Thursday 12 February 2015

Under mountain problems

Wednesday saw the East Berks collective meeting up in order to get their game on. Lords of Waterdeep with the Under Mountain expansion had been pencilled in from last time we met but first I wanted to try out Red 7, a recent purchase, which was new to us if not to the good folks of Bristol.

The rules are simple but trying to explain them not so much but eventually we got there after playing an open round which I won collecting 3 points. They were to be the only points I managed. James found an early pattern for victory and drummed up 15 points in no time. My luck had deserted me. On one hand I wasn’t even able to lay a single card after Paul laid Red 7 before me and my hand reflected a sea of violet cards. Then Paul made a stunning comeback and reached 20 points in successive hands. It was at this point, with one eye on the clock, we drew the game to a close. Waterdeep was beckoning.

Paul 20
James 15
Chris 3


We decided to play the Under Mountain board and card set alone rather than combining the two expansions. Under Mountain seems to add another level of interaction where nicking stuff off each other is heftier with the use of certain intrigue cards. It was with one of those cards that Paul suffered a dilemma. I was striding round the board bedazzled by completing the huge 40 point quests whereas James set about completing a lot of smaller quests and building an impressive pile of lord bonuses. In round 7 he claimed to have a card that removed a lot of cubes from a players tavern with James being a the likely recipient having accrued a sizable collection. In the end the gentleman side of Paul won over and he declined to play it much to the relief of James.
 
Contemplating
In round 8 we were all neck and neck and looking over at James’s huge pile of completed quests I concluded that Paul and I were probably playing for the runner up spot. One of the problems with playing 40 point cards is in the balancing act that you complete fewer of them. You need to be a fair bit in front to counteract the lord bonuses.

However, this was not to be. James had taken a new Lord card which gave him bonuses for every Under Mountain quest and building he had completed. Not, as he had first thought, for every quest and building. Therefore I won on a technicality.

Chris 175
James 169
Paul 165

We finished up with a round of No Thanks.

Paul successfully completing a large chain made him the stand out winner.
Paul 43
Chris 82

James 83

2 comments:

  1. Haven't played Undermountain yet but I have played Scoundrels of Skullport, which was fun. In that one you can go to the black market and get lots of stuff dirt-cheap, but you also pick up skulls which are BAD. But there's ways to get shot of them. Part of the appeal of Waterdeep is its so easy - I played it with some friends' little girl (Peppa) and she liked it so much we got it her for Christmas!

    Then Peppa had to explain it to her mum and dad...

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  2. Ha! Yes it is an entry level game for work placement. We played the Skullport version at christmas and we've vowed to play both combined next time. Although you have to play with one extra agent so it could take all night. Both expansions work well and add to the game which is a rarity with expansions.!

    Red 7 was weird. I'm sure there is a strategy in there somewhere.

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