-
So the inherent power for the Iron Throne is in breaking ties.
I've not yet played and was curious about how powerful or effective this is?
Can anyone provide any interesting scenarios?
Thanks!
-
Joel Schuster
Germany
Bretten
Baden-Württemberg
-
When you have a Clash of Kings at times when everybody is low on power the Iron Throne effect can be huge. Happens especially when you have like 2 clashes in a row and noone collected much power.
Imagine you hold a single power token while noone else holds any as the worst/best case. You bid your single power for the throne, win it and as noone can bid anything on the other two fields of influnce either, you'll take 3 first places and 3 tokens.
Also the Throne itself unbreaks ties, but the according track gives you initiative in order of play.
If you want to win the game eventually it helps a great deal to go first/early. You can win from a lower position but then usually someone did a mistake.
Last but not least this can be a game winner. Sometimes a player will finish a turn one victory point short of winning with a good shot on the last needed city/stronghold. If then a clash happens it may be VERY important for that player to win the Iron Throne to go first and strike on the last needed position that will win him the game (remember the game instantly ends whenever someone meets the victory condition).
So you might have bids like 18 vs 18 or 17 power tokens on the Throne which might or might not win the game. So a tiebreak might actually decide your fate here.
Throne also breaks ties for wildling attacks.
-
Ty Hansen
United States
Dist of Columbia
-
Hi there, my comments are based on the original version, 5 or 6 players.
The only time IT breaks ties is during bidding (including Wildlings), not when fighting (Fiefdoms track).
The key examples would be when two players bid the same for the Raven, one is usually going to end up with fewer star orders... or if the Wildlings are attacking, you can much more difinitively determine your contribution to the Wall, knowing you won't lose 4 strength if there's a tie for last (very possible in turn 2/3).
However, I feel the real power lays in timing of order execution (including mustering, covered later).
During the game one usually either wants to move before a certain faction, or after it...
Before allows one to better raid, and capture that game-winning castle.
It also lets one possibly preemptively attack, a win resulting in your enemy not getting to use that march order! This is especially effective with fleets in my experience.
After allows one to counter attack after your enemy has committed to a course of action.
This is helpful early in the game, to appear neutral, and then capitalize after a neighbor has attacked in a different direction...
Finally, the Iron Throne lets one muster first. This can be KEY in sea zones, for example who is going to muster into the Bay of Ice, Stark or Greyjoy (from Flint's Finger)...
If you are not playing ports (which I highly recommend playing with ports), Greyjoy can simply pin Stark if there is a Clash Turn 2, they bid to capture the IT, and a muster Turn 3 puts a Greyjoy fleet in Bay of Ice, which Stark cannot budge unless it's removed to Wildling losses...
However, if all sea zones are filled, or you are not in contention for them, it's actually more helpful to see what your enemy musters, so that you can counter...
I would argue the Iron Throne is the least desired token, and there have been suggestions on how to boost its desirability (one free influence token after bidding, choose if you want to muster first or last, place an influence in a region adjacent to an existing army).
Enjoy Game of Thrones! Where you win, or die!
-
David F
United States
Emeryville
California
Set up a lot of the PBF framework for BSG, Runewars, Small World, The Devil's Castle. PBF in Gears of War, Death Angel, A Game of Thrones. Currently playing Twilight Struggle, Middle-Earth Quest and Eclipse on Vassal.
I'm anal about using the right terms to describe games and have posted an alternative glossary to the inconsistent sprawl in BGG's database and lexicon that is clear, accurate and simple. I care big time about my reviews, ratings and comments.
-
It's a lot more effective on turns when Wildlings attack. Bidding for the Iron Throne gets interesting if both A Clash of Kings and Wildlings attack show up (do you leave some power in reserve for the Wildlings, or do you bid more for the Iron Throne so you're most probably safe from the Wildlings).
Turn order matters too. Early game, you don't care much about it, and it's sometimes better to march last to react to others. You sometimes want to go early mid-game if you want to raid Support or Consolidate Power before opponent raids your raid. Late-game, going first is a huge advantage if you're close to a win, since you can make the first march to win the game instantly before the others get to stop you.
-
-
When everyone's power is low and the wildlings are about to attack, getting the Iron Throne can let you spike the wildling bid (by bidding zero) and ensuring that you still won't be stuck getting the worst effect. In the right situation you'll get to choose who gets the worst effect, and that can be devastating in the early game.
I've seen games end on turn 3 when this strategy was used effectively. But it depends on a particular combination of circumstances.
In general, I don't bid on the Iron Throne unless it's for a specific purpose. I normally like being able to delay a movement until after my opponents commit.
-
Ryan Caputo
United States
Maryville
Tennessee
-
The question I have, when breaking a tie between more than 2 players, does the "King" get to choose the placment or does the player slide down the track.
This came up in the last game, first turn I grabed 1 token and no one else did, first card to come up was vot for influence. I my 1 on the king took the other 2 and said I could place my opponents in any order I chose since they all voted 0, not sure if it is correct.
-
Hans Hansen
Lübeck
Schleswig-Holstein
-
The current holder of the throne decides the ranking for everybody, I.e. breaking ties in his favor. Only after the ranking is deteined the iron throne token moves to the new owner.
-
Ty Hansen
United States
Dist of Columbia
-
ryolacap wrote: The question I have, when breaking a tie between more than 2 players, does the "King" get to choose the placment or does the player slide down the track.
This came up in the last game, first turn I grabed 1 token and no one else did, first card to come up was vot for influence. I my 1 on the king took the other 2 and said I could place my opponents in any order I chose since they all voted 0, not sure if it is correct. The holder of the Iron Throne breaks ties in the manner of their choosing.
Two examples bidding for the Valerian Blade.
1) Bids of 3,3,2,2,1,0
The Iron Throne holder chooses which of the 3 bids gets the Blade, the other 3 is placed second, the IT chooses which of the 2s is third, the other 2 is fourth, the 1 bid is fifth and the 0 bid is last.
2) Bids of 1,0,0,0,0,0
The Blade goes to the person who bid 1, the IT gets to decide the remaining order in any way he chooses.
As mentioned before, the IT passes to the highest bidder for the IT only after the rest of the IT has been determined (meaning the player starting with the IT gets to finish those ties).
I love talking about Ties 
-
Eccentric Positionality
Germany
Bonn
Nordrhein-Westfalen
Fight Win Prevail - but enjoy the game whatever happens :D
-
DarthHansen wrote: [...] As mentioned before, the IT passes to the highest bidder for the IT only after the rest of the IT has been determined (meaning the player starting with the IT gets to finish those ties). I love talking about Ties
I think this rule interpretation is not correct.
The bidding is resolved one area at a time always starting with the Iron Throne track. The current owner of the Iron Thron decides ties for the new Iron Throne bid.
After resolving this first bid, the new owner of IT is awarded the IT token and becomes the new tie-breaker for the following blade and raven bids.
See in rule document agot_boardgame_rules.pdf on pg 6, the rule text and example show this situation.
-
-
logicman wrote: DarthHansen wrote: [...] As mentioned before, the IT passes to the highest bidder for the IT only after the rest of the IT has been determined (meaning the player starting with the IT gets to finish those ties). I love talking about Ties I think this rule interpretation is not correct. The bidding is resolved one area at a time always starting with the Iron Throne track. The current owner of the Iron Thron decides ties for the new Iron Throne bid. After resolving this first bid, the new owner of IT is awarded the IT token and becomes the new tie-breaker for the following blade and raven bids. See in rule document agot_boardgame_rules.pdf on pg 6, the rule text and example show this situation.
Actually, that's what he said. You just misread him. He was only talking about the IT track and not the other two. So you are both in agreement.
-
|
|
