A Very Short Update

I wanted to write a short post to explain that I may be slowing down with my - admittedly already sparse - blogging. I have just started a new job, which is consuming all of my brain space. So until I get settled in to my exciting and scary new job role I won't have much time to fit my blogging in.

However, I have acquired some new games this month! And I'm excited about playing them and writing about them.

So look out for posts about the above games in the not too distant future.

I will also do my best to keep up to date with Bidmeadman's Besties.

I always wish I could be blogging more, but I haven't been doing it for very long, and finding time for it has proven trickier than I imagined it would. Thank you for baring with me, and I will continue my attempt to share my passion for games with you.

Bidmeadman's Besties: July

The Duke (Catalyst Game Labs) is a 2-player strategy game with a feudal theme and a timeless, classic feel.

The game is played on a 6x6 square grid, with each player having a set of double-sided wooden Troop tiles. The Troop tiles each display an abstract pattern indicating its move set.

Both players start the game with the same three tiles; one Duke and two Footmen. These are placed on the board, and then on a turn a player can either draw a new tile randomly from their bag and place it adjacent to their Duke, or move one of their tiles already on the board according to that tile's move set.

After a tile is moved it is flipped over. As mentioned before each tile is double-sided, and the two sides have slightly varied move sets. This means a tile's movement changes back and forth between two configurations with each placement.

When a Troop tile moves in to a space occupied by an enemy Troop that Troop is captured and is removed from play. The game is won as soon as a player captures the opponent's Duke.

There is a good variety of movement between the pieces. Some can simply move a few squares in a direction, some can jump over other pieces, some can slide across the board however many squares the player wishes in one direction, some can strike other pieces without moving, some can move other pieces. Often a piece can do a number of these things.

It's an abstract strategy game that feels like it's been around for centuries. An understandably common comparison is Chess. The difference in The Duke is that you can't plan too far in advance as the tiles are drawn randomly, so you have to think on your feet and adjust your strategy according to what you draw and what it adds to your tiles already in play. This is one of the reasons I am so fond of The Duke. I'm not very good at Chess as I'm not good at coming up with long term strategies, but each game of The Duke is different due to each sequence of tiles in each game being different.

The rulebook lists variations of play/alternative objectives you can try once familiar with the basic game. There are capture the flag type games you can play using the Flag tiles included in the game. There are games that pit one particular Troop against several other Troops. There are games that require you to win by earning points through specific objectives.

There are also enhanced tiles that can be included in the basic game rules to add variety and extra strategy. The Dragon for instance is a neutral tile that attacks Troops if they come within range of it. One of its sides is vulnerable however, and although it can't be captured, attacking it makes it more aggressive and lash out. So the right positioning and timing can be used to a player's advantage to create problems for the opponent.


The basic rules on their own bring plenty of replayability, but the inclusion of the other variations of play and bonus tiles means The Duke will be back on the table again and again.

They even include a couple of blank tiles and sheets of customisation stickers so you can create your own Troops.

The Duke is a fantastic game; the tile drawing fills each game with anticipation; the multiple move sets and variety of movement makes each game unique, varied and exciting. Each game is often quite short - usually around 20-30 minutes, depending on a player's analysis paralysis. Although never feeling too short, it always makes you want to try again and see which tiles show up next. This also makes it a good warm-up game or a game to play while waiting for your group to arrive.

The Duke is a modern game with a timeless feel that more than earns its place among the Besties. It's length and accessibility make it an easy choice when looking for a solid two player game, and you'll probably be playing the basic game for ages before you even think about including things like the Dragon or the Mountain. And then there's the alternate objectives/variations of play to explore. And the customizable tiles! There's plenty to explore and experiment with, but at the heart of The Duke there is a solid, fun, satisfying strategy game that feels familiar yet unique.

Do you have an opinion on The Duke? Do you know of any other abstract strategy games I should check out? Let me know here or on Twitter.

Castles Of Mad King Ludwig

If you want to know a bit more about how Castles Of Mad King Ludwig (Bezier Games) plays before reading this post go here.

I'll tell you right now what I think of this game - I absolutely love it!

I keep playing it, and the more I play it the more fulfilling it becomes. A few of us have found ourselves half way through a game and saying to each other "I can't wait to play this again!". It takes a special game to want to play your next game while you're already playing. Building a castle in itself is satisfying, but the room pricing mechanic, with the Master Builder setting the prices and collecting the money the other players then spend on the rooms adds a depth to the strategy and a nice level of player interaction that could've easily been lacking.

I've played several games with each player count (1-4) and I can't decide which I prefer. Playing it solo takes out a big part of the fun: the Contract board. If you are the only one buying room tiles then there's not much point setting the prices for yourself. In a solo game the prices for the rooms are set randomly based on the drawing of the cards. Fun can still be had building your own castle, and the rulebook lists score milestones to reach in an attempt to add a challenge to playing it on your own. The bonus cards (Utility cards) are still included in solo play, but the Favors become obsolete.

At the start of the game each player is given three Utility cards - two of which they can keep - and more Utility cards can be collected by "completing" Utility rooms (more on completing rooms later). Utility cards give you extra points at the end of the game for specific things. For instance, one card might give you 1 point for each square shaped room you have in your castle at the end of the game. Another might give you 8 points if your castle has at least one of every type of room in it at the end of the game.


Favors are similar to Utility cards in that they give you extra points at the end of the game. However, Favors add a little more direct competition. The Favors are placed on the Contract board above the room tiles for all to see. Above them are point amounts for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th . So, one Favor might display square rooms; the player with the most square rooms in his/her castle at the end of the game will score 8 points, the player with the second most scores 4 points, and so on. This injects a little healthy competition and further spices up the pricing step, as players have a better idea at a glance what rooms their opponents might be aiming for.

Rooms are worth points for simply building them, but also points can be gained or lost based on which rooms are adjacent to each other. Finally, each type of room has a completion bonus. When every doorway of a room in your castle leads into another room that room is complete. Once this happens you gain the completion bonus for that room. These range from taking an extra turn, to collecting extra money, to re-scoring the completed room. A good game relies on utilising all methods of point scoring (makes sense, doesn't it) to get the maximum points during a turn and also to build up lots of points at the end of the game. You can find yourself creating satisfying little combos; placing a room and scoring the centre room bonus, but at the same time completing a room which lets you take an extra turn, which allows you to buy and build another room, which means you complete another room and score another completion bonus. You get the picture. It's fun!

I would've assumed that the game would be more fun the more players you have, but Castles works great with two players. It still remains challenging, and the game time seems to be exponentially shorter with 2 than with 3 or 4, at least with the games I've played so far.

Castles may look complicated (at least that's what I've been told by people who have sat down to play their first game) but it's actually really simple to play. The challenge comes with setting room prices and capitalising on the many methods of scoring points. Once the rules are explained and a new player has begun to play you can actually see the realisation dawn on them that: 1. The game is actually quite simple; 2. There's an exciting amount of ways to score points; and 3. Laying down rooms and seeing your castle take shape is a surprisingly joyful experience!

   

I've reached the end of a game of Castles and spent time before packing it back in the box just sitting and admiring the layout of my castle. Building each unique, wacky castle layout is so much fun. Figuring out where you're going to slot the next awkwardly shaped room in to your growing masterpiece surely shouldn't be this exciting? I swear there have been times when I've thought do I put this room over here where it'll score more, or over there where it'll look better? They have been tough decisions! 

It took at lot of planning to get these two Cabinets side-by-side.

The game feels nicely streamlined, and the simplicity makes room for strategy and fun. Each turn you just buy a room, and also set the prices if you're the Master Builder. Even on your first playthrough your brain's not over-loaded with rules and turn sequences and such. It's just about making awesome castles and getting the most points for your money. And in that it manages to be really fun and satisfying.

I think Castles Of Mad King Ludwig is one of the most fun games I've played. While there are strategies to develop and things to learn in order to pull off a decent win, it's immediately fun. It doesn't make you earn it through try-harding and repeated play, the fun is just there straight away to grab hold of. And within that fun there is still competition and conflict and progression and technique. It is a game that I will be playing lots more, and will keep getting excited about playing.

Do you have any thoughts on Castles Of Mad King Ludwig? Feel free to drop me a message.

Bidmeadman's Besties: June

This month's Bestie is a short, compact, perfectly formed 2-4 player game called Love Letter (AEG).

No need for fancy extras, like a box.

Princess Annette is heartbroken, following the arrest of her mother, Queen Marianna. As a player you are a suitor looking to court Annette and bring her some joy and affection. However, the Princess has locked herself in the palace, so you must rely on intermediaries to carry your love letter to her before the day is out.

Love Letter consists of 16 cards, each has a character, an ability and a number on it. There are eight characters in total, so some of the cards are duplicates. At the start of a round each player gets dealt a card. On a turn you draw a new card and then discard one of the two cards in front of you, activating the ability of the discarded card. A player wins a round by being the last player to be knocked out, or - if the deck runs out with two or more people still in play - by having hold of the card with the highest value. Rounds continue until someone has won a predetermined number of rounds.

I've never seen so much back story and characterisation in such a small, simple game. Love Letter is among a series of games based within the fictional city-state of Tempest. The rulebook gives a small insight into the world, along with setting up the story behind Love Letter and giving detailed descriptions for each of the characters on the cards. It's an awful lot for what is essentially a 20 minute game of deduction and luck, but the theme feels genuine and purposeful. The artwork is beautiful and thematic too.

Love Letter is an ideal filler game or warm-up game. It's short, relaxing and simple but with just enough deduction, bluffing and luck to keep things interesting. It is, absolutely, one of my favourite fillers to play. It's also ideal for a lazy Sunday afternoon, when you are all sleepy from too much food but still have a hankering for a quick game. My wife and I have discovered that it's possible to play a game during breakfast, while the little one is busy munching on toast.

If you plan to play around food I recommend card sleeves.

The abilities are well matched with the values on the cards. The higher scoring cards are what you want for winning the game, but they are risky. The longer you hold on to a high card the more likely someone's going to play something that sends you out of the round. You have to think on your feet and adapt to each card that gets played, being mindful of what cards have been played, and therefore, which ones are likely to be in your opponent's hand.

The mechanics couldn't be simpler: draw a card, play a card - and you never have in your hand more than two cards. But the card abilities are varied and unique, and all have a great synergistic quality (not always in your favour). The balance of the cards and the simplicity of play means no one has a clear advantage while playing.

If you are looking for a quick, casual card game that is easy to learn and relaxing, with enough strategy, luck and theme to bring you back again and again, Love Letter would be hard to beat. I struggle to think of another game I've played that balances simplicity and enjoyment so well.

Coming Soon... Castles of Mad King Ludwig

I've got a new game! Look:

I've been wanting this game for a long while and - thanks to Father's Day and an over-generous wife - I finally own a copy.

So here is a brief intro post detailing the game with some unboxing photos. Then, soon, I will tell you what it's like building castles for The Mad King!

Castles of Mad King Ludwig (Bezier Games) is a tile-placement game for 1-4 players in which you are tasked with building a castle for Mad King Ludwig. This is achieved by buying room tiles and placing them in front of you, connecting them to create a crazy castle layout. Building rooms earns you points, and connecting the right combination of rooms will earn extra points.

Each player in turn gets to take on the role of the Master Builder. The Master Builder starts the round by drawing room tiles and placing them in the order they wish on the Contract board, setting the prices the players will pay. Then, starting from the Master Builder's left, each player chooses which room they will buy and build, paying the Master Builder. The Master Builder goes last, purchasing from the remaining available rooms and paying the bank. Then the next player takes on the role of the Master Builder and restocks the Contract board with room tiles, rearranging them as they wish.

The art of Castles lies in setting the prices for rooms strategically; hopefully steering your opponents away from rooms you wish to own without paying too much yourself, and trying to get the most money out of people. There are bonus cards which reward extra points for collection certain types of rooms, but I will go in to these in more detail in my main post, along with the various room bonuses and the point system.

So, I will be back in a while (after June's Bestie) to express my first impressions of Castles of Mad King Ludwig.

While You're Under My Roof...

...you play by my rules

(or, why it can be no fun gaming with me)

I love to have people over to our house for games. It's the central hub of gaming activity within our social circles. I love to get snacks in, put together a music playlist, and generally make people feel welcome. I love being introduced to a knew game, so I love to offer that experience to my friends and family whenever I can. And I love to play by the rules (I say love, it's more of a need).

I have been teased many times for the way I rigidly enforce the rules during games. But the way I see it, if it's my job to pour over the rulebook and learn a new game, and hold it together and walk people through it while others are learning, then I reserve the right to play by the rules. Also, if I'm hosting a game night, and I'm providing the game, I reserve the right to lay down some ground rules about playing my games in general. And enforce them! Is that so much to ask?

So, here are a few things that I like people to keep in mind when coming over for a game. If you can stick to these things then I'm sure we can have lots of fun!

Don't Bend The Cards

I don't tend to sleeve my cards. It's an expense I can't afford. Plus I don't like the idea of having to re-box some of my games to fit sleeved cards. So most of the time my game cards are nude and vulnerable. I don't want them to be all dog-eared and creased after a few trips to the table. This mostly (mostly) applies to younger players, and it's hard repeating this rule 5 times during a game because you're not being listened to and not sound like a massive square. But there you go, I'm a massive square!

Curb Your Analysis Paralysis

Game time is precious when you're a parent, there's not a lot of it. I don't want to reach the end of the night and only be half way through a game. Now, I understand that some games require thoughtful decision making, and if it's a particularly heavy game I will wave this rule, but we rarely play deeply strategic games as a group. so does every move need to take 10+ minutes? If it's your first play of a game you're not going to know the perfect strategy, so don't agonize over your first move for ages. Just get stuck in and make mistakes.

Let Me Explain The Rules

I understand some people learn better by doing, because I am usually one of the those people. Unfortunately I am also rather anally retentive and so if the game is new to more than one of the players at the table I need to be allowed to explain the rules. All of them. In detail. I just do!
And by all means humour me and glaze over while I explain. But don't expect me to make decisions for you when it's your turn because you didn't listen.

If It's A Co-op Game Don't Be An Alpha Gamer

"I think if we're going to win what we want is for you to move over here and pick up this item, then you need to use your special ability to move him over to me so he can give me this card, and then I'll move over here and do this, which gives you space to move here and collect this item. OK, that's what we'll do." 
This rule is probably more for me than anyone else. When trying to enjoy a co-op game there's nothing worse than one player making all the decisions. Actually there is one thing worse; one player making all the decisions, and then moving everyone's player pieces for them!

Let Me Win Occasionally

Just follow these rules and let me win the odd game and I'm sure you will be invited back. Fun 100% Guaranteed (not a guarantee).

!!!

Bidmeadman's Besties: May

This month it's Power Grid (Rio Grande Games).

In Power Grid the object is to create a network of cities and power them using power plants. Each round you start by buying power plants, then you buy resources to fuel the power plants, then you build your power plants in cities on the game board. Once a player has reached a predetermined number of cities in their grid the game ends, and whoever can power the most cities with the plants and resources in front of them wins. Creating a network of powered cities costs money, but the more cities you can power the more money you can make. So how you balance your spendings and earnings is key to success.

The first step - buying power plants - is done through an auction. You have eight plants on display, each with a base price; the four cheapest are the "actual market", the four most expensive are the "future market". On your turn you have the opportunity to start the bidding on one of the power plants in the actual market. Then each other player is given the opportunity to out-bid the last in the hope to own the plant. Once a plant is purchased another is drawn from a face-down deck and placed within the market, readjusting so the four cheapest are the "actual market". So the future market acts as a way for the players to know what will be available to bid for soon.

Once power plants are purchased the next step is to buy resources to power them. Each plant needs fuel; coal, oil, garbage, uranium (except windfarms/solar plants). The resource market gets more expensive the less resources there are. So coal might cost two elektros (Power Grid's currency) per unit, but as players buy it it'll become three elektros per unit, then four, and so on. So if everybody's using coal-powered power plants it is going to become a pretty pricey way to power your cities. Resources are restocked at the end of each round, each one restocking at different rates. This means a fuel that is more expensive at the start of the game may become a more economical option later on.

The third step is building plants in cities. Each subsequent city you purchase has to connect to one you already own, creating a power grid. A connection fee must be paid when building in a new city, and connection fees vary. You must, therefore pick wisely when connecting cities, otherwise you may spend too much too soon.

Once every player has had a chance to do these three steps everyone can spend the resources they've bought to power their cities and earn money. Money is collected, the resource market is restocked, the auction is adjusted, and a new round starts.

Collecting your money once you're a few rounds in, and have acquired a good amount of cities and the plants to power them, is very satisfying.

There's a lot to keep track of in Power Grid; certain circumstances will cause the auction to be adjusted; fuel is replenished differently depending at what point in the game you are at; player order is changing all the time. A smooth and fair game relies on at least one person knowing the rules really well. It takes a good amount of concentration to hold it all together. However, when you've got a game going with players who know what they're doing Power Grid is a whole lot of fun. I mean, I REALLY enjoy it.

Each of the three steps is a pocket of excitement and tension. The auctioning of power plants is great fun, trying to secure the plant you want while trying to get your opponents to pay too much for theirs; bidding wars have been fun to partake in and to watch. Much satisfaction can be had buying up a resource first for a good price knowing someone else needs it and is going to have to pay through the nose.

You can only buy the fuels that the plants you own need.

Finding the best routes around the board to connect cities takes a lot of forward planning, as to start with each city can only have one player's power plant built within it. A carefully thought out power grid can save you money, but also cost your opponents, as they have to navigate more expensive connections to get past your cities to a vacant space. You have to be constantly aware of your opponents actions.

Player order is determined by the amount of cities each player owns. Whomever has the most cities goes first, the player with the second most goes second, and so on. At auction turns are taken in player order, with first place getting to choose which to bid on first. When purchasing fuel and paying for cities turns are taken in reverse player order. It's a clever way of balancing the advantages players have over each other; powering more cities than anyone else means more money than anyone else, but this also means paying more for fuel and potentially more for connections to cities. You're also less likely to pay the base price for the power plant that you pick.

All the elements of Power Grid come together to make a totally cohesive game. It's solid. It's about planning and taking chances. It's fun.

The one thing I have to say against Power Grid is, although it says 2-6 players, it doesn't really work as a two player game. The auction is made redundant with two players, as there is plenty to go around and never the need to fight over one particular plant. Plus there seems to always be enough space for you both on the board when buying cities, taking away the challenge. I believe there is an expansion available that addresses the issues that arise in two player, but I'd rather not spend additional cash to make the game playable.

Get three or more players together, however, and this game is a blast. Every element is unique and varied, but comes together to form a well balanced, exciting, challenging game.

If you have any thoughts on Power Grid share them with me here or on Twitter.

ChrisCon 2015: part one

This year is a milestone year for me. My birthday is in November, and to celebrate I had the idea to host a week long gaming party, and call it "ChrisCon".

The early May bank holiday was coming up, so as a way to trial the idea with my family and friends (and as an opportunity to play some games, obviously) my wife and I put on "ChrisCon 2015: part one"; a gathering to take place from Sunday afternoon until the Monday night, where people could come and play lots of games. My thought was lets take this hobby seriously for a change.

So, we invited the people in our lives whom we felt would enjoy the opportunity, organised baby sitting (for the Sunday at least), cleared tables and floor space, got snacks in, and hoped for the best.

It seemed to go pretty well.

People came with enthusiasm and vigour.

Our close friends and gaming regulars, Sarah and Andy, brought with them every game from their collection that I didn't already have (which was most of their collection).

Adam, a man I don't get to game with anywhere near often enough, presented me with the gift of a print and play party game along the lines of Mafia or Werewolf. Unfortunately we never got around to playing it, but it is something I will definitely be trying out soon!

Lots of games were played. People revelled in classics, and fell in love with new ones. Playthroughs ranged from 15 minutes to 3 hours. There was elation, frustration and laughter.

And the consensus from most was that two days wasn't long enough.

It was a fantastic two days full a games. Something, as a parent and someone who works Saturdays and most bank holidays, is usually just a pipe dream. It was an experience that made me look back and wish I had gotten into board games a lot earlier. But we made it happen and it was fantastic.

So, ChrisCon 2015: part two - coming November.