In March, the recent Covid-19 stay at home orders had me searching online for games that could easily be played over Zoom or Google Hangouts. Not being able to get together with friends and family for in person gaming was something many in the hobby were not looking forward to. Lucky for me that my wife, although a casual gamer, is very open to sitting down at the table for a game or two or three. Ok...three might be pushing it, but I’m just glad she is open to gaming.
Now Cartographers is one game that I was hearing about in various Facebook groups, but I still had yet to try any game in the Roll & Write genre other than Harvest Dice . When I looking into Cartographers and noticing that the game was about fitting Tetris type shapes onto a map to score points, I figured it was worth the pick up. Primarily because my wife is a Tetris and puzzle guru, so if she is likely to enjoy a game, then it’s liking to get played often in my house. It’s a Win-Win. After picking up a copy online, I was able to play my first game during a Facebook Live playthrough held by my friends Oscar and Mike over at On the Move Gaming. Now during this playthrough my wife didn’t play, but I can tell was watching and listening. After the playthrough was over, I logged off of Facebook and she asked, “So what kind of game was that?” I responded with a short, “I’ll show you. I think you'll like it.” After two straight plays and 2 butt whoopings at the hands of my wife, SHE WAS HOOKED. Cartographers has been the most played game in my house since receiving it in March. So you can best believe that even my wife was excited at the announcement of the new standalone expansion Cartographers Heroes. This one is co-designed by Jody Adan and John Brieler.
We were blessed to receive a review copy from Thunderworks Games to check out and I will say it did not disappoint. The past two weeks this game has gotten quite a bit of play, with varied play set ups and scoring cards. In the new installment the Queen is looking to expand her kingdom west and wants her cartographers to map the terrain. Unaware of want lies ahead, the cartographers have the chance to be aided by heroes who look to protect them from an ambush of new monsters that wait in the shadows of new uncharted lands.
In Cartographers Heroes, gameplay is much the same as in the original, but with varied setup options that can be added to the game to enhance the experience, making it inviting for previous fans who were looking for more variability and replayability. With Heroes you will receive all new Season cards, Explore cards, and double-sided Maps . Heroes will also introduce you to 4 new monsters in the Ambush deck and the addition of 4 Heroes card. Heroes are shuffled into the Explore deck the same as the Ambush cards. When you draw a Hero you get to draw them onto the map like terrain, but the heroes each have the ability to attack monsters from varying ranges, allowing you to destroy any monsters than are currently in those spaces or might later enter those spaces. Below you will see the 4 new monsters in the Ambush deck as well as an example of a hero card. Some monsters have the ability to destroy map spaces, gain you coins once surrounded, or even grow into a Zombie Horde. Along with these new additions, all Kickstarter backers will receive the new Skills Mini Expansion 2. During the Kickstarter there will also be pledge levels giving you 3 new Map Packs; Nebblis, Affril, and Undercity. We had the chance to check out the Nebblis Map Pack, which adds 3 new volcano explore cards and a new double-sided volcano map. When a volcano card is drawn the volcano on the map erupts destroying uncharted or even charted land in its path. The more volcano cards that are drawn the more damage the lava does. The Affril Map Pack adds 3 new scoring cards and a map containing islands. The Undercity Map Pack adds 3 new scoring cards along with a double sided map featuring an above ground and below ground map needed to be filled. Both of these new maps look really funand I'm excited to see how they change the way the game plays along with the strategies to win...maybe I'll actually have a chance!
“This expansion is an easy instant back, give me more, give me everything.”
Final Opinion
Cartographers Heroes is all the things you loved about the first installment with more goodies you were hoping for and even more goodies you weren’t expecting. This expansion is an easy instant back. Give me more! Give me everything!
The ability to pick and choose cards and maps you want to play with, provides so much replayability. Although I still have yet to beat my wife in any version of Cartographers, it’s even harder now that she practices on the app, this Kickstarter backing is a no brainer.
Pledge Level You Ask?
The following are the various pledge levels you’ll find when the Kickstarter launches Oct 6th.
1. Hero of Nalos
Cartographers Heroes Retail Edition
Skills Mini Expansion 2
2. Explorer of the Planes
Cartographers Heroes Retail Edition
Skills Mini-Expansion 2
Map Pack 1 - Nebblis - Plane of Flame
Map Pack 2 - Affril - Plane of Knowledge
Map Pack 3 - Undercity - Depths of Sabek
3. Legendary Cartographer
Cartographers Heroes Collector's Edition
Skills Mini-Expansion 2
Map Pack 1 - Nebblis - Plane of Flame
Map Pack 2 - Affril - Plane of Knowledge
Map Pack 3 - Undercity - Depths of Sabek
20 Colored Pencils
4. New Recruit Cartographer (All-In)
Cartographers: A Roll Player Tale
Cartographers Heroes Collector's Edition
Skills Mini-Expansion
Skills Mini-Expansion 2
Ambush Mini-Expansion
Map Pack 1 - Nebblis - Plane of Flame
Map Pack 2 - Affril - Plane of Knowledge
Map Pack 3 - Undercity - Depths of Sabek
20 Colored Pencils
Red Playmat
Head over to this link to find out more: