I get to buy one game a year at my birthday and I can't decide between these two. Age of Conan is based on my favourite fantasy character of all time and seems to be a cracking and quick play from what I've read. It is much more about the military victory and other factors seem much less important. It's also only 4 players.

Warrior Knights, on the other hand, is more complex, takes longer, but includes many more ways to snag victory from your opponents, allows for six players, and seems to have a lot more going for it in the variety and replay areas.

Anyone have any good play comparisons they can share...?

I own/have played Age of Conan, but not Warrior Knights, so I can't really give you a comparison/contrast. I really like AoC, but the actual Conan gameplay can be really hit or miss. What I mean is that there are times when you control Conan, but conditions are in place where he really doesn't seem to do that much. Other times though, his direct involvement with your army can be extremely exciting and satisfying.

What I do like about the game is that it moves pretty quickly, even in a four player game. I like the strategy and tactics elements of the game. Everyone starts out with a general strategy, but will have to adjust tactics based on which action dice are available, and also which objectives (which can score victory points) are in play. Additionally, the chosen kingdom will affect strategies and tactics.

Despite having only limited control over Conan, I think the theme comes through very nicely. Maybe it's just my game group, but there's a lot of banter around the table as the Aquilonia player brags about his military superiority, only to watch him call foul as the Stygia player uses sorcery to bolster the size of his own army.

If you haven't already, I suggest you pose the same question at the WK forum.

Thanks, Tsugo.

I've been having the same discussion over at boardgamegeek.com and I got a lot of other cool game suggestions there as well, but it's looking more and more like I'm going to go Warrior Knights . I love Conan in all his forms, but I think I really want something more in an empire building game. I love TI3, for instance, but one of my other regular players already has it, so I'm opting for something similar in variety and ways to claim victory (I won the last game of TI3 by diplomacy alone and had just as much fun).

Mind you, I'm still drooling over AoC , especially as it seems a much more thematic and visceral experience that satisfies my urge to 'drive my enemies before me and hear the lamentation of their women' but I'm thinking for my one game a year purchase (curse my self-control and budgetary responsibility!), WK is just edging it out...

Luther said:

Because it is less chaotic then wk. I have to admit I prefer WK for this reason! Life is chaotic not everything goes according to plan!

grouik said:

GoT was suggested a number of times, but I find Martin's saga dull and uninspiring, so the setting of the game does nothing for me. I'd go with AoC , even with the military bent, long before GoT .

And I'm with you. The reason I don't play chess with any regularity is because of the sterile, unchanging environment (although I highly reccomend Knightmare Chess from SJ Games). Chaos is part and parcel of warfare and the folks who succeed aren't just the ones who can lay out a good battle plan, but those who can adapt when ill-mannered fate makes mockery of your perfectly laid strategems.

By the way, if you really want to add truly random effects to your board and wargames, things that no wargame rules cover, then I highly suggest mixing in the very basic rules found in Engles Matrix Games . They'll make even the most overplayed game new again...

Well, for better or worse, WK edged out AoC by a slim margin and I placed an order for it from thewarstore.com. On the plus side, they had a copy of Citadels , a game I've always wanted, for $18 so I suppressed my sense of self control just a little bit to score that as well. There will be no question of which game I'm getting next, however, and hopefully, they'll have an expansion or two available for it by that time as well...