On Sunday, I ran two more playtests for Clash of Empires with the following rules. The reaction was mixed, with players enjoying the area control aspect of the game but not the card mechanics.

Here is some of the feedback I received.

• It was frustrating to have a hand of weak cards that were difficult to get rid of.
• The area control element of the game was fun, but the card play felt boring and not well integrated.
• Some of the cards were confusing.
• The theme needs improvement.

For the new playtest, I will focus on improving the theme and making sure the card play is integrated well with the area control part of the game.