Yesterday evening I got the chance to play A Game of Thrones: The Board game (Second Edition) again. The last time the game had been to the table was just over a year ago. And if my fading memory isn’t letting me down, my three opponents yesterday were also my opponents that time too.

This time I was the Starks, Liz was the Greyjoys, Dave was the Lannister’s while Justin was the Baratheons.

What was unusual for this play for me was I think this was the first time in a long time that I’ve played just the core game. With 4 players I usually play with the A Feast of Crows expansion. So it felt a bit weird starting off with so few resources and no objectives.

The draw back of playing this way with just the core game was if Liz and I spent all our time fighting over land in the North, then Dave and Justin would be free to run rampant in the South racing each other to get the 7 strongholds/castles. So early on Liz and I made a truce not to fight over the lands to the North, and came to a compromise splitting up of the lands. Thus we were able to turn our attentions towards the South.

I’m not going to apologise for this photo being the wrong way up. It was taken so that I could ask Liz her intentions without letting those of the South aware of potential troop movements.

Liz managed to attract the vengeful wrath of Justin when she invaded and captured one of his castles down on the southern tip of the kingdom. The next turn he committed to recapturing his lost castle. After that, when we failed to repel the wildlings, Liz was the one selected as the loser to get the worst of the punishments for failing by Justin (who held the Iron Throne).

I would have captured the Bartheons home stronghold a turn earlier than I did if Dave hadn’t played a card in our combat that meant he could remove a command token of mine. Which siding with Justin, removed the amassed forces I was going to invade with from that turn. But the next turn I did manage to invade and capture the Bartheons home stronghold. Thus inflicting on Justin the indignity of being the only player to lose their home stronghold. Even after this I still managed to avoid the wrath of his forces, which were still intent on extracting revenge on Liz.

This was a pretty close game really, towards the end I think anyone of us could have won the game. On what was going to be the penultimate turn if I had been able to grab one more stronghold/castle I would have been victorious. I was capturing two castles/strongholds that turn, but there was no way I could work it that I got that elusive third. That was my shot at seizing victory gone. I knew the next round I’d lose 2 castles/strongholds to the Lannisters and Baratheons. Luckily I knew I would be able as a final act of defiance steal from under the nose of Justin one of his unguarded castles as he took one from me.

The final turn of the game saw Justin lose 2 castles and gain 1. While Liz gained 2 castles, and could have gotten 3 if she had not rushed issuing her orders and getting a couple the wrong way round. However she did lose 1 castle to Dave in a surprise attack by him. I lost 2 castles and gained 1. Dave lost a castle to Liz, but gained 2.

In the end Dave marched his Lannister forces to victory and the Iron Throne. Trampling over Liz’s forces to do so meant that his victory might be short lived after they got home.

It was a fun evening with great company, and a great way to end the weekend.