Played Liberty Or Death for first time with my Dad with he as British & Indians and I as Patriots and French using the Full Scenario set up (1775 onward).
I had played a solo game to get mechanics of game into brain, of course it is a COIN game so basic stuff is standard but as always with quirks unique to individual game and new sets of Operations (termed Commands here) and Special Activities.
Main change from other titles is the introduction of dice rolls for 'pitched' Battles (actually representing the outcome of a series of battles in an area) to establish and some political bonuses to winner (Patriots with Washington get more 'renown' benefits if they defeat a British force).
The level of casualties are recorded (the actuall casualties return to Available boxes on a Winter card) as these influence Victory Levels and indeed French Arrival.
There are also named Leaders such as Washington, Howe for each faction with some getting several that can appear on Winter Quarter cards.
Each Leader has an 'ability' such as Washington increasing Political influence after winning a Battle and reducing on losses by 1 if defending, Gage can increase Militia losses after a Skirmish activity and so forth.
Each Faction has a one use only Brilliant Stroke card with French having an additional card to bring them fully into the game, these Trump Event cards and some can Trump each other, these allow 2 Free Limited Actions and a Free Special Activity only caveat is that a Leader must be involved in one of these Actions.
French and Indians both rather different factions not really like those in other games.
French spend 2-3 Years (a year ends with turn of Winter Quarters card) niggling the British by supporting Patriots but with no actual piece in the Colonies, as they build up forces/political will to intervene directly in war.
They have very limited options as regard Commands and Special Activities but can still be thorn on British side by paying to raise Patriot units or Resources.
The Indians are erstwhile British Allies, and I confess was dubious that they were a viable faction in a game about US revolution (not that well read on their 'exploits' or influence on events), but they are actually a well rounded faction in their own right with several very interesting options open to them.
Their Raids (sort of Terrorism in modern COIN scenarios) can effect the key Patriot opposition levels (local population not keen to suffer these raids), and their Warpath special action can hurt the Patriot cause by attrition of their forces.
They can place Villages to aid certain Commands and indeed need to for their Victory Conditions.
I should add Victory Conditions for each Faction are split into 2 a primary and secondary condition which can determine who suffers the Winter card events.
British and Patriots are more recognizable as Government/Coalition types but again with several twists and quirks.
British have a lot of units with both British Regulars and Tory (Royalists) units and some powerful Commands (Muster can see up to 6 British Regular appear in one go and as many Tories as one can pay for or force pool allows !).
Britannia also rules waves (at least until French navy pokes its nose into affairs) with essentially unfettered access to the (mostly) coastal Cities via the Atlantic (kind of works like a Road/Communications network), the later French use of Blockades can disrupt this.
British and French also contest the West Indies from whence French Naval Squadrons sortie and this area is worth 5 Resources so not to be ignored.
Patriots are a mix of a Regular type and Militia (closest faction equivalent I can think of is NVA in Vietnam game) with Continentals equivalent of British Regulars, albeit less numerous, and Militia sort of like Guerrillas who can use Propaganda (again a type of 'Terrorism' effect) to stymie British Support in areas and the wee sods can pop up in Cities and Provinces with their insidious agenda.
Much more to game and its interactions, strategies than this brief outline and single play can convey but like every other COIN game I have tried it is an excellent gaming experience even with two players (would love to get a 4 player session in sometime with at least one title) and indeed solo, in fact I think this game is one of better 2 player COIN game experiences (with obvious exception of Colonial Twilight).
My only gripe with game is that an awful lot of action can occur in Massachusetts area which is very tiny (first time I have had to use on board Command Grouping areas) but that is down to geography/practicality, a less intrusive 'annoyance' is transposing of New York City and Philadelphia into Atlantic Area to give them a playable area but one can tend to forget they are actually adjacent to other regions not just Atlantis wannabes :-)
As to game we managed to play through 3 Winter Quarters cards (I should say these have varying Special Events that can effect one player) years and game ended at end of 1777 with Patriot win, as it seems in this game in two player mode you can win with a single faction Victory Level.
++Edit - nope found rule that like all other COIN games both factions must ‘win’ for a side to auto-win++
Great stuff and next play will no doubt be much different as we both now have at least some idea of strategies and interactions (certainly do not attack Washington if he has a strong army and a Fort as rather tough to defeat and a loss to him has repercussions !) never mind the ever changing mix of cards in deck and order of play.
Set up 1775 start, Stand up counters are Leaders (optional 'flat' counters available)
Later in 1777 French have appeared (white cubes) in New Hampshire. Note 2 Command Group counter in Massachusetts (contained Patriot, British and Indian Pieces
French also in Norfolk which Patriots had stolen from Royalist control
Tory Royalists (Green cubes) have mustered all across the seaboard and adjacent Colonies. Note Casualties box full (on left top) and the adjacent Command Grouping box showing the units of both faction in (yes you guessed it) Massachusetts.
Southern Colonies pretty much neglected by both of us all game
At end a narrow Patriot win but getting 11+ more Opposition than Support on board and having slightly better adjusted number of Forts built than Indian Villages.
