(or here’s a list of what launched yesterday that might deserve a closer look)

Project: Dead Reckoning Letters of Marque from AEG

Designer: John D. Clair (Cubitos, Dead Reckoning, Ecos: First Continent, Mystic Vale, Space Base)

Artist: Ian O’Toole (The Gallerist, Kanban EV, Lisboa, On Mars, Vinhos: Deluxe Edition)

Publisher: Alderac Entertainment Group (Calico, Cascadia, Istanbul, Space Base, War Chest)

Genre/Mechanisms: area majority / influence, area movement, card crafting, deck building, drop tower, expansion, exploration, layering, modular board, pirates, territory building

Player Count: 1-4

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: heavy

Risk: low

Summary: “The third Saga expansion for Dead Reckoning. It contains 2 distinct but interconnected sets of expansion content. The first is Flags of the Old World, a non-saga based set of content that introduces 2 empire boards, new resources called Prime Cargo, new ship upgrades, and a new Explorer card for each player’s deck. The second is a new Saga, which, as with prior Saga expansions, contains encounters, mysteries, cards and content all to be organically while playing the game.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $73

All-In (w/shipping): $261

Campaign Ends: 8/19

Game Ships: Aug. 2023

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 768% with 6 days to go.

Project: Gnomadic Gardeners

Designer: Chris Scaffidi

Artist: Chris Scaffidi

Publisher: Fervent Workshop

Genre/Mechanisms: card game, contracts, fantasy, hand management, race, simultaneous action selection, solo / solitaire game, turn order: auction

Player Count: 1-2

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “You and your opponent are head gardeners at the community garden, with teams formed of gnomes. Complete tasks to raise supplies for the local food bank. Unfortunately, your free-spirited sprites frequently switch teams and help your opponent accumulate bliss points instead of you! Maintaining a well-staffed team, complete tasks, and accumulate bliss to win the game. Each round, players place at least 1 gnome card face-down from their hand. Simultaneously reveal gnomes to determine who resolves their cards first. Use your gnomes to fulfill requirements depicted by the current task cards. Doing so will score bliss and sometimes recruit loyal enchanted animals who will help you in future rounds. Both players pass played gnomes to the opponent for use in the next round, while also keeping their own unplayed gnomes. Win by gaining 77 bliss.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $19

All-In (w/shipping): $19, same as above

Campaign Ends: 8/31

Game Ships: Aug. 2023

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 330% with 18 days to go.

Project: No Peace without Honor!

Designer: David Meyler (Monty’s Gamble: Market Garden)

Artists: Mark Mahaffey (Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan; Virgin Queen; Warriors of God: The Wars of England & France, 1135-1453), Adam Frans van der Meulen

Publisher: Compass Games (Crusade and Revolution: The Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939; Enemy Action: Ardennes; The Russian Campaign)

Genre/Mechanisms: 2 player only games, campaign / battle card driven, dice rolling, pike and shot, point to point movement, simulation, wargame

Player Count: 2

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: heavy

Risk: medium-low

Summary: “A two-player game depicting Louis XIV’s earliest European wars, the War of Devolution 1667-68, the Dutch War 1672-78 and the War of the Réunions 1679-1684. This stand-alone game uses the No Peace Without Spain System. A new countersheet provides additional leaders, such as the young Prince William of Orange, or the skilled Bourbon veterans Turenne and Condé. The Sun King himself, Louis XIV, can make an appearance. A new set of event cards features incidents such as the Ottoman threat to Austria, colonial wars and the Anglo-Dutch naval war. Players must not only battle each other, but also deal with increasing war weariness among their respective populations which can trigger more political and economic events, and eventually force you to the peace table whether you are ready or not. While this is a complete game on its own, combined with Nine Years War and No Peace Without Spain, players can refight the entire wars of Louis XIV in one grand campaign from 1668 to 1713.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $75

All-In (w/shipping): $140, includes 3 additional games

Campaign Ends: 8/21

Game Ships: Oct. 2022

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 272% with 7 days to go.