Forge War

Mine ore, forge weapons and send adventurers on quests that get harder every turn.

Designer: Isaac Childres
Published by: Cephalofair Games

Forge War (2015) puts you behind the anvil as a blacksmith in a kingdom plagued by harpies, cursed dungeons and fire-breathing dragons. You gather ore from the mines, buy weapon designs at the market, and forge weapons for adventurers who head out on quests. If they succeed, they bring back ore, coin and other rewards you can reinvest in your smithy. The twist is that quests are not completed instantly: they progress every turn and get harder, and at set moments you must add more resources. It is a rewarding game of aggressive investment for one to four, and it takes a good three hours.

Forge weapons for adventurersQuests progress and grow harder each turnSolo mode and modular boards

Who it's for

You like long, crafty fantasy economies where investment and timing are the puzzle, and you want a solo mode too.

Not for you if…

You want a short or light game. Setup and play take hours, and the rules ask for patience.

Vibe's take

Meaty and planned. You juggle mining, crafting and quest timing, and every investment hangs over the next several turns.