Fantasy Flight Games

Messenger Raven

Published 3 April 2019 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

Messenger Raven

A New FAQ Is Now Available for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game

“My brother has his sword, King Robert has his warhammer, and I have my mind… and a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.”
–Tyrion Lannister, A Game of Thrones

A new version of the A Game of Thrones: The Board Game FAQ (pdf, 2.4 MB) is now available for download!

A Game of Thrones: The Board Game tasks players with leading the Great Houses of Westeros into battle as they vie for control of the Seven Kingdoms. In this epic game of strategy, diplomacy, and military might, you must take advantage of your House’s position and balance your forces as you forge and break alliances—all in pursuit of power and the Iron Throne.

Since A Game of Thrones: The Board Game first entered its second edition, designers have further explored the world of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series with the A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons scenarios, and most recently with the Mother of Dragons deluxe expansion. As the game continues to evolve, so too must your strategies if you wish to stay ahead of your opponents and maintain your hold on the realm.

Today, Mother of Dragons designer Jason Walden sheds some light on what you can expect to discover in the latest FAQ for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game.

Jason Walden on the Latest FAQ

After nearly seven years, we are proud to announce the release of the second update to the A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Frequently Asked Questions. With thousands of games played, a multitude of new players joining the community, and three expansions added to the collection, a variety of interesting questions have accumulated. We have done our best to capture the most relevant and meaningful of these topics and addressed them in this document.

In addition to answering many of your important questions, we have also included some intriguing rules modifications. As the game has grown and matured, it was discovered that some of the long-standing rules (and some new ones as well) were in need of refreshment. Elements such as refined tiebreaker procedures and even new starting unit positions are a direct result of the evolving game state presented by the three expansions, especially the dramatic changes in Mother of Dragons.

I’d like to thank all of our dedicated fans who have sent us their questions. Your attention to detail has driven us to consider every decision with extreme care. Along the various drafts of the document, I was very thankful to have critical feedback from players like Alan Lee, Torben Dijkstra, and the host of A Podcast of Ice and Fire, Amin Javadi, among many others. Your patience is admirable, and you have my gratitude.

Conquer Westeros

Thanks, Jason!

With this invaluable knowledge at your disposal, you're more prepared than ever to face your rivals on the battlefield and take your rightful place as the ruler of Westeros. Download your copy of the A Game of Thrones: The Board Game FAQ here today and prepare to make your claim for the Iron Thone!

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A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition and its expansion are © 2003, 2011 & 2012 Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc. Licensed by George R.R. Martin. The names, descriptions, and depictions applied to this game are derived from works copyrighted by George R.R. Martin, and may not be used or reused without his permission. A Game of Thrones: The Board Game, its expansion title and Fantasy Flight Supply are trademarks of Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved to their respective owners.

The Price of Power

Published 26 November 2018 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

The Price of Power

The Iron Bank in Mother of Dragons

“We who serve the Iron Bank face death full as often as you who serve the Iron Throne.”
–Tycho Nestoris, A Dance with Dragons

Order your own copy of Mother of Dragons at your local retailer or online through our website today!

In A Game of Thrones: The Board Game, the lords and ladies of Westeros take to the battlefield, fighting for the Iron Throne which has been left vacant following the death of Robert Baratheon. Now, in Mother of Dragons, House Targaryen enters the fray, crossing the Narrow Sea to reclaim their throne. But the Dragon Queen needs men and ships, and she is not alone in these struggles. King Robert left the crown in massive debt, now left to his widow Cersei and the Lannisters, and across Westeros every conflict sinks the realm into deeper financial troubles. If a leader wishes to stake their claim, they may need to seek assistance from an external power…

Today, we're pleased to offer you a closer look at the Iron Bank of Braavos in the Mother of Dragons expansion for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game—now available for pre-order at your local retailer or online through our website!

The Riches of Essos

The Iron Bank is one of the wealthiest institutions of the known world, using its vast reach to not only grow its own wealth, but to affect the flow of power in Westeros and beyond. Anyone can ask its moneylenders for aid with the introduction of Iron Bank order tokens to A Game of Thrones: The Board Game. Iron Bank tokens are sea order tokens that the lords and ladies of Westeros can use to purchase loans from the Iron Bank. These tokens can be raided and your unfortunate envoy killed, but because this violence would occur before the envoy can secure your loan, your opponent won't steal power for raiding these Iron Bank orders. But if your messenger can safely reach the northern bay of Braavos, they have the chance to negotiate with the notorious Iron Bank, bringing all of their power to your fingertips… for a price.

By resolving an Iron Bank order token, you gain the right to purchase a loan from the Iron Bank, which can provide you with powerful aid against your enemies. For example, Sea Raiders or Vanguard Cavalry allow you to muster additional forces in areas that you control, while a Loyal Maester or Master-At-Arms give you the rare opportunity to improve areas, permanently increasing their effectiveness with bonus supplies or bolstered strongholds. Or if you find yourself in need of a more simple, clean solution, you can hire the famous assassins, The Faceless Men, to destroy one knight and one footman in any area, regardless of who they are aligned with or where they are located. With the ever-shifting alliances of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game, this can help you claim victory in a key conflict or garner favor with another House, should you send the assassins to kill a mutual enemy.

The Secret City

In the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, Essos is just as cruel and vicious as Westeros, meaning force is always one way to help secure your loan of choice. Though it is no easy task, it is possible to gain the upper hand in negotiating with the Iron Bank by controlling the city of Braavos where it resides. If you are the first player to conquer the five-strength neutral city, you claim its token and as long as you maintain control, you pay one fewer power token for each loan you purchase. If, however, one of your rivals seizes the city from you, they immediately take this discount for themselves.

You can't simply take whatever loan you want however—you must choose from what the Iron Bank is willing to offer. To take out a loan, you may choose one of the three loan cards displayed in the Iron Bank section of the board, using your power tokens to pay its initial cost, marked above the loan’s slot in the display. Once you have secured your loan, you may use its effect immediately, instantly becoming a threat even if your enemies thought they had pushed you into obscurity.

At the start of each round, the loan cards of the Iron Bank shift one space to the left, decreasing in price or moving to the bottom of the loan deck is they are left unclaimed. Even if there are no favorable or affordable options, you may simply need to remain patient. But take care not to wait too long, lest a rival swipe the ideal loan from under you and leave you floundering for a new plan without the bank’s assistance.

Paying Dues

Securing a favorable loan may offer you an edge in your battle for the Iron Throne, but while these loans offer you mighty abilities, they should not be taken lightly. Beyond their initial costs, each loan requires you to pay interest, and the shrewd moneylenders of the Iron Bank do not forgive debt easily. If you have taken a loan, you must discard one of your power tokens at the beginning of the Westeros Phase for each loan you have purchased, and you must continue to pay this interest until the end of the game! If you should ever fail to do so, the player who holds the Valyrian Steel Blade chooses one of your units to be destroyed.

The Iron Bank has a fearsome reputation for collecting their debts. When high-ranking debtors fail to honor their agreements, the bank is quick to help rivals depose them with the simple promise that they honor the debt. You must take care not to withdraw more than you can repay, or your enemy Houses may be the least of your worries.

A Humble Servant

The Iron Bank is always glad to be of service. The moneylenders may help you become the unquestioned ruler of Westeros, but it may become an uncomfortable seat once you realize who holds the true power.

Pre-order your copy of Mother of Dragons (VA103) at your local retailer today or online through our website here!

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The Latest from FFG

Published 21 November 2018 | KeyForge

The Latest from FFG

Games You Might Have Missed in the Holiday Rush

The holidays are nearly upon us, and the last few months have been stacked with new releases from Fantasy Flight Games. Now, as you start picking out games for your wishlist or shopping for your loved ones, we want to make sure you haven’t missed anything.

Take a quick look at our recap of some of the hottest new games we’ve released in the last few months and complete your holiday shopping today!

Arkham Horror

The year is 1926, and it’s the height of the Roaring Twenties. Flappers dance till dawn in smoke-filled speakeasies, drinking alcohol supplied by rum runners and the mob. It’s a celebration to end all celebrations in the aftermath of the War to End All Wars. Yet a dark shadow grows in the city of Arkham. Alien entities known as Ancient Ones lurk in the emptiness beyond space and time, writhing at the thresholds between worlds. Their occult rituals must be stopped and these dread creatures must be destroyed.

Arkham Horror is a cooperative board game for one to six players who become investigators battling to defeat the servitors of the Ancient Ones. Based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft, players will have to gather clues, defeat terrifying monsters, and find tools and allies to stand any hope of defeating the ancient creatures that exist just beyond the veil of our reality.

Pick up Arkham Horror at your local retailer or online through our webstore!

New California

Ah, California: sunshine, ocean breezes, and radioactive wasteland as far as the eye can see. This desolate coastal state was once a shining jewel, but since the Great War, the region known as New California has fallen into chaos. Which is great news! Where there’s chaos, there’s loot!

The New California expansion brings new quests, companions, vaults, and items to Fallout: The Board Game, letting you venture out into the wasteland as five new characters. While there, you can wander across twelve new map tiles that expand the scenarios found in the original game or head into sunny New California and visit some of the most memorable locations from throughout the Fallout series.

You can pick up New California or Fallout: The Board Game at your local retailer or online through our webstore!

Heroes of Terrinoth

Strike back at the foes of the realm in Heroes of Terrinoth! In the Free Cities, the Bloodguard sows discord, while in the Mistlands, the dead rise from their graves. Now, the realm turns its eye to you and your team of heroes in search of saviors.

In this cooperative card game of questing and adventure, one to four players take on the roles of unique heroes who must unite to face deadly villains, navigate treacherous terrain, and defend the realm to earn fame and fortune! Terrinoth needs champions—do you have what it takes?

You can find Heroes of Terrinoth at your local retailer or online through our webstore!

Discover: Lands Unknown

You awaken with a splitting headache and no idea of how you got here. The wilderness stretches in every direction, and something howls in the distance. Your quest for answers will have to wait; first, you need to survive. Will you help the others stranded here or will you save yourself at any cost?

When two to four players find themselves marooned in the harsh wilderness, you must cooperate and compete to search for water, food, and tools that will be essential to your very survival. But your adventure holds many secrets. Discover: Lands Unknown is a Unique Game, and every copy of Discover: Lands Unknown is unlike any other in the world. A mix of environments, storylines, characters, locations, items, and enemies have been engineered to tell a story unique to every copy of the game, thanks to an algorithm that ensures no two copies are alike. Your adventures will be your very own as you struggle to survive in the heart of the wild.

Pick up your own copy of Discover: Lands Unknown at your local retailer or online through our webstore!

Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game

It is an era of sudden change and upheaval in the realm of Rokugan. Mortal schemes, natural calamities, and celestial turmoil alike have disrupted the political, military, and spiritual equilibrium of the land. Long-simmering rivalries and fresh betrayals ripple through the courts and on the battlefield. The Chrysanthemum Throne is beset by threats from without and within, and the honor of the seven Great Clans shall be put to the test. Who among the clans will prove strong enough to guide Rokugan in these tumultuous times? Will their names be lifted up beside those of the honored ancestors, or will they fall among the ranks of the empire’s most infamous villains?

This is the stage of the Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying, a roleplaying experience in the world of Rokugan. If you’re new to roleplaying the Beginner Game is the perfect place to get started with advice for players and new Game Masters, and with the Core Rulebook, you can take your adventures in Rokugan to the next level with detailed options for creating your own characters!

Pick up your copy of the Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Beginner Game or Core Rulebook at your local retailer or online through our webstore!

X-Wing

Enter the next era of interstellar combat in the Star Wars galaxy! In the second edition of X-Wing™, you assemble a squadron of iconic starfighters from across the Star Wars saga and engage in fast-paced, high-stakes space combat with iconic pilots such as Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader.

With refined gameplay that focuses on the physical act of flying starships, X-Wing lets you create your own Star Wars space battles right on your tabletop. Intuitive mechanics create the tense atmosphere of a firefight while beautifully pre-painted miniatures draw you deeper into the action. Man your ships and enter the fray!

Pick up your copy of the X-Wing Core Set at your local retailer or online through our webstore, and look for the expansions of Wave II at your retailer soon!

Across the Galaxy

Step into the Star Wars saga with Across the Galaxy, a new set of boosters for Star Wars™: Destiny featuring 160 new cards!

Across the Galaxy brings the characters of Solo: A Star Wars Story to Star Wars: Destiny. Before he was a hero of the Rebellion, Han Solo was a cocky young pirate just looking for a little adventure. With a crew of like-minded individuals that includes Lando Calrissian and Tobias Beckett, the dashing young rogue finds his way to Star Wars: Destiny.

Across the Galaxy finishes the block started by Legacies and expands on its themes. You can look for plot cards with negative point values, cards that grow stronger when you spot specific characters, and new ways to upgrade some of the most famous vehicles in the galaxy.

Pick up Across the Galaxy booster packs at your local retailer or online through our webstore!

Cosmic Encounter

In the depths of space, the alien races of the Cosmos vie for control of the universe in Cosmic Encounter. Alliances form and shift from moment to moment, while cataclysmic battles send starships screaming into the warp.

This classic game of alien politics returns from the warp once more. Features 51 aliens, flare cards to boost their powers, Cosmic Combo cards with suggested pairing of aliens, 100 translucent plastic ships, a host of premium components, and tech cards that let players research and build extraordinary technological marvels.

Pick up your copy of Cosmic Encounter at your local retailer or online through our webstore!

Mother of Dragons

Cross the Narrow Sea with the Mother of Dragons expansion for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game! Clawing their way into power, this expansion includes a side board of the Free Cities of Essos and an overlay of the Eyrie, as well as new characters and mechanics to bring House Targaryen and House Arryn into the fray. As you make your claim to the Iron Throne, you can call other Houses to your cause or even ask for aid from the Iron Bank of Braavos.

Pick up your copy of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game at your local retailer or online through our webstore, and look for the Mother of Dragons expansion, coming soon to your retailer!

KeyForge

Enter a world where anything is possible in KeyForge! In the center of the universe hangs the Crucible, an artificial world built from the pieces of countless planets. Here, in the world’s first Unique Deck Game, created by legendary designer Richard Garfield, two players step into the roles of mighty Archons, racing to forge keys that unlock the Crucible’s hidden Vaults.

Leading their diverse teams, filled with followers from three of the Crucible’s great Houses, the Archons must gather Æmber, stave off their opponent’s progress, and ultimately be the first to open a Vault and gain its incredible knowledge. With a vast array of creatures, artifacts, and abilities, and over 104 quadrillion possible decks, every deck is completely one-of-a-kind, and no two battles will ever be the same!

Pick up your KeyForge: Call of the Archons Starter Set and Archon Decks at your local retailer!

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As High as Honor

Published 22 October 2018 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

As High as Honor

House Arryn in the Mother of Dragons Expansion

“A man will tell you poison is dishonorable, but a woman’s honor is different. The Mother shaped us to protect our children, and our only dishonor is in failure.”
–Lysa Arryn, A Storm of Swords

Order your own copy of Mother of Dragons at your local retailer or online through our website today!

House Arryn is one of the oldest and proudest Houses of Westeros, tracing its lineage back to Hugor of the Hill. During Aegon's Conquest, the Arryns defeated the Targaryen fleet off the coast of Gulltown, and if it had not been for the dragonrider Visenya flying her winged beast to the heart of the Eyrie, the Vale may have remained independent for centuries. While the Arryns bent the knee and remained loyal Wardens of East, their shame and desire for vengeance burned just beneath the surface.

It is small surprise that when Robert Baratheon launched his rebellion, Jon Arryn was one of his greatest allies. United, they roused the other Houses of Westeros and overthrew the Targaryen legacy. Robert named Jon his Hand of the King. But those days of glory are ended, and both Robert and Jon lie cold in the grave. Now, as Westeros goes to war, their House has a chance to raise higher than ever before.

Today, we're proud to offer you a closer look at House Arryn in the Mother of Dragons expansion for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game—now available for pre-order at your local retailer or online through our website!

Wardens of the East

The Vale has remained largely neutral in the chaotic clashes that have sprung up in Westeros since Robert Barartheon’s death. Untouched by war, the knights of the Vale have some twenty thousand to their numbers, while the other Houses of Westeros have been only grown weaker as they declare for this lord or that in the War of the Five Kings. Lysa Arryn, the current head of the House who rules in her son’s stead, is cleverer than that, letting others die on the battlefield while her family remains safe within the Eyrie.

Previously in A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Core Set, the Vale did not belong to a House, merely waiting for a larger force to conquer the Eyrie. Now, with the realm weakened by war, the nobles of this House exert their own agency and enter the fray with a new overlay of the Vale and one of the Bite to further mark their territory at sea. While the ironborn may have the most famous navy in Westeros, even the Targaryens were loath to challenge the Vale in their ports.

Whether you're commanding House Arryn or any other House in A Game of Thrones: The Board Game, you'll be able to exert your naval dominance with new sea order tokens. These blue-hued tokens function identically to standard order tokens, but you can only resolve them on the sea or in ports. By giving you more options for how you command your navies, you're free to reserve some of your orders for your land-based armies.

Kings of Mountain and Vale

Ever since the game was first released, A Game of Thrones: The Board Game has engaged players with its compelling asymmetry that offers each House a unique set of skills and abilities, altering your experience based on which House you control. This continues as House Arryn joins the fray in Mother of Dragons. When you play as House Arryn, you'll find a strong priority placed on defense. Within the ranks of this House you will find plenty of characters who feature fortification icons or become stronger when they are shielded from the brunt of combat. For example, Bronze Yohn Royce has two fortification icons and one sword icon, and Ser Vardis Egen gains fortification icons of his own if your opponent has not committed their strongest forces to this battle.

But these knights have a simple task in defending the seat of House Arryn’s. The Eyrie is considered to be impregnable, and this is reflected in the characters who reside there, like Lysa and Robert Arryn. The matriarch of the House, Lysa Arryn, will defend her seat again and again as long as you can keep her in power—this card returns to your hand after successful defense rather than being discarded. But while Lysa may be a valuable asset, she does not control how House Arryn fights in Mother of Dragons—you do. This is fortunate, as Lysa may disagree with your ability to turn her son into your pawn. If you keep a watchful eye on your opponents, keeping track of the characters they spend, you can sacrifice Robert Arryn to remove the young heir and the lowest strength house card in your opponent’s discard pile from the game entirely. While he may not be powerful or combative in his own right, even the sickliest of lords has his uses, and if your opponent commits their greatest warriors too early, they may find them gone forever.

But while the Eyrie may be nigh impossible to conquer, this does not necessarily help you feed your ambitions for the Iron Throne. You need allies. While a silver tongue may help in this endeavor, you'll find additional bargaining tools among the nobles of the Vale. Anya Waynwood rewards those loyal to you by granting three power tokens to any who support her in combat, so long as she wins the encounter. (The spoils of war go only to the victors, after all.) This, combined with every player's new ability to gift power tokens in Mother of Dragons makes House Arryn a valuable ally to any rival House. All you must do is play the part and bide your time. Once your rivals have grown weak squabbling amongst themselves, you'll be able to fight with the full force of the Eyrie and claim the Iron Throne. And if your words can twist rivals against each other while you remain in the Vale, so much the better.

Defender of the Vale

The words of House Arryn are "As High as Honor," but you are the one who must determine what this means. If duty declares that you must remain loyal to those in power, then rebellion must be wrong. But if your loyalty lies within your own House, with those who have placed their faith in you, then surely you must do whatever is necessary to better their lives and bring prosperity to the Eyrie. If that means claiming the Iron Throne for yourself, then so be it.

Pre-order your copy of Mother of Dragons (VA103) at your local retailer today or on the Fantasy Flight Games website here!

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Aegon's Legacy

Published 8 October 2018 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

Aegon's Legacy

Preview House Targaryen in the Mother of Dragons Expansion

“It was a cruel fate, yet not so cruel as Mago’s will be. I promise you that, by the old gods and the new, by the lamb god and the horse god and every god that lives. I swear by the Mother of Mountains and the Womb of the World. Before I am done with them, Mago and Ko Jhaqo will plead for the mercy they showed Eroeh.”
–Daenerys Targaryen, A Game of Thrones

Order your own copy of Mother of Dragons at your local retailer or online through our website today!

Robert the Usurper is dead. Now, in A Game of Thrones: The Board Game, the great Houses of Westeros prepare for battle, each looking to seize the Iron Throne and take control of the realm. But across the Narrow Sea, a forgotten threat has steadily grown stronger with each passing day, and now, they are ready to claw their way into the battle and reclaim their rightful kingdom with fire and blood.

Today, we're pleased to offer you a closer look at House Targaryen as they enter the battle for the Iron Throne in the Mother of Dragons expansion for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game—now available for pre-order at your local retailer or online through our website!

Waking the Dragon

Though the Targaryen dynasty was overthrown by Robert the Usurper, there are many in Westeros who wish to see House Targaryen restored to power. These loyalists pledge false fealty to their current overlords as they wait for the opportune moment to reveal their true allegiance. In Mother of Dragons, that moment has come, and the goal of House Targaryen is to uncover and rally their Westerosi supporters.

House Targaryen does not acquire victory points in the same way as other Houses, who must conquer castles and strongholds across the realm. For House Targaryen, the victory track records the number of Westerosi supporters they have gained, marked by loyalty tokens placed on the board. Yet they must still patiently wait for these loyalists to reveal themselves, allowing the dissatisfaction and mistrust in Westeros to fester. This new factor in the turning world of Westeros appears during the Westeros Phase, drawn from a new deck of Westeros IV Cards.

The Westeros IV cards reveal new allies for the Targaryens by placing loyalty tokens around Westeros, and they may also allow the Targaryens to order their loyalists into new territories, stirring thoughts of rebellion in an ever-larger region of Westeros. These regions with loyalty tokens are the regions that House Targaryen must conquer to gain victory points and win the game.

Loyalty tokens do not affect the other Houses—such dangerous loyalties must be kept secret, after all—but they also cannot be removed. If House Targaryen can rally their forces and gain control of an area loyal to them, they permanently gain the loyalty token and move one step closer to victory, even if they later lose control of that space. If House Targaryen reaches the seventh space on the victory track, they immediately win the game.

The Fire Within

But to declare loyalty to a powerless House across the sea is a dangerous venture. If House Targaryen wishes to bring new followers to their cause, they must present some grand, almost divine reason for them to do so. This reason comes in the form of the leader of House Targaryen, Daenerys Targaryen, who has defied death and brought magic back to the world. Across Westeros and Essos, Daenerys is best known as the Mother of Dragons, giving her House access to three mighty dragons, which are the most rare, unique units in A Game of Thrones: The Board Game.

A dragon is no slave, nor is it a soldier. As such, it cannot be mustered normally. House Targaryen begins with three dragons in play, and that is all they will ever have. If one of these creatures is killed, they cannot be brought back from the dead. In addition, each dragon is a living, breathing creature that grows stronger as the game progresses. As hatchlings when the game begins, the dragons have a combat strength of zero—they must be carefully kept out of combat and protected. But each time the round marker advances to a space with a dragon strength token, the beasts' strength increases by one, recorded in the Dragon Strength tracker at the bottom of the Essos board. If their growth is left unchecked, all three dragons will reach the incredible strength of five by the last round of the game!

Your dragons can fight alonside your armies as you move from Essos and sweep across Westeros, but unlike any other land unit, dragons also have the power of flight. With a simple march action, you can move your dragons to any land space in Essos or Westeros! If this area is occupied by an enemy unit, they initiate combat as normal. Still, you must be careful not to let your dragons become cut off and destroyed in enemy territory. Even Aegon the Conqueror knew that simple strength was not enough to hold the realm for long.

The Beggar King

As any noble of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game knows all too well, it's not enough to play the game of thrones on the battlefield. You must also master the shadowy intrigues of court—forging and breaking alliances, making deals and granting concessions, all while knowing that those you bargain with are the very people who wish to destroy you. Mother of Dragons elevates this aspect of gameplay with House Targaryen’s inability to advance their own agendas in the courts of King’s Landing.

As outsiders and expatriates, House Targaryen permanently occupies the eighth space on all influence tracks for the entire game. They can still use three special order tokens each round, but their true power comes from their ability to influence the disputes between the other Houses. When players bid on influence, House Targaryen also bids on the three influence tracks, committing any number of power tokens. However, once all bids are revealed, House Targaryen must distribute their power tokens among the other players, increasing those players' bids for influence! With this dramatic ability to tip the scales, House Targaryen is a powerful ally for any House, but also a deadly enemy if they have been betrayed.

Outside of the Westeros Phase, the members of House Targaryen are not the only ones who can use their power to influence the actions of others. In Mother of Dragons, players can freely give power tokens to other players as an… incentive to see things from your point of view. With this new bargaining tool, the battle for the Iron Throne takes on a new form. Will you maintain your hold on power when you must forge alliances, and will you dare to break them when the consequences of betrayal can spell doom?

Honor Your Ancestors

The remnants of House Targaryen have lived in hiding for years, quietly gathering their strength and waiting for the day when they could return to Westeros and reclaim the throne. Now, with King Robert dead and Westeros thrown into chaos, the time has come to cross the sea and follow in the steps of their ancestor Aegon the Conqueror, ruling the realm with fire and blood!

Pre-order your copy of Mother of Dragons (VA103) at your local retailer today or on the Fantasy Flight Games website here!

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Conquer the Seven Kingdoms

Published 30 August 2018 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

Conquer the Seven Kingdoms

Announcing the Mother of Dragons Deluxe Gamemat

“I am Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.”
–Daenerys Targaryen, A Clash of Kings

Order your own copy of the Mother of Dragons Deluxe Gamemat at your local retailer or online through our website today!

The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros are split and divided by conflict—both on the open fields of battle and in the treacherous intrigues of court. For years, you’ve played out these epic power struggles on your tabletop in A Game of Thrones: The Board Game, and at Gen Con 2018, we announced the coming onslaught of House Targaryen with the Mother of Dragons expansion.

Soon, you’ll be able to bring your battles over Westeros to a perfectly arranged setting—Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce the Mother of Dragons Deluxe Gamemat for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game, now available for pre-order at your local retailer or online through our website!

Across the Narrow Sea

Measuring 3’ by 3’, the Mother of Dragons Deluxe Gamemat displays the entirety of the Seven Kingdoms in all their glory, along with the western coast of Essos introduced in Mother of Dragons. From the harbor of Volantis to the snowy wastes of Castle Black, the world of A Song of Ice and Fire is lovingly rendered on this premium, slip-resistant gamemat.

As you can see above, this deluxe gamemat is fully compatible with the upcoming Mother of Dragons expansion, seamlessly incorporating the continent of Essos, the dragon strength track, the Iron Bank of Braavos, House Arryn’s stronghold in the Eyrie, the fourth Westeros deck, and additions to the influence tracks—all printed onto a single thoughtfully arranged gamemat.

Whether you’re taking up arms with old allies like House Stark or House Lannister, or you’re making your bid for the Iron Throne with House Arryn and House Targaryen, the Mother of Dragons Deluxe Gamemat is an unmissable accessory for fans of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game.

Pre-order your copy of the Mother of Dragons Deluxe Gamemat (FFS80) at your local retailer or online through our website today!

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Mother of Dragons

Published 3 August 2018 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

Mother of Dragons

Announcing a New Expansion for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game

He was no dragon, Dany thought, curiously calm. Fire cannot kill a dragon.
–George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

Order your own copy of Mother of Dragons at your local retailer or online through our website today!

Soon after the Mad King fell and in the wake of Robert’s Rebellion, the last two Targaryen children were forced to flee and hide in Essos. Now, King Robert is dead and the remaining lords and ladies of Westeros clamor to fill the space left behind on the Iron Throne. The time has come for the Targaryens to reclaim their birthright with fire and blood. With every ally and tool at their disposal and the long-forgotten fire of dragons, they will claw their way across the Narrow Sea and bring Westeros to its knees.

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce Mother of Dragons, a new expansion for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game, now available for pre-order at your local retailer or online through our website!

The Dragon Must Have Three Heads

The world of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game grows even larger with the addition of a brand-new sideboard, bringing the Free Cities of Essos to the fight for the Iron Throne. Here is where the reborn House Targaryen makes their stand, starting in the city of Pentos. Yet even though the Targaryens begin the game far from home, there are many in Westeros that wish for the once-great family to reclaim the Iron Throne. For now, they pledge false loyalty to the rulers in Westeros, but secretly, they wait for the day of the dragon to come again.

The Essos sideboard from Mother of Dragons fits alongside the Westeros game board from A Game of Thrones: The Board Game.

In the Mother of Dragons expansion for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game, House Targaryen has little need for castles and strongholds that are easily felled by dragonfire. Instead, their goal is to uncover the remaining Targaryen loyalists and rally them against the current holders of the Iron Throne. As such, House Targaryen does not earn victory points by capturing castles and strongholds. Instead, they track the number of territories loyal to their House—if they can claim seven of these on the victory track, they'll claim the Iron Throne and win the game!

But the key power of House Targaryen comes in the form of Daenerys’s three dragons. Each of these magnificent creatures has an entirely new unit type. Unlike soldiers, whose loyalties can be bought, dragons cannot be mustered normally. There are only three dragons in existence, after all, and they remain in play from the beginning of the game until they are killed and leave the world permanently.

Each of Dany’s dragons acts as a single land unit, attacking, defending, and obeying the same rules of supply. But unlike other military units, dragons have the ability to fly nearly anywhere in Essos or Westeros. What's more, dragons are alive, and they grow. As the game progresses, these beasts become stronger, growing from fledglings with a strength of zero at the start of the game to fearsome monsters with a strength of five by the time the battle for the throne finishes. With these creatures returning magic to the world of Westeros, who can deny the Targaryen’s divine right to rule?

Divided Loyalties

Not only does Mother of Dragons bring House Targaryen into the fray; this expansion also raises other familiar families to power by allowing you to play as House Arryn in any game of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game. With new character cards and an overlay of the Eyrie, your plots can take flight as you lead the once-insular forces of the Vale onto the battlefield. With these two new Houses and matching map pieces, you have the chance to dramatically elevate the chaos and intrigue of your campaigns by increasing the maximum number of players in the game of thrones to eight.

Beyond expanding the possibilities with more players, Mother of Dragons also makes it easier than ever to play with fewer players with the new vassal system, introducing unused Houses as neutral parties that each player can command and manipulate as an extension of their forces. However, as none of these vassals are themselves vying for the Iron Throne, their loyalties can shift in an instant, with the vassal House each player commands changing from round to round.

At the start of each round, the Houses competing for rule may choose their vassals, beginning with the most influential House on the Iron Throne track. Once the vassals have been claimed, the commanders may distribute orders to vassal units. However, while you may rely on the vassal's strength, you must be wary of these neutral forces whose loyalties are not as stalwart as your own. After all, in the next round, you could find your vassal house being used against you.

When the vassals go to war, they also will not use standard House cards. Instead, they use a new set of Vassal House cards. Here, you will find iconic characters like Varys and Jaqen H’Ghar, whose loyalties are bound to forces beyond the ties of family lineage. When you use a vassal to fight on your behalf, you will shuffle the vassal house cards and draw three from which to choose your card. Then, should your vassal win their combat, you may be rewarded for your deft leadership with a power token for your House. With a touch of tact, you can move closer to victory without even risking the lives of your own men!

The Iron Bank Will Have Its Due

House Targaryen is not the only power that waits beyond the Narrow Sea. In the city of Braavos stands the Iron Bank, perhaps the most dangerous force in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire. Nestled in a seemingly impenetrable northern bay, the Iron Bank provides the lords and ladies of Westeros with favorable bank loans, allowing you and your rivals the chance to purchase powerful aid for your cause.

To take a loan, you simply choose a loan from the Iron Bank display, and pay its initial cost with your power tokens. Once you have made your payment, the loan is yours and you may resolve its effects. This may mean purchasing sellswords, recruiting a skilled tradesman, or even hiring a Faceless Man!

If none of the available loans catch your eye, you can simply wait until a more favorable (or affordable) option arises. At the beginning of each round, the loan cards of the Iron Bank slide to the left, meaning that the longer a loan goes unclaimed, the lower its cost becomes.

But be wary if you choose to do business with the Iron Bank. These shrewd moneylenders do not easily forgive debt and if you take a loan, you must pay an interest cost for the remainder of the game, discarding one power token for each loan you have purchased. And if you are ever unable to make your payments, the bank will turn to one of your opponents for recompense against you. All power comes with a price—what are you willing to pay?

Claim the Iron Throne

With the death of the usurper, the lords and ladies of Westeros have been too busy warring amongst themselves to notice the powers that gather in the East. The time has come for you to claim your birthright with fire and with blood. Cross the Narrow Sea and take back what is yours!

Pre-order your copy of Mother of Dragons (VA103) at your local retailer today or on the Fantasy Flight Games website here!

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Return to Westeros

Published 11 April 2016 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

Return to Westeros

Explore the Variants of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game

A deep red blush had appeared in the east by the time they all assembled at the gate. The stars are going out, Jon thought. When next they reappeared, they would be shining down upon a world forever changed.
–George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons

This April, many of you will reenter the world of Westeros, experiencing the intrigues, betrayals, and epic battles of the game of thrones. As you sail across the Narrow Sea to set foot in King’s Landing once more, we want to take a moment to draw your attention to A Game of Thrones: The Board Game.

From the first edition of the game in 2003 to the fully updated and remastered second edition, countless players have used this game to journey to Westeros and play a part in the power struggles and intrigues that define the realm. During a game of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game, you and your friends each take control of one of the Great Houses of Westeros: Baratheon, Stark, Lannister, Greyjoy, Martell, or Tyrell. You must lead your House to greatness by conquering castles and strongholds, but to accomplish your goals, you must make deals with your friends… and inevitably betray them for your own gain.

Last year, we shone a spotlight on A Game of Thrones: The Board Game and highlighted how you dispatch orders to your armies and jockey for position on the game’s influence tracks. Today, we want to follow a different road and explore the variants that you can use while playing the game of thrones!

Tides of Battle

Tyrion wondered whether this was the last sunrise he would ever see… and whether wondering was a mark of cowardice. Did his brother Jaime ever contemplate death before a battle?
–George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

The first way to dramatically alter your experience in A Game of Thrones: The Board Game is actually included in the Core Set—the Tides of Battle cards. By using this optional rule, you make your battles for Westeros both more unpredictable and significantly more deadly.

Under normal circumstances at the beginning of a battle, both players choose a House card from their hand. These House cards represent the great lords and ladies of the House, and their leadership on the field of battle. Not only do these cards boost your combat strength, they also provide unique special abilities or the power to kill your opponent’s units.

When you choose to use the Tides of Battle module, both players draw a card from the Tides of Battle deck after choosing and revealing their House cards. These cards not only affect your combat strength, they can also introduce extra danger, including the skull icon, which inflicts casualties on your opponent whether you win or lose! With the Tides of Battle deck, you can never predict the outcome of a battle, making your negotiations and the support of the other Great Houses even more important than before.

Expand Your Intrigues

“When Aegon the Dragon stepped ashore in Westeros, the kings of Vale and Rock and Reach did not rush to hand him their crowns. If you mean to sit his Iron Throne, you must win it as he did, with steel and dragonfire.”
–George R.R. Martin, A Storm of Swords

You can also change the experience of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game with two expansions for the game: A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons. Both of these expansions are available through our in-house manufacturing and each advances the game to a later point in the storyline of A Song of Ice and Fire.

A Feast for Crows allows you to enter the story at the fourth book in the saga to engage in a special, four-player scenario. Here, you can play as House Stark, House Lannister, House Baratheon, or an entirely new entry to the game, House Arryn. Each of these Houses includes new House cards with new abilities to reflect the characters left alive at that point in the story. What’s more, the addition of neutral and House-specific Objective cards invite you to score points in additional ways. Though the Houses’ objectives can vary widely, you’ll need to understand your own goals and your opponents’ if you want to achieve victory.

Finally, you can advance the game to the fifth book in A Song of Ice and Fire with A Dance with Dragons. This expert-level, six-player scenario creates a tactical situation reminiscent of the most recent book in George R.R. Martin’s epic series. Every House is still involved in the game of thrones, but their major players have drastically changed, as reflected by new decks of House cards. In addition, new setup instructions ensure that combat is possible from the very first turn of the game and every alliance you can broker is more important than ever.

Claim the Iron Throne

Immerse yourself in the intrigues, power struggles, and massive battles of Westeros with A Game of Thrones: The Board Game! If you want even more of A Song of Ice and Fire at your game night, you can also take a look at A Game of Thrones: The Card Game. Will you be the one to unite a war-torn realm? Make your choice when you play the game of thrones for yourself.

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Conquer Westeros

Published 8 April 2015 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

Conquer Westeros

Spotlight on A Game of Thrones: The Board Game

The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros are divided and the War of the Five Kings is ready to explode. The north has declared for Robb Stark, the Iron Islands rise in rebellion under Balon Greyjoy, and in Sunspear, the leaders of House Martell plot revenge for past wrongs. Meanwhile, the heart of Westeros is in turmoil as Lannister, Baratheon, and Tyrell struggle for power in King’s Landing.

To restore order to Westeros, one House must throw down all challengers and claim the Iron Throne. In A Game of Thrones: The Board Game, you take command of one of these six Great Houses of Westeros. You’ll muster armies and lead them on the road to war, but you must never neglect the political arena. To claim the Westerosi strongholds and achieve victory, you’ll need to decide when to forge new alliances… and when to break your promises.

Today, we turn a spotlight onto the battles and trickery of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game – the only game that matters!

Lead Your House

"They are your people, and they love you well,” Magister Illyrio said amiably. "In holdfasts all across the realm, men lift secret toasts to your health while women sew dragon banners and hide them against the day of your return from across the water.”
–George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

At the onset of the War of the Five Kings, many of the Houses are separated by land or sea. Stannis Baratheon plans his coup from the island citadel of Dragonstone, House Stark holds the vast northern reaches of Westeros, while House Tyrell rests comfortably in the bountiful lands of the Reach. Though the Great Houses begin the game separated by distance, you will quickly come within striking distance as you lead your armies across Westeros with fire and sword.

Every turn, you and your opponents assign orders to your armies in the field. You may raid the land to sabotage your enemies’ plans, send your armies on the march, fortify your defenses, support your temporary allies, or consolidate your power in regions firmly under your control. All orders are assigned secretly so you’re never certain of your opponent’s true intentions. Can you really trust the Dornishmen to honor your arrangement? Is House Baratheon planning to steal the Eyrie as soon as your armies are called elsewhere? You must start outwitting your opponents well before the first armies are moved on the board.

Order tokens from left to right: raid, consolidate power, support, defense, march

To achieve victory, you must conquer seven strongholds or castles, but with up to six players and only twenty of these crucial locations on the board, your quest for victory will necessarily involve a clash of kings. But even as you play the game of thrones, you must be mindful of the threat stirring beyond the Wall. The wildlings grow in strength as the game goes on and will attack unpredictably. When this happens, all Houses must band together and support the Night’s Watch or the consequences will be grievous for all of Westeros.

Bloody Battles, Courtly Intrigues

"I will not treat with Renly," Stannis answered in a tone that brooked no argument. "Not while he calls himself a king."
–George R.R. Martin, A Clash of Kings

Your armies in A Game of Thrones: The Board Game are your tools for conquering the realm and claiming the Iron Throne. After all, your intrigue and political machinations won’t benefit you if you don’t have the forces to make good on your threats. You’ll lead armies of infantry and knights into battle, construct siege engines to surpass the walls of a stronghold, and command fleets in the oceans that surround Westeros.

Your armies are crucial to achieving victory, but the characters of A Song of Ice and Fire provide the leadership your armies need. Every combat is resolved without dice or any form of chance as each player selects a single character from his House to lead his forces in the field. The chosen House card and its abilities, combined with the strength of the units in the battle, determines the ultimate victor in every battle. Of course, these characters have countless potent effects. You may strike from the sea with Victarion Greyjoy, disrupt your opponent’s plans with Cersei Lannister, or force your opponent to retreat as you choose with Robb Stark.

Few battles take place between two Houses in isolation. Other armies wait nearby, ready to lend their aid to one side or the other. You may issue the support order to an army at the beginning of a round, allowing it to partake in any conflicts that occur in adjacent regions. Gaining the support of a nearby army can turn a seemingly inevitable defeat into victory, but help is never free. You may help Baratheon capture King's Landing… but only in exchange for the castle of Storm's End. By positioning your armies to support another player in battle, you can demand regions, castles, or favors in return for your help.

Not every battle is waged on the bloody fields of Westeros, however. Some conflicts take place in the courts of King’s Landing as lords, ladies, knights, and courtiers jockey for position and power at the Red Keep. Throughout the game, the Great Houses struggle to achieve dominance in three arenas of power: the Iron Throne, the realm’s fiefdoms, and the king’s court.

The three influence tracks from top to bottom: the Iron Throne, the fiefdoms, and the king's court.

If you devote yourself to gaining power over the Iron Throne, you can use your influence to shape the fate of Westeros as you see fit by deciding the outcome of non-combat ties. Alternatively, you can exercise your influence to bring the smallfolk and the fiefdoms to your side. With these new recruits swelling your army, you are much more powerful in battle, potentially overwhelming opponents who lack the support of the fiefdoms. The final area where you can demonstrate your power is at the king’s court. Here, more influence means access to the secrets and spies of Westeros. You may issue special orders to bolster your armies, or even change an order after all players have revealed their plans. Wherever you exercise your influence in A Game of Thrones: The Board Game, the power struggles of King’s Landing are as deadly as any pitched battle.

Expand the Story

"To go north, you must journey south. To reach the west, you must go east. To go forward, you must go back. To touch the light, you must pass beneath the shadow."
–George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons

The core set of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game simulates the state of Westeros in the first two books of A Song of Ice and Fire, at the beginning of the War of the Five Kings. You can advance the game further in the story, however, with the addition of two expansions, A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons, both available through our in-house manufacturing.

A Feast for Crows is a four-player scenario for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game, and it introduces House Arryn to the struggle for the Iron Throne. This expansion offers an alternative setup, providing a tactical situation reminiscent of the fourth book in George R.R. Martin’s series. Violence is imminent between the Great Houses of Westeros, and in addition to a new House and an alternative setup, the A Feast for Crows scenario also offers a new path to victory. Every Houses must strengthen the defenses around its ancestral seat of power, while simuntaneously sallying forth to complete objectives before the other players.

You can advance still further in the series with A Dance with Dragons, an expert-level six-player scenario for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game. As in A Feast for Crows, an alternate setup presents the Houses as they stand at the beginning of the fifth book in A Song of Ice and Fire. The game of thrones has raged for some time, and many characters have died since the beginning of the series, while more have risen or fallen in importance. To reflect this, A Dance with Dragons includes forty-two alternate House cards, which present previously unseen characters like Ramsay Bolton and Quentyn Martell.

Claim the Iron Throne

"So long as Tommen sits the Iron Throne, the realm sees him as the true king. Hide him under the Rock and he becomes just another claimant to the throne, no different than Stannis."
–George R.R. Martin, A Feast for Crows

The Great Houses struggle for dominance and their battles will shake all of Westeros. Do you have the power to destroy your enemies and rise to the Iron Throne? Call your banners, muster your armies, and march on King’s Landing in A Game of Thrones: The Board Game!

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A Feast For Crows

Published 29 May 2013 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

A Feast For Crows

A New Print on Demand Scenario for A Game of Thrones Is On Sale

"The choice is yours, brother. Live a thrall or die a king. Do you dare to fly? Unless you take the leap, you’ll never know."
–George R.R. Martin, A Feast for Crows

All the houses of Westeros cherish hope in their secret hearts of claiming the Iron Throne for themselves. But the challenge is about to become greater than ever, with the addition of a new house and Objective cards. In A Feast for Crows, the newest Print on Demand expansion for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition, all tactics and dreams of the future become subject to the will to conquer—and the fate of the draw.

Now available on our webstore, A Feast for Crows is a four-player scenario expansion that introduces a brand-new house to the armed marches and backstabbing of Westeros: namely, House Arryn. Led by the hoary Bronze Yohn Royce, and featuring iconic characters such as Littlefinger in their House deck, House Arryn focuses on gathering power tokens, and using them to quickly establish a definitive military and diplomatic advantage. From their home among the perilous peaks and precipices of The Eyrie, House Arryn is ready to join the Starks, Lannisters, and Baratheons in the dangers of throne-hunting.

An alternative setup has been crafted in order to produce a tactical situation reminiscent of the fourth book of George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series, and with this new setup, deadly conflict is possible on the first turn of the game. With a well balanced four-player game and an advanced unit setup, the game proceeds faster than ever. But a new setup and quicker playtime are not the only additions that are brought to the table in the A Feast for Crows expansion.

The new scenario also features game-changing Objective cards that must shape player’s thoughts and plans for their house’s strategy. These new Objective cards are the only way to gain victory points in A Feast for Crows, making them the most important cards in the game. Each house holds an open Special Objective, which allows them to repeatedly gain points for each round that they control important bastions and central regions of Westeros.

Other neutral Objective cards are drawn and replaced as they are scored, as while as swapped and traded between players through the events in a replacement Westeros deck. The goals of these Objective cards vary widely, but an innovative ranking system maintains balance by scaling the amount of victory points different houses can gain for fulfilling these objectives.

What Is Print on Demand?

Print on Demand is an exciting process that allows Fantasy Flight Games to produce professionally finished cards on a made-to-order basis, which opens up new opportunities for expanding existing games.

This process (not to be confused with Print and Play) results in smaller print runs of professionally manufactured products, allowing publishers to provide fans with content that would otherwise not be commercially viable. If you’re a retailer interested in carrying our Print on Demand products, visit our Professional Zone website to learn more.

Head to our webstore to order your copy, and prepare to see Westeros in a whole new way!

Note: Due to variations in the printing process, cards from Print on Demand expansions will be subtly different in appearance and texture from base game cards. Orders for this expansion through our webstore cannot be combined with other Print on Demand products, but may be combined with non-Print on Demand items.

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A Game Changer in the Game of Thrones

Published 21 September 2012 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

A Game Changer in the Game of Thrones

A Look at the Recent POD Expansion for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game

In August, we announced the release of A Dance with Dragons, an expert-level six-player Print on Demand scenario for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition. With 42 alternate House cards that feature the characters relevant to the fifth novel in A Song of Ice and Fire, A Dance with Dragons (now available on our webstore) is a special scenario that immediately thrusts players into a grim struggle for survival. After a brief alternate setup to reflect each House’s position in Westeros, players will quickly be forced to forge new alliances and discover new strategies.

Between its alternate setup and new House cards, A Dance with Dragons presents Westeros as you may not be accustomed to seeing it. Today, we’re pleased to present developer Jason Walden’s insights into each House’s starting position, its conflicts, and its likely strategies. Note: This article contains spoilers from A Song of Ice and Fire, so proceed with caution!

House Stark

House Stark has been gutted and are no longer a power in the North. Instead, House Bolton rules as Wardens of the North, installed by the King. However, their position is hollow and tenuous as many of the natural northmen distrust them.

Their primary concern has to be what to do with the massive presence of their Baratheon neighbors. Do they attack or try to strike an alliance? They move first, so they could feasibly eliminate the nearby Baratheon force before it has a chance to attack. But a failed assault could prove disastrous, and they may need to make concessions in order to win an immediate peace.

House Baratheon

After losing the Battle of Blackwater, Stannis Baratheon and the majority of this once-proud House retreated north to the wall, where he was able to forge an alliance of sorts with the Night’s Watch. Though the majority of his forces went north, he left small garrisons at his strongholds, Storm’s End and Dragonstone.

Baratheon starts this scenario in a desperate situation, but their forces are strong. They absolutely must claim territory to balance what they lack. Will they assault Winterfell or evacuate the north to free their trapped southern forces? After all, the lands around the Vale of Arryn are open for the taking and could prove a nice staging ground for further assaults.

House Lannister

Though they won the war, they suffered a great deal of damage, losing many soldiers and leaders. Furthermore, Cersei alienated House Tyrell by accusing Margaery of treason. Now, Lannister must remain wary of the extremely fragile and paper-thin alliance the Houses share.

House Lannister holds a great amount of valuable land, but they lack the strength to protect it, especially if they can’t redirect Tyrell. In addition to the threat posed by Tyrell, Lannister has to mind the pesky threats posed by a dangerous Greyjoy and a possible southern incursion from the Starks.

House Greyjoy

Euron Crow’s Eye is now King of Salt and Rock, having attacked and conquered the Shield Islands. The Ironborn now control these vital islands, just miles off the coast of the heartland of the Reach and near the Tyrell seat of Highgarden.

The western seas belong entirely to Greyjoy, and they possess the ability to strike wherever they want, from the northern-most area to the southern-most, all within a single turn. However, though they have formed an “attack bridge,” they don’t necessarily have the ground units to take advantage of it. In the meantime, Greyjoy make a powerful potential ally and will likely have their choice of allegiance in early conflicts.

House Tyrell

The majority of Mace Tyrell’s forces have marched east to fight the war and sit camped outside of Storm’s End and Maidenpool. House Tyrell’s forces now flank and outnumber the Lannisters at King’s Landing. Meanwhile, Tyrell’s massive fleet has sailed to lay a grueling siege to Dragonstone, but the massive Greyjoy invasion of their homeland has presented Tyrell a tough decision: wait out two difficult and lengthy sieges or retreat westward to defend their home.

Though House Tyrell starts the scenario with plenty of resources and areas, their home areas are vulnerable and isolated from the majority of their forces. Accordingly, House Tyrell must decide immediately if it’s worthwhile to press its sieges. If they do, they’ll likely sacrifice their valuable western holdings, but retreating to defend their home areas may prove a costly waste of energy.

House Martell

House Martell continues to observe patiently. The only major House to have escaped the war unscathed, Martell is now perfectly primed to mop up the remains of the other weakened Houses, and their fortifications in the mountain passes along their northern border may signal a coming storm.

Even so, Martell may be more than happy to sit tight a while longer and let the other houses tear each other apart.

War has ravaged the land of Westeros, but there’s still no end in sight. Head to our webstore to order your copy of the A Dance with Dragons scenario, and experience A Game of Thrones: The Board Game in a whole new way!

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Prepare for War

Published 29 August 2012 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

Prepare for War

A Video Tutorial for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition

“A maester forges his chain with study, he told me. The different metals are each a different kind of learning, gold for the study of money and accounts, silver for healing, iron for warcraft. And he said there were other meanings as well. The collar is supposed to remind a maester of the realm he serves, isn't that so? Lords are gold and knights steel..."
– George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition invites players to conquer Westeros, but if you hope to claim the Iron Throne, you’ll first have to learn the ways of war. Broken into seven informative parts, our comprehensive tutorial for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition will prepare you for its gripping power struggle.

Click the image above to begin the Flash player. You can also view the tutorial through QuickTime or on YouTube.

Visit our A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition website to learn more, and look for it on store shelves everywhere!

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A Dance With Dragons

Published 16 August 2012 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

A Dance With Dragons

A New Print on Demand Scenario for A Game of Thrones Is On Sale

“This is another world, thought Tyrion, but not so different from the world I know." –George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons

The ever-changing political and military landscape of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire ensures that no Great House can hope to maintain control for long. But although the players may change, the fundamental game will always remain the same.

A Dance with Dragons, an expert-level six-player Print on Demand scenario for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition, is now on sale through our webstore! With 42 alternate House cards that feature the characters relevant to this period of Westeros’ history, A Dance with Dragons is a special scenario that immediately thrusts players into a grim struggle for survival. After a brief alternate setup to reflect each House’s position in Westeros, you’ll quickly be forced to forge new alliances and discover new strategies.

While A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition presents events as they occurred in the first two novels of Martin’s series, clever scheming and timely betrayals throughout the subsequent three novels dramatically alter the fortunes of each Great House. The A Dance with Dragons scenario imagines Westeros as it appears in the fifth book of A Song of Ice and Fire.

What is Print on Demand?

Head to our webstore to order your copy, and prepare to see Westeros in a whole new way!

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A New Westeros Awaits

Published 28 February 2012 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

A New Westeros Awaits

Play a special scenario for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition

“This is another world, thought Tyrion, but not so different from the world I know."
–George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons

The ever-changing political and military landscape of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire ensures that no Great House can hope to maintain control for long. Experience the impact of Westeros’ frequent shifts in power firsthand at the upcoming Days of Ice and Fire 2012 weekend!

At this May 18th-20th event, FFG will debut a never-before-seen scenario for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition. The A Dance with Dragons scenario will be made available as a Print on Demand expansion a few months after this exciting weekend, but attendees will have a chance to play it first. What’s more, each early registrant will receive an exclusive advance copy!

Westeros as You Last Saw It (Warning! Spoilers Ahead)

With 42 alternate House cards that feature the characters relevant to this period of Westeros’ history, A Dance with Dragons is a special, expert-level, six-player scenario that immediately thrusts players into a grim struggle for survival. After a brief alternate setup to reflect each House’s position in Westeros, you’ll quickly be forced to forge new alliances and discover new strategies.

Remember: only by registering for Days of Ice and Fire 2012 before May 4th will you receive an early copy of this exciting new scenario. After that, you’ll have to wait for the official POD release in the months following the event.

Head to our webstore to reserve your space at Days of Ice and Fire 2012, and prepare to see Westeros in a whole new way!

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The Great Houses' Greatest Leaders

Published 11 November 2011 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

The Great Houses' Greatest Leaders

A Preview of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition

The highly anticipated A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition will be on store shelves very soon (and if you’re planning to attend this weekend’s Days of Ice and Fire 2011, you can even pick up your copy then)! Today, we’ll take a look at one of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game’s most compelling aspects: the asymmetrical faction abilities that result in six distinct play experiences, depending on which of the Great Houses you control. More specifically, we’ll see how each House delivers a unique approach to combat, through the individual abilities of its most memorable characters.

Clashing on the Battlefield

Although a silver tongue will undoubtedly serve you well in your campaign to claim the Iron Throne, diplomacy alone will only get you so far. War is inevitable, and sooner or later, you’ll have to get your hands bloody. Combat in A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition depends on your ability to combine the right troops with the right leaders, exploiting the abilities of both to maximum effect. But while one House’s units are no different from another’s, a player’s House cards (which represent leaders) offer a variety of bonuses and House-specific special abilities.

But first, for those who may be unfamiliar, let’s begin with some of the fundamentals of combat (we recently posted the rules on our support page, so if you want more in-depth details, download them).

Whenever the units of two different Houses find themselves occupying the same area, combat ensues. At its most basic level, battle is a numbers game; each combatant wants to count the highest Combat Strength during the resolution step of the engagement. Each unit confers a certain Combat Strength value. Lowly footmen, for instance, are worth one point, while mighty Siege Engines are worth four (when attacking). This element of combat is generally fairly predictable.

The wild card, so to speak, is the presence of leaders. Displayed on House cards, leaders add their own variable Combat Strength to a fight, increasing the total Combat Strength value by as much as four. But each player has only seven House cards in his hand, and can only reuse a specific character once all of his characters have been played. The trick, therefore, is to “spend” your House cards in the optimal order, fielding your leaders in a way that doesn't leave you vulnerable or impotent at the wrong time.

What’s more, House cards trigger effects that go beyond simply increasing Combat Strength. Many have either sword icons, which destroy enemy units after the fight, or fortification icons, which protect against this destruction... and others have more complex text effects that hold unwelcome surprises for your enemies. So while there’s no substitute for a massive army at your disposal, the judicious use of House cards can certainly mean the difference between victory and defeat.

A Struggle for the North

But how do House cards contribute to each faction’s distinctive style and flavor? Simply put, the abilities of each House’s leaders complement that House’s starting position and general tactics. Aggressive Houses will have offensively potent card effects, while more deliberate Houses focus on defense.

The relatively secluded House Stark, for example, is ideal for players who prefer to bide their time, bolstering their fortifications until the moment they finally strike. House Stark’s lowest strength cards also have some of the best defensive abilities in the game (while the inverse is true of their high-strength cards), which suggests that one possible strategy is to play conservatively, at least early on. Let the enemy come to you, sloughing off his attacks with characters like Catelyn Stark and Ser Roderick Cassel as he depletes his own forces. Then, respond with more offensive cards like Eddark Stark himself!

As might be expected, House Greyjoy’s cards focus on naval superiority. Along with a fine balance of sword and fortification icons throughout their seven House cards, Greyjoy provides a few outstanding bonuses to ship-to-ship combat. Victarion Greyjoy, for example, multiplies the strength of an entire fleet! Put Victarion in charge of an army of ships, and watch your enemies part like the waves.

In the Heart of Westeros

Enjoy a challenge? For offensively minded players, Casterly Rock’s House cards are among the most devastating in the game. Ser Gregor Clegane has more sword icons than any other character, but they’re wasted if you field him against small forces. Meanwhile, Cersei Lannister’s special ability lets you undermine the well laid plans of an enemy... as long as you have an army powerful enough to ensure her victory.

House Baratheon, on the other hand, requires a more subtle and nuanced approach. A number of Baratheon House cards are situationally strong, so timing is everything. Stannis Baratheon has the potential to be the highest valued House card in the game... if you’re low enough on the Iron Throne track. Similarly, Ser Davos Seaworth can gain a noticeable boost... if Stannis has already been played. If you time your attacks correctly and field your leaders in just the right order, Baratheon can be a powerhouse.

And in the South...

Although the entire continent separates them, the Tyrells have one thing in common with the Starks: their House cards of higher strength values also tend to feature devastating offensive effects. Mace Tyrell, for example, can wipe footmen off the map with his mere presence. Unlike the Starks, however, the Tyrells have excellent early game mobility, thanks in part to Ser Loras. His special ability makes House Tyrell the only faction that can essentially march two areas at a time with the same force.

Finally, House Martell plots from the sun-scorched sands of Dorne, nursing old grievances and preparing for revenge. The Martells possess an impressive balance of sword and fortification icons, making them both deadly and difficult to kill. And nothing if not a calculating politician, Doran Martell can undermine his opponent’s standing on any of the Influence tracks! This means you can lower your foe on the Fiefdoms track, ensuring that you break ties in Doran’s battle... or even grab the Valyrian Steel Blade (if you started in second place) for a quick attack bonus.

House cards are only one aspect of the compelling asymmetry in A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition. Starting positions, armies, and placement on the Influence tracks likewise contribute to the overall sense of uniqueness underscoring each faction. The only question, then, is this: Which Great House will you lead to dominance?

Look for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition on store shelves soon!

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New Weapons of War

Published 25 October 2011 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

New Weapons of War

A Look at the Upcoming A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition

From the invasion of the First Men to the reign of the Andal kings; from the fiery conquest of the Targaryens to the rebellion of Robert Baratheon, the continent of Westeros has known constant military upheaval. Yet intrigue, betrayal, and assassinations have felled many a contender, and so has a timely lack of support from their bannermen. A House that dares set its sights on the Iron Throne must set in motion wheels within wheels to achieve its ends.

A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition is already in the hands of a few lucky Essen attendees, and their response so far has been fantastic! This definitive version of the beloved board game boasts a more attractive and streamlined presentation than ever before, helping players focus on the war at hand. But if weren't at the Essen Game Fair, don’t fret; it will be on store shelves soon! In the meantime, be sure to download the complete rules (pdf, 12.7 MB) from our support page, register to attend the upcoming Days of Ice and Fire for an inside look at its development, and become an FFG fan on Facebook for your chance to win a copy.

But even with the rules at your disposal and the growing online buzz surrounding this momentous release, you may have questions about the exact differences between the first and second editions. Today, we’ll take a look at some of the components and mechanics that are completely new to A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (as opposed to those elements adopted from previous expansions), and we’ll see how they bring exciting never-before-seen options to your war for the Iron Throne.

Following Orders

The all-important placement of Order tokens is the driving force behind your House’s acts of warfare, diplomacy, and betryal. So it’s no great insight to say that successful players must seek to maximize the impact of their orders whenever possible.

To this end, players have access to a small number of Special Order Tokens, which are indicated by a star. Based on a player’s standing on the King’s Court Influence track, he can place a certain number of these especially powerful Order tokens each round, and they offer attractive bonuses beyond their standard counterparts. The Special Defense Order, for example, offers +2 Combat Strength (compared to the standard Defense Order’s +1).

So what’s new? A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition introduces some subtle, yet significant, changes to two of the Special Order Tokens. First, the Special Consolidate Power order now offers a choice: you can either collect Power tokens as normal, or (as an entirely new option) you can muster units in the area in which it’s been placed! This new versatility allows leaders to gather power for their long term plans, or gain a quick military boost to help mount a sudden attack.

Similarly, the Special Raid order has been altered to provide additional versatility. The previous edition allowed this order to target multiple areas at once. Instead, in Second Edition, the Special Raid order can target enemy Defense orders! When used as part of a coordinated surprise attack, this potent order helps ensure that no area, no matter how well defended, is truly safe.

Claim Dominance

The game of thrones isn’t always played on the battlefield. Dominance tokens are symbols of a House’s political standing, diplomatic savvy, or underhanded capabilities, and the possession of these tokens conveys specific advantages. The keeper of the Iron Throne token, for example, determines the winner of ties, a power that can provide invaluable leverage when dealmaking.

Second Edition introduces new abilities for the Valyrian Steel Blade token and the Messenger Raven token... abilities that are available in addition to those from the first edition, meaning that these two tokens have grown more adaptable without losing any of their former potency. In Second Edition, the holder of the Valyrian Steel Blade token may grant himself a +1 Combat Strength bonus as before, but when playing with the optional Tides of Battle variant, he may also use it to redraw a new Tides of Battle card.

The Messenger Raven token likewise awards a never-before-seen capability in addition to its standard power. Rather than using it to replace an Order token, its holder can opt to peak at the top card of the Wildling deck, afterwards placing that card back on top of the deck or hiding it away on the bottom. Use this secret knowledge when determining how many of your precious resources to send to The Wall, or bluff to compel your enemies to overcommit theirs!

Clarity, Convenience, and Balance

Beyond these larger additions, a number of smaller enhancements have been implemented that make A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition more straightforward and elegant than ever before. A Victory track has been added to the game board, allowing players to see who’s winning (and against whom to therefore team up) with a quick glance. Early players at Gen Con and other conventions have remarked on the added convenience of the Player Screens, which hide Order tokens from prying eyes while providing useful references.

But another enhancement is in the way A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition brilliantly scales to accommodate different numbers of players. Neutral Force tokens, which represent unaligned minor Houses unwilling to submit to outside hostility, are placed in predetermined southern areas based on the number of players in the game. These neutral armies serve to delay the “race” for uncontrolled areas, and more realistically represent the uphill battle that all would-be kings must face.

All together, the various enhancements and optional variants included in A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition add up to create a definitive play experience for fans of A Song of Ice and Fire. Eager for more? Keep checking back in the weeks leading up to A Game of Throne’s release, and make your plans to attend Days of Ice and Fire, three days of Westeros in Roseville, Minnesota, where you’ll be able to play full games against its developers!

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A Glimpse of the Coming Conflict

Published 19 October 2011 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

A Glimpse of the Coming Conflict

Presenting a Brief Video for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition

“There is ice and there is fire. Hate and love. Bitter and sweet. [...] Winter and summer. Evil and good." She took a step toward him. "Death and life. Everywhere, opposites. Everywhere, the war."
–Melisandre

War is on the horizon, and the smallfolk of Westeros are bracing themselves for the coming conflict. A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition will be on retailer shelves soon, and this eagerly awaited title is generating significant buzz. Have you visited your local retailer to place your pre-order?

Try a Demo, Play a Full Game, or Win Your Own Copy!

The anticipation for A Game of Thrones’ upcoming release is escalating by the day, and there are plenty of ways for you to get in on the excitement:

Prepare for war by downloading the complete rules (pdf, 12.7 MB) from our support page!
Are you attending this weekend’s Essen Game Fair in Essen, Germany? Stop by the Heidelberger Spieleverlag booth for a full demo!
Want to play a full game before you buy, and perhaps even meet the Second Edition design team? Register for Days of Ice and Fire 2011, a three-day celebration of Westeros in Roseville, Minnesota!
Looking for a chance to win a copy? Become a fan of FFG on Facebook, and show off your Ice and Fire knowledge in our trivia contest!

Whet Your Appetite

To offer a small taste of the intrigue, diplomacy, and warfare coming to tabletops, our media team has prepared this enticing trailer on the A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition home page. Whet your appetite for the carnage to come, and keep checking back for more (including a full learn-to-play video) on A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition!

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Don't Miss Your Chance

Published 18 October 2011 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

Don't Miss Your Chance

Play A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition at the Essen Game Fair

Last week, we posted the rules for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition, the definitive version of Christian T. Petersen’s beloved classic. Featuring a range of enhancements for your war for the Iron Throne, this stunning new edition combines the most popular elements of its predecessor with beautifully updated components.

Looking for a chance to play this monumental title weeks before it hits store shelves? The Essen Game Fair (also known as Internationale Spieltage) begins in just two days, and Heidelberger Spieleverlag, our exclusive distribution and publishing partner in Germany, will be running demos throughout the show!

The world’s largest hobby games convention, the Essen Game Fair caters to well over 100,000 visitors every year, offering the unique chance to see the most exciting upcoming titles the industry has to offer. Covering an area of nearly half a million square feet, Essen brings publishers, designers, and players together for a massive celebration of hobby games.

The Only Game That Matters Meets the World’s Largest Games Convention

If you’re at Essen, stop by and visit the Heidelberger booth for a full demo of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition. You’ll be placed in charge of one of the six Great Houses of Westeros, where you must unseat the other Houses and claim sole dominance over a continent shattered by war and political upheaval!

By mustering and sustaining massive armies, conquering territory, vying for power, and forming fragile alliances, you will struggle to ultimately control the most castles and strongholds, affirming him as the peoples’ chosen leader and rightful king. You’ll need aid on your path, but be careful in whom you place your trust...

Keep Watching for More

Whether or not you’re able to attend Essen, however, keep checking back for more in the weeks leading up to A Game of Throne’s release. Want even more epic conflict? Make your plans to attend Days of Ice and Fire, three days of Westeros in Roseville, Minnesota, where you’ll be able to play full games!

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War Has Returned

Published 13 October 2011 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

War Has Returned

The Rules for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition Are Online

Ned frowned. "He must learn to face his fears. He will not be three forever. And winter is coming." "Yes,” Catelyn agreed. The words gave her a chill, as they always did. The Stark words. Every noble house had its words. Family mottoes, touchstones, prayers of sorts, they boasted of honor and glory, promised loyalty and truth, swore faith and courage. All but the Starks. Winter is coming, said the Stark words. Not for the first time, she reflected on what a strange people these northerners; were.
–George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

As winter approaches, so to does the release of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition. This updated second edition of our beloved classic brings a host of enhancements to your experience, and you can visit our support page now to download the rules (pdf 12.7 MB)!

Based on George R. R. Martin’s bestselling A Song of Ice and Fire novels, this internationally beloved game places players in charge of the six Great Houses of Westeros, where they must unseat the other Houses and claim sole dominance over a continent shattered by war and political upheaval. By mustering and sustaining massive armies, conquering territory, vying for power, and forming fragile alliances, each player will aim to ultimately control the most castles and strongholds, affirming him as the peoples’ chosen leader and rightful king. You’ll need aid on your path, but be careful in whom you place your trust...

Place Your Pre-order Today

Retailers all over the world are now taking pre-orders for this stunning edition, so head to your local store and place yours. Want to be among the first to play? Join us in Roseville, MN November 11th-13th for Days of Ice and Fire.

A weekend of seminars, games, and other exciting events dedicated to George R.R. Martin’s epic fantasy universe, Days of Ice and Fire is the perfect convention for fans of epic fantasy and great gaming alike... and we’ll have advance copies of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition available for demo. Register through our webstore today!

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Raise Your House to Dominance

Published 22 July 2011 | A Game of Thrones Board Game

Raise Your House to Dominance

Announcing A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition

“The Iron Throne is mine by rights. All those who deny that are my foes.”
–Stannis Baratheon

“The whole of the realm denies it, brother. Old men deny it with their death rattle, and unborn children deny it in their mothers’ wombs. They deny it in Dorne and they deny it on the Wall. No one wants you for their king... You may well have the better claim, but I have the larger army.”
–Renly Baratheon

Fantasy Flight Games is thrilled to announce the upcoming release of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition! The newly updated version of this popular title offers a number of enhancements, while preserving the tense battle of military and diplomatic superiority that has become a favorite of thousands of hobby gamers.

Updated Art, Components, and More

The updated second edition brings a host of enhancements to your A Game of Thrones experience. It includes elements from the A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords expansions, including ports, garrisons, Wildling cards, and Siege engines, while introducing welcome new innovations like player screens and Tides of Battle cards. This, along with updated graphics and a clarified ruleset, means the time has never been better to take control of Westeros.

Visit our description page to learn more about the specific enhancements in this exciting new edition, and keep checking back as we present in-depth previews in the coming weeks (you can also demo it at Gen Con 2011!). Then, in the fourth quarter of 2011, raise your House to dominance!

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