Lancaster - 28 December 2012

As the second round of a two-games-Xmas-Friday-games-night-special we got out Lancaster, Adrian's combined birthday and Xmas present from Kieron.

This game probably has the highest production values for any of the games we own - excellent quality wooden pieces, very heavy cards, nice artwork, and everything beautifully designed.  The rules are simple (4 pages) but very rich - multiple choices each turn, different strategies to pursue, voting on laws which allows for Derrening (and in this first late night games two spectacular errors from James and Kieron who voted the wrong way on a couple of laws they really cared about), and some fighting over squares on the board - and it's all over in 15 phases which makes it quick.  The lovely thing about this game is that it all hangs together so well, we spent the 90 mins it took for the first play discovering new tactics and possibilities - lots of 'aaahhh' moments.  Overall a super game which those present (Adrian, Kieron, James and Andy) voted an instant classic.  James took first place with 70, then Adrian on 63, Kieron on 56 and Andy on 48.

On the rules point we queried, the forum is clear that there is no limit on the number of knights you can have in play, the 4 slots in the castle and on the board are for players to stack their knights of different strengths.

Let's play this again soon.

Power Grid: The First Sparks - 19 December 2012

First play of Orhan's Power Grid: The First Sparks.  This was an ingenious game of Stone Age development borrowing the Power Grid brand and some of the game mechanisms.  Significantly, it wasn't simply a reworking of Power Grid - it's a different game requiring a different approach - but there's a welcome familiarity with how parts of the game work.  I'm keen to play this again before the rules fade from our minds.

I've mislaid the paper with the scores but I think the final order was something like: David 1st, then Kieron, Adrian, James, Andy & Orhan.  I'm sure someone will shout if I've got that wrong ;-)

Rivals Weekend - 7-9 December 2012

Another in the irregular "Camping it up" weekends at the Bungalow ("Bunging it up?") at Whitemead in the Forest.  Games played included: Poker, Japanese monster mayhem with King of Tokyo (great with two players but didn't really work with 6), A Brief History of the World, the Mafia-inspired Resistance and (about 8 times) the marvellous 7 Wonders.

Andy and his Advocaat:

Andy getting some fishing tips from Bert & Ernie:

Parkend Station on our walk to the pub:

Slightly surreal life-size nativity on the roof of the leisure centre:

Donner and Blizten:

A small snack from Al's Plaice:

Peloponnes - 5 December 2012

A full house of 7 round at David's for a pre-weekend away game. So it was back to rivals-favourite Peloponnes with my newly purchased "Goat Expansion". Yes really. I'm not making it up. The expansion allows us to play with seven players and adds a new resource (goats believe it or not) and some tiles that allow their acquisition. Goats form a wildcard resource - they have no use in themselves, but when you buy a new goat tile you can cash in your goats for other resources.

From reading boardgamegeek it appears that the English translation of the rules is wrong - you only cash in on getting the 2nd and subsequent goats tiles - we read it as allowing you to cash in straight away. This might make goats a more useful alternative strategy - they only really become attractive if you concentrate on them whereas our interpretation meant that we were all making a grab for them. It's worth trying again with the right rules, and although it was a bit strange, we have another game to play on the odd week that we have 7 players.

Final Scores: David 30/27, Adrian 27/26, Kieron 27/25,  Orhan 18/27, Andy 18/16, James 12/26, Stu 12/17

Bull Run - 24 November 2012

Another great game set up by Jonathan - a recreation of Bull Run from the American Civil War battle at Bull Run.  After a few weeks of build up and many orders flying around by e-mail (admittedly 99% from Orhan), the belligerents met in Jonathan's games loft (probably for the final time...).  The Union were represented by David M and James (with Adrian replacing David in the afternoon) and the Confederacy by Orhan, Kieron and Andy.  Jonathan had set boards up in two rooms and oscillated between them acting variously as umpire, messenger and teaboy.

Following history, the Union had called for the balloon Enterprise, which was being demonstrated by Prof. Thaddeus S. C. Lowe in Washington, to perform aerial reconnaissance.  This enabled David and James to float along the corridor and peer into each others' rooms to see the battle was going.

James faced off Orhan in the smaller room.  We had a good battle that ebbed and flowed satisfactorily over fourteen turns but with an eventual win for the Rebs.

The first turn after the rapid advance of the Union across the ford on left flank and bridge on right flank:

Crossing the ford:

The Confederacy's earthworks were hard fought over:

Pressing up the left flank:

Finally over the fortifications (soon to be lost again, after dropping back from rifle fire and failing the command roll to move back in...):

Pushing over the bridge:

The effective but criminally-underused 20 pounders:

Coming over the bridge:

The Confederates holding their second defensive line:

The final view of the battlefield:

Finally, here's the three photos of the other battlefield I took - two from early on, and the final position - curiously free of Union troops...

Navegador, 21 November

Just two Rivals tonight as heavy colds, gruelling work regimes and theatre trips take out everyone else.  Kieron had suggested that this game works with two and he was clearly proved right.  The game was satisfyingly asymmetric with Adrian going for churches and shipyards early and Kieron opting for ships, exploration and colonies.  The respective strategies allowed Adrian to build up on privileges and Kieron to score big early from the market.  With two players the game was fast and with considerable ebb and flow.  By the end Kieron's approach resulted in three scoring categories with very high scores and two with very low; Adrian by contrast had average scores in all 5.  End result: Adrian 137, Kieron 126.  A really good game for two - highly recommended.

Shako, 24 October 2012

I had enough time over half-term to put on a Shako game.  The scenario was another French v Austrian clash, Andy taking the role of Marshal Davout supported by David, versus Orhan as Prinz Friedrich of Hohenzollern supported by Kieron.  The Austrians started the game in defensive positions along a ridge line, holding 5 strategic locations (a village and crossroads on the extreme left and right of the table and 3 village sectors along the road linking them) which were each worth 1 victory point to each side at the end of the game.  The French aim was to take control of the ridge (symbolized by gaining 3 out of the 5 locations) with their appropriately larger forces.  Andy had to nominate at least 1 Division or Brigade to flank march to the extreme left of the Austrian position.  He chose his German allies (Cleve Berg and Westphalian Division) his combined Imperial Guard's Brigade - on loan from the Emperor - and his Heavy Cavalry Division.

For his assault, Andy chose to ignore the village on his far left, and mass all his remaining troops in the centre, with his large Polish and French Infantry Divisions attacking directly up the slope into the teeth of the Austrian guns and line infantry; his Light Infantry Division would assault the main town through the woods with his Light Cavalry Division ready to attack up the road en echelon to link up with his flank march.

As the attack unfolded, Orhan and Kieron sought to pull their troops from their right flank to defend the centre.  Orhan had stationed his heavy cavalry and grenadiers on his left and these troops clashed with David's flanking troops, the grenadiers routing the (newly painted) 1st Cleve Berg regiment but being bypassed by the French heavy cavalry that stormed along the road to obliterate their opposing Austrian kurassiers and dragoons.

In the centre, the Polish Division took murderous fire from Austrian heavy batteries as it advanced up the wooded slopes, managing to reach the ridge before further French reinforcements closed down the attack.  The French Light Infantry and Cavalry surged up past the crossroads and were perhaps one turn away from seizing the central town sector, and victory, when the 12th turn ended.  So the game ended a 3-2 victory for the Austrians - a very close run thing.  The game took 3 hours and 40 mins to play; too long for a regular games night, but very enjoyable both to set up and play in half-term.  Anyone for a game at Xmas?

The view from the German lines.  Austrian grenadiers (bottom right) have just routed the 1st  Cleve Berg infantry regiment, as the French heavy cavalry charge forward on the left.

In the centre, French lancers and infantry attempt to win the ridge as another lancer regiment flees back down the hill after being beaten off by Austrian cavalry.

The view from the French left.  Polish infantry leave the woods to assault the ridge.

Aerial view from the left, the Polish are held on the ridge as Austrian cavalry reinforcements head up the central hill.

French infantry surge into the central town - but are one turn away from  cementing victory.

Austrian cavalry hurtles across the bridge to defend the central town sector.

The Polish Division's artillery fire in support of their division.

Aerial view from the French right flank as their heavy cavalry advance.

Austrian cavalry hang on as French skirmishers make it to the road.

The French attack on the right forces through the woods.

The Tricolor flies at the Crossroads as the French heavies and Guards consolidate their position.