I have yet to play a proper full four-player game in person since last weekend. Our three-player scores were 10-9-8, and our two-player scores were 27-24. Victory in that game required taking an early lead, tactically moving leaders to avoid big, destabilizing external conflicts, and winning a few small internal conflicts.
TIL winning an internal conflict doesn't mean anything if you lose it next turn anyway. And I shouldn't have given you those green points in the north. GG
Yeah, green points in the north were icing on the cake. Notice I abandoned the black in the west at the last second, and also arranged the tiles to prevent a black/blue monument. I knew blue was your weakest since your blue leader was off the board for so long. I got as many points as I could and mostly focused on denying you blue.
Also, I played the hand I was dealt. I saw the huge external conflict coming from so far away, and knew I would lose. But I had so many red tiles. So I lined up the monuments, and internaled my way back on the board immediately after losing it. Once I was seated in the grand unified kingdom, I could not be evicted. Point every turn.
The other major mistake you made was catastrophe too early. It was a relatively powerful play despite being heavily telegraphed. However, once both are used, the threat of the catastrophe is gone. I can now play much less carefully knowing you don't have that option available anymore. I was able to utilize a lot of positions in the mid and late game that were very vulnerable to catastrophes. You were not, because I held onto one.
Can't win. There's one unified kingdom, so only red tiles matter for getting leaders on the board. I didn't draw any. I dumped at least 5 times, and still didn't draw red tiles despite them being the most common of all. The game has no concede button.
Well, three player is two-player, with a third person who can't win constantly being knocked off the board and getting zero points.
Yeah we played a 3 player T&E at last PAX Aus, it ended up being just me versus Dimitri while Alan was just a convenient way for me to keep forcing conflicts between Dimitri and Alan while I fostered my water kingdom and built up a massive red tile area.
Rym took a photo of my empire, I think I had 3 temples for almost half the game, yet I only won by a few points at the end because Dimitri made a comeback.
I love this game enough that I'm still thinking about making a custom set of pieces for myself.
I just want four sterling silver leader tokens (inlaid with the bull logo in four colors), two heavy bronze catastrophe tokens, a custom shield, and the friendship token.
The catastrophe should literally detonate the things under it. Actually punch holes in the board.
Nobody would ever build that goddamn water temple.
One thing occurred to me - the new release is almost colorblind friendly (they replaced colored cubes with decorated cardboard chits - so you have both color and artwork to differentiate points). The only parts that would need redoing are the leader tokens and the temple pieces. Some way to have both a color and a distinguishing feature.
Maybe actual leaders who have masks representing the dynasties, and acoutrements that follow in line with the color of victory point/tile.
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I also used an iPad mini (w/Retina). No problems.
If I can solve the async crashing problem I could easily play this any time work is slow.
I'm on android, so I guess I'll have to take my beatings in person. ::sad face::
The three-player game always becomes two players with huge scores, and one player who gets fucked off the board early and never recovers.
Without the archer my power was weakened, but still strong enough to win by a comfortable margin.
Also, I played the hand I was dealt. I saw the huge external conflict coming from so far away, and knew I would lose. But I had so many red tiles. So I lined up the monuments, and internaled my way back on the board immediately after losing it. Once I was seated in the grand unified kingdom, I could not be evicted. Point every turn.
The other major mistake you made was catastrophe too early. It was a relatively powerful play despite being heavily telegraphed. However, once both are used, the threat of the catastrophe is gone. I can now play much less carefully knowing you don't have that option available anymore. I was able to utilize a lot of positions in the mid and late game that were very vulnerable to catastrophes. You were not, because I held onto one.
I bet Pence doesn't come last in a 4 player game.
And that is legit useful insight, Scott. I'm still at the point where I get something out of every game...
It solidified my opinion that this is exclusively a 4-player game.
With two, I have quite a few games I'd rather play, which wouldn't stop me from playing with an enthusiastic opponent.
Rym took a photo of my empire, I think I had 3 temples for almost half the game, yet I only won by a few points at the end because Dimitri made a comeback.
I just want four sterling silver leader tokens (inlaid with the bull logo in four colors), two heavy bronze catastrophe tokens, a custom shield, and the friendship token.
Nobody would ever build that goddamn water temple.
One thing occurred to me - the new release is almost colorblind friendly (they replaced colored cubes with decorated cardboard chits - so you have both color and artwork to differentiate points). The only parts that would need redoing are the leader tokens and the temple pieces. Some way to have both a color and a distinguishing feature.
Maybe actual leaders who have masks representing the dynasties, and acoutrements that follow in line with the color of victory point/tile.