Bastille Board Game First Impressions
Bastille is an auction game with an interesting system.
It’s not worker placement
It’s the eve of the French Revolution, and you are the leader of a revolutionary group, trying to best position your faction to be ready for when the revolution inevitably begins. To do so, you need money, influence, revolutionary leaders, weapons to arm them, and much more.
Bastille Game Overview
Quick Rules Summary
Players have three crests numbered 1, 1 and 2. In turn order, players take turns placing their crests into the 7 areas on the board. Each of these areas has between 2-4 spaces for these crests to be placed.
Once everyone has placed their 3 crests, these 7 areas are resolved in order from 1 to 7. The crests are activated from highest to lowest with the crest placed furthest to the left breaking ties.
Let’s look at those areas:
1 – The first player gains the first player marker and all players gain twice as many coins as the number on their crest.
2 – Upgrade the played crest to the next value higher.
3 – There is a tile with two rewards on it that changes every round. The first player gains one and the second player gains the other.
4 – The first player puts 2 cubes in the bag, and the second player puts 1 in. More on that in a bit.
5 – Players may buy one of the 4 character cards laid out on the board for their printed cost, minus the number on the crest used.
6 – Move up the Bastille track a number of spaces shown on the crest. The first player also moves one extra step.
7 – Players look through the mission deck and pick a card. The first player also gains 2 coins.
After each round, the 2 players with the most flag icons on characters gain a bonus based on a round tile. After the 4th round, there is some mid-game scoring.
Players score for gem and crown icons on the characters they have and then their position on the Bastille track. (The further the better)
Also, 5 cubes are drawn from the bag and those players get to pick a reward from a selection available. These are on a first-come, first-served basis.
How do you win?
After 8 rounds there is some end-game scoring. This is the mid-game scoring again plus scoring the value of characters they have and any completed mission cards they completed. Also, 1 point per 3 money leftover.
Then, players lose points for any characters that do not have weapons. Some characters when purchased have weapons, some do not. Rewards during the game can give weapon tokens that can be placed on characters without weapons so they are equipped.
Most points wins.
Main Mechanisms
It’s an interesting mix of a ‘worker placement’ system that is more like an ‘auction’ for spaces. You can place a 2 crest on the left, but if anyone plays a higher number you’re not going first.
USP
The auction system seems fairly unique, I would love to hear from anyone who has played something similar.
Theme
I mean, there are French references everywhere, especially the Tricolour, Revolts and of course the Bastille. But while playing I didn’t really worry about the theme and got on with it. One player at the table actually went through and rethemed it to Lord of the Rings and actually, that sounded much better!
Setup
The board isn’t too busy so there isn’t much to do. Shuffling and putting out the 8 end of round tiles is the most involved bit.
Components & Artwork
It’s from Queen Games so it’s from 2018 but looks like 2005.
Everything is really standard with drab artwork.
Ease of Teaching
The game is very easy to teach. Each of the 7 action spaces is easy to explain.
Similar Games
I said I don’t know of a game that uses this auction-style mechanism.
I would just suggest a more fun-themed, better-looking simple worker placement game, like Marvel: Age of Heroes.
Bastille Review
Positives
The auction/worker placement part of the game is really good fun.
It’s nice and simple allowing you to focus on strategy.
Negatives
The theme, what there is of it, it’s boring.
It looks old.
Summary
A decent game that needs an update from a publisher that has a decent design team.
Jesta ThaRogue
