The Corvid Conspiracy: a secretive faction that hatches plots directly into the hands of their opponents. On opening the box, I was immediately drawn in by incredible artwork and high-quality components. Clearly, there is so much detail and love throughout the entire design of the game. The maps, player boards, and cards each have unique and charming artwork. Praise must be given to artist Kyle Ferrin for illustrating this fantastic world! Now I run away from the mormon analogy as these are not nice people, of course this is a war game after all. You will be converting other pieces to become your followers with your wily ways, sacrificing warriors to gain more actions and ramp up your “spreading of the creed” engine. This expansion offers new types of factions that feel nothing like any of the base game ones, but are definitely best suited to groups you love to have a bit of negotiation and fun with their Root games. Perhaps not so much for the quiet and serious groups. It also brings into the foray three new vagabond characters for use with the base game material, and instructions for both cooperative and competitive bot play for those smaller player count games. With all the content from this game, Root can now be played with up to 6 players, although I am not sure I could sit at the table long enough for such a huge game to run its course. Best For Those Who Love To Be Devious Perhaps the single biggest question I had going into the new content of Underworld was if this expansion would do anything to allay prior complaints against the base game. To clarify, some lovers of wargames decry Root for its inability to let you mitigate the continued assault of the other players; if everyone gangs up on you (say if you’re pulling too far ahead), you can do precious little to stop them, and everyone collectively can do more against you on their turns than you can singularly do on yours. I’ll flat out say that as clever as the new factions are, this fact remains unchanged. Root is not a wargame of perfect strategy where you thrash opponents through superior military force; it remains, as ever, as much a political and power dynamic simulator as a tactical wargame.

The stage is set for a contest that will decide the fate of the great woodland. It is up to the players to decide which group will ultimately take root. Ornelas, Jason (2020-08-29). "These aren't your ordinary forest creatures --- Root Digital Review". GAMING TREND . Retrieved 2022-06-29. The most recent conquerors of the forest, the Marquise de Cat plays a game of engine building and logistics while policing the vast wilderness. By collecting Wood they are able to build Workshops, Sawmills, and Recruiters to help her score victory points. Marquise de Cat has the largest army in ROOT, but numbers alone won’t be enough to secure the forest...The Woodland Alliance doesn’t take kindly to despots - old or new. Marquise, Eyrie, they’re all the same. Only through the will of the people can this wood be ruled! The Woodland Alliance are masters of guerrilla warfare, they begin slowly but can build into a late-game powerhouse - but only if they can manage to subvert the other would-be rulers along the way.

Root Digital is a video game version of Root, which is considered to be one of the best board games of the modern era. The digital game sees players taking control of a faction with the goal of being the first to score 30 victory points. Each faction has a different playstyle and method of gaining victory points, with players needing to understand how their opponents’ factions function as well as their own. Throughout the game, players will be able to move units to clearings on the board, with battles sometimes resulting from a player-move. Root Digital features modes that enable players to challenge each other both online and locally, with a solo mode also included. If you are familiar with playing the base game of Root then you will be able to start playing Root: The Underworld Expansion immediately. The base rules are the same, with only a few new additional rules depending on which new map you play.

The Grand Duchy gain points by swaying ministers. To sway a minister, you must match your suits of cards to the clearings you control and have built within. Less influential ministers allow you to take extra actions, whilst more prestigious minsters grant you victory points. The nefarious Marquise de Cat has seized the great woodland, intent on harvesting its riches. Under her rule, the many creatures of the forest have banded together. This Alliance will seek to strengthen its resources and subvert the rule of Cats. In this effort, the Alliance may enlist the help of the wandering Vagabonds who are able to move through the more dangerous woodland paths. Though some may sympathise with the Alliance’s hopes and dreams, these wanderers are old enough to remember the great birds of prey who once controlled the woods.