Session Report: March 31, 2003
Games Played: The Bucket King, Auf Heller und Pfennig, Culture Shock, Through the desert
Gamers: Matt, Peter, Chip, Ralph, Rob, Lewis, Josh
BUCKET KING (0:28 + 0:03 rules)
Ralph: 5
Chip: 5
Lewis: 1
Rob: 0
Josh: 0
This was my first time playing this game. I tried to use as few cards as possible each time around to maximize the number of cards in my hand. Ralph tagged me as the leader after Rob was eliminated, but his attempts to make me lose buckets usually got Lewis or Josh instead.
I like this game, although I'd like to play it a few more times before purchasing it for myself.
AUF HELLER UND PFENNIG (0:25 + 0:05 rules and setup)
Peter: 213
Matt: 205
Chip: 125
This was my first time playing this game. I wasn't able to calculate the relative values of different squares quickly enough in the first two rounds. I think I'd do slightly better the next time I play this game.
CULTURE SHOCK (0:40)
Peter won
Chip, Matt (0 markers left)
The consensus seemed to be that this game could have used more playtesting. Matt and Peter suggested that the starting player has a large advantage, and I (the starting player) would have won if Peter wasn't able to block the closest international city. He collected the cards he needed two turns later to win the game.
Matt and Peter didn't seem to like this game very much. It gets a different reception each time I bring it out - some people like it, and others don't. I've oscillated between both opinions a few times, and I'm still willing to play it with those who like it.
THROUGH THE DESERT (0:25 + 0:05 setup)
Matt: 89
Peter: 75
Chip: 68
This was my second time playing this game, and I felt like I did better, although I still came in last. I need to pay more attention to the longest chain bonus, rather than reacting to other moves.
I'd be willing to play this game again, although it wouldn't be my first choice.
Session Report: March 29, 2003
Games Played: Star Wars: Queen's Gambit, Magic, Transamerica, Space Beans, Culture Shock, Lord of the Fries
Gamers: Chip, Vitas, Lewis, Sue, Don, Sara, Laurie
Thanks to everyone for coming!
STAR WARS: QUEEN'S GAMBIT (1:48 + 0:20 setup)
Chip (Trade Federation): won
Vitas (Naboo Forces): lost
This game usually takes a long time to play, so Vitas and I set aside the afternoon to play it. At a little over 2 hours total, this was a relatively quick game.
After the last time we played, I came up with an idea for a good Trade Federation strategy, and was able to put it into place this game. It must have worked, as I won, but it was not as easy as I originally thought.
My plan was basically to ignore all of the battles except for the palace. I was hoping that Darth Maul would deal enough damage to the attacking Jedi to kill one of them before they got loose in the Palace (and hopefully, by that time, most of the palace gaurds would be dead). In fact, Qui-Gon died during his attack on Darth Maul.
With the exception of a few offensives by Darth Maul and the battle droids in the field, I methodically took out the palace forces. I did make a mistake by continuing to attack the decoy queen after the real queen was dead. I figured I had to kill everyone except the two Jedi, so I might as well deal with her sooner, rather then later. I neglected to note that one of the Jedi was already dead, so picking off the remaining palace gaurds would have been a better use of my time and cards.
This game is well-balanced, as different strategies are equally difficult to pull off. Despite winning in the end, it was never clear that I had the advantage. I'd play this game again sometime, but probably not soon.
MAGIC (0:20, 7 turns)
Vitas 5
Chip 15
Vitas played a 5 color deck, and I played my (blue) Future Sight deck (1 copy of the card plus lots of Whirlpool creatures to dig it out of the deck). As it happened, I had both Future Sight and Heightened Awareness in my hand when the game started. Most of the other cards in the deck were cheap creatures, so I was able to overrun his defenses.
Vitas 19
Chip 0
We both played "Domain" decks, which are comprised of cards that improve when you have multiple basic land types in play. Vitas played the off-the-shelf version, and I played a homemade deck. His deck included green cards that search for other basic lands, (e.g. Harrow), which I think would make a good addition to my deck.
After these games, Vitas left to play Napolean in Elba, or something. I guess it has something to do with spelling.
TRANSAMERICA (0:26 + 0:06 rules)
Don: 4 4 4
Sue: 0 8 10
Lewis: 2 6 10
Chip: 4 8 13
This was my first time playing this game. It's simple and quick, and I'd play it again. The first and second rounds took 10 minutes each, and the last round took 6 minutes.
SPACE BEANS (0:36)
Chip: 35
Don: 33
Sue: 31
Lewis: 20
I'm starting to think of this game as being on the same level as Bohnanza, rather then a poor substitute. There is some downtime, during which there isn't really much to do other then chat with the other players, but the game usually moves pretty quickly, so the downtime isn't a problem.
I'd play this game again, although I still prefer the other bean-harvesting game (:
CULTURE SHOCK (0:30)
Chip: won
Don, Lewis, Sue: lost
It seemed to me that this game took unusually long, but, according to my previous notes, it usually takes between 25 and 55 minutes, so 0:30 is actually shorter then average. It did seem to have an unusually high number of turns in which players didn't really move, but just traded in 5 of their cards. Perhaps this is a result of most of the players using the same strategy.
I enjoyed this game, and will play it again soon (maybe even tonight).
LORD OF THE FRIES (0:45 + 0:05 rules)
Laurie 24 34
Don 8 34
Sue 21 30
Sara -7 1
Chip -6 -17
Lewis -9 -20
We stopped after 2 rounds, as people had to leave. The game length was about right, at 45 minutes. I think 6 rounds would have taken too long.
This is a fun and light card game with a good theme (zombies working at a family restaurant). I think there is a little strategy to it, although it's mostly luck of the draw. It'll be a fun game to bring to the table every once in a while, for people that like that sort of thing.
