Thanks guys, now I'm stuck looking at this one too with the usual caveat. Can't anyone finish a war or reclaim the Holy Land in under three hours?
Sag.
Probably not, though this one looks like it shouldn't go much beyond that mark (once the obligatory 5-hour "what's the rule say again?" learning game or two are out of the way, of course).
What makes this one special? There are so many 3 1/2 hour CDGs out there that unless I'm especially interested in the specific war (which I'm not here) or it has some really interesting additions to the basic formula I have a hard time justifying a purchase of a game thats essentially a rethemed duplicate of a game I already own several copies of...
I'm not ripping on the game, I just haven't heard anything about it other than "another really good CDG"
What makes this one special? There are so many 3 1/2 hour CDGs out there that unless I'm especially interested in the specific war (which I'm not here) or it has some really interesting additions to the basic formula I have a hard time justifying a purchase of a game thats essentially a rethemed duplicate of a game I already own several copies of...
I'm not ripping on the game, I just haven't heard anything about it other than "another really good CDG"
Ultimately, for someone like you Tom, nothing. Perhaps it's best claim to fame is that the game is more narrowly focused than most, which allows for a lot more interesting shit on the cards. It's closest to We the People in both style and substance, though with more meat over the whole structure [and still no Battle Cards] and about the lowest counter density that you can get in a game like this and still claim to have counters.
I think it's real long-run quality will be that it's going to be the game a lot of CDG gamers use to break people into the hobby. It's less complex than Hannibal or 30 Years War: Europe in Agony and it's got a strong historical flavor but it also has all the things, like early/late war decks and the like, that folks have learned to love from the bigger dogs on this particular porch.
The rulebook is actually very good, but it'll probably take a time or two to wrap your head around it.
It's very good for reference but doesn't necessarily present the following sections/mechanics in the order that they would most likely occur in the game.
I really feel that a player aid for Evasion, Interception, Battle (and battle results) should have shipped with this game.
Battle results would have been nice too, but at some point too many player aids is just redundant when the info is included in the book. The charts mentioned above are easily to internalize, they just would have been nice for "first timers."
At the very least those charts could have been included on the map somewhere.
I decided I wouldn't read it until after my first game, although after setup, and getting ready to play the first turn, I started wishing I had actually taken a closer look. It's a bit daunting otherwise!
I was dissapointed the playbook didn't have an example of play for a complete turn. I did enjoy the strategy aspects though.
yeah, i guess two complete turns is not as good try pages 14 to 19.
BAH!
I'm FUCKING BLIND.
I guess I didn't check the playbook as carefully as I thought. I even read like three of the strategy articles by the playtesters and the one by charles vasey!
I rescind all statements i've made about what this game is lacking.
I'm going to make some double sided play aids though incorporating the sequence of play on the back of the rulebook and the charts on the playbook.
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How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
try pages 14 to 19.