Empires Review Contest Entries

I have just begun to experience new games and ways of strategizing through more complex situations, due to my husband's insistence of playing several different RPGs. I believe that coming into this with a 'clearer' head on the organization of the game, referring more explicitly to the character base, the plot(s), set-up, etc. will give me a one-up on others, since I will be able to play it with an open mind and challenge it's creativity.

I have a good base of experience with wargames. I interned at the Armory while in school, and was able to try lots of different systems and styles of games while there. I have played historicals, fantasy and sci-fi based games in many formats from miniatures (squad and skirmish), board, clix and card games.

I enjoy games with a smooth flow where it doesn't get bogged down in complex rules, but at the same time the rules are clear and logical within their setting. There should be some room to add some house rules, but not because there are huge holes in the system. I'm not a fan of the overly complex games where you are constantly looking at charts and having to look up the obscure rules for each unit.

The art and design of the book, rules and content is very important to me as I am a graphic designer. I hold the games to the same high standard that I hold my own work.

I think my team-up with Chewie (my wife) is an ideal one for this contest. While I have lots of experiences with miniature games, she is just starting to paint and play them. So there is the contrast in levels which may pull out some interesting points on things that I may accept from other games that are unclear to the beginer. And in opposite where I may try to apply other rules when things are unclear.

As if those reasons aren't enough, it would probably be better for us to keep the fights on the gameboards.