Which is a better Beer and Pretzels Game?

[jguritza]

Originally posted by Fenrir
my local gaming store has a used copy of tobruk for $79.99. I laugh at that.

If I rememebr correctly doesn't the game board color require the high price???

:laugh:

 

[Fenrir]

Originally posted by jguritza
If I rememebr correctly doesn't the game board color require the high price???

:laugh:

:toast: that's funny. I had to ask the guy why it was so expensive...he just mumbled something about it being out of print. I said " so is avalon hill's "Midway" and you only want $20 for that game...."

those ultra-complex mono-uni-chromatic hexboards are a must have! you cant make those yourself at home!:banana:

 

[Jack Dionne]

Circus Maximus

This is an old Avalon Hill game. The only reason we don’t play anymore is because the pieces are worn out. It’s a chariot racing game set in Rome. You know your having fun when your wife likes the game too. 2 to 12 people can play and the games end fast.

 

[PvtJohnson]

Who plays games on a saturday night? Shoumdnt you guys be out having fun with women?

 

[tsar]

Nuclear War, it's fast and where else can you feel good about killing 100,000,000 people.

 

[chrisvalla]

SJ's Illuminati isn't bad either.

As for Saturday night gaming... the girlfriends and wives of our group members would have an issue if we were out looking for other women. I'm fairly certain one guy would truly be rolling the dice with his life if he tried that... and I think anything between whatever the first number and last number is on the dice is he'd come up a loser. :laugh:

 

[PvtJohnson]

Well yeah I guess if your married yeah, but for me, I can't remember the last time I stayed in on a saturday night and play Risk or something.

 

[Sgt. Przybylo]

Here's some more that are great b&p games:

Junta
Gammarauders
Swashbucklers
Formula De
Amoeba Wars
Supremacy

 

[The Purist]

Since most friends are now married (attached) and these evening involve the wives I go with risk as many girls love to beat there men at these games even if they have no idea what it all about.

Women can be pretty blood thirsty generals.

 

[Rojaws]

My buddies and I have played Risk till the wee hours of the morning. It's a quick game to learn if any of them bring in new pals. You could always walk off to find a snack if it's not your turn or have Discovery or MTV in the background.

 

[The Doctor]

My buddies and I have played Risk till the wee hours of the morning. It's a quick game to learn if any of them bring in new pals. You could always walk off to find a snack if it's not your turn or have Discovery or MTV in the background.

Back in my college days - a long, long time ago - we would have Risk games that lasted for entire weekends.

 

[Andreas Ludwig]

Saturday with friends? Up Front!

Hi folks,

I think the question was what game is best suited for a short saturday with a few friends, so the game shouldn't last too long. I don't see that the games have to be beer & pretzels, cause many of those can be rather long games - A&A could go for 20 - 30 hours on our big tournament maps ;-)

If there's short time I'd go always for some quick Up Front scenarios, nothing plays quicker, nothing brings that much tension on your table while not that complicated to learn/teach.

I know the die hard Up Front players will play this game like the ASL maniac, but that doesn't change the truth: it's a simple game regarding teaching some newbie friends in 15 minutes. After that everybody can play and have a beer.

And A&A really sucks imho, it's always the same thing: Germany goes for Africa to get IPCs, Germany and Japan go for Russia for a "quick" victory, Brits goes to India to stir up Japan's play and the US go to help the Brits...

Nope, I think every game is better than this "the same procedure as last time" game.

Cheers,

Andreas

 

[Janos]

Also look at Avalon Hill's Emperor of China. It's so simple even my wife can play (don't tell her I said that),and I think simplicity is key when alcohol (or wives) is involved.

 

[Aries]

You guys haven't visited a store recently it would appear.

Old Risk is as lame as it gets, you want Lord of the Rings Risk or Risk 2210.

It complete throws that hide in Australia crap out the ole window too.

Not only that, but they are damn fun, and they won't last all damn night either.

Axis and Allies Pacific is also absolutely a must get version.
Not so sure about the Europe version.

I will also comment that if you can find Shogun grab it.

And remember we are talking about beer and pretzels games, so if it has hexes it isn't on the list.

Attack! is a good variant on the Axis and Allies type game.

Neppa Games's ETO is something with a bit more detail, but still fairly lightweight.

I don't really care for Axis and Allies original form any more, and I won't play old Risk at all now that I have experienced the good ones.

 

[The Doctor]

Try putting two Risk boards together! You can hide in both Australias!

I still say for Beer & Pretzels...it's STRATEGO!...blind man's chess!

 

[Juno]

It's not a wargame, but when our friends get together we play Talisman.

 

[Andreas Ludwig]

You guys haven't visited a store recently it would appear.

Nope, I buy online ;-)

Axis and Allies Pacific is also absolutely a must get version.
Not so sure about the Europe version.

We played both and both weren't very satisfying. Pacific is totally on the Japanese side and Europe seems to be always a victory for the german player. For me it seems that these games have even less options than the original.

I will also comment that if you can find Shogun grab it.

Have it, too. And of all those A&A style games certainly the best.

And remember we are talking about beer and pretzels games, so if it has hexes it isn't on the list.

Up front doesn't have hexes, and btw we will have to define the term beer & pretzels anew, if that means a game with no hexes. beer & pretzels usually is simply a light wargame, a game that is easy to get into and that doesn't last too long. hexes, point-to-pint, area etc. doesn't have anything to do with being a beer & pretzels game or not.


Andreas

 

[mentis]

If I can only choose between the two, then I would choose Risk, but it would have to be the Lord of the Rings version (there are two, look for the more recent, more complete Trilogy edition). The extra mechanics that are added make it a much better game.

Better still is War of the Ring, the Lord of the Rings grand strategy game from Nexus Games in Italy (released by Fantasy Flight Games in the U.S.). It has lots of plastic miniatures and is very reminiscent of Risk just to look at it. However, the game play is much deeper and satisfying without being complicated. This is a great bridge game between beer & pretzel gamers, eurogamers, wargamers, and non-gamers who like Tolkien ... and miniature gamers will want to paint all of those lovely plastic figures.

 

[Aries]

I usually don't mention Up Front, because I am often unsure if in a conversation anyone has ever seen it let alone played it.

But yes, one of the few successes where I have had a fun time playing it with non gaming females (always a challenge ).

Even tried the 3 player mutation against wife and a girl friend. Yes I said wife and girl friend in one sentence hehe. Hey she's a friend and a girl eh, doesn't always mean I am having sex with her.

Anyways, your opponent must have been lame in that Axis and Allies Pacific game eh. I don't see the Japanese as a default carry the day side at all.
They have an impressive first turn, and if you don't plan flawlessly, you get to sit there for an hour as your buddy shows you how you lost an hour ago.
And rmemeber, it's Axis and Allies, you still have to roll those darned fickle dice that some day won't roll a one once in a hundred tosses hehe.

But regarding my hex comment, basically the number of games a wargamer would even promote out of the beer and pretzels category into the wargame term is so numerically small, it is not always worth it to mention it.
And keep in mind, I sometimes only include games currently on sale.
Not much point discussing games you gotta get, if the only way to get is off eBay.

 

[Aries]

That War of the Ring game you linked to Mentis looks like the closest shameless rip off of another board game that I have ever seen actually heheh.

Might be a bit more fun than the Lord of the Rings Risk release.
But it would also be interesting to see what the makers of the Risk version thought of it too (aint that Hasborg?).