Daniel (@dungeondive) surveys the tower defence landscape while learning Fate: Defenders of Grimheim at his table. The premise is eternal: protect a central location from encroaching hordes until you’re overwhelmed or victorious. From the mystical kung-fu demon-fighting of Last Bastion to the zombie siege tracks of Dawn of the Zeds, Daniel walks through his collection and what makes each tick.
Fate itself earns early enthusiasm for its gorgeous hex map, unique character decks with unlockable gear and quests, and the promise of punishing difficulty. The tour continues through Alien Uprising (Blackhawk Down in space), Outbreak (zombies with worker placement), Defenders of the Realm (Pandemic meets fantasy siege), and even Darkest Night as a game with tower defence DNA beneath its threat-management surface. Daniel’s looking for recommendations—and mourns the loss of Victory Point Games, whose catalogue gave us three of his favourites.
What’s your favourite tower defence board game, and do you prefer the pure siege or the ones that mix in other mechanics?