Review
Border States
Border States dresses a symmetrical area-dominance game in the American Civil War, then turns it into a chain of contests over historical battlefields. There are clever ideas here, though its staying power feels limited.
- Published
- 2022
- Designer
- Stéphane Brachet
- Publisher
- Shakos
- Players
- 2
- Playing time
- 50 min
Border States is, at heart, a symmetrical area-dominance game wearing the American Civil War as its uniform. The theme gives the contests their names and destinations, but the core remains pleasantly abstract: two sides weighing where the next commitment is most likely to matter.
The game resolves into a sequence of tricks fought over battlefields from that conflict. The interesting decision is which contest to press, because its value is not isolated; it feeds into dominance across several boards at once.
The interesting decision is which contest to press, because its value is not isolated; it feeds into dominance across several boards at once.
TheTrainSpotter
There is a rock-paper-scissors quality to the system, except the relationships are running in parallel and some information remains hidden. Interaction is therefore more than simply winning a local fight: you read the other player, bluff your intentions, and try not to donate a battle that tilts the wider territorial balance.
It is by no means bad, but after two or three plays I struggle to find a reason to bring it back with either the same opponent or a different one. It remains a pleasant interlude for two players wanting something historical yet abstract when brief border wars is not available.
It is by no means bad, but after two or three plays I struggle to find a reason to bring it back with either the same opponent or a different one.
TheTrainSpotter
Source: BoardGameGeek
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