The green die symbol is used to determine a random Region that the AI will act in. As you look at the map shown to the right, you will notice die symbols all over the map in varying colors including green, white and red. You will do this over and over, not only to determine a random Region that the AI will act in, but also in what Area within that Region. But the randomness is only in the die rolling as the actions that typically come out of it reinforce the actions that would have most likely been taken at the time. Nearly every thing that the solitaire AI does seems random. This random die roll is used to control the protagonists in the game in the form of the British during the War of Independence and then the Republicans and Pro-Treaty forces made up of the British and their allies in the Free State Forces during the subsequent Civil War. The mechanics used as the basis for this solitaire only game is that of the random die roll.

Theme does and the most recent game from White Dog Games called Irish Freedom does this in spades. I have said it many times but complexity doesn’t create a good gaming experience. Sometimes, the subject is less gamed and one of the best benefits of the design is simply bringing light to the conflict as well as a better understanding of the issues that caused it to start in the first place. Not every game has to be a deep and complex simulation of a subject.

Luck of the irish board game