is essential. Some cards affect your armies, some affect the armies of other players, some have negative effects. Using them at the right time could tip the balance of power and help you achieve victory.

When armies battle, the two players use their battle cards to play out the battle on the battlefield. Every player has the same battle cards unless they have chosen one of the specialized armies that has their own unique battle card. The cards are orders to the units in your army to perform a specific maneuver on the battlefield. The maneuvers each have their own offensive and/or defensive capabilities. Each player chooses their three cards for the center and left and right flanks and reveals the cards at the same time. You could order one of your units to charge at the enemy but if their unit used shield wall, the attack would be blocked. Another unit could flank the shield wall and defeat it. The battle mini games are quick, only lasting a minute or two. You could win, lose, or tie a battle. The result of the battle then effects what happens on the world map.

You can win by occupying most of the settlements, all of the castles, being very wealthy, or destroying everyone else's settlements. Valenrelm is a dangerous place where your fortunes could change at any moment. How will you forge your path to victory?