Game stagnates if supply card not drawn

Question

I've played a couple of games where the game has been stifled because the supply card is never drawn. (What happens is that the 'winter is coming' card is drawn, and the deck reshuffled, and supply card isn't shuffled to the top).

The last game we played, a supply card was never drawn until round 7, and we had a scenario where mustering cards would come out, and no body was able to increase their armies due to already being at supply limits.

This problem can also apply to other game dynamics, like bidding on the influence tracks, and to a lesser extent, mustering (because people can always use a special consolidate to muster).

Is this a well known issue, and is there a house rule to mitigate it?

I was thinking you could create a house rule that says 'if supply hasn't been adjusted by round 4, and round 8, there will be a bonus supply adjustment then'.

Another suggestion would be that when the 'winter is coming' card is drawn, you only shuffle the already discarded cards and put them at the bottom.

Answer 1

First of all, yes. This is something that I have noticed happens sometimes in the game. I don't think it happens all that much, but it is definitely noticeable when by round 3 there has not been any supply yet.

I don't think this is a problem. Think about if no Clash of Kings would ever happen? Or if no Wildlings ever attacked? There are many such opportunities for the game to be "lacking" in something. I think it is part of the dynamic nature of the game. It does not require any of those things to happen, but if they do then it makes it interesting, but it also makes it interesting if it doesn't happen.

Saying that the game "stagnates" implies to me that you may not be playing the game entirely correct. Most of the times when I play the game, I barely have any armies with more than 1 soldier until mid-game. Since I rely on support and taking larger territories and having more actions.

It really depends also on what optional rules you are using. The tides of battle cards make supply less relevant, since the size of the army is not the most important factor. If you are using the rule where the seasonal cards are set out such that you can see the next 3 cards coming up that will also impact the game, you will know when a supply is coming, or if one is not coming and be able to play accordingly.

I would not say that this is a problem with the game, maybe only a problem with expectations. I do not think any house rule needs to be made for this. There are enough ways to "solve" this problem. Most of them come from your own strategy.

Answer 2

I agree that this is a problem in the base game. I would recommend using the expansion mechanic that provides Muster orders.

The Muster order is a special (star required) Consolidate Power order that is placed in a region with a city or stronghold, in which you have units. If it is not destroyed by a raid, you are allowed to muster that specific location as if a Muster event card had been drawn (subject to normal supply limit), during the Consolidate Power phase.

This should prevent stalled out games, even in a case where you cannot draw Muster cards.