Review: War Chest

Introduction & Overview

Can you master the game of kings, queens, and warriors, leading your armies to victory in this beautiful game of tactics and strategy? War Chest challenges you to develop different strategies by drafting units, recovering from losses, and outmaneuvering your opponent with the goal of defeating them.

This is the premise behind War Chest, a design by Trevor Benjamin (Dice Heist, Café Fatal, High Risk) and David Thompson (Armageddon, Pavlov’s House, Europe Divided). The game was published in 2018 by AEG (Alderac Entertainment Group) in an English edition. Graphic design and illustration are handled by Brigette Indelicato (Dungeon Hustle, Favelas).

The game is not available locally, so you will need to rely on importing it. It has a slight language dependence on the cards, although it is public information and any potential issues can easily be solved with a player aid. It allows for games of 2 or 4 players, with a suggested minimum age of 14 years and an approximate playing time of around 30 minutes. The MSRP is €49.95. For this review, a copy of the English edition from AEG was used.

Important: if you already know the game and/or are only interested in my opinion about it, you can go directly to the Opinion section. The Content and Mechanics sections are especially intended for those who do not know the game and prefer to get a general idea of how it works.

Components

Inside a one-piece box with a magnetic flap closure measuring 23.2×19.3×11.8 cm (unusual dimensions unlike virtually any other box), we find the following components:

74 Unit Chips (plastic)
4 Royal Coins (plastic)
16 Unit Cards (63.5×88 mm)
16 Control Markers (cardboard)
Initiative Marker (plastic)
4 Bags (velvet)
Game Board (cardboard)
Rulebook

How to Play

War Chest is an abstract-style game with bag-building and area control as its main mechanisms. Players command four military unit types, represented by chips placed in a bag (chosen from 16 available types). In each round, players draw 3 chips from their bag, using them to perform three actions (taking alternating turns) from the available options: placing the chip onto the board at a controlled location (if that unit type is not already on the board) or bolstering a unit of that type. Alternatively, players can discard a chip face down to recruit new chips or claim initiative (to act first in the following round), or discard it face up to perform actions with a unit of that type already on the board (move, attack, or control a location). The objective is to control six of the special locations on a compact hex board before your opponent does.

Key Concepts

Let’s begin with the board. It depicts a battlefield of hexagonal spaces arranged in 11 columns, with the central column being the longest (7 hexes) and decreasing by one space per column as they move toward the outer edges down to a length of two spaces. The two outermost columns on each side are shaded, indicating that they are only used in the 4-player game. Finally, certain spaces on the board feature a green marker denoting the control points players must capture to achieve victory.

To mark these locations, each player has a set of Control Markers displaying their faction’s symbol (silver crows or golden wolves). Once placed on the board, these markers remain on the control spaces until the opposing player captures them, swapping the markers.

One of the game’s core mechanisms is bag-building. Each player has a large velvet bag containing the chips drawn to execute their turns. Over the course of the game, players will recruit new units that will enter the bag once it is completely empty.

These Unit Chips represent various unit types that players can recruit (placing them in the discard pile to eventually enter the bag) and deploy onto the board during their turn. Each chip is identified by a background pattern and a distinct unit icon.

Each unit type has unique characteristics, whether in its movement, attack, or special abilities. These specifics are detailed on Unit Cards, which also serve during setup, as each player will only have 4 unit types at their disposal (different from their opponent’s). Players draw chips from their bag to form a hand of 3 chips, playing actions back and forth with their rival. Some actions require revealing the chip’s symbol (typically to activate a matching unit on the board), while others are performed by discarding the chip face down.

Each player also has a special unit, the Royal Coin, showing their faction symbol. Functionally, it operates similarly to other units, with the exception that it cannot perform actions on the board.

Finally, initiative is tracked using a double-sided marker displaying both faction symbols.

That is enough to get started.

Preparación de la Partida

Shuffle the unit cards and deal 4 to each player (return the remaining 8 to the box).
Each player takes all unit chips matching the types on their cards and places them in a stack in front of each card.
Each player chooses a faction and takes a bag, a set of control markers, and their Royal Coin.
Each player sits at the side of the board showing their symbol and places 2 of their control markers onto the two nearest control spaces.
Toss the initiative marker and place it with the resulting side face up beside the board.
Finally, each player places their Royal Coin along with 2 chips of each of their 4 assigned unit types into their bag. After giving it a gentle mix, draw 3 chips as a starting hand.

We are ready to begin!

Game Flow

A game of War Chest is played over an indeterminate number of rounds. Each round consists of 3 turns per player, resolved in alternating fashion starting with the player holding initiative.

On each turn, the active player must perform an action using one chip from their hand. The options are:

Deploy a Unit: the player places a chip of a unit type not currently on the board onto an unoccupied space controlled by the player (with a control marker).
Bolster a Unit: the player stacks the chip on top of a matching unit already on the board.
Move a Unit: the player discards the chip face up into their discard pile to move the matching unit on the board to an adjacent unoccupied space.
Attack: the player discards a chip face up matching a deployed unit adjacent to an enemy unit to attack it. As a result, the opponent removes one chip from the attacked unit. If the unit was not bolstered, it is removed from the board. Eliminated chips are returned to the box.
Use a Tactic: some units feature a special ability triggered by discarding a matching chip face up into the discard pile.
Control a Location: if a player holds a chip matching a unit occupying a special board location that the player does not yet control, they may discard it face up to claim control, placing one of their control markers on it. If the space was controlled by the opponent, their control marker is returned to them.
Claim Initiative: the player discards any chip face down to flip the initiative marker to their faction side and pull it toward them. In a given round, the initiative marker can only be claimed once by the player who does not currently hold it. If stolen, the other player must wait until the next round to reclaim it.
Recruit a Unit: the player discards any chip face down to recruit a unit from their supply, placing the recruited chip directly into their discard pile (not the bag).
Pass: the player discards any chip face down and takes no further action.

Once players have played all chips from their hands, they draw 3 new chips from their bag to replenish their hands. If a bag runs empty, the discard pile is placed back into the bag and drawing continues.

Game End

The game ends immediately when a player controls their sixth location, claiming victory.

Variants

4-Player Mode: played in teams of two on the full board (including the shaded spaces). Shuffle the unit cards and deal 3 to each player to form their supply. Each player has their own bag and adds 2 units of each of their assigned types. The game proceeds in alternating turns around the table (teammates cannot take consecutive turns). Each team shares a pool of 8 control markers, and the game ends when a team controls 8 locations. For tactic resolution, a teammate’s units are considered friendly.

Personal Opinion

Within the realm of abstract games, finding genuine innovation or designs that bring fresh air to the genre is rare. That is understandable given that these games operate within stricter constraints and rarely lean on theme to convey distinct experiences. They are purely mechanical designs where extraneous fluff is frowned upon and the genre benchmarks have remained the same for decades. That is why, when a title like War Chest emerges on the scene and captures players’ attention, giving it a fair shake to see if the praise holds up is practically mandatory.

War Chest, as an abstract-style design, looks fairly traditional at first glance: a hex board where you deploy tokens aiming to position yourself and control key points before your opponent does. Because the board footprint is relatively tight, conflict sparks within just a few moves. Players alternate action turns, structured into rounds of three turns each, deploying pieces, maneuvering them to capture designated spaces, and naturally attempting to eliminate enemy units.

It is the peripheral mechanisms that bring real novelty to this style of game, edging it intriguingly close to Eurogame territory. I am referring to deck-building (bag-building in this case) and hand management, which form the core engine of the game. These two mechanics constrain the players’ scope of action: you cannot simply make any theoretical move that comes to mind; you are bound by the chips in your hand while constantly weighing which pieces remain in the bag as you make decisions.

Additionally, asymmetry serves as the game’s second major highlight. Each player commands a set of four distinct unit types, each boasting a specific trait—be it movement quirks, attack variations, or supportive abilities—chosen from sixteen available types included in the gorgeous box (more on that later). At setup, the unit cards are shuffled and four are dealt to each player. This small roster becomes that player’s exclusive toolkit for the entire game.

Consequently, even once you master the foundational principles, every match presents a fresh challenge: discovering the synergies and strengths of your own lineup while actively diagnosing the weaknesses in your opponent’s army. This injects a remarkable degree of variability into the game—something seldom seen in the genre. It produces a sensation akin to the modern edition of Santorini (read the tocho-review here), though on a more complex scale, as evaluating the pros and cons of an asymmetric set requires more foresight than assessing a single special power.

On top of this, you must skillfully manage your bag-building engine to avoid stalling out as you build board presence. Pacing is crucial: you have to know exactly when to move, bolster, strike, or recruit. Even passing becomes a tactical consideration; holding back until your opponent tips their hand is often wise when you hold a commanding board position, since a single misstep can see a vital piece—positioned over several careful turns—eliminated in an instant. In this regard, War Chest leans much more heavily toward tactical play than grand strategic planning. Long-term strategy is mostly concentrated in bag management: deciding which units to recruit, and crucially, when to buy them.

It is precisely in this pacing where the game’s most notable drawback lies, occasionally leading to anticlimactic finishes. This stems from the combat mechanics and the hard cap on unit chips. For any given type, you only possess 4 or 5 chips, with 2 already starting in the bag. Put differently, a unit can sustain roughly two casualties before becoming functionally obsolete, since you need at least one chip in the bag and one on the board to execute board actions. The moment you are down to a single remaining chip of a type, it can only be used for face-down actions (claiming initiative, recruiting, or passing). In tight, drawn-out matches, this attrition can grind options down to a trickle, causing the game’s tempo to drag until one player stumbles across the finish line.

To be fair, I have only experienced this severe attrition dynamic once. Typically, the asymmetrical balance between units and the sheer challenge of finding an optimal line of play keep matches moving briskly, so this should not be an overblown concern. At its core, it mirrors what happens in Chess or other classic abstracts: some games are lightning-fast battles decided by a brilliant combination catching the opponent off-guard, while others become grueling wars of attrition ending with a nearly barren board.

The role of luck also warrants mention. Because this is a bag-builder with tight action economies and narrow operational margins, whether you draw a specific unit chip in a critical round can mean the difference between victory and defeat, dictating whether you can activate the corresponding unit on the board. On the upside, this dynamic elevates the value of holding initiative, giving real weight to the Royal Coin as the supply thins out.

All in all, War Chest strikes me as a standout abstract-style game. Even while borrowing modern Eurogame mechanics, it delivers the tense interplay characteristic of the genre’s best titles, such as Hive (read the tocho-review here) or GIPF project classics like YINSH (read the tocho-review here) or TZAAR (read the tocho-review here). It delivers thoroughly engaging decision-making within a very manageable playtime.

The game does include a 4-player team variant that some might find appealing. However, I tend to be a purist in this genre: for me, War Chest is strictly a 2-player game. Savoring the contemplative silences while each player calculates moves in a tense back-and-forth duel is where the design shines. Waiting three turns between every action feels far less compelling. Still, the option is there for those who enjoy team play.

Production-wise, this is arguably the most striking element of the package. The heavyweight poker-style plastic chips (similar in feel to Splendor tokens) feature clean screen-printed icons over detailed background patterns. The board cardboard is thick and sturdy. My only minor gripe lies with the control markers, which are made of thinner cardboard and look somewhat modest compared to the premium chips—though this production choice is understandable to prevent visual confusion on the board. The velvet bags are among the best ever included in a board game: thick, durable, and embroidered with large faction crests. The packaging also deserves praise; while the bespoke box size may test your shelf organization, the care put into the insert and presentation is immediately obvious. The rulebook is clear and concise, complete with FAQs and clear examples.

Visual presentation in abstract games is often an afterthought, as standing out without a heavy thematic wrapper is difficult. Yet War Chest is remarkably eye-catching despite its minimalist board and icon-driven pieces. Brigette Indelicato’s art and graphic design work are top-notch. I particularly like the textured patterning underlying each unit chip, giving bold contrast to the crisp white silhouettes.

And let’s wrap this up. War Chest is an engaging proposition that seamlessly marries hex-based area control with bag-building and hand management. The asymmetry of the unit roster and the drive to uncover tactical synergies while probing your opponent’s vulnerabilities create a wonderfully tense back-and-forth rhythm. Tactical timing takes center stage, forcing careful deliberation behind every move, reinforcement, and strike. On the downside, draw variance from the bag can occasionally frustrate at decisive moments, and razor-thin games can degenerate into a war of attrition that drags down the pace (drifting slightly away from the pure calculation typical of classic abstracts). Minor flaws aside, its rich decision space, swift tempo, and relentless fight for initiative make it an exceptionally rewarding experience for fans of direct tactical duels. A clever design that breathes fresh life into the genre through modern mechanics. For all these reasons, I give it a…