Austin Board Gamer

6 Player Gloria Mundi

OK, I got to play my 2nd playing of Gloria Mundi tonight. The first game was played with 3 players. Tonights game however is with 6. Tonights game is with Doug, Jon, Adam, John, Mark, and Me. The first game these guys played had a rule discrepancy which totally ruined the game for them. I believe it was that they didn't have the 3 initial cards(farm, peace, city) played before the first round began.

The second game we played was with three, and everything went pretty smooth. After that game I believed that green maybe have been weighted to heavy. Also Mark mentioned in that 3 player game that it was wiser to pay the goth than not. I told him I didn't believe a game could be played to where everyone paid the goth all the way until the last city when the goth was activated. So we thought we'd try his theory.

I was the first player in the game. Of course the game goes through a round without any building purchases, and the goth was paid each time. The next round I got a lucky break with the "Venitvm" which gives you 1VP if you have a peace card, and 1VP is you have at least one city card. This proved quite powerful in early in the game. I was generating 2 VP's each time a farm was played. You have to rememeber in an 6 player game there is only 8 rounds. 4 green, 2 gold and 2 white. So I knew this was going to be a good building to have. It was, by the third round I had a demanding lead. However, I was a target of Adam at this point who was my third to the right player. By the third round he made his move by not paying the Goth. This "would" have worked, if the other two players played the cards right. However when payment got to me, I was able to destruct an unneeded card, and my generator continued.

By the third round John got a lucky break and took the "Bovarium" card, which allowed him on a farm round to swap a gold for 2 VP's. So he was quickly catching my lead with this card.

Every other player was still lingering behind quite a bit, and staying par with each other. On the 5th round Adam again made his move, and this time it was successful, and I lost my green generator. I did however by that time picked up the "Navis Onararia" card, which when peace was activated, if the goth was on a farm spot, I received 2 VP. Also very powerful. But at the same time Jon built the "Circus" which when green was activated he could trade one white resource for 2VP's. Another on of the green powercards. SO he quickly caught my lead.

My target at this point was John and his gold for vp's card. So I didn't pay the goth, and took out his only city card. This was a success for a while as the next round or two, he ran out of gold. This was short lived after he built a "Templam Mircus" which for every green card he had, he got one purple. One round of that, and he was set for the gold to VP's engine.

Adam never really got the resources he needed to build anything. He had at one time tons of white. Mark was on a similar boat with almost all the green resources, and nothing to build. So the game came down to mostly John, Jon, and Me with the powerhouse VP generators.

Since Adam took my big powerhouse card, I started slipping behind Jon, and John. By the games end, John took the win having the VP generator working almost the entire game, and gave him a demanding lead. John, over took me, and I was unable to really use my white VP generator, as all the white cards had already been played. So I ended up in third.

A six player game is tricky. There are only in my mind 3-4 really nice power cards that in an 8 round game will get you a demanding lead. Of course almost all those power cards are green. In a 6 player game however, only 2-3 players are going to get a chance at those cards, leaving the other players to flounder behind. This may make Gloria Mundi not play well with the maximum compliment of 6.

Also I still believe that green maybe a tad too powerful or unbalanced. Most of the really nice power cards are green, and are easy to purchase. If you can't get one because of card availability, you are really taken back in the game.

Overall I like Gloria Mundi, but it is a tad fragile in my mind.

Placement:

1st: John
2nd: Jon
3rd: Mike
4th: Mark
5th: Doug(first playing)
6th: Adam

Conquest of the Empire (HBO Style)

To continue my Rome kick lately, I convinced the local provinces that Conquest of the Empire was in order. This of course is the new edition from Eagle Games that includes a new ruleset base on the Struggle of Empires rules. So I thought I would write of a session report HBO style.
 
49 BC. Prelude

Rome is on the brink of civil war. Cassus is dead and Rome is ripe for the picking. Here are the major players in this new fight for the title of Caesar. Pompey (Played by Kevin), Scipio (Played by Susan), Cato (Played by Mark), Julius Caesar (Played by John), and Marc Antony (Played by myself).

48 BC. Season One
 
After defeating the Gauls, Caesar and Antony established themselves over the Alps and into the Italian peninsula. The effect of chasing away the Senate under Pompeys control, left Rome and southern Italy to the whims of Caesar and Antony forces. Being allies they shared Gaul. Caesar kept his influence in tact in Hispania. Scipio fled south and established control on Sicily and with his naval control unopposed in Carthage and into Egypt. Pompey, still quite a powerful figure fled to Asia and Greece and with his allies and established his influence over the eastern part of the empire, and over the rich kingdom of Egypt.
 
Cato, with ardent hatred of Antony that stemmed from an earlier campaign that Antony left Cato's Legions to the whims of the Gauls, swore vengeance against the alliance of Antony and Caesar. Cato Still had the strong 6th legion in the region of Gaul, however was surrounded by the Legions of Antony and Caesar. He knew he had to recruit more and spent many Talents to insure the garrison in Gaul. Cato also knew the exploits of Caesar and spent most of his time training his troops for a later campaigning in Rome. Scipio, with his control of Sicily increased his influence further and recruited more troops to keep out Antony’s Legions strong in southern Italy. Scipio with his allies Cato and Pompey continued to maneuver their influence in the eastern provinces into Greece and Asia. Antony with a large influence in Rome and Southern Italy began recruiting into his XIII Legion. He controlled the majority of Gaul, and set his sights on dealing with Cato and his newly trained Legion in the area.
 
47 BC. Season Two
 
Again the Alliance of Cato, Pompey, and Scipio continued into the new season. Many Talents were spent to persuade the changes in allegiances. Antony, noting the powder keg growing in Gaul under the control of Cato, attempted to bring Cato into his own Alliance against even Caesar. Pompey however who hadn’t spent as many of his reserves to recruit new troops, instead used it to sway Cato away from Antony and back into the old Alliance.
 
Caesar this season took advantage of a new barbarian threat in the Germanic territories to increase the size of his dreaded 7th legion in Greece, to the dismay of Cato and Pompey. Scipio again entrenched in Sicily, not being able to push his troops into Italy continued to increase his influence and establish a city in the region. This would bring much needed revenue and solidify control of Sicily to Scipio. Antony with his single garrison in Sicily knew he wouldn’t be able to protect his interest there and fled into southern Italy. Scipio without a direct path to Rome decided the only way to establish any control would be to go to Egypt and raise a fleet of ships to gain naval superiority on the Italian peninsula. Using this new found fleet Scipio began battling Antony’s small fleet off the coast of Hispania. However the battle came down to a draw after three months, and Antony was able to successfully ward off the attack. Cato continued to maneuver in the eastern provinces of Greece and Galatia and gain influence. Cato still had his eyes on Rome, and planned to move his 6th legion out of Gaul and over the Alps, but waited for the snows to finally melt. Caesar moved out of Southern Italy and finally gained control of Rome itself. Antony in turn moved into Southern Italy and took over controlling influence of the region. Pompey now entrenched in Egypt with his navy moved into the coast of Hispania, and began battle with Antony. Antony this time was not so lucky, and his navy was completely decimated.
 
46 BC. Season Three
 
Again Antony failed to bring Cato into alliance with him against Caesar, as Pompey, still with what seemed to be endless coffers of gold swayed Cato away. Ceaser began eyeing the Eastern Provinces thinking now would be the time to gain a foothold into Galatia. Caesar moved his 9th legion into place ready to strike Pompey and Cato. Pompey however noticed the movement and had Caesars top general Curio assassinated before Caesar has a chance to attack. This left the whole 9th legion stranded and essentially useless for the rest of the campaign. This angered Caesar, which prompted him to bring the senate in Rome to a vote to raise a massive army inside the borders of Rome itself. This would prove to be detrimental to Caesar as Cato had used all his influence in the Senate and now had gained control of a huge Legion of men right at the gates of Rome. Cato now seeing his chance to take control of the Rome region also pressed Egypt into building him a Naval power, and moving it off the coast of Italy. He then quickly moved his 9th Legion out of Gaul, crossing the Rubicon into Rome to support his newly raised army. Pompey also used this time to move his 4th Legion out of Asia and crossing the Alps into Rome to support Cato’s forces. All this had left Antony weakened with his XIII Legion undermanned in Rome. He did however still held onto influence in the region. Cato threatened to attack Antony in southern Italy, but after discussing it with his advisors found that his coffers lows on funds and a battle at this time would not be enough to gain controlling influence in the region.. Cato knew that with his control of the cities of Greece he would be able to raise enough Talents to attack and push Caesars ally, Antony out of Rome, and buy out his influence the next season.
 
Scipio knew that with Antony reinforcing his Rome Legions it left Hispania with a minimal garrison, moved his 11th Legion into the territory to claim influence in the next season. He was under the assumption that Antony would be too busy fighting Cato and his forces in Rome.
 
45 BC. Season Four
 
Pompey, severely weakened in the east after several small skirmishes, was denied by his own allies Cato and Scipio, and forced into an unlikely alliance with Antony and Caesar. Antony knowing that Cato was now positioned in Rome for an all out attack spent all his remaining Talents to buy as much influence in the region, and with his XIII Legion fled to Hispania. This was a surprise to Scipio, who in turn fled back into Northern Africa. Scipio pushed his forces into Egypt, which was still a pivotal region for control. Since now that Caesar had also abandoned Hispania for Rome, Antony took controlling influence in that territory. The abandonment of Rome changed Cato’s plans for attacking Antony now that his forces matched but not exceeded Caesar’s. All Cato could do now was to buy as much influence in the region to gain favor again in the senate.
 
Caesar had other plans however. He himself ran off to Eastern Territories, and met up with his 9th Legion and moved in to attack any remaining Scipio and Cato forces. The battle that everyone was waiting for in Rome however, never came about. It would all be determined with the influence in the penisula. Pompey, now seeing his weakness in Rome fled with his army back to Egypt, and with his naval fleet decimated Cato’s and Scipio’s Legions out of the land of Pharoahs. Scipio, which had an alliance with Cleopatra however still held onto some influence. Pompey who believed he had his allies for the next attack on Rome was caught off guard as Egypt up rose against him.They took out most of Pompey’s army in a slave revolt. This would be Pompey’s final battle, and final resting place.
 
Antony in turn made one last small drive into Northern Africa, in an attempt to pick up some influence away from Scipio. This would keep Scipio at bay from moving into Hispania.
 
44 BC. In conclusion
 
Scipio never able to set foot into Rome, but had the favor of all of Rome’s eastern and southern territories. This gave him the most prestige in the Senate and gave Scipio control of Rome in the end, Ave Caesar!. Cato had gained partial control of Rome itself, but never exceeded Caesars. But Cato also had kept much control in the eastern territories and Gaul. This however didn’t give him enough influence in the Senate, and lost to Scipio. Marc Antony’s push out of Rome hurt him deeply, but he still retained some influence in Rome, control in Southern Italy, Gaul and Hispania. This still put him below Cato’s influence and left him without victory. Caesar held on to control of Rome throughout the war, yet lost too much influence in Rome’s other territories. This left him weakened in the senate, below even Antony himself. Pompey met his end in Egypt, and that was the end of his revolt.
 
The Game Itself.
 
What a cool game this was. Lots of player interaction. They did an excellent job in toning down the Struggle of Empire rule, but not losing any of its essence. The game ran rather long (5 ½ hours) but we couldn’t tell as it flowed flawlessly. The Map is gynormous, and the peices are pretty. The rules were straightforward and easy to grasp. I think Eagle finally made a winner.       

Early in the game

It's a hard knock life.

Fiese Freunde Fette Feten, Or FFFF as it will be called form now on. Is a satirical game of life, where it’s not about what good things you do in life, but what vices you do in life that matters. The game is a basic set collection game, where the goal is to complete 5 life goal cards to win the game. Each player has a different set of goals, and there are 5 super-goals that anyone can complete throughout the game.

Each player starts with a player board. The board is broken up into different section. The attributes, which show you level of Drugs, Religion, Wisdom, Fatness, Bad Health, Smoking, Drinking, and one or two more. The bottom section is where you lovers and friends are broken up. It has your “just friends” section, your lovers/significant others sections, and you divorce/married but hating sections. The last section is for you anonymous sex markers. Players start the game in the puberty stage. Where a selection of ten cards are laid out. One by one players decide to play a card or to “move on”. If they play a card, they get the bonuses that are stated at the bottom of the card. If they move on they receive time chits. In the game time chits are money, why, cause time is money. However the first to move on gets a higher amount of money than the next player to move on, and so one till the last player to move gets no money. Also on your turn you may decide to complete a life goal (As it takes five to win). The next sessions of turns are the “real life” turns. It works a little differently. Here the active player may put a card up for auction, but only if he is capable of meeting the needed requirements on the top left of the card. If the card contains relationships, other players may tag along in the card and reap its benefits by the use of the complaint chit. As you can see, it is not an easy game to grasp right away, and I haven’t covered many rules.

This was all of ours first playing, so it took a couple of rounds to really get a groove on. As I stated it’s a set collection game mostly, with hilarious cards. Half the fun is just reading what the cards state on them. Definitely a game that must be played with the “right” crowd. But it was fun, and it did have room for player screwage. Of course we had very little, as it looks like it will take some more plays to really understand how to truelly interact and mess up the other players. I do look forward to playing this again soon. I got the original german edition, as I hear the RGG may santize it a bit, and I really wanted the original. FFFF, it's the good life. 

Too Fast, Too Furious!

Splitting the pieces up for easy access, I sit there. Teeth grinding with anticipation, I stare at the other players across the table. I have to remind myself, turn over the pieces, you can use both sides. I usually forget. Mark passes out the next sheets. I’m ready, must focus. I grab the dice and state “Everyone Ready”. Everyone nods. I toss the die, “Snake!”. Adam flips the timers. It’s on! Green, Blue, Red square, brown L. Got them. Quickly, place, move, place, faster. Adam yells “Ubongo!” Damnit, must focus. There it is, I see it. Then scream “Ubongo!” No time to think must anticipate the next round. Teeth begin grinding again……

 

Yes, Ubongo was on order today. A puzzle game that you try and solve as quickly as possible to gain gemstones on the board. Each player has a selection of “Tetris” style pieces. Then a player puzzle is passed out to each player. On each board is a different configuration that players must fit the tetris pieces into before the timer runs out. Then the die is tossed. After words the timer is set and all players flip their boards. On the back each figure on the die represents 3-4 different pieces that the player must use to solve that puzzle. The first person to finish gets to move his pawn up to three spaces on the gem track and take two gems. Then second place moves two spaces and takes two gems, and so on. If you don’t solve the puzzle before the timer, you get nothing. And yes it does happen quite a bit. It’s a fun and fast paced game, that will have you on edge the whole time. Really bends your mind! We started with the three tile version, but found it to be somewhat too easy. So then we played the four tile, and even Adam who was kicking our butts, missed a couple boards. There are multiple colored gems to select from on the board, and to win you score the gems you have the most of. Fun game.

Alexander be Resonable!

For Labor Day games I had a chance to try Alexander the Great by Phalanx Games. It was an interesting game, as I thought it would be a wargame, but it was more of an area control game, with bluffing put into the mix.

 The game is played in 6 phases. Each phase represents a region that Alexander conquers along the way. Each region has between 4-7 areas of control. In each region there can be between 1-3 turns. Each player starts with a fixed number of cities, and a fixed number of temples, and 15 resource cubes. On a turn each player take the 15 cubes and distributes them to 4 areas, turn order, armies, temples, and cities. Then they all reveal them at the same time. Who ever has the most turn order cubes get to choose what turn he will go. In our game that mean going last mostly. Then the remaining turn order goes by you place on the score track. Then on a turn each player moves his whole army to the areas on the region, but has to pay the amount shown on the arrows on the board. That payment must come from the cubes remaining on either temples or cities. This is where turn order comes into play as going last you can see what other people has spent on their turn. Before a players turn ends he can opt to try to build a temple or a city in that region, if it is valid. Then each area in the region is scored. For cities and temples, who ever has the most cubes on their track will get to build. If they are uncontested then they only pay one cube for temples, and two for cities. If they are contested but won, they pay 1 + the second place amount on his track. You then get 5 points for cities, and 3 for temples. Then the majority of armies in each area of the region gets another 2 points. At the end of the game the play with the most temples get 15 points and most cities gets 10 extra point. Then the majority in each region for temples and cities gets 5 points.

 The trick to the game is the bluffing. I took advantage of what I saw as a strong strategy of cities. I didn’t care much for turn order so I spent all of my resources on armies and cities. This was a psychological move that scared the other players in not trying to contest me, as it would be too costly. I could have been totally taken out if one player contested my building, but that would have taken both players to last I’m sure. So I remained uncontested throughout the game. I’m not sure if it’s a flaw in the game play, as it was completely evident what I was doing. But it totally psyched people out. Overall It was a fun game, if not a tad fragile. I wouldn’t put it on the same level of fragile as say Fifth Avenue. I liked it, blind bluffing games are up my alley, and I like trying to out think other players, even if it sometimes blows up in my face. For this game I think I had a true Adam moment (Group reference), which is rare for me. I will give my thumbs up for Alexander.

Stay tuned for my Super Duper Die Macher session report!

 

This month goes all the way to Eleven

What a slow month this has been for gaming. I got in a whopping "11" games in. Sad indeed. Will have to make up this month for the lack of commitment. I did however get in some interesting new games.

Warhamster Rally

Fun chaotic racing game. Maybe one of my favorite racing games. Definitely my favorite Jolly Roger game.

Cranium

Yes, a party game of all things. My outdoor group has an occasional boardgame night. I really try and introduce them some of my games, but the party games take over. No matter, I had fun, and was the master "hummer" for the evening.

Saboteur

Favorite 8-10 player game. Very fun "traitor" type game.

Trump, Tricks, Game!

Big Boo! Well may have to give it a few more tries, but it's not winning any points so far.

   

Meridian

Interesting abstract game that I was destroyed in. I think I scored ZERO for the game. I liked it, but just didn't click on my first playing.

   

Exxtra

I always play yellow, and the Yellow dice are just flawed! another game I usually end up at around ZERO points every time I play. I still like it as a push you luck game, but also hate it.. grrr...

   

Palazzo

Very cool new Knizia. I need to get more plays of this in soon. People call it a better alhambra, but I am still partial the latter. Still interesting possibilities.

Diamant

Another "push you luck" winner in my book. Very fun game. I know they are reprinting it with less chrome, so I'm glad I got the original.

   

Medici

Good old Medici. This must be the month of "push your lucks games". I am definitely buying the new french edition as previously mentioned.

Vampire

Nice set collection card game. Had fun playing it. The theme and colors are odd, but the gameplay is pretty good.

   

In the Shadow of the Emperor

Great game. Was the first time I got to play it after owning it for three months. Such a shame I didn't get it out earlier. I think I may like it almost as much or better than Louis XIV.

So there you have it, a small quick month. Next month targeting at leat 25 games!

Flight of the Warhamster

"I'm mounted on my trusty warhamster. I shall call him Bob. Next to me is my opponents steed, Weave. So begins the flight into the unknown"--Igor the Unsteady

Oh yes, it's race time. But why settle for some straightforward race game where you speed up make nice turns, and salute you opponents while passing. Hell no, it's time for PURE CHAOS! That's right it's Warhamster Rally.

By far the craziest race game I've played in a while. Each person has a warhamster that you are trying to move around the arena to the finish. Sounds straightforward except each space has a direction marker that go in every which way but forward. Also you have obsticles like goblin-kin that you can stop and eat for gold, but loose a turn. Or jesters that block you movements. You can spend moeny to move these obsticles around pushing other players onto hexs that are pointed in other directions. The trick of the game is you have to "pre-program" you next move. So if you are pushed onto a different hex, you never know which direction you will have to go.

It's an insane yet fun game. I'm suprised anyone moved forward at all.  I did notice that some folks tended to really overthink there next moves as chris rock would put it "You Never Know" where you are going to be. It had the feel of Fearsome Floors. And really, I wonder if Friedmen got a little of his idea from this game.

Listen All Y'all It's a Sabotage!

Mines of Moria beware, for there may be a Sabotuer!
Got a chance to play this fluffy new game today at lunch. The game is simple, you have tunnel cards of all types that you are trying to dig your way to the gold. There are three hidden target cards, and one is the gold and the other two are not. You take turns placing the tunnel cards up to seven in a row to connect the entrance to the gold. There's a trick, other players may be the sabotuer. Each player get a secret role, be he good, or be he bad. If the good dwarves make it to the gold they get gold points ranging from 1-3. But if the sabotuer wins he gets the gold. I like cooperation games with an evil character, like Bang! or Shadows over Camelot. Sabotuer is a fast paced game you play over 3 rounds, the one with the most gold wins. What is really nice about this game is it'll play to 10! Very rare to find a game that will. Listen al Y'all I give Sabotuer two thumbs up. :)

Epileptic Medici

Got to play Medici for lunch yesterday and it had me thinking about a few things. Number one, how much I hate the Rio Grande version of the game. The colors and presentation are terrible! It's so hard to distinguish between comodities. The Amigo german verison is long OOP. But worry not, a new release is in the works and it's pretty. Compare the RGG version:

To the new version:

They've also  seemed to have taken out the "5" spots back to the original format. I like the new one. It's only out in french as of yet. I'm not certain if RGG will reprint this edition, but I hope they do. ;)

(Pictures used from BoardGameGeek)

July Gaming

July was an interesting gaming month. Got to play some new games, and a few Oldies. Of course several plays of Pickomino, which has been played quite a bit lately around here. I do believe Knizia has a reall good chance of this being his SdJ for 2006. Here's hoping.

Pickomino

My favorite fluzzy game of the year so far. Knizia's swan song.

Too Many Cooks

One of my mre playable trick/ladder games. I always enjoy cooking up a good soup.

Andromeda

This was the first time I've played Andromeda. It was fun. You would think removing dice in a game would take away all the luck. Well I was wrong! Add a salt shaker that excretes little cubes, and whola! Luckfest.

Ars Mysteriorum

A great new game that I can't wait to play again. I liked it way better than Tahunyatsuibaba.

Blindes Huhn

Not sure if this is actually even a game. If it is, it is really terrible. AVOID! That is all.

Can't Stop

Best press you luck game out there. I didn't press my luck enough!

Control Nut!

Another trick/ladder game that I actually enjoy playing. Can't wait to get anouther stab at it.

Evo

No body gets between me and my Jordash Genes. Great evolving game, I liked it better than ursuppe.

Formula Motor Racing

Little racing game that I spent mostly in the Pits! Booo!

Go

My first playing of Go. What they say it's true, it does keep you up at night thinking about tactics.

Ingenious

Team Titan took a turn for the worse. First time I've ever lost this game. Still was very tight! Like a tiger.

Louis XIV

Well I owned this game for over a month, and finally got a chance to play. I must say I really liked it, so many new strategies I want to try. Hope it hits the table again soon.

San Juan

Good old San Juan.

Ticket to Ride

What is a month without a playing of Ticket to Ride.

I would have to say my favorite star game of the month had to be **** Ars Mysteriorum ****, If you get a chance try and get this one.