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Woodland Warfare
Cole Wehrle’s megahit Root is a woodland war-game like no other. It’s incredibly cute, asymmetric players fight to be the first to 30 points. Each playing a very different game. Everything about this game oozes charm with incredible illustrations from Kyle Ferrin. Since its release in 2018 there have been a multitude of expansions and accessories. Even a new RPG set in the blood soaked forest itself hit the shelves this year. The base game relies on a deck of cards that offer a variety of powers and items you can craft. Some powers might be one off where others can stay with you for the whole game. Although all the cards are unique, you will learn them pretty quickly as each game will burn through the deck at least once during a three or four player game. Well, in 2020 Leder Games released a new deck of cards in order to shake up the trees a little. Enter the Exiles and Partisans.
Excellent Exiles
As with the original deck, this new set of 54 cards. There is a pretty even distribution between the four different suits as usual. However, there is much more of a focus in gaining temporary powers associated with other factions. For example, ‘Tunnels’ will allow you to move between clearings that contain a token of yours. This emulates the Duchy’s movement between their warren and any other clearing they can dig to.
Or like the Corvids you can move without rule with ‘Corvid Planners’. Or like the Otters you can use rivers like roads with ‘Boat Builders’. These cards make for a really different game as you are no longer restricted by your faction’s rules of movement. You will still have your ‘Ambush’ cards that allow you to do surprise damage to an attacker. You will also still have all the item crafting cards that you will be used to. But there are a whole lot of new cards that allow much more powerful interactions with other players.
Powerful Partisans
These new powerful cards can really change the game. One favourite is the ‘Coffin Makers’ (a rabbit card). As the undertakers of the woodland, every time a warrior would be killed they are placed on the Coffin Maker card. This continues the entire round. Once it gets back to the cardholder’s birdsong stage, they score one point for every five warriors on the card. After scoring they are returned to their players. This card will not only keep players from getting their meeples back for a whole round but can get you extra points every turn without having to use a single precious action.
‘Soup Kitchen’, (a bird card), allows for your tokens to be counted toward rule. Not just counted, but counted twice. For someone like the Badgers or the Duchy where rule is so important in their scoring, or the Cats that need a route for their wood so they can build, this could be priceless.
For those that can craft with ease then the mouse’s ‘Master Engravers’ can give you an extra point every time you do so. This can mean a whopping four points for those precious coins.
And not forgetting the fox’s, ‘False Orders’, one to watch out for. It may be a one off power but by discarding the card you can move half of any enemy’s warriors from one clearing to another. Use it so you can rule a clearing you need or if you are the Corvids then march your enemies into one of you traps. This is such a fun card to pull off and watching your opponent’s face as you completely mess with them will always be priceless.
For any Root lover, this is an essential addition to the game. Not only does it offer variety when you swap decks back and forth but it adds in some of the most fun cards in the game.
That concludes our thoughts on Root: Exiles and Partisans. Do you agree? Let us know your thoughts and tag us on social media @zatugames. To buy Root: Exiles and Partisans today click here!
