Tuesday 21st July

I'm playing Star Wars Armada with Steve Marsh. Think he has enough gear for a 4 player game. So 2 spots left.

Should be good for 4 players at 150 points each.

There's a spot left for sons of anarchy too next week. Atm it's
Me
Leanne
Matt

I'm on holiday next week, so will miss this one.

See you on the 28th.

Ste, if you remind me I'll bring my space mat.

I think I'll continue on my unplayed game quest, however. Who wants to try Steam Park?

Lizzy wrote:Ste, if you remind me I'll bring my space mat.

I think I'll continue on my unplayed game quest, however. Who wants to try Steam Park?

I'm making great progress on my unplayed games - just updated my list and I'm down to 20 unplayed games and 6 unplayed expansions. :-/

Anyone fancy Terra Mystica?

steveygee wrote:Anyone fancy Terra Mystica?

Yes! I've got the base game plus the (unplayed) expansion that I can bring along?

PaulG wrote:

steveygee wrote:Anyone fancy Terra Mystica?

Yes! I've got the base game plus the (unplayed) expansion that I can bring along?

Ooh, i've not played with the expansion. That would be cool.

carlbloke wrote:There's a spot left for sons of anarchy too next week. Atm it's
Me
Leanne
Matt

Argh really interested to play this but I now can't make next Tuesday

steveygee wrote:Anyone fancy Terra Mystica?

Yes please!

I enjoyed Agricola this week (although opinions around our table of newbies varied) and I want more intricate meaty high-BGG-ranked eurogaming.

BeardyTom wrote:

Yes please!

I enjoyed Agricola this week (although opinions around our table of newbies varied) and I want more intricate meaty high-BGG-ranked eurogaming.

What were the highest and lowest scores in Agricola?

steveygee wrote:

BeardyTom wrote:

Yes please!

I enjoyed Agricola this week (although opinions around our table of newbies varied) and I want more intricate meaty high-BGG-ranked eurogaming.

What were the highest and lowest scores in Agricola?

Scores were 26-30 between 5 players so close. I was however one of the mentioned Agricola newbies that didn't think it deserves such a high BGG rating. I thought it was way too long for a 'meeple placement' game, and there are no actions to take that affect any of the other players; except taking an action they may want, but there's plenty of similar ones anyway.
I much prefer Lords of Waterdeep as a similar style of game!

Still a good night though, cheers all.

steveygee wrote:Anyone fancy Terra Mystica?

Darn it!

I was going to suggest Eclipse, but if Terra Mystica is on the menu, think I'll go for that, if there's a place available?

I still need to play a lot more Eclipse though; anyone else up for some Eclipse sometime soon in the not so distant future?

So thats me, paul, beardy tom and jamie. 1 more spot?

carlbloke wrote:didn't think it deserves such a high BGG rating.

You're not alone! I wasn't a fan either. I've only played it the once, still, can't say I'm overly eager to revisit it.

Jamie wrote:

carlbloke wrote:didn't think it deserves such a high BGG rating.

You're not alone! I wasn't a fan either. I've only played it the once, still, can't say I'm overly eager to revisit it.

I think it gets better the more you play it. The winning strategies become clearer and it gets much nastier as people figure out what's important. Also I think the value of the cards can be easily underestimated. I can see why people would dislike it though. And it does go a little long with 5.

steveygee wrote:The winning strategies become clearer ...

There is more than one strategy?

Agricola is a very stressful game - because it is so well streamlined - which makes for a close thinking game... it tests you - to win you have to play like a beast. I think that's why it has such a high rating. It's not just - do what you want and the scores will be close... yawnfest.

If you compare it to Caverna (the follow up) there are so many strategies in the latter that it just becomes mundane imo.

In terms of player interactions - stealing actions before a neighbour does is part of the thinking strategy (same in games like Dominant Species). There is also a deck of cards (I) that creates a lot more interaction.

Aneurin wrote:

steveygee wrote:The winning strategies become clearer ...

There is more than one strategy?

Agricola is a very stressful game - because it is so well streamlined - which makes for a close thinking game... it tests you - to win you have to play like a beast. I think that's why it has such a high rating. It's not just - do what you want and the scores will be close... yawnfest.

If you compare it to Caverna (the follow up) there are so many strategies in the latter that it just becomes mundane imo.

In terms of player interactions - stealing actions before a neighbour does is part of the thinking strategy (same in games like Dominant Species). There is also a deck of cards (I) that creates a lot more interaction.  

We were just playing with the E deck. I would have liked a little more time to sit and look through all the cards to get a feel for what sort of things come up and how things fit together but of course we had to jump straight into it. I would definitely like to play again sometime; maybe in a Sunday session.

How many spot left for Terra Mystica?

Camille is in if there is one spot left.
If two I'll be in as well.

Pierre

CamF wrote:How many spot left for Terra Mystica?

Camille is in if there is one spot left.
If two I'll be in as well.

Pierre

Just 1 I think.

BeardyTom wrote:

We were just playing with the E deck. I would have liked a little more time to sit and look through all the cards to get a feel for what sort of things come up and how things fit together but of course we had to jump straight into it. I would definitely like to play again sometime; maybe in a Sunday session.

Just this - and as A said - it'll get more familiar with play.

We were equally un-schooled at how to win so I'm not surprised that the scores were so close. I think we had 1 or 2 occasions when a specific action was taken by someone else preventing others from playing what they wanted but as we were all so general it meant we just developed another line to garner more points.

After two ROUNDS of Stone Age I felt I'd understood 80% of the game and could compete.

I expect that after two GAMES of Agricola I might be close to 70% and nowhere near competing. This is not a game where i'd learn the nuances quickly - it is simply full of so many variations to understand. While they may not have a huge impact on your strategy or gameplay until I know them it's always going to be a question mark.

It then becomes how well can you play and not how well do you know the game.

BeardyTom wrote:

We were just playing with the E deck. I would have liked a little more time to sit and look through all the cards to get a feel for what sort of things come up and how things fit together but of course we had to jump straight into it. I would definitely like to play again sometime; maybe in a Sunday session.

Might be able to do the august Sunday session... evening time - 8pm?

steveygee wrote:

CamF wrote:How many spot left for Terra Mystica?

Camille is in if there is one spot left.
If two I'll be in as well.

Pierre

Just 1 I think.

Unless we split into two games? Goes a bit quicker at lower player counts...

Well I'd be happy to add another number to a TM game!