What game did you play last?
- Thread starter GTanny
- Start date
Penultimate games night before Halloween (have one more on Monday, but that's a smaller group), plus the 2nd anniversary of this club. So there was sweeties and cake... 
Naturally, the creepier games came out. Ended up learning to play Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu. Enjoyed it. Nice theme. Still not played the original Pandemic, but now played 2 of the themed versions. I think I prefer Fall of Rome, but Cthulhu is interesting. Has some nice figurines in it which is better than the wooden cubes and dull player markers in Fall of Rome. Apparently it's easier to win Cthulhu, but when things go wrong, they go very wrong, very quickly. Will have to pick up a copy of Pandemic at some point.
Naturally, the creepier games came out. Ended up learning to play Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu. Enjoyed it. Nice theme. Still not played the original Pandemic, but now played 2 of the themed versions. I think I prefer Fall of Rome, but Cthulhu is interesting. Has some nice figurines in it which is better than the wooden cubes and dull player markers in Fall of Rome. Apparently it's easier to win Cthulhu, but when things go wrong, they go very wrong, very quickly. Will have to pick up a copy of Pandemic at some point.
It's finally arrived... Finally... Ordered on July 7th, arrived yesterday night.
Flash Point Fire Rescue. Was a special for £9.30
They changed the delivery date several times, so I complained a few times. Got several £5 vouchers, so it actually cost me £4.30
Flash Point Fire Rescue. Was a special for £9.30
They changed the delivery date several times, so I complained a few times. Got several £5 vouchers, so it actually cost me £4.30
Soldato
- Joined
- 7 Feb 2011
- Posts
- 6,056
Apologies for the lack of Spiel updates, I completely forgot that I can't get onto OCUK forums when I'm abroad. Back with the loot now and starting to play through it.
First, we played a round of Armata Strigoi as people couldn't resist the theme. It's actually pretty good, although we screwed up a couple of rules and made things a bit easy for ourselves.
Then we moved on to Point Salad, a light drafting game. Cards have one of six veggies on one side and a unique scoring condition on the other. On a player's turn he can take two veggies from a tableau or one scoring card from the top of the three decks. The tableau then refills from the appropriate decks, so you can deny people scoring cards that are good for them. You can also flip one of your own scoring cards to its veggie side if it's no longer good for you. When all the cards are taken, you add up the points and see who wins. Good fun, good for families.
We finished off with two rounds of King Thief Minister, a micro-game from Iran. It's like Mascarade, if you've ever played that, except instead of playing to 13 coins you play until the bank of $5 per player is empty. There are six hidden roles, which are all in play regardless of player count, and at the start each player knows one role that isn't theirs. On your turn you can pay $1 to see your card, rotate all six cards either left or right, or claim a role and do it. The King takes $3 from the bank and his Minister can claim $1, the Thief steals $1 from his neighbours, the Executioner guesses a player's role and if correct takes all their money, the Minister can swap two cards either openly or in secret, the Sheriff makes everyone pay tax to the bank. The last and most important role is the Peasant: if he can correctly locate all six roles, he takes all the money in the bank. As you might imagine, this is often enough to win. We enjoyed this one very much.
First, we played a round of Armata Strigoi as people couldn't resist the theme. It's actually pretty good, although we screwed up a couple of rules and made things a bit easy for ourselves.
Then we moved on to Point Salad, a light drafting game. Cards have one of six veggies on one side and a unique scoring condition on the other. On a player's turn he can take two veggies from a tableau or one scoring card from the top of the three decks. The tableau then refills from the appropriate decks, so you can deny people scoring cards that are good for them. You can also flip one of your own scoring cards to its veggie side if it's no longer good for you. When all the cards are taken, you add up the points and see who wins. Good fun, good for families.
We finished off with two rounds of King Thief Minister, a micro-game from Iran. It's like Mascarade, if you've ever played that, except instead of playing to 13 coins you play until the bank of $5 per player is empty. There are six hidden roles, which are all in play regardless of player count, and at the start each player knows one role that isn't theirs. On your turn you can pay $1 to see your card, rotate all six cards either left or right, or claim a role and do it. The King takes $3 from the bank and his Minister can claim $1, the Thief steals $1 from his neighbours, the Executioner guesses a player's role and if correct takes all their money, the Minister can swap two cards either openly or in secret, the Sheriff makes everyone pay tax to the bank. The last and most important role is the Peasant: if he can correctly locate all six roles, he takes all the money in the bank. As you might imagine, this is often enough to win. We enjoyed this one very much.
Soldato
- Joined
- 7 Feb 2011
- Posts
- 6,056
Got a bunch of things played on Sunday. No less than three rounds of Island Project, a game about solving global warming by setting off underwater volcanoes to make new land. Also got in a quick round of Misty, a drafting game of drawing patterns on a foggy window; a full play of Where Am I?, a really lovely light social deduction game about the Mad Hatter's Tea Party where half the game is setting the table with real ceramic crocks; and another game of Point Salad.
Also we played a game of Fast Sloths, in which you are a very hungry but very lazy sloth being carried from tree to tree by other animals. You do this by playing cards for the animal you want to use, adding up the movement points. However, while you can take several cards a turn they all have to be for different animals. Also, as you eat more you become even lazier, meaning that you can draw and hold fewer cards. This means you really have to plan ahead if you don't want to stall for several turns replenishing your hand. It's simple enough for non-gamers to learn, but with enough thinking to challenge.
Also we played a game of Fast Sloths, in which you are a very hungry but very lazy sloth being carried from tree to tree by other animals. You do this by playing cards for the animal you want to use, adding up the movement points. However, while you can take several cards a turn they all have to be for different animals. Also, as you eat more you become even lazier, meaning that you can draw and hold fewer cards. This means you really have to plan ahead if you don't want to stall for several turns replenishing your hand. It's simple enough for non-gamers to learn, but with enough thinking to challenge.
Flash Point Fire Rescue.
First time playing it, so on family rules. Soooo close to winning it. Another 2AP would have got the final person out safely, but an explosion was caused and that catastrophically damaged the building. We killed a cat as well.
7 Wonders
I saw this being played in the bar recently, other half was playing and I have nothing going on so watched for a bit. Confused was not the word. However, pretty simple in reality. Just missed a few things while watching.
First time playing it, so on family rules. Soooo close to winning it. Another 2AP would have got the final person out safely, but an explosion was caused and that catastrophically damaged the building. We killed a cat as well.
7 Wonders
I saw this being played in the bar recently, other half was playing and I have nothing going on so watched for a bit. Confused was not the word. However, pretty simple in reality. Just missed a few things while watching.
Soldato
Hand of card , pick one, pass to the right (or left depending on the round). Score points at the end for similar groupings.
I tend to focus on science and neglect a military (unlike my neighbours). Never won yet. Love the game though.
Soldato
- Joined
- 7 Feb 2011
- Posts
- 6,056
You can't decide in advance what to focus on or neglect, is why you're losing. It depends on what you get passed. I'll happily take Military if the player to my right isn't taking it, because it's guaranteed points against him and probably points against my other neighbour too. By neglecting your military when both your neighbours are taking it, you're giving both of them a 15-point swing against you: +9 for their victories and -6 for your defeats.
Soldato
Yeah I know. I just have a habit of focusing on science and tech in a lot of games and I can't shake it.
Yeah, got it when playing a couple of games. Came 2nd and then last of all. Went for science in the first round, got 6 of the same symbol which I was very happy with. Second round, went for military as I kept getting a buttload of military cards and nothing really useful for building. But it was all pretty close that time, we all found it a pretty horrible set of hands.
Also picked up Pandemic Reign of Cthulhu from another club member. Played it over Halloween week. Good fun, but when it starts to go wrong, it really screws you over fast.
Soldato
Games of Patchwork and Onitama today! 
Light, easy fun!
Light, easy fun!
It's finally arrived... Finally... Ordered on July 7th, arrived yesterday night.
Flash Point Fire Rescue. Was a special for £9.30
They changed the delivery date several times, so I complained a few times. Got several £5 vouchers, so it actually cost me £4.30
Nice £9 what a deal! That games been on my radar for ages.
Soldato
Can anyone recommend a good coop resource gathering type of game kind of in the Catan mould that isn't ridiculously complex?
Soldato
- Joined
- 7 Feb 2011
- Posts
- 6,056
Cooperative resource gathering? Tricky. Archipelago is closest to what you want, but it's only semi-cooperative - everyone wins or loses together but one player wins more (or potentially alone if there's a Separatist) - and is a little on the complex side. Via Nebula is simpler but the cooperation is only grudging; it's a competitive game where you can't win without helping or being helped by someone else.
Of course "ridiculously complex" is a moveable feast. Some people draw the line at Magic Realm, others look at Catan and think "that's a bit much for me". So Eldritch Horror or Arkham Horror 3rd edition might not be too heavy.
Played Pandemic Rising Tide last night. It's an interesting take on the other Pandemic's I've played. You've got to stop the Netherlands from flooding, by building dukes, pumps and finally hydraulic things.
The water flow mechanic is really pretty interesting and clever. We failed miserably, but we tried.
The water flow mechanic is really pretty interesting and clever. We failed miserably, but we tried.
Associate
Atlantis Rising?
Soldato
- Joined
- 7 Feb 2011
- Posts
- 6,056
'Tis the season to play Christmas Tree, falalalala, lala la la! So I did, last night.
It's only short, so afterwards we played The Magnificent. It's good, y'all.
It's only short, so afterwards we played The Magnificent. It's good, y'all.
Soldato
Played the Ravenloft D&D boardgame last night as our usual group was two men down. It's pretty much 4e D&D with great miniatures and some fairly solid rules.
I forgot how much fun they can be! I've got the other three too. I really need to get some painting done.
I forgot how much fun they can be! I've got the other three too. I really need to get some painting done.