mastodon 4.7.2Avoiding politics and playing #boardgames in the countryside outside Reading, UK 🕊️✌️
World Order
Lighter than Hegemony and with much more freedom of choice. To be fair to Hegemony, it is a one-of-a-kind game, but this is much more manageable.
A game like this needs several plays but I liked my first impression. It might have helped that I was playing the EU who benefit less from direct confrontation.
Tzolkin
3 hour long worker placement games covered with tracks aren't usually my jam, but this one was bearable. The gears mechanism is super clever and thematic.
Master Thieves has been a grail game for me since 2006 when I went to Essen. It sold out immediately and was never made again.
I got to play it at Eclectic Games in Reading at one of their open #boardgames days.
It's a box of spinning drawers filled with gems. You're trying to feed gems into the box and then take them out before your opponents. The game isn't as good as the box, but the box is *exceptional*.
1/3
Macao
A later Alea game when they were leading the hobby.
Reworked as Amsterdam in 2022.
It took us 2.5 hours including teach and we were playing at a leisurely pace.
The windrose is a lovely mechanic that rewards planning without feeling too constrictive.
Incredibly beige.
Ego
I've played twice with sketchy rules explanations, so it all clicked into place for me too late. A player aid with final scoring would help a lot.
It's a great game though. Original, fast and punchy. Classic Knizia. I am intrigued to play Beowulf again.
#boardgames
Oh My Goods
I thought Alexander Pfister only did long, turgid games like Great Western Trail, but this one is a light engine builder.
A random number of cards are flipped. If the resources on the cards match a production card you select, you get goods. You can then build extra buildings or hire followers which both let you produce more valuable goods.
It's a nice little race.There's not much interaction but it's quick and light.
The bluebells are stunning right now. The air is pungent.
Fürstenfeld
1 hour engine builder where you're trying to build production in a confined area and then build over your production with game-winning buildings. It's all about timing.
An interesting market manipulation battle for gamers. FF does this better than anyone.
#boardgames
Lords of Vegas
You're buying casinos and linking them, in the style of Acquire, but payouts are based on cards and dice.
This is James Ernest's highest rated game at BGG. Ironic considering he's most famous for his Cheapass games - before print and play became common.
Ernest's games are usually too loose for me. This one is bearable - although it ran out of steam 2 turns before the end.
Clever ideas and enjoyable.
Mille Fiori
This has the Knizia trademark fast turns and simple rules with a light theme, but this is a pure victory point race with no direct interaction. I prefer Rebirth.
Every time I play QMG Cold War I enjoy it more.
It's a 3 player game and if the player in 3rd place gets too far behind, the 2nd placed player has to give them VPs to avoid 1st getting an autovictory.
Balances on a knife edge.
#boardgames
It's time.
Uncanny @lordsplodge@brettspiel.space
