Risking the pox to visit James were David, Kieron, Stuart and Orhan this week. James retrieved Emira from the loft - a game played just once about two and a half years ago where players are sheikhs competing to attract princesses ('Emira') to their harems. Our memories (and the original write-up) were favourable but somehow this game didn't work for us tonight.
Once we'd got through the over-long rules, the game itself took ages and we eventually called a halt by setting a deadline rather than anyone meeting their victory conditions. So it was a win for Stuart with the most princesses in his harem but although we had a fun night, it wasn't really a fun game. Some of the reviews on BGG highlight the problem: you need to specialise in one attribute to be able to gain princesses and once you get the lead in an attribute it is very difficult for the other players to get the lead in that attribute (and if you've chosen the wrong attribute you're stuffed as some come up more than others). The game then comes down to pure luck as you hope for the princesses who like your attribute to be turned up first.
A nice looking game with some clever mechanisms, but ultimately not very satisfying.
Showing posts with label Emira. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Emira. Show all posts
Wednesday, 24 March 2010
Thursday, 6 September 2007
Emira - 5 September 2007
Emira is one of the second-hand games picked up by James at the Games Expo in Birmingham earlier this year. A gloriously politically incorrect game (for which the rules are rather too apologetic) where sheiks attract princesses to their harems, by making themselves as attractive as possible to match the preferences of the princesses.
The heart of the game is in the bidding for the right to take the next action - when that action (buying a trade caravan, extending the palace) cannot be repeated by another player that turn. Different tactics included earning money through caravans (Andy) and significantly enhancing his sheik's appearance (Adrian), although it was David's enlarged palace that attracted the most princesses - rather too quickly as it turned out as they are costly to keep!
Andy played a masterstroke in the last turn which allowed him to set the preferences of the last princess, and so was able to add her to his harem, and win the game (for the first time this year I think). By the suggested points system counting princesses and other status items, the rest of the order was probably something like David, Adrian, Kieron and James.
A fun game with a neat mechanism. Definitely worth another play soon to try some different strategies.
The heart of the game is in the bidding for the right to take the next action - when that action (buying a trade caravan, extending the palace) cannot be repeated by another player that turn. Different tactics included earning money through caravans (Andy) and significantly enhancing his sheik's appearance (Adrian), although it was David's enlarged palace that attracted the most princesses - rather too quickly as it turned out as they are costly to keep!
Andy played a masterstroke in the last turn which allowed him to set the preferences of the last princess, and so was able to add her to his harem, and win the game (for the first time this year I think). By the suggested points system counting princesses and other status items, the rest of the order was probably something like David, Adrian, Kieron and James.
A fun game with a neat mechanism. Definitely worth another play soon to try some different strategies.
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