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