What boardgames have you played recently?

[Bill Cirillo]

Roger,

The latest version of the Line of Battle Series (LoB) rules, the None But Heroes (NbH) specific module rules, and all six of the LoB player aid charts are all available for free download in high res pdf format at:

http://talk.consimworld.com/WebX/.ee6db90/13949

Additionally, both of the NbH map sections (Planning Sheet A & B) are available for free download in pdf format at:

http://www.gamersarchive.net/theGamers/archive/nbh.htm


Between the two, you can probably discern what the major differences are between the older RSS and the newer LoB systems.

Additionally, I printed out enlarged versions of the scenario map sections from the downloadable pdfs in order to increase play-ability (since the printed map hexes are a little small (IMO)) on high quality 11"x17" paper and the color quality is actually better (IMO) than what comes in the box.

From a play perspective, the biggest challenge for me is reminding myself that a civil war model has fundamentally different behavior than a WWII ASL model.

It seems to take forever to get engaged and then boom...you are stuck together until one side gives. In a sense, the game is very "sticky" with its EZOC compared with ASL. This seems especially like the case since I have only played 3 hex based games in the last decade (everything else has been mostly point-to-point CDGs), so I am having to "un-learn" some ASL-type gaming behavior.

Bill

I have all the games of the regimental sub-series.

I really wanted to like them (I thought the C&C rules sounded cool).

Alas, it was those games that made me realize that Gamers games are just not for me. I cannot put my finger on why (well one thing is I do not like their maps and find setting counters up a pain).

I debated on None But Heroes several times but never pulled the trigger. Not certain what the differences are between that system and the Regimental Sub-Series.

Peace

Roger

 

[Browning]

I liked the idea that Dean made the revised rules of LoB available as a free download.

 

[rdw5150]

I think the Gamers stuff is usually available. I know the RSS and OCS rules were as I downloaded and printed the newest when I picked up some of those titles.

I am with you, I like downloadable rule sets (I am a "highlighter")

Peace

Roger

 

[jwb3]

Alas, it was those games that made me realize that Gamers games are just not for me. I cannot put my finger on why (well one thing is I do not like their maps and find setting counters up a pain).

I debated on None But Heroes several times but never pulled the trigger. Not certain what the differences are between that system and the Regimental Sub-Series.

I've never liked their maps either. The map for Hallowed Ground was relatively attractive compared to some of the OCS ones, and was certainly very "realistic" looking, topographically. But I never did figure out exactly how they intended us to play some of the resulting LOS situations and stuff like that.

I did read the Line of Battle rules at some point, but I remember little about it. I'm tempted to say that's because there were only a couple of major changes from the RSS rules, but I might be forgetting all sorts of minor ones.


John

 

[Steven Pleva]

Comments based on This Hallowed Ground, the earlier version of G'burg:

I agree that the C&C rules are a lot of the fun. I was always disappointed that they had so little meaning in the smaller more playable scenarios.

Of course, one can argue that's what the monster scenarios are for, but when we tried to do the whole battle to see the C&C at its best, shuffling all those counters ended up being much more fiddly than expected, and got tedious. It will be interesting to see how much the new version is able to improve the experience.


John

A Fearful Slaughter campaign game is pretty playable even under the old rules. It's a lot of fun and the C&C rules shine. This Terrible Sound has some playable scenarios that use the C&C rules meaningfully.

I'd love to get the Chickamauga campaign going once I retire. One of the most interesting battles ever and one that can see wide swings in results. My beef with most Gettysburg games is that it almost always devolves into the fish hook situation. That's why I think I'm going to really like The Guns of Gettysburg once I get a handle on the rules...

Steve

 

['Ol Fezziwig]

Line of Battle plays quicker and leaner than RSS did.

 

[Steven Pleva]

Line of Battle plays quicker and leaner than RSS did.

Richie,
How much faster does it play?
Thanks,
Steve

 

[rdw5150]

Line of Battle plays quicker and leaner than RSS did.

How/why does it play faster?

Peace

Roger

 

[Paul_RS]

Zombicide. Cracking co-operative game. Great fun!

 

['Ol Fezziwig]

How/why does it play faster?

Peace

Roger

All combat is rolled into the player currently moving turn; defensive fire is not a distinct sub-phase of each players turn, but is rolled into an Opening Volley; a single dr rolled when units announce a fire attack after expending MPs within 3 hexes of any eligible-to-fire Defender. Losses are distilled into a wee chart that range from 0 to 2 SPs depending on a few factors including range. This alone sheds each Defending player of multitudes of DR, planned attack coordination and chart time. It has effect of giving the game a positive, rather than negative flow, if you understand what I'm saying.

 

[MrP]

Just bought PQ-17 as a Xmas present to myself (looks like it'll take till Xmas to chug its way round to the arse end of the world ). Looking at the rules and map it looks excellent - are the scenarios available anywhere or do I have to wait with bated breath for the box to arrive?

Bought Carcasonne Hunters and Gatherers (daughters fave) and Pandemic too for the kids at Xmas...

 

[wrongway149]

Last Friday night, played 'Cathedral ' with the GF, who promptly found an iphone App that was pretty close to the same game.

Saturday played Ticket to Ride (1910 Variant) 40 Below (card game) and King of Tokyo. Would've taken that one if it had come back around to my turn, as I was sitting pretty in Tokyo, but someone else rolled enough victory points on the dice before it came around again.

 

[spooner]

Last Thursday I had a weekend away playing ASL. during the day, then at night we played other games like, Snowdon, & TranZ english ver. Friday nite played another fecking train game. don't know it's name, just sat in to make up the numbers, drank Port(LBV), ate cheese (very nice green coloured one with pesto in it), & came in second. Saturday played 3 games of Pathfinder the card game. Realy enjoyed pathfinder. on the whole it was great weekend.

 

[Robin Reeve]

I have been playing Gears of War the boardgame for some weeks now.
It is a well designed gritting coop game.
The AI is intelligently conceived and missions develop differently each time with a semi random tile placement system.
The only problem is that three of the COG soldier figurines look much alike - so I used small colour stickers on their bases to differentiate them.

 

[witchbottles]

I just got a copy of PQ- 17 via BGG published by GMT, it looked intriguing, and I must say I am not disappointed at all in the product appearance. Looking forward to reading the rules soon and trying it out.

 

[Bill Cirillo]

After playing 2 whole games of Sierra Madre Games' Pax Porfiriana last month, I turned around and taught 4 new players how to play the game last Saturday. Great game! It just drips with theme. The amount of effort that must have been required to craft both the game engine and the history wrapped around that engine is truly impressive.

Highly recommended.

 

[Bill Cirillo]

We also played a quick 4-player game of Ra while waiting for the last Pax Porfiriana player to arrive. Mechanics wise, Ra is a pretty straight forward game; pick a tile, call Ra, or swap a God tile for another tile. The fun in the game is that a person gets a real handle on their own personal risk posture as the game progresses.

Too aggressive and one is literally left holding the tile bag without scoring all that many points...too cautious and one sits there and watches the other players rack up a huge lead. Plus, the Ra piece looks like a giant chicken head, so it is always amusing listening to a group of adults yell, "com'on chicken head!!!"

YMMV.

 

[Helmseye]

Labyrinth on vassal

What a great game....

 

[Thunderchief]

A game of Kharkov from S&T #68. I still love these older style WW2 games but I don't have many opportunities to play them. I lost as the Germans, the Russian achieving a decisive victory with 54 VP. Oh well, better luck next time! Unfortunately there's no VASSAL module for it, or I'd play it more often.

 

[Aavar]

Played through a few months of Fire in the East and now restarted and going to play Scorched Earth.