2 December
5 in attendance and just one game played, this was Endeavor, which seemed to go down well with everyone, except me. To me it seems just another variation of the normal mechanics of picking up pieces of cardboard, trying and failing to evoke the theme of the age of European colonisation.
Posn. | Player |
1 | Dave F |
2= | Donald |
2= | Andrew |
4 | Steve H |
5 | Dave D |
9 December
First up Middle Earth Quest, I played Sauron, while Steve, Ben and Andrew took the part of the heroes, this game went unfinished as I suspected it would do, being the first try with the game having a fair few fairly fiddly(I wouldn't say complex) mechanics. The early turns went well for me with some early plots enabling me to advance my yellow marker, representing my search for the ring, as required by my mission card, however things were getting sticky as we came to a close, with Eometh (Ben) descending on Barad-Dur to deal with the rescue of Gollum, while Thalin (Steve) Steve took a boat from the Grey Havens, reaching Minas Tirith to interfere with my machinations there.
I found a couple of mistakes afterwards of course (no influence in Havens and heroes don't get to remove influence from Shadow strongholds). I think the game should move a lot quicker and should be doable in an evening with repeated play. I do wonder whether 3 players might be the ideal though.
Posn. | Player |
1= | Dave D |
1= | Ben C |
1= | Steve H |
1= | Andrew |
On the other table Dave F introduced Roll through the Ages. I got to give this a try the following week and it is a fun little dice game that should serve as a good filler. The obvious comparison is Ra: The Dice game, which I think I prefer, but have no problem with either. I think Roll through the Ages is possibly more predictable in its game length so perhaps would be a better bet if time is short.
Posn. | Player | Score |
1 | Dave C | 12 |
2 | Donald | 11+ |
3 | Dave F | 11 |
4 | Mike | 3 |
Posn. | Player | Score |
1 | Dave C | 22 |
2 | Donald | 19 |
3 | Dave F | 14 |
4 | Mike | 12 |
After 2 games of RTTA, Dave C introduced, Fagin's Gang, which I was given an overview of by the designer at the first Games Expo. I wasn't inspired to buy the game at that time. I get the impression that from what others have said that I didn't miss much in this one.
Posn. | Player |
1= | Dave C |
1= | Donald |
1= | Dave F |
1= | Mike |
16 December
6 people, split into 2 threes, which were rearranged at half time. Gordon, Andy & I first played factory Manager, which of the few games I have so far played from Essen 09, is by far and away my favourite, although I know that Steve does not share my enthusiasm. I cannibalised my earlier comments here and turned them into a review on BGG . Gordon got off to a good start in this one, but I thought I had pulled him back at the end; problem I didn't account for was that he spent next to no money on the final turn.
Posn. | Player | Score |
1 | Gordon | 243 |
2 | Dave D | 222 |
3 | Andy | 185 |
On the other table Endeavor got another run out.
Posn. | Player | Score |
1 | Andrew | 62 |
2 | Dave F | 53 |
3 | Steve H | 44 |
We then rearranged the groups and I got a chance at Roll through the Ages, which I mentioned further up. I actually triggered the end in this game and ended up losing as can be seen. With hindsight I should have built something in the first turn (I had the chance), which would have brought the game to an end earlier, which would have reduced the others scores somewhat.
Posn. | Player | Score |
1 | Dave F | 19 |
2 | Andy | 16 |
3 | Dave D | 11 |
On the other table Ra got a run out, a very high scoring game, apparently both Steve and Gordon got 8 out of 8 monuments. Edit: Looks like I forgot to paste in the scores, here they are
| Ra 45 mins. | ||
| Posn. | Player | Score |
| 1 | Steve H | 63 |
| 2 | Gordon | 60 |
| 3 | Andrew | 39 |
23 December
No meeting due to snow.
30 December
A good attendance to end the year, with Dave running a Golden Heroes RPG session, unfortunately I was feeling a bit unwell, with a cold and when I got into the room with the windows open causing an icy draft (unfortunately the alternative would have been closing the windows and getting far too hot, which would probably have been just as bad) and the noise from the GH game, I decided to call it a night so the others could have a 5 player game, rather than splitting 3 & 3. I felt rather lousy for the next couple of days, but on the road to recovery by Saturday evening.
Games played were (thanks to Steve for the results) Chinatown, an old and well regarded game now republished. I watched the early stages before leaving and I can't say that it looked like a game I'd like, being basically a negotiation game.
Posn. | Player | Score |
1 | Gordon | 1000 |
2 | Steve P | 900 |
3 | Andrew | 830 |
4 | Steve H | 790 |
5 | Mike | 770 |
Also played was the Sherlock Holmes card game. Considering the scores and game length, I would guess that quite a few hands were played. According to the records, I see that the last time this game was played was in January 2004, I must admit I thought it was more recent than that.
Posn. | Player | Score |
1 | Steve H | 107 |
2 | Andrew | 131 |
3 | Gordon | 213 |
4 | Mike | 273 |
5 | Steve P | 282 |
Happy New Year to You All.
Roll Through the Ages – I don’t think much of this. I’d actually have more fun playing Yatzee.
ReplyDeleteFactor Manager – I like though I see it more as a curiosity rather than a long term keeper.
Middle Earth Quest - is another of those semi cooperative “experience” type games we seemed to be seeing a lot of currently. It passes the time of day pleasantly enough but I consider it a family game with nothing to do with the type of “hobby” games I want to be playing at the club. I would rather ponder over a clever, thinly themed, euro game when with adults.
Endeavor – Not played but I am expecting great things from it based on what I have read.
Chinatown - was a blast. Every once in a while I need a session with a negotiating game to clear the pallet as it were.
Sherlock Holmes – I think this card game is rather naff but it is topical now the film of the same name is out and Mike is always so amenable about playing everyone else’s games that I am glad we chose to play this with him.
In reply to Gordon's post - I found RTtA fine, but pure dice games aren't my thing at all. I'm not a snob about a bit of randomness, but this game is entirely reliant on dice. There are few games I won't play if others want to have a go, but it's not one I would suggest.
ReplyDeleteFactory Manager, I'd guess, works best as 4-player game. Friese himself warns people not to play 5 unless they really know what they're doing; and with 3, I think the player who goes last in the selection has a real advantage - look at what everyone else brings down, then select things that ensure you get at least one of what you want. Sometimes this means bringing down, for example, 3 robots. If other players haven't brought them down, they don't want them. Often they're a bit shocked if you bring down a stack of the same things, but it's a strategy that seems to work... 4-player is a different fish entirely.
MEQ... may be a good game, but fantasy themes put me off. Sorry. I've not played it, and it looks complicated. I'll play if that's what others want, but I'd never pick something like this. Theme is important to me.
I think, given Gordon's previous comments about stripping out theme and enjoying the mechanics, that he will enjoy Endeavo(u)r. It's not as challenging as Le Havre, for example, but it is good fun.