Leder Games, the maestros behind the well-loved game Root, have been talking more about the design of their new game Oath. This campaign game seems like another fancy take on a traditional system with a twist.

Here is a rundown of what they've talked about with Oath so far giving you a flavour of the world...

In Oath, one to five players guide the course of history in an ancient land. Players might take the role of agents bolstering the old order or scheme to bring the kingdom to ruin. The consequences of one game will ripple through those that follow, changing what resources and actions future players may have at their disposal and even altering the game's core victory condition.

If a player seizes control by courting anarchy and distrust, future players will have to contend with a land overrun by thieves and petty warlords. In a later game, a warlord might attempt to found a dynasty, creating a line of rulers that might last generations or be crushed by the rise of a terrible, arcane cult.

In Oath, there are no fancy production tricks, app-assisted mechanisms or production gimmicks. The game can be reset at any time and doesn't require the same play group from one game to the next. A player might use the fully-featured solo mode to play several generations during the week and then use that same copy of the game for Saturday game-night with friends. There are no scripted narratives or predetermined end points. The history embedded in each copy of Oath will grow to be as unique as the players who helped build it.

What seems like a fascinating addition to this game is a focus on the idea that there doesn't need to be the same group from game to game. I like that they've tried to stay away from lots of additional extras and worked the very core of the campaign system into the basics of play. Having solo-play also be a key focus right out of the box seems like a nice addition too.

I am fascinated to learn about how much 'swotting up' you'll need to do between sessions in order to enjoy the game fully. It feels like there's a good sense that the game tells a new part of the story each time you sit down to play and remembers things in order to change the victory conditions for you.

If you're interested in finding out more then Cole Wehrle, the designer of the game, has been talking more about Oath over on BoardGameGeek.

What do you think of Oath?