What boardgames have you played recently?

[pward]

re: Arkham Horror

Rob, Peter, Jim,

Are the expansions worth getting? How young an age do you think can enjoy playing it keeping in mind attention span issues?

I didn't see the expansions in play, unless they mixed in the cards and bits already and didn't mention it.

Provided it doesn't go all sideways like our 5 hour marathon game, it's probably ok for my 10 year old but the 8 year old probably wouldn't be interested enough to start.

It's got multiple archetypes for the characters, the 4 that we drew were all completely different. Each had their role to play, I got the Indiana Jones wannabe "Colby Jack", who's primary job seemed to be killing monsters in town. The nun and librarian were in charge of closing down the gates so we could win and avoid the big meanies arrival. It just took an awfully long time to get them closed. Getting the kids to adapt to the role each time you play might be difficult, but it probably depends on the kids.

My biggest concern for my kids playing at this point would be nightmares, "The vampires are coming to get me"...

 

[Robin Reeve]

Ticket to Ride (Europe) and some C&C Ancients battles.

 

[RobZagnut]

re: Arkham Horror

Rob, Peter, Jim,

Are the expansions worth getting? How young an age do you think can enjoy playing it keeping in mind attention span issues?

I would absolutely get the first expansion, which was only cards. It adds new cards to the different sites on the board, so it keeps from getting repetitive quickly. The second expansion which was the boxed set was okay and only added length to the game for it's trouble.

The first three times I played AH we loved it. Played it with a different mix and it fell flat. You must play it with people who are into that type of genre, are willing to cooperate and dicuss what is happening on the board.

 

[pward]

You must play it with people who are into that type of genre, are willing to cooperate and dicuss what is happening on the board.

Totally agree. If we played it against each other, in a Munchkin like fashion, it might have been over earlier, but we all would have lost.

 

[jwb3]

I've collected and played Martin Wallace's whole series of WarFrog games and haven't been disappointed yet.

Does that include Byzantium? I ask because we've played it a couple times but I'm still not sure what I think of it.

It seems to me that with the limited choices for early actions by the Muslims, the game is going to tend to always develop the same way. If that's true, it makes it much less replayable than some of his other designs. If you have any thoughts on that I'd love to hear them.


As far as Arkham Horror goes, I've played it once, while others in my group have gotten a couple more playings. I'm looking forward to trying it again. But I would never expect a game to end (except as a disaster) in two hours! BGG lists it as 3 hours, and I think it took us a lot longer (but with about 6 players, some of whom had never done it before).

I seem to recall people commenting that it's a game that really starts to slow down once you get above a certain number of players.


John

 

[pdutram]

ATS and Panzer Grenadiers almost exclusively, because my son prefers them (something about "remembering all the damn rules" )

 

[RobZagnut]

Does that include Byzantium? I ask because we've played it a couple times but I'm still not sure what I think of it.

Byzantium is one of the ones I haven't played yet. Too many games, too little time. I've read that Martin Wallace is taking a year off, which will allow me to catch up playing some of his games.

Of all his designs I highly recommend Struggle of Empires and Age of Steam. Both are true classics with lots of replayability. A worthy addition to any euro gamer's collection. Counter magazine reveiews said that Brass is Wallace's best design since AoS.

As far as Arkham Horror goes, I've played it once, while others in my group have gotten a couple more playings. I'm looking forward to trying it again. But I would never expect a game to end (except as a disaster) in two hours! BGG lists it as 3 hours, and I think it took us a lot longer (but with about 6 players, some of whom had never done it before).

I seem to recall people commenting that it's a game that really starts to slow down once you get above a certain number of players.John

I think 4 players would be ideal. Maybe 5. More than that and the game bogs down while you're waiting for your turn, plus it's much easier to win as closing gates is easier and faster. 3 players might be too hard.

 

[mgmasl]

Playing FtF a scenario of Brandywine BAR game. I have a lot of BAR and Bat games ready to play. The only gamer around here doesn´t like ASL too much. :angry:

We have get a room with a very big table to deploy and leave the mapboard and counters betwen game sesions. So finally no problem with the long time betwen our short time game sesions. I hope some good FtF playing from now on, and maybe, even any ASL FtF from time on time.

Miguel

 

[Tom Morin]

Pirateer.

Just got my copy via UPS today. Opened up and had the wife playing in minutes. What's even better is she loves it, and in her words she "can't wait to kick (my) ass".

Simple yet fun game.

Tom

 

[RobZagnut]

Pirateer.

Just got my copy via UPS today. Opened up and had the wife playing in minutes. What's even better is she loves it, and in her words she "can't wait to kick (my) ass".

Simple yet fun game.

Tom

Pirateer is a fun, little game. It's been years since I've played it.

Another game that I've had a lot of luck with non-gamers, sort of gamers and kids is Metro. It's for 2-6 players and it's about building the longest subway. You pick a tile and place it on the board. You can either place a tile to extend your subway or place it to shorten your opponents. You start with 5-10 stations despending on how many players and start laying tile from them. Your score for each of your subways is how many tiles it runs thru, so it you screw your opponent(s) they might get 3 or 4 points. If you do a great job on yours you might get 14 or 15 points.

Great fun and really easy to play.

 

[RobZagnut]

Guys,

Here's some advice from a euro gamer and I wanted to let you know about two great games that have been recently reprinted, so if you're interested you can purachse one or both before they sell out again.

The first is called Race For The Galaxy. This is an intense card game that takes about 45 munites to play. But, usually players want to play again right after the first! Each player starts with a home world and then build developments or explores new worlds to build their society. Players can become production worlds, techno worlds or use military to achieve victory. Fun and fast. There is also an expansion that should be released in a few months that adds more cards and allows a 5th player to play, which would be very welcome.

The second is Agricola. I played this again on Wednesday night and this one is special. The Occupation deck has 169 cards and the Minor Improvement deck has 139 cards, but each player starts the game with only 7 of each. You base your strategy for winning on these initial 14 cards, as there are some terrific combinations and interesting bonuses that these things give you. All those cards makes for a tremendous amount of replayability.

If you're a euro gamer and have a group of 4-5 players, I highly recommend both of these fantastic games.

 

[KevinG]

I just bought both of these a few weeks back... might take race for the galaxy to the ASL tournie this weekend

 

[Cherper]

Rob,
Thanks for the reviews of the games. Metro, RftG, and Agricola look to be purchases this fall to get the family interested in more than Ticket to Ride (which is fine, but a little repetitive)

 

[RobZagnut]

Rob,
Thanks for the reviews of the games. Metro, RftG, and Agricola look to be purchases this fall to get the family interested in more than Ticket to Ride (which is fine, but a little repetitive)

Agricola might be a little too long (3+ hours) and complicated for your family that is used to Ticket to Ride (a great game in it's own right) and Race has a lot of symbols on the cards that can confuse all but hardened euro players.

I would highly recommend Metro, Boomtown and Alhambra for those guys interested in playing with their families. Alhambra even won the Spiel de Jahres (German game of the year) a few years back.

 

[bennerc]

I would highly recommend . . . Alhambra for those guys interested in playing with their families. Alhambra even won the Spiel de Jahres (German game of the year) a few years back.

I second the recommendation for Alhambra; its interesting, fun and has good components.

 

[Thripshaw]

I've played a couple races on the old Avalon Hill title USAC Auto Racing. One was with the 1984 card set (the best by far), and the other was on a custom set I made with a friend for 1998. I notice someone has a 2005 set of cards on boardgame geek, so I may need to try this one again.

Other than that, a 4-player hand of Family Business, the mob card game. Always nice to pull a vendetta out on the wife and taking out a few gangsters. Of course, be prepared to sleep on the couch afterwords!

 

[wrongway149]

The second is Agricola. I played this again on Wednesday night and this one is special. The Occupation deck has 169 cards and the Minor Improvement deck has 139 cards, but each player starts the game with only 7 of each. You base your strategy for winning on these initial 14 cards, as there are some terrific combinations and interesting bonuses that these things give you. All those cards makes for a tremendous amount of replayability.

If you're a euro gamer and have a group of 4-5 players, I highly recommend both of these fantastic games.

Hmmm... BGG review suggests that this is playable solitaire. Any idea if that is any good-- at least as a way to 'practice'?

 

[Warhammer]

I'll back up RftG and Agricola as great games. Once you get Agricola down, a 4 player game comes in at roughly 1-1/2 - 2 hours. RftG can be done in about 20 minutes if the players know what they are doing. Both are great, great games.

 

[Steven Pleva]

RftG is a great game. I find it is a 30-40 minute game depending on the crowd...

 

[Robin Reeve]

I got the Ticket to Ride Switzerland extension yesterday.
Me, my son Paul (9) and my second daughter Zoé (15) are looking forward to trying it today.:bounce: