Struggle For Rome - 28 May 2008

This evening we tried out a new game - an impulse purchase of Catan Histories: Struggle for Rome. I really must sort out getting mobile phone access to Boardgamegeek when faced with a shop full of boardgames...

The game is based on the well-known Settlers of Catan rules, but set during the time Rome was collapsing under the threat from multiple barabarian invaders. To begin with the players control invading tribes - moving around the map sacking cities and collecting resources. At some point the players have to decide to settle and take control of a city, at which point they start expanding, city by city.

There were some interesting decisions that we had to make - such as:

• go for the bonus for 5 sacked cities or settle and start earning earlier?
• position the barbarian for an attack or to maximise the chance of getting resources?

We all felt short of supplies and found that the trade option was useless as we tended to want the same things at the same time. Maybe with 4 players that would be more useful.

In the end it was a close run ending - Kieron won with 10 points, David finished on 9 and Adrian on 8.

Not sure if it qualifies as a great game, but straightforward, fun, and worth another play.