It’s the weekend before I turn 50. And for the last couple of years it’s fallen that close to my birthday, so I treat it like part of my birthday celebrations. This year I also get to see the latest Avengers movie too (which I haven’t at the time of writing, but I’ve still got time to do so).
We started off our International Tabletop Day gaming session with the deluxified version of The Flow of History that I’d backed on a Kickstarter last year.
How to describe the game, it’s a civilisation style card game with that’s bit of an engine builder with a kind of auction mechanic.
The auction like mechanic is used to purchase cards to go in your civilisation (read engine). On your go you get to take one of about 4 actions. One of which is to put a bid on a card that has not been bid on yet in the market place. You can only have one bid active at a time. If on your next turn your bid hasn’t been sniped, then you are able to claim/complete that bid. You don’t have to, you can leave the bid there and do one of the other 3 actions available. One of them is sniping another players bid. That’s basically where if you have the resources you can match another players bid and take the card for yourself. The draw back is that player you are sniping the card from gets the money back plus half of the supply of resources rounded down. Which could be giving them lots of resources to snipe back with, or secure a card with so no one else can get it. It’s a rather nifty mechanic that can be quiet tactical, because you could put a bid in hoping to be sniped because you know another player needs the card.
There is some combat but it’s a very easy system to follow, quick, and doesn’t slow down game play at all. Plus it takes away the “so and so is just targeting me” because it relies on players building up defences and trying not to be the weakest. Being the weakest is the main criteria for selecting who to target in a combat, unless there is a draw for that honour. Then the attacking player gets to decide.
There is a hint of variable powers with the initial government card you get during setup. It kind of directs the direction you will take your civilisation. Mine had the military/combat symbol so that hinted I should be utilising this in the cards I selected.
I love the quality of the components of this deluxified version that TMG produced, especially the lovely metal resource coins. Metal coins are always cool.
I really liked the game, definitely a good decision to back this. Can’t wait to play again. Oh yeah, Jeff won this one with Diego and myself tying for first loser.
Our second and final game of the day was Anno 1701: Das Brettspiel. This is a German language only game I believe, which is a shame as I really like the game.
If you like Catan I don’t see how you wouldn’t like this game. It shares a lot of similar mechanics of Catan with some extras. Extras like unique player boards that you will develop, and depending on dice rolls get resources from. Plus you also have an exploration element where you are trying to explore islands to get bonuses and possibly extra resource opportunities. Then you have a too and fro for victory points on 4 tracks represent fire power, trading, happy populace and one other. Basically the leader on each track gets to claim a victory point, lose the lead and that point goes to the new leader instead. So until a player gets to the max position on the track that victory point isn’t safe.
Yeah a fun take on the Catan style of games. I might even have to track down a copy and print out the translated rules. It’s fairly language independent, with minimal text on game components.
It’s these extras that I really like. I enjoy Catan, but this for me is a better experience for a gamer. History will show that Diego managed to snatch victory away from Jeff, scoring a massive 3 victory points in his final turn. Well if he hadn’t Jeff would have won.
A great afternoon gaming, and some great first plays. How do you top that? Visit the local pet store to get some stuff for my mums cats litter tray. How life in the fast lane.