SCYTHE (2016)

PLAYERS	TIME	DESIGNER	PUBLISHER
1-5	90-115 mins	Jamey Stegmaier	Stonemaier Games

In this 1-5 player engine builder set in an alternate 1920’s Europe, players strive to claim territory and control resources.

At first glance it looks like a miniatures war game. Cool looking Leaders and a batch of Mechs roaming around. looking for a fight.

But conflict is more a last resort, one that can have negative consequences for the victor. In lower player counts, conflict may never even arise.

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While SCYTHE looks complicated when set up, especially at maximum player count, a player’s turn is quite simple.

Pick an action different to the one you used last turn and carry it out. There are only four actions on your player board to choose from.

Over time you build your board up, unlocking some actions while making others stronger. This makes the game less about reacting each turn and more about planning a strategy.

You need to do ‘this’ to get ‘that’, then use ‘that’ to get the ‘other thing’. Efficiency is key on SCYTHE. A wasted turn could see you lose your advantage.

Popularity is also key to success. Some actions move you up or down a Popularity track and the higher you are, the better your end game multipliers are. It adds a sort of risk / reward element to some cards you get.

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My one gripe with the game is the ending. It’s sudden and can knock the wind out of you, especially at higher counts when it’s hard to keep track of everyone’s boards. When a player succeeds in their sixth goal, that’s it, you down tools. And if you are close to getting something important, it can leave you deflated.

SCYTHE has great table presence and production. At 2-player the game is a resource race, while at 5-player it’s a slow burn Cold War. It’s simpler to play than it looks, but there is a decent efficiency puzzle to figure out.