I don't feel that Castellan needs any house rules. A 2-player game takes no more than 15 minutes for us, and really comes down to ~3 major decision points, which I feel is fine for a game of this weight and length.
Probably twice during the game, you can make the call to do a big 3-card maneuver and add on to the castle in a very unexpected way. Then, when your opponent is down to their last 2-3 cards, you can see what pieces are left in their pile and make a smart move or two based on their future ability to capitalize off of what you play.
I also have heard decent things about Nanuk, but I know literally nothing else about it.
I don't think you understand how SJG works. Not all of their games are designed by their internal staff. Sometimes they just get pitched by (or discover) a competent designer.
Played India Rails last night with the "public locking" variant, which is fine if you're experienced, but opens the game up to too many decisions for a noob. Several of my turns took twice as long as they should have - not because I was calculating an optimal move, but looking for a reasonable move. I would play again if someone wanted to, but I'm more interested in playing the baby game.
Played Shadows Over Camelot. We had fun at the table, but the game itself didn't really do the heavy lifting. I confirm the criticism from Rym and Scott's "Bad Games" lecture holds true, but I had to see for myself. I never played before and guessed the traitor right after the second go-round.
I'm playing Hanabi as soon as I get the chance because I really do desire a regular co-op board game.
So somebody is trying to start an annual all-day board gaming event on Sept 21st, just outside of NYC. I have no intention of going since I'm extremely busy that day already, and besides, the photos they put on their website make it look like it will have a strong hotel con crowd. Figured I'd share the info though, maybe in hopes someone will take the plunge and give a first-hand report in case it doesn't suck.
We've done invite only weekend game-a-thons up in Albany. It's gotten to the point where on one house is really big enough. We may need to upgrade to a banquet hall in the near future. We're thinking of the German-American club.
Speaking of larger events, the first Saturday in November West Chester is also doing a board game a thon for charity at Games Keep LLC. $10 for all gaming, free food, and raffles to get prizes.
I'm moving at the end of the month, so no all-day fests for me at the moment, but very much looking forward to Extra Life on Nov 2nd. We're hosting the 25-hour gaming marathon at our new place and it is going to be awesome.
The Bottle Imp: Trick-taking game that plays great with three. It takes a couple hands to figure out, but once you do it gets cutthroat because someone always gets stood out of their points, every round.
Yedo: A worker placement game with Lords of Waterdeep "fulfill these requirements, get these goodies" cards, but it took longer than the game of Die Macher I played at PAX. The box says 2-3 hours; our game lasted 4. Chalk it up to AP-prone players. The final tally came down to one person scoring a single specific card ("Kill the Shogun") that was worth 33% of their final score, a feat that is difficult to block without collusion among all the other players. I actually found the game pretty enjoyable, but I suspect winning hinges on knowing where that single shogun-killing card is (ideally, in your hand, or possibly placed on the bottom of the deck).
Race for the Galaxy: Rebel vs Imperium: The takeovers were difficult to understand at first, but clicked after the first game. We played the Rebel vs. Imperium 2-player takeover scenario twice in a row. The first game we both focused on the takeover mechanic and I lost miserably. The second game I kept myself from being vulnerable until the last two turns, and eked out a 3-point win. The new cards and homeworlds are excellent, too.
Puerto Rico New Buildings expansion: More variety is a good thing. A game with no small market and no guild hall? Fucks me up enough that I can play with friends that aren't Puerto Rico sharks and actually lose.
My Wave 3 ships for X-Wing shipped today. Spent about $60 for everything I need for two people to play in the third season of tournaments. After that though, the sharks are circling on this game. At the end of the year, FFG is putting out ship repaints with new pilot and skill cards, as well as mega-sized (mega expensive) ships that are not standard tournament-legal, but will again have pilot/skill/weapon cards that standard tournament players may need to field their best squad.
The frustrating part is that FFG has a big print-on-demand operation, but isn't offering upgrade packs of cards for people who don't need additional units of the repainted ships, or don't intend on playing in the "epic size" tournament formats (which also help to splinter a small community by offering two different formats).
Oh well.
Since I am moving in 10 days, I have been working the BGG trade market, getting rid of piles of unsolicited review copy crap. Traded for a shit-ton of Netrunner cards, so I'll be reading those rules soon.
So, I'm finally ordering the Eclipse expansion, and I thought I'd get my set organized. I picked up one of these 32-compartment plano boxes, and was looking around for cube trays for my population cubes. Looks like the original seller of those nice clear acrylic ones isn't making them anymore, but I found these, which don't seem too expensive. The only problem is that the minimum order I can do is 15. Does anyone want to split it and take seven of them off my hands next PAX East (or MAGfest)?
P.S. I'm also getting Hanabi (if I can find a cheap copy) and Glory to Rome, because Rome demands Rome demanding things!
EDIT: Also, wow. The original box art is so janky. An epic battle of clashing gradients!
Hell, I could use up to 9 of those trays if you can order more, although 7 will be more than enough 90% of the time. I'll be at MAGFest so I could go in on them with you and pick them up in a few months.
Alright, I'm going to get a quote from that fab shop.
EDIT: I'm also getting a quote from a local NYC laser cutting place, so hopefully that'll be even cheaper (and so I can proof them and order more if wanted).
There are two expansions, and I've only played with the first - it is just a collection of new buildings. These have some new mechanics (Forest House, Cloister) and some reworked ideas (Storehouse, Small Wharf). I find it useful with a group where I frequently play with noobs, because it puts me back into a position of having to discover obvious (rather than subtle) things every game.
The second expansion came in the Treasure Chest (and the Anniversary Edition) - I haven't played it, but it fundamentally changes the mayor rules and also removes colonists as a game-ending condition.
Ok, now I'm interested. I've only had one or two games end because of something other than running out of colonists. Even when we "accidentally" forget to refill the ship, those guys still run out too fast.
I have been thinking of upgrading my basic Puerto Rico for an anniversary edition since I can not find the expansion anywhere to get for the normal set.
So... I've actually started prototyping boards, card decks, counters, and rules for the board game project that's been fomenting in my poor head for about a year now. As someone who has never fit terribly well into the con scene and has few friends... how do I playtest this thing???
Comments
Probably twice during the game, you can make the call to do a big 3-card maneuver and add on to the castle in a very unexpected way. Then, when your opponent is down to their last 2-3 cards, you can see what pieces are left in their pile and make a smart move or two based on their future ability to capitalize off of what you play.
I also have heard decent things about Nanuk, but I know literally nothing else about it.
I don't think you understand how SJG works. Not all of their games are designed by their internal staff. Sometimes they just get pitched by (or discover) a competent designer.
Make sure to read the play tester instructions first! Tell me what you think!
Also thank Glob for Languini getting to Boston in proper, let me know how your group enjoys it.
I'm playing Hanabi as soon as I get the chance because I really do desire a regular co-op board game.
I am taking my board game to a play-test group this Saturday that is hosted by Game Salute. I am hoping for some good feedback.
The Bottle Imp: Trick-taking game that plays great with three. It takes a couple hands to figure out, but once you do it gets cutthroat because someone always gets stood out of their points, every round.
Yedo: A worker placement game with Lords of Waterdeep "fulfill these requirements, get these goodies" cards, but it took longer than the game of Die Macher I played at PAX. The box says 2-3 hours; our game lasted 4. Chalk it up to AP-prone players. The final tally came down to one person scoring a single specific card ("Kill the Shogun") that was worth 33% of their final score, a feat that is difficult to block without collusion among all the other players. I actually found the game pretty enjoyable, but I suspect winning hinges on knowing where that single shogun-killing card is (ideally, in your hand, or possibly placed on the bottom of the deck).
Race for the Galaxy: Rebel vs Imperium: The takeovers were difficult to understand at first, but clicked after the first game. We played the Rebel vs. Imperium 2-player takeover scenario twice in a row. The first game we both focused on the takeover mechanic and I lost miserably. The second game I kept myself from being vulnerable until the last two turns, and eked out a 3-point win. The new cards and homeworlds are excellent, too.
Puerto Rico New Buildings expansion: More variety is a good thing. A game with no small market and no guild hall? Fucks me up enough that I can play with friends that aren't Puerto Rico sharks and actually lose.
The frustrating part is that FFG has a big print-on-demand operation, but isn't offering upgrade packs of cards for people who don't need additional units of the repainted ships, or don't intend on playing in the "epic size" tournament formats (which also help to splinter a small community by offering two different formats).
Oh well.
Since I am moving in 10 days, I have been working the BGG trade market, getting rid of piles of unsolicited review copy crap. Traded for a shit-ton of Netrunner cards, so I'll be reading those rules soon.
P.S. I'm also getting Hanabi (if I can find a cheap copy) and Glory to Rome, because Rome demands Rome demanding things!
EDIT: Also, wow. The original box art is so janky. An epic battle of clashing gradients!
EDIT: I'm also getting a quote from a local NYC laser cutting place, so hopefully that'll be even cheaper (and so I can proof them and order more if wanted).
It'd be an improvement, really.
- Likes Puerto Rico enough to own the expansions
- Owns the expansions
- Would prefer to randomly set up the buildings for every game
- Thinks it takes too long to do
- Doesn't want to pay 99c on the iOS app store for a thing that does it
... I just made a script to do it for me: http://github.com/pence/PuertoRandomThe second expansion came in the Treasure Chest (and the Anniversary Edition) - I haven't played it, but it fundamentally changes the mayor rules and also removes colonists as a game-ending condition.
Ha.