Hand Management

  • Review: Star Wars – Rebellion

    ByiMisut Hours
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    We find ourselves in a period of civil war. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away; the entire galaxy is subjected to the Empire’s reign of terror. Its newly constructed combat station, the Death Star, is powerful enough to destroy anyone who opposes its dictatorship. But a new hope has emerged. A group of brave individuals has decided to fight against imperial tyranny. From their hidden base, these rebels plan to overthrow the Empire and restore freedom to the galaxy. Star Wars: Rebellion allows players to reenact the epic conflict between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance. Players take control of iconic characters from the Star Wars saga to undertake secret missions or lead their troops into battles across the galaxy.

    This is how Star Wars: Rebellion is presented to us, a new title by Corey Konieczka, the designer behind games like StarCraft: The Board Game, Battlestar Galactica, or Eldritch Horror. The game was published in 2015 by Fantasy Flight Games. The artwork does not bear the signature of any specific illustrator; instead, the publisher pulled from archival images already used in numerous titles set in the galactic franchise.

  • Review: La Granja

    ByiMisut Hours
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    Located in Mallorca, in the heart of the Serra de Tramuntana, La Granja de Esporles is a beautiful estate whose origins date back to the 10th century. In the 15th century, the estate included housing for workers, day laborers, and landowners, as well as facilities for the agricultural exploitation of an extensive territory of olive trees, vineyards, and wheat fields. Players will manage their farm, deliver goods to the market, and supply the village craft buildings to earn victory points.

    This is the premise behind La Granja, designed by Michael Keller and Andreas Odendahl, marking the debut published title for both designers. The first edition was released in 2014 by Spielworxx, completely selling out its rather short print run even before arriving at Essen. Following this success, it received editions in several languages (English by Stronghold Games, French by Pearl Games, and Polish by G3). The artwork is handled by a classic illustrator, Harald Lieske, who previously demonstrated his talent in titles such as Power Grid, The Castles of Burgundy, Las Vegas, and Witch’s Brew.

  • Review: Concordia

    ByiMisut Hours
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    Two thousand years ago, the Roman Empire ruled the lands around the Mediterranean Sea. With peace on the borders, harmony within the provinces, a uniform law, and a single currency, the economy thrived and gave rise to powerful Roman dynasties that expanded into numerous cities. Lead one of these dynasties; colonize the most remote realms of the Empire; expand your trade network and please the ancient gods to gain their favor. If you plan your strategy properly, you will be able to grow your dynasty and make it the most powerful in the Roman Empire.

    This is the premise of Concordia, a game designed by Mac Gerdts, author of other well-known titles such as Imperial, Navegador, or Antike. The game was first published in 2013 by PD-Verlag (in English/German), becoming one of the nominees for that year’s Kennerspiel des Jahres alongside Istanbul (winner) and Rokoko. The illustrations are handled by Marina Fahrenbach, the publisher’s usual artist (Navegador, Antike II, Antike Duellum).

  • Review: Brass – Lancashire

    ByiMisut Hours
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    Welcome to 18th-century Lancashire. The world is on the brink of changing from something we could describe as almost medieval to what we now know as modern times. This shift will become known as the Industrial Revolution, although it will take historians a while to coin that term. Lancashire became the hub of the cotton industry during this period, driven by the inventiveness of Crompton, Arkwright, and Watt, among others. Steam power was paired with new machinery, cotton mills were erected, and coal mines plunged to greater depths to feed these energy-hungry contraptions. Moving coal required canals and later railways, and in this way, this virtuous cycle sparked one innovation after another. Brass recounts a slice of this history in board game form. Its name stems from a traditional Lancashire saying: “where there’s muck there’s brass,” meaning “where there is dirt, there is money.”

    This is the premise behind Brass: Lancashire, designed by the great British author Martin Wallace, whose résumé includes celebrated titles such as London, Princes of the Renaissance, Age of Steam, Tinners’ Trail, and A Study in Emerald. The game before us today was first published in English in 2007 by Warfrog Games, followed later by editions from White Goblin Games (in Dutch/French), Pegasus Spiele (in German under the title Kohle: Mit Volldampf zum Reichtum), and Eagle Games (again in English). Illustrations for the first edition were handled by Peter Dennis, Wallace’s go-to artist with collaborations on Age of Steam, A Few Acres of Snow, and Tinners’ Trail, whereas this new edition was illustrated by Lina Cossette, David Forest (both responsible for the look of games like Santorini and Charterstone), and Damien Mammoliti (The Witcher Adventure Game, Edge of Darkness).