Spielbericht 16.10.2002

Spielbericht 16.10.2002

Autor: Moritz

am Tisch: Peter, Aaron, Walter, Andrea, Moritz

auf dem Tisch: Das Amulett, Im Zeichen des Kreuzes, Drakon und Expansion Set,
Powerplay, Bluff

I was slightly worried about missing the European soccer championship game that
evening (Germany against Faroer Islands), but that game apparently was so bad that we
surely had better entertainment value with our selection of all-star games!

1. Das Amulett
   
   This relatively recent German offering includes many elements that I like: bidding,
   variable player powers, and fantasy. Well, the last element is really flavor only, as the
   game is rather abstract. Players collect gemstones – the first player to collect 7
   different ones (or ANY 8) wins. Similarly to “Die Kaufleute von
   Amsterdam” there is only one token on the map – whoever won the last bid can
   decide where it moves next. The board is divided into various areas with 2 different
   gemstones initially (there are more than 7 different colors, with different total amounts
   in each color), there are also “cities” with 3 different gemstones. All areas
   apart of cities have one metal symbol (there are 4 different metals of which each player
   initially receives one each). In these areas it is only possible to bid with this
   specific metal, only in the city can you use all 4. There are also areas with pyramids,
   and areas close to the “big wall”. These areas grant you special abilities, if
   you have certain “power cards”.

   The power phase is the most interesting of the game: each player has a stock of 10 energy
   markers that will either be “free” or bound to cards. As many power cards as
   there are players are drawn and auctioned off. The amount of energy that you pay not only
   beats the other players amount, it also defines how long you can use a card, as each
   round one or two energy markers (depending on the strength of the power card) are removed
   – if there are none left, the card ceases to function.

   Normally players will have from 2-4 “energized” power cards. Some of them let
   you draw specific metal cards each round, some of them make you select any metal card you
   want, some of them give you special bidding powers (for example forcing players to always
   bid at least 2 higher than you), some of them let you take energy away, etc. The
   abilities on the cards are varied and interesting, and basically through these cards the
   game is won.

   After the power bidding a number between 4 and 6 is drawn, this is the amount of
   movements the single pawn will make. At each stop the players bid their metal cards that
   fit the area (it is very often possible to bid with ANY card – if you have, for example,
   a power card that allows you to do just that in a pyramid space, for example). The
   highest bidder takes the gem of her/his choice. Then s/he decides where the pawn will
   move next. It is very interesting to watch what gems other players have acquired so far,
   as it is often possible to move the pawn to a space where the leading player (preferably)
   will get a gem s/he already owns, thus making victory more difficult. But again, beware
   of the power cards, as some of them can move gemstones on the map!

   The game is over pretty quickly, or rather more quickly than you wished for (“what,
   already? I wanted to win!”). It makes you want to play again immediately, which is
   always a good feature in a game. Probably not an evergreen, but a very nice and deep
   game, with elegant mechanics and nice material. I thoroughly recommend it, though
   non-gamers might have to get used to the rather nebulous fantasy theme.

2. Drakon, mit Expansion-Set One
   
   Diesmal zwang ich die Kollegen, das nicht so unglaublich geschätzte “Drakon”
   doch noch einmal auszuprobieren, diesmal mit einer kleinen Regelvariante (geliehen von
   “Carcassonne“): Es liegen immer 3 Dungeon-Tiles offen aus: wenn man
   nachzieht, wählt man sich ein Teil aus!

   Das hat 2 Vorteile: erstens besitze ich die erste Auflage des Spiels, sah aber nicht ein
   nur wegen des Expansion-Sets die ZWEITE Auflage des Spiels zu kaufen (in der 2. Auflage
   haben die Dungeon-Tiles eine andere Rückseite, die nur mit der 2. Auflage kompatibel
   sind, was ein normales “Ziehen” unmöglich macht). Zweitens kann man die gerade
   ausliegenden Dungeon-Teile noch mal Allen erklären, was bei diesem zwar simplen, aber
   durch die vielen unterschiedlichen Effekte der Räume doch recht unübersichtlichen Spiel
   nicht schlecht ist.

   Noch mal kurz worum es geht: 2-6 Abenteuer versuchen aus einem
   Drachenverlies zu entkommen, das sie während des Spiels selber erstellen. Der erste
   Spieler mit 5 Goldstücken gewinnt (anscheinend ist es nicht so wichtig, WIRKLICH dem
   Dungeon zu entkommen- “reich stirbt halt glücklich”). Fast alle Räume haben
   einen bestimmten Effekt, der nur beim Betreten wirkt, man bekommt Geld, dreht Räume,
   teleportiert durch die Gegend, klaut anderen Geld, usw. (es gibt unglaublich viele
   verschiedene Räume). Mit dem Expansionset kommt noch ein lebendiger Drachencounter (der
   beim Betreten bestimmter Räume durch die Gegend bewegt wird) hinzu, der vor allem andere
   Spieler ärgert (go back to the beginning, lose 1 gold), außerdem ein gutes Dutzend neuer
   Raumeffekte durch neue Tiles.

   Durch die oben beschriebene Regelvariante wurde das Spiel kürzer und schmerzloser, und
   der sonst stark empfundene “Kingmaker”-Effekt trat schwächer als sonst zutage.
   Kein supertolles Spiel, aber mal ganz nett zwischendrin. Das Glücksmoment sollte man
   allerdings sehr hoch einschätzen!

3. Im Zeichen des Kreuzes
   
   This predecessor of “Wallenstein” also uses the “dice-tower”, an ingenious
   device which serve as an interesting randomizer for combat. You throw in the wooden
   armies of the enemy and your own armies at the same time – 50 percent will stay in the
   tower and come out at a later time. Armies that DO come out are compared, higher total
   wins. Foreign accidentally released armies will be transformed into reserve armies for
   you (i.e. “freed prisoners”). A surprisingly simple and fun system – ok, there
   is luck, but it makes for much more fun than throwing dice…

   “Im Zeichen des Kreuzes” lets the players reenact the horrible crusades – as
   crusaders of varying reputation. The game is played on a map of the Mediterranean. Each
   crusader starts with a handful of armies and treasure chests in predetermined areas. The
   goal of the game is to reach Jerusalem, which, at the beginning of the game, is fortified
   with 15 armies (more will be added during the game). There are also two independent
   pirate and land armies each, which mostly serve as an annoyance for other players.

   Movement works through playing region cards: there are 3 sorts (mountain, plain and sea)
   and a joker which can be used as any region. Some of the cards bear army or ship symbols
   – these move the neutral armies. There are an abundant number of both Christian and
   Muslim cities on the map, ready to be plundered. It is actually often equally good to
   attack Christian cities, as the booty is the same, but the reputation will suffer
   slightly (making you redraw less cards, which is bad). Christian cities also serve as
   places to pray (gain reputation) or to hire new armies (with treasure chests, presumably
   from the last ransacked town). Once a city is sacked, it is removed from the board and
   cannot be used again. Certain event cards force you to never attack a certain city to
   gain defined bonuses. After conquering a small number of Muslim cities it quickly becomes
   your duty to attack Jerusalem. Your first attacks will be hopelessly outnumbered, but the
   pope will give you new armies as a bonus, so next time you will be stronger. After
   probably 2 hours of play one player will be the first to conquer Jerusalem and win the
   game.

   Basically this is a racing game, not a war game. As battles mostly cost you the same
   number of armies as you will gain through plunder, so you will try to reach your quota of
   conquered Muslim cities and then proceed as quickly as possible to Jerusalem, to gain the
   bonus armies for your first attacks (which usually end in losses).

   A light, not very deep game, which still manages to project a reasonably detailed
   “historic” atmosphere. There are lots of opportunities for annoying the other
   players, which adds to the fun. Combat can become repetitive, but is rather quick, so it
   doesn’t matter that much. It is also not important to win ALL battles – you have to
   win the RIGHT battle in the end. All in all this is a game that certainly will appear
   again on our table.

   But careful: Check if you have assembled the tower correctly before you start playing –
   we discovered we hadn’t in the middle of our game, and this forced us to stop playing
   as many armies had become stuck in the rim and therefore created an unfair situation for
   some players without us knowing it!

4. Powerplay
   
   This is the German version of the excellent American card game “Slapshot“,
   which, slightly inspired by the black film comedy with the same name about ice hockey
   (starring Paul Newman), became most known in it’s old Avalon
   Hill edition.

   You won’t find a Paul Newman card, but rather an assortment of fantasy and parody
   characters very removed from real ice hockey in the German version. Each player randomly
   draws a team of 3 attackers, 2 defenders and a goalie. Every turn each player has 3
   options: 1) exchange one player card for a randomly drawn card of the same type
   (presumably in the hope of getting a better player). 2) Randomly steal a card of another
   player and replace it with a card of your choice from your own hand (risky, but worth it
   if the other player is known to have a strong team). 3) Challenge another players team
   (you have to challenge each other player before challenging the same player again).

   Who can score 5 matches wins the game.

   Games (or rather battles) work a little like the card game “War” – Each player
   selects a card secretly, the higher card scores a goal, with some special rules (goalies
   always stop attackers, or concede to the higher goalie, certain defenders have the
   ability to incapacitate the opponent’s card, forcing him to exchange the card after
   the game, etc.). There are even players with “special abilities”, like the
   “Hydra”, which is stronger if played late in the game.

   All 6 cards are played and the higher scorer wins (sudden death continuation is
   possible, if there is a draw). Card play is relatively random for the first 3 cards or
   so, but becomes increasingly tactical, as you know what cards have been played and which
   ones not. Also, the other players will watch the game like hyenas – if a player is known
   to have a weak team the others will certainly take advantage of that knowledge.

   All in all this is a really fun game – it plays quickly, uses at least parts of your
   brain that other games do not use, and it is also cheap. A true classic, especially as a
   quick starter or light finishing game.

5. Bluff
   
   ’nuff said: Aaron won!