Crown of Roses

Way back when (1979 at least) I played a lot of Kingmaker.  Crown of Roses promised to be a successor and certainly looked and felt familiar.

This was our second play, after a brief run through previously.  I must confess, despite my best intentions, I had not read the rules.  

Turn 1 starts with the Lancastrians holding the King, but after some bloody battles in Turn 2 the Yorkists seized the crown.  

It really is too brief a play to offer any real critique, but it is a game of layers but seemed to repay successful continuous combats.  Influencing nobles may come later, especially after losses.

The blocks make for tricky play as it is easy to knock them over as well as remember who is who.  This created a slight annoyance that then multiplied the challenge of not being properly familiar with the rules or strategies.  Pity.