Played Fief tonight. Five players; three of whom were new. It was glorious! I was losing terribly (due to a horrible card draw and famine early on) but still felt like I could be a part of the game. Ended up in control of two bishoprics by the end, and caught a player wandering and took over their fief.
Still took about 3 hours for 5 rounds, but considering my wife and her two sisters were at the table, that's incredible. They love to talk and the game was held up many times as a result. This turned out fine, as my brother-in-law would then ask rule questions. He was really into the game and I wish they were around more often as I think he'd really get into it.
They all said it was fun and they enjoyed playing. So I'll take that as a win!
Going to do a write up and post it to BGG. Posting about Fief has become my new addiction.
Oh, and mills! They ran out on round two! Couldn't believe it when I handed out the last one. Definitely a resource to keep an eye on.
@ArcSyn I was just bemoaning the lack of good Fief reviews/session recaps now that you've piqued my interest. I even told my wife "There's only one guy on BGG that's been putting stuff up...he even put up a component review!" Turns out it was you
Keep up the good work...and keep the updates coming!
For those of us who grew up on board wargaming in the 70's and 80's, the practice of waiting for an hour for your opponent to finish his turn while you did nothing was quite common. You could even call it standard practice, so much so that the modern boardgame approach with quick, interactive play required a considerable shift in my gameplay. So a game that forced me to miss a turn or sit immobilized would not be unwelcome.
It's worth noting, however, that modern board wargames have largely eschewed the "I move my army while you do nothing, then I sit quietly while you move your army" sequence of play in favor of breaking armies down into sub-commands which must be activated individually, with activations freely passing back and forth.
I have friends who are old school Warhammer players that have described this in action, and I can't imagine enjoying watching someone move 2000 (or whatever) Orks up a table and roll about eight million dice for their attacks.
My first miniatures game was Malifaux, which is Skirmish sized and has alternating activations for figures, with a few mechanics that let you double up, which I feel has a vastly better flow for my taste. In war games and board games alike, I prefer the "act/react/react to reaction/etc" pace than having to judge an entire 2 hours ahead of time (potentially). I can definitely see the risk/reward considerations appealing to some players, but that's not for me.
I got mine sorted out as well. This is my first time going so I'm really excited about it!
Me too!
After I got fucked by the 'queue' system!
What was supposed to happen was this; you bought your ticket ahead of time, they gave you a timer at noon on Sunday, and when it hit zero, you got access to the hotel listings. What happened instead was the fucking passkey server shit itself and I spent 3 hours unable to get to the housing, despite my initial timer being six minutes. I was literally one of the first people allowed in, and instead spent an afternoon hitting F5 while others who got lucky sailed through.
Now, yes, granted, many people got 1-2+ hour timers from the start and they got screwed out of downtown accommodations as well, but it was pretty frustrating all the same.
Even worse; people who bought tickets after the start of the queue? Skipped it altogether.
Oh well. 2 buddies and I are set up to go, and we have a hotel room that'll sleep up to 6 (in case more friends want to attend, we might have 1-3, depends on finances that'll be sorted out by April or so).
It'll be our first time going, and I'm pretty excited. Not sure we'll justify making it a regular thing, but for something that we've batted around for the last 3+ years, it'll be good to finally do it.
They're looking forward to the Netrunner tournament (I might join in, I'm not nearly as into it as they are), and we're all pretty interested in seeing FFG and FFP's booths. Ogle some future X-Wing stuff, and probably buy up whatever FFP has available for Shadows of Brimstone, which is in contention for my favourite game. Maybe I'll swing by the Magic booth, but I should probably avoid it. Too much temptation can lead to... unfortunate incidents involving my credit card.
Edit: that reminds me, I should get back on top of selling off my spare Robotech miniatures figures for spending money. I'm sure as hell not going to be building 100+ of these things anytime soon.
Forar on
First they came for the Muslims, and we said NOT TODAY, MOTHERFUCKER!
Played Fief tonight. Five players; three of whom were new. It was glorious! I was losing terribly (due to a horrible card draw and famine early on) but still felt like I could be a part of the game. Ended up in control of two bishoprics by the end, and caught a player wandering and took over their fief.
Still took about 3 hours for 5 rounds, but considering my wife and her two sisters were at the table, that's incredible. They love to talk and the game was held up many times as a result. This turned out fine, as my brother-in-law would then ask rule questions. He was really into the game and I wish they were around more often as I think he'd really get into it.
They all said it was fun and they enjoyed playing. So I'll take that as a win!
Going to do a write up and post it to BGG. Posting about Fief has become my new addiction.
Oh, and mills! They ran out on round two! Couldn't believe it when I handed out the last one. Definitely a resource to keep an eye on.
@ArcSyn I was just bemoaning the lack of good Fief reviews/session recaps now that you've piqued my interest. I even told my wife "There's only one guy on BGG that's been putting stuff up...he even put up a component review!" Turns out it was you
Keep up the good work...and keep the updates coming!
Haha! Glad it's helpful! I've actually got a write up of our five player game in the works, but spent my afternoon replacing my water heater. I might be able to finish it tonight, but I'll have to do it on my phone.
If the snow doesn't cancel my game night, I'll have a 4 player game tomorrow night with another group of friends. So I'll have 3, 4, and 5 player game experience and might write up a full review.. I've thought about trying to do a video review but I just don't think I'd be any good at it.
Got my copies of Omen and Hemloch today, looking forward to getting those to the table sometime. Gonna have to make a couple inserts for them because while pretty the boxes are kinda useless. Speaking of, I never expect a lot from Fantasy Flight when it comes to game inserts but goddamn is the Imperial Assault insert horrible. It's more then useless, it's almost an actual hindrance.
Got my copies of Omen and Hemloch today, looking forward to getting those to the table sometime. Gonna have to make a couple inserts for them because while pretty the boxes are kinda useless.
what kind of insert do you want for omen? its a small box and you put a deck of cards and a baggie of coins in it...
speaking of omen, we played a couple games of it earlier and i really dig it. my fiancee was less enamored of it, but i think she enjoyed it well enough to give it more chances. she was kinda grumpy going into it, and the game is definitely on a brutal end of the "take that" spectrum, so i think she just wasn't in the mood for that tonight.
Got my copies of Omen and Hemloch today, looking forward to getting those to the table sometime. Gonna have to make a couple inserts for them because while pretty the boxes are kinda useless.
what kind of insert do you want for omen? its a small box and you put a deck of cards and a baggie of coins in it...
speaking of omen, we played a couple games of it earlier and i really dig it. my fiancee was less enamored of it, but i think she enjoyed it well enough to give it more chances. she was kinda grumpy going into it, and the game is definitely on a brutal end of the "take that" spectrum, so i think she just wasn't in the mood for that tonight.
Nothing elaborate, just a quickie with some foam board. Something with a channel or two so the cards don't flop around inside the box.
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FishmanPut your goddamned hand in the goddamned Box of Pain.Registered Userregular
Does anyone have any experience with the Up! expansion to Lords of Vegas? We occssionally get 5 or 6 players so I'm curious if it stretches well or if it's a boondoggle hook that feels like it's stretching the game engine beyond it's sweetspot. I'm becoming jaded about expansions that extend player numbers because the strike rate only seems to be about 50-50 whether it actually remains a good game at that point or not.
Played my first game of Dead of Winter yesturday and I'm happy to say it lived up to my expectations. Thematic, easy rules and just pure fun to play. It's probably going to end up in my top 5 games list.
Yeah,my friends got screwed by the GenCon housing queue, too.
Anyone know if there is any place to see the 2014 event schedule? I only see 2013 and obviously 2015 isn't set yet. Every year my wife and I talk about going back but we usually debate back and forth and obviously the event schedule will help determine possible plans
AlfredRI take weekends off from the internetRegistered Userregular
Picked up Level99 Games "Sellswords" at the start of the month and I'm really pleased with my purchase. It's Triple Triad straight out of Final Fantasy VIII, with a couple differences that work really well. You play two rounds, and you draft your hand of 6 characters before each round. Most cards have got some kind of small ability that complicates playing them and keeps things interesting - stuff like, the Titan can't ever be flipped, the Viking gets +1 when comparing to other tiles, the Pyromancer can't be flanked for two turns after being placed, etc. The art feels like Final Fantasy Tactics and that just makes it better.
Would definitely recommend.
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CaptainPeacockBoard Game HoarderTop o' the LakeRegistered Userregular
Does anyone have any experience with the Up! expansion to Lords of Vegas? We occssionally get 5 or 6 players so I'm curious if it stretches well or if it's a boondoggle hook that feels like it's stretching the game engine beyond it's sweetspot. I'm becoming jaded about expansions that extend player numbers because the strike rate only seems to be about 50-50 whether it actually remains a good game at that point or not.
Works just fine in my opinion. It gives you the option to expand out (less opportunity) or UP (higher cost). Adding players does stretch the time length, so beware AP. Maybe make a turn time limit. And be quick with the cash/chips on payout. Get a good system for figuring who gets what or just make everyone do their own calculations.
Cluck cluck, gibber gibber, my old man's a mushroom, etc.
Looking through the rules and cards of Eldritch Horror. No way am I playing with the 'shuffle a solved mystery back into the deck' cards. Fail a skill check, extend the length of the game by a third?
Fuck off FFG. That is abysmal design.
LTTP (was at PAX) but that card is the reason I've only played Eldritch Horror once. I'm told it only shows up when you're playing against Azathoth, but that's the recommended starting GOO!
Played Fief tonight. Five players; three of whom were new. It was glorious! I was losing terribly (due to a horrible card draw and famine early on) but still felt like I could be a part of the game. Ended up in control of two bishoprics by the end, and caught a player wandering and took over their fief.
Still took about 3 hours for 5 rounds, but considering my wife and her two sisters were at the table, that's incredible. They love to talk and the game was held up many times as a result. This turned out fine, as my brother-in-law would then ask rule questions. He was really into the game and I wish they were around more often as I think he'd really get into it.
They all said it was fun and they enjoyed playing. So I'll take that as a win!
Going to do a write up and post it to BGG. Posting about Fief has become my new addiction.
Oh, and mills! They ran out on round two! Couldn't believe it when I handed out the last one. Definitely a resource to keep an eye on.
@ArcSyn I was just bemoaning the lack of good Fief reviews/session recaps now that you've piqued my interest. I even told my wife "There's only one guy on BGG that's been putting stuff up...he even put up a component review!" Turns out it was you
Keep up the good work...and keep the updates coming!
Haha! Glad it's helpful! I've actually got a write up of our five player game in the works, but spent my afternoon replacing my water heater. I might be able to finish it tonight, but I'll have to do it on my phone.
If the snow doesn't cancel my game night, I'll have a 4 player game tomorrow night with another group of friends. So I'll have 3, 4, and 5 player game experience and might write up a full review.. I've thought about trying to do a video review but I just don't think I'd be any good at it.
Awesome! Video reviews can take a lot of time/effort, but I think they're a ton of fun. If you need any help don't hesitate to reach out...I've been considering a board game blog or YT channel for some time but have been slammed with work, so I'm living vicariously through you right now
I feel like there's a lot of unrest brewing around XCOM's simple push-your-luck mechanic. I get it...all you're basically doing is rolling the same dice hoping for some successes, and outside of matching soldier icons or research changes, there's not too many exceptions to those rules. Still, I can't help but feel like there's a lot of tension in the timer and the AI that we haven't really gotten a chance to appreciate yet. Still, I'm probably going to hold off on XCOM for awhile until I see if those concerns abate.
I feel like there's a lot of unrest brewing around XCOM's simple push-your-luck mechanic. I get it...all you're basically doing is rolling the same dice hoping for some successes, and outside of matching soldier icons or research changes, there's not too many exceptions to those rules. Still, I can't help but feel like there's a lot of tension in the timer and the AI that we haven't really gotten a chance to appreciate yet. Still, I'm probably going to hold off on XCOM for awhile until I see if those concerns abate.
I mean, is that really any different than most other co-ops? Pandemic: The Cure-- all dice rolling on both sides. Forbidden Desert-- random card draws worked around by your single ability. Arkham Horror--pretty much just rolling dice and praying the Mythos deck doesn't have its way with your mother. All the games are about how they handle the tension, and XCOMs use of a timer plus the terror track and different order of operations and money seem to hit the mark. Yes, each player essentially has only one ability, but at least its a lot meatier than some co-ops.
Origin for Dragon Age: Inquisition Shenanigans: Inksplat776
I feel like there's a lot of unrest brewing around XCOM's simple push-your-luck mechanic. I get it...all you're basically doing is rolling the same dice hoping for some successes, and outside of matching soldier icons or research changes, there's not too many exceptions to those rules. Still, I can't help but feel like there's a lot of tension in the timer and the AI that we haven't really gotten a chance to appreciate yet. Still, I'm probably going to hold off on XCOM for awhile until I see if those concerns abate.
I mean, is that really any different than most other co-ops? Pandemic: The Cure-- all dice rolling on both sides. Forbidden Desert-- random card draws worked around by your single ability. Arkham Horror--pretty much just rolling dice and praying the Mythos deck doesn't have its way with your mother. All the games are about how they handle the tension, and XCOMs use of a timer plus the terror track and different order of operations and money seem to hit the mark. Yes, each player essentially has only one ability, but at least its a lot meatier than some co-ops.
That seems to be the counter-argument I see a lot. I can see both sides of it...
Yeah you can be pedantic and boil any game down to a writeup like I just gave, but there's still a spectrum. I'll admit I don't have a ton of experience with the games you mentioned, but probably some similar ones (Pandemic, Eldritch, etc.) There's definitely room for interesting decisions surrounding a press-your-luck mechanic. In Pandemic it's "what continent do we go to next?" In Eldritch it's "where do I go to strike the balance between leveling up my guy or putting out fires?" The XCOM game at first glance doesn't have as many interesting options, but the options it does have are presented in a radically new environment (app-driven AI, timer, joint budget).
I'm not saying it's a bad thing, and I'm pretty excited about it. But since I jump on the hype train all too easily, I'm going to sit back and see if that x-factor is enough for me (and more importantly, my group) to enjoy the game. I don't think placing interceptors is going to be super crunchy as a decision process, and frankly I don't think it needs to be. The real question is whether XCOM hits the right balance of the simplicity of the decisions you're making vs. the complexity of the environment in which you're making them. That can be said of any game...the former is easy to judge by previews or gencon videos, the latter is tough to tell without actually playing it.
Looking through the rules and cards of Eldritch Horror. No way am I playing with the 'shuffle a solved mystery back into the deck' cards. Fail a skill check, extend the length of the game by a third?
Fuck off FFG. That is abysmal design.
LTTP (was at PAX) but that card is the reason I've only played Eldritch Horror once. I'm told it only shows up when you're playing against Azathoth, but that's the recommended starting GOO!
There's a mythos card with it on as well. I'm planning on just removing those two cards before we play. I'm including a few Forsaken Lore cards (items, artifacts, expedition encounters) but am holding off on the others as they look a step up in difficulty.
Got to try out a 6-player game of Fief last night. We ended up cleaning it up early before anyone could win, because it had been four hours of play and half of the people had to leave. When it was two players allied together, we had an observer take over, but then the third player had to drop out and his alliance with me disintegrated when plague struck, leaving me with enough victory points to win... except that all the other players bought tons of units and slaughtered me good.
Definitely going to have to look at BBG for a FAQ sheet because we had a lot of questions come up that weren't addressed adequately, if at all, by the rules.
The person who brought the game had both the buildings and metal coins, as well as the expansions, although we only played with the base game to learn it, obviously. I am a fan of the 3D stronghold and fortifications but think the windmills are a bit much. I was very impressed by the metal coins, however. Each denomination had unique art, size and coloration, and the designs on all of them were quite detailed. The clink of the coin and the tactile weight of them was very satisfying.
Well, what happens if there is a peasant uprising in a fortified city, and all the troops die, but there are no lords there? Whose control does it stay under? Also, the wording is unclear if mills are destroyed all the time, or if they aren't destroyed in fortified cities.
What happens if all of a players lords die, but there are no more areas controlled by that player, and there are no more empty areas?
Confused about fine details about excommunication - Can the Pope do it immediately after gaining the title? He can only do it once a turn, but he can hold on to it until just before a vote, right? Can he hit a player with excommunication, negotiate a payment to get it lifted next turn only to drop that turn's excommunication on that player immediately after receiving payment?
What happens to the King title when the King dies, is not married, and has no crown prince?
If you play an Ambush card, does it mean that you still have to do a round of battle after capturing the other player's lord, or does the Ambush card replace the round of battle with the automatic capture?
There were other questions we had but those are the ones I can remember off the top of my head.
Well, what happens if there is a peasant uprising in a fortified city, and all the troops die, but there are no lords there? Whose control does it stay under? Also, the wording is unclear if mills are destroyed all the time, or if they aren't destroyed in fortified cities.
How did the uprising effect the Fortified City's troops? That would require 3 Uprising Cards to have been played, as the cities defenses protect against the Uprising. If there were 3 played, then the city would be destroyed and the title would be in limbo, I guess.
[quoteWhat happens if all of a players lords die, but there are no more areas controlled by that player, and there are no more empty areas?[/quote]
It's hard to believe this actually came up, but I'll admit I'm not sure. I can't imagine every spot on the board being occupied by troops and you don't have an ally.
Confused about fine details about excommunication - Can the Pope do it immediately after gaining the title? He can only do it once a turn, but he can hold on to it until just before a vote, right? Can he hit a player with excommunication, negotiate a payment to get it lifted next turn only to drop that turn's excommunication on that player immediately after receiving payment?
Yes. The rule book says as much, if I recall.
What happens to the King title when the King dies, is not married, and has no crown prince?
Elections again.
If you play an Ambush card, does it mean that you still have to do a round of battle after capturing the other player's lord, or does the Ambush card replace the round of battle with the automatic capture?
You's have to roll one round of battle before you could use the Ambush. After that, battle would stop if the one being Ambushed was the attacker, just like with Archers in Seiges. Armies without Lords can't attack.
InkSplat on
Origin for Dragon Age: Inquisition Shenanigans: Inksplat776
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Goose!That's me, honeyShow me the way home, honeyRegistered Userregular
Hey I don't know if you folks are aware, but Steam has an early access game called Tabletop Simulator and there are a lot of great board/card games in the steam workshop community. Add me to your steam friends (my steamid is g0oseyourself) and lets play
Well, what happens if there is a peasant uprising in a fortified city, and all the troops die, but there are no lords there? Whose control does it stay under? Also, the wording is unclear if mills are destroyed all the time, or if they aren't destroyed in fortified cities.
How did the uprising effect the Fortified City's troops? That would require 3 Uprising Cards to have been played, as the cities defenses protect against the Uprising. If there were 3 played, then the city would be destroyed and the title would be in limbo, I guess.
I guess we misunderstood how the Uprising cards worked, then. Somehow we were under the impression that there was always at least 1 die to be rolled.
What happens if all of a players lords die, but there are no more areas controlled by that player, and there are no more empty areas?
It's hard to believe this actually came up, but I'll admit I'm not sure. I can't imagine every spot on the board being occupied by troops and you don't have an ally.
As I said, all of their lords died. Dead lords = no marriage = no ally.
Confused about fine details about excommunication - Can the Pope do it immediately after gaining the title? He can only do it once a turn, but he can hold on to it until just before a vote, right? Can he hit a player with excommunication, negotiate a payment to get it lifted next turn only to drop that turn's excommunication on that player immediately after receiving payment?
Yes. The rule book says as much, if I recall.
So what's to prevent the Pope from simply excommunicating all the players but himself or himself and his ally?
What happens to the King title when the King dies, is not married, and has no crown prince?
Elections again.
That's what I figured. That came up right when the game was declared done anyway, but good for confirmation.
If you play an Ambush card, does it mean that you still have to do a round of battle after capturing the other player's lord, or does the Ambush card replace the round of battle with the automatic capture?
You's have to roll one round of battle before you could use the Ambush. After that, battle would stop if the one being Ambushed was the attacker, just like with Archers in Seiges. Armies without Lords can't attack.
See, the "opportunity" symbol on the cards led us to believe we could declare battle, then play it before rolling any battle dice in order to remove the lord. It makes more sense the way you say, obviously.
I'm out right now, and have game night tonight, but I can definitely get answers to all those. I can think of them, but don't have time to write them or give rulebook pages for reference.
Quickly though, the Pope can only excommunicate one lord at a time.
Well, what happens if there is a peasant uprising in a fortified city, and all the troops die, but there are no lords there? Whose control does it stay under? Also, the wording is unclear if mills are destroyed all the time, or if they aren't destroyed in fortified cities.
How did the uprising effect the Fortified City's troops? That would require 3 Uprising Cards to have been played, as the cities defenses protect against the Uprising. If there were 3 played, then the city would be destroyed and the title would be in limbo, I guess.
I guess we misunderstood how the Uprising cards worked, then. Somehow we were under the impression that there was always at least 1 die to be rolled.
I believe there's an example thing on the Uprising card section that says if no dice are rolled against a stronghold or fort, the +1s don't apply.
What happens if all of a players lords die, but there are no more areas controlled by that player, and there are no more empty areas?
It's hard to believe this actually came up, but I'll admit I'm not sure. I can't imagine every spot on the board being occupied by troops and you don't have an ally.
As I said, all of their lords died. Dead lords = no marriage = no ally.
I meant ally in the non-mechanical sense who would be willing to give up one of their villages.
Confused about fine details about excommunication - Can the Pope do it immediately after gaining the title? He can only do it once a turn, but he can hold on to it until just before a vote, right? Can he hit a player with excommunication, negotiate a payment to get it lifted next turn only to drop that turn's excommunication on that player immediately after receiving payment?
Yes. The rule book says as much, if I recall.
So what's to prevent the Pope from simply excommunicating all the players but himself or himself and his ally?
There's a limit to how many people can be excommunicated.
If you play an Ambush card, does it mean that you still have to do a round of battle after capturing the other player's lord, or does the Ambush card replace the round of battle with the automatic capture?
You's have to roll one round of battle before you could use the Ambush. After that, battle would stop if the one being Ambushed was the attacker, just like with Archers in Seiges. Armies without Lords can't attack.
See, the "opportunity" symbol on the cards led us to believe we could declare battle, then play it before rolling any battle dice in order to remove the lord. It makes more sense the way you say, obviously.
This is admittedly one of my few questions as well. Archers in the tactics expansion specifically refer to a "pre-battle roll", which seems to suggest you are not engaged in a battle til the first roll.
Origin for Dragon Age: Inquisition Shenanigans: Inksplat776
What happens if all of a players lords die, but there are no more areas controlled by that player, and there are no more empty areas?
It's hard to believe this actually came up, but I'll admit I'm not sure. I can't imagine every spot on the board being occupied by troops and you don't have an ally.
As I said, all of their lords died. Dead lords = no marriage = no ally.
I meant ally in the non-mechanical sense who would be willing to give up one of their villages.
Well, the trick of it is that the player who had been the ally of the player who was completely eliminated went after the eliminated player in turn order, so he would have had to vacate and no one else been able to get into the spot for an entire round before the eliminated player could play any lords there.
What happens if all of a players lords die, but there are no more areas controlled by that player, and there are no more empty areas?
It's hard to believe this actually came up, but I'll admit I'm not sure. I can't imagine every spot on the board being occupied by troops and you don't have an ally.
As I said, all of their lords died. Dead lords = no marriage = no ally.
I meant ally in the non-mechanical sense who would be willing to give up one of their villages.
Well, the trick of it is that the player who had been the ally of the player who was completely eliminated went after the eliminated player in turn order, so he would have had to vacate and no one else been able to get into the spot for an entire round before the eliminated player could play any lords there.
Well, that's not so much a rules issue as much as a "should have surrender" issue
Origin for Dragon Age: Inquisition Shenanigans: Inksplat776
And WizKids has also given us Star Trek: Attack Wing and D&D: Attack Wing. These are good games (and I'll have to give a report on D&D: Attack Wing soon, because I'm starting to have a really high opinion of it). These are all good matches between the license and the gameplay.
I'd be really interested in hearing your thoughts on DD:AW. I love X-Wing and play it at my FLGS every Monday and Wednesday, but my girlfriend can't get into spaceships. I think I can get her interested via dragons and elves, though.
Some of you people need to move to the Baltimore area so I can have people to play Fief with. Talking about Fief just makes me want to play Fief, damnit.
Origin for Dragon Age: Inquisition Shenanigans: Inksplat776
I got Mansions of Madness as a birthday gift. Anyone have any thoughts on it? I was really interested when it came out, but I was worried about replayability, though now it looks like there's a ton of print and play expansions. And it sounds like you can play the same setup multiple times, how well does that work?
So apparently Exploding Kittens is the most funded project in Kickstarter history. Is it just me or does the game itself look absolutely terrible?
I don't understand the internet sometimes.
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@ArcSyn I was just bemoaning the lack of good Fief reviews/session recaps now that you've piqued my interest. I even told my wife "There's only one guy on BGG that's been putting stuff up...he even put up a component review!" Turns out it was you
Keep up the good work...and keep the updates coming!
I have friends who are old school Warhammer players that have described this in action, and I can't imagine enjoying watching someone move 2000 (or whatever) Orks up a table and roll about eight million dice for their attacks.
My first miniatures game was Malifaux, which is Skirmish sized and has alternating activations for figures, with a few mechanics that let you double up, which I feel has a vastly better flow for my taste. In war games and board games alike, I prefer the "act/react/react to reaction/etc" pace than having to judge an entire 2 hours ahead of time (potentially). I can definitely see the risk/reward considerations appealing to some players, but that's not for me.
Me too!
After I got fucked by the 'queue' system!
What was supposed to happen was this; you bought your ticket ahead of time, they gave you a timer at noon on Sunday, and when it hit zero, you got access to the hotel listings. What happened instead was the fucking passkey server shit itself and I spent 3 hours unable to get to the housing, despite my initial timer being six minutes. I was literally one of the first people allowed in, and instead spent an afternoon hitting F5 while others who got lucky sailed through.
Now, yes, granted, many people got 1-2+ hour timers from the start and they got screwed out of downtown accommodations as well, but it was pretty frustrating all the same.
Even worse; people who bought tickets after the start of the queue? Skipped it altogether.
Oh well. 2 buddies and I are set up to go, and we have a hotel room that'll sleep up to 6 (in case more friends want to attend, we might have 1-3, depends on finances that'll be sorted out by April or so).
It'll be our first time going, and I'm pretty excited. Not sure we'll justify making it a regular thing, but for something that we've batted around for the last 3+ years, it'll be good to finally do it.
They're looking forward to the Netrunner tournament (I might join in, I'm not nearly as into it as they are), and we're all pretty interested in seeing FFG and FFP's booths. Ogle some future X-Wing stuff, and probably buy up whatever FFP has available for Shadows of Brimstone, which is in contention for my favourite game. Maybe I'll swing by the Magic booth, but I should probably avoid it. Too much temptation can lead to... unfortunate incidents involving my credit card.
Edit: that reminds me, I should get back on top of selling off my spare Robotech miniatures figures for spending money. I'm sure as hell not going to be building 100+ of these things anytime soon.
Haha! Glad it's helpful! I've actually got a write up of our five player game in the works, but spent my afternoon replacing my water heater. I might be able to finish it tonight, but I'll have to do it on my phone.
If the snow doesn't cancel my game night, I'll have a 4 player game tomorrow night with another group of friends. So I'll have 3, 4, and 5 player game experience and might write up a full review.. I've thought about trying to do a video review but I just don't think I'd be any good at it.
what kind of insert do you want for omen? its a small box and you put a deck of cards and a baggie of coins in it...
speaking of omen, we played a couple games of it earlier and i really dig it. my fiancee was less enamored of it, but i think she enjoyed it well enough to give it more chances. she was kinda grumpy going into it, and the game is definitely on a brutal end of the "take that" spectrum, so i think she just wasn't in the mood for that tonight.
Nothing elaborate, just a quickie with some foam board. Something with a channel or two so the cards don't flop around inside the box.
Anyone know if there is any place to see the 2014 event schedule? I only see 2013 and obviously 2015 isn't set yet. Every year my wife and I talk about going back but we usually debate back and forth and obviously the event schedule will help determine possible plans
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Would definitely recommend.
Works just fine in my opinion. It gives you the option to expand out (less opportunity) or UP (higher cost). Adding players does stretch the time length, so beware AP. Maybe make a turn time limit. And be quick with the cash/chips on payout. Get a good system for figuring who gets what or just make everyone do their own calculations.
LTTP (was at PAX) but that card is the reason I've only played Eldritch Horror once. I'm told it only shows up when you're playing against Azathoth, but that's the recommended starting GOO!
Awesome! Video reviews can take a lot of time/effort, but I think they're a ton of fun. If you need any help don't hesitate to reach out...I've been considering a board game blog or YT channel for some time but have been slammed with work, so I'm living vicariously through you right now
I feel like there's a lot of unrest brewing around XCOM's simple push-your-luck mechanic. I get it...all you're basically doing is rolling the same dice hoping for some successes, and outside of matching soldier icons or research changes, there's not too many exceptions to those rules. Still, I can't help but feel like there's a lot of tension in the timer and the AI that we haven't really gotten a chance to appreciate yet. Still, I'm probably going to hold off on XCOM for awhile until I see if those concerns abate.
I mean, is that really any different than most other co-ops? Pandemic: The Cure-- all dice rolling on both sides. Forbidden Desert-- random card draws worked around by your single ability. Arkham Horror--pretty much just rolling dice and praying the Mythos deck doesn't have its way with your mother. All the games are about how they handle the tension, and XCOMs use of a timer plus the terror track and different order of operations and money seem to hit the mark. Yes, each player essentially has only one ability, but at least its a lot meatier than some co-ops.
That seems to be the counter-argument I see a lot. I can see both sides of it...
Yeah you can be pedantic and boil any game down to a writeup like I just gave, but there's still a spectrum. I'll admit I don't have a ton of experience with the games you mentioned, but probably some similar ones (Pandemic, Eldritch, etc.) There's definitely room for interesting decisions surrounding a press-your-luck mechanic. In Pandemic it's "what continent do we go to next?" In Eldritch it's "where do I go to strike the balance between leveling up my guy or putting out fires?" The XCOM game at first glance doesn't have as many interesting options, but the options it does have are presented in a radically new environment (app-driven AI, timer, joint budget).
I'm not saying it's a bad thing, and I'm pretty excited about it. But since I jump on the hype train all too easily, I'm going to sit back and see if that x-factor is enough for me (and more importantly, my group) to enjoy the game. I don't think placing interceptors is going to be super crunchy as a decision process, and frankly I don't think it needs to be. The real question is whether XCOM hits the right balance of the simplicity of the decisions you're making vs. the complexity of the environment in which you're making them. That can be said of any game...the former is easy to judge by previews or gencon videos, the latter is tough to tell without actually playing it.
There's a mythos card with it on as well. I'm planning on just removing those two cards before we play. I'm including a few Forsaken Lore cards (items, artifacts, expedition encounters) but am holding off on the others as they look a step up in difficulty.
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Definitely going to have to look at BBG for a FAQ sheet because we had a lot of questions come up that weren't addressed adequately, if at all, by the rules.
The person who brought the game had both the buildings and metal coins, as well as the expansions, although we only played with the base game to learn it, obviously. I am a fan of the 3D stronghold and fortifications but think the windmills are a bit much. I was very impressed by the metal coins, however. Each denomination had unique art, size and coloration, and the designs on all of them were quite detailed. The clink of the coin and the tactile weight of them was very satisfying.
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
What happens if all of a players lords die, but there are no more areas controlled by that player, and there are no more empty areas?
Confused about fine details about excommunication - Can the Pope do it immediately after gaining the title? He can only do it once a turn, but he can hold on to it until just before a vote, right? Can he hit a player with excommunication, negotiate a payment to get it lifted next turn only to drop that turn's excommunication on that player immediately after receiving payment?
What happens to the King title when the King dies, is not married, and has no crown prince?
If you play an Ambush card, does it mean that you still have to do a round of battle after capturing the other player's lord, or does the Ambush card replace the round of battle with the automatic capture?
There were other questions we had but those are the ones I can remember off the top of my head.
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
How did the uprising effect the Fortified City's troops? That would require 3 Uprising Cards to have been played, as the cities defenses protect against the Uprising. If there were 3 played, then the city would be destroyed and the title would be in limbo, I guess.
[quoteWhat happens if all of a players lords die, but there are no more areas controlled by that player, and there are no more empty areas?[/quote]
It's hard to believe this actually came up, but I'll admit I'm not sure. I can't imagine every spot on the board being occupied by troops and you don't have an ally.
Yes. The rule book says as much, if I recall.
Elections again.
You's have to roll one round of battle before you could use the Ambush. After that, battle would stop if the one being Ambushed was the attacker, just like with Archers in Seiges. Armies without Lords can't attack.
I guess we misunderstood how the Uprising cards worked, then. Somehow we were under the impression that there was always at least 1 die to be rolled.
As I said, all of their lords died. Dead lords = no marriage = no ally.
So what's to prevent the Pope from simply excommunicating all the players but himself or himself and his ally?
That's what I figured. That came up right when the game was declared done anyway, but good for confirmation.
See, the "opportunity" symbol on the cards led us to believe we could declare battle, then play it before rolling any battle dice in order to remove the lord. It makes more sense the way you say, obviously.
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
Quickly though, the Pope can only excommunicate one lord at a time.
I believe there's an example thing on the Uprising card section that says if no dice are rolled against a stronghold or fort, the +1s don't apply.
I meant ally in the non-mechanical sense who would be willing to give up one of their villages.
There's a limit to how many people can be excommunicated.
This is admittedly one of my few questions as well. Archers in the tactics expansion specifically refer to a "pre-battle roll", which seems to suggest you are not engaged in a battle til the first roll.
Well, the trick of it is that the player who had been the ally of the player who was completely eliminated went after the eliminated player in turn order, so he would have had to vacate and no one else been able to get into the spot for an entire round before the eliminated player could play any lords there.
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
Well, that's not so much a rules issue as much as a "should have surrender" issue
@jergarmar
I'd be really interested in hearing your thoughts on DD:AW. I love X-Wing and play it at my FLGS every Monday and Wednesday, but my girlfriend can't get into spaceships. I think I can get her interested via dragons and elves, though.
Northern Baltimore County. Towson/White Marsh area.
This is my curse. Everyone is always south. But yeah, we totally should.
Playing 'guess the character from the dice'.
HINT: Nobody needs a whole box. I have about 8 Psylockes and Captain Americas.
I don't understand the internet sometimes.