Made of Orleans

Six gamers, one kitchen table. The gamers were Ian, Katy, Sam, Andy, Martin and me and the table belonged to Sam.

We began with a jolly six-handed game of Fuji Flush. In amongst all of the excitement about dick points (with Martin starting the game with a big swinging dick point, clearing five two-cards with an eleven) I snuck into a winning position and was down to my last card before anyone noticed. But then Martin noticed and after that, people seemed reluctant to join me. Luckily, when Sam got down to his final card, he put down a seven to make a fourteen with another seven already showing, and then I put down my seven. We pushed through together, and rejoiced in our shared victory

Andrew 0
Sam 0
Martin 1
Ian 1
Andy 2
Katy 2

After this, we split into two groups. Sam bundled Ian and I into a game of Orleans. Martin, Andy, and Katy spent a little time before deciding on Vikings.

Ian and I got a run through of the rules which are straightforward if a little fiddly with a lot going on with each turn. As I played, I started to get a feel for how to best manage my luck, while going for the, perhaps simplistic, strategy of Get Stuff.

Sam built Guildhalls as he hopped across the board while Ian ignored the map completely at first, preferring to build up his presence on the range of tracks that gave out little bonuses as you did. At one point, he was in first place in four out of six, and generating large amounts of money while also monopolizing cheese.

On Vikings, Katy was having a difficult time of it. Although she'd played before, it was a long time ago and up against two seasoned professionals like Martin and Andy, she was struggling. Martin reassured her that she was doing fine, but Katy wasn't convinced. And during the final count up, she made sure I noticed when she briefly edged into second place, before Martin and Andy sped off into the distance once more.

Andy 88
Martin 81
Katy 62

Back in Orleans, Ian's initial advantage was slowly being pegged back by Sam. Ian and I started building Guildhalls, and we even began populating the Town Hall.

On the other half of the table, Vikings had been replaced by Karuba. This Take-It-Easy-ish game of pathfinding is usually a big hit but Katy, stymied by Explainer's Curse, didn't seem to enjoy it as much as usual.

Martin 23
Andy 22
Katy 20

As Karuba ended, so we came to the end of Orleans. And what an ending. At first, once the scores had been counted, Ian had won. But, as we were packing away, Ian pointed to a lone citizen (a multiplier for an end-game bonus) on the board and asked what it was there for. Sam then realized that it should have gone to him (as the player with most Guildhalls) which would put him in first.

What to do? Does the original score stand or does Sam take the win? In the end, Sam remembered that he'd not explained this particular rule, and so he couldn't very well invoke it now. The initial tally would stand, with Ian taking first place.

Ian 125
Sam 123
Andrew 95

Now we were all back together so we decided to play 6nimmt as our nightcap. After two games against tough opposition, Katy seemed keen on a familiar game to level the playing field. However, before long, her enthusiasm waned as we embarked on a very tough game of 6nimmt. One impossible situation after another kept cropping up. In desperation, at one point, I went Dirk and was delighted when it came off and Martin had to pick up a row!

In the end, fully fifty percent of the players ended up past the losing score of 66.

Sam 22
Ian 46
Katy 62
Andy 67
Andrew 68
Martin 72

Which leaves us with the Division. This week, I've taken the points score and changed it so that zero points is 1066 and the leader's score is 2017. That way, everyone is represented by an historical event.

All Manner of Victories

It was a weekend of heavy gaming in the Morrison household, which I wasn't going to blog about, except for the dramatic, cathartic finish on Sunday.

On Saturday we hosted long-time occasional gamers Katie and Mark. After the remnants of curry and chips were cleared from the table, I asked what everyone fancied playing. Katie, as she always does, suggested Carcassonne, but unfortunately for her my copy had been leant out to a fellow parent from school. I perused the cupboard and suggested Black Orchestra, but Katie's reluctance to learn new rules meant the Fuhrer got to live to see another day. It's attitudes like that that saw Poland annexed.

Instead we played Riff Raff which I won (twice!) by shucking off my long-held habit of finishing last. Mark was on the verge of winning the first game, but all the pieces fell into the sea before his turn arrived, meaning he could only place one piece, rather than his planned two.

Mark had expressed an interest in Pyramid Arcade, so next we had a go at Colour Wheel. This was a big hit with Katie, and we completed our challenge with turns to spare twice. In the second game we threw caution to the wind and started grouping different colours at the same time! It could have been a disaster, but it was a triumph. Everyone was so pleased, I was instructed to take this photo.

loons

With Pyramid Arcade still on the table, we kept things pyramidy with a game of TreeHouse, which is very simple. I took possibly the worst GNN photo ever (and tweeted it).

at the time I really thought this was in focus

We then bashed through a game of Fuji Flush, where Katie went an interesting route of playing her high cards first. It worked up to a degree, as she stormed into an early lead. But I came back into contention, and with my last card the 20, grabbed the win from under the chiselers' fingertips.

Mondo was next, but we found it a rather underwhelming experience overall. "There doesn't seem to be much depth" Sally complained, as her internal gamer broke to the surface of reality for air. The evening was getting blurry at this point, but I think Katie won. Or Mark.

We finished the evening with Push It, returning to the game's recommended method of play: teams. Out of happenstance we ended up as boys v girls.  I'd forgotten how good team play is in Push It. There's more tactics on the table, and you remain invested in what's happening even after you've done two crappy flicks.

Mark developed a technique of always hitting the jack and pushing it towards my discs, and Sally developed a technique of flicking her discs into Katie's lap. The boys won the first game, but the girls took the second game with an extravagant three point flourish at the death.

*

On Sunday my mum came over to see the boys and then have some grown-up time in the evening. We had a little game of Tsuro which Stan won, then the boys showed Crysse what they'd built in the world of Minecraft: a floating house complete with balconies and a roller coaster. My mum is never one to get too excited by computer games, so when she responded with a slightly flat "Wonderful" Stan replied "Mmmm. A little bit sarcastic there".

A lovely family moment.

Later after tea and bedtimes and chats, I got the green light to set up a game. Because my mum's become more curious (maybe indulgent is a better word) of games that aren't necessarily Scrabble, I eyed up Orleans. No! said the voice in my head. Remember Tinner's Trail!

But sometimes I just have to ignore that voice, and run the risk of ridicule and loathing. So - with Sally still upstairs reading Harry Potter to the boys - I set it up and talked my mum through the rules.

Sally entered the room and almost did a comedy double-take when she saw the game laid out on the table. "I'm not sure I can go from stories to... this" she said, but I assumed a casual welcoming air that hid my mounting panic and rising temperature. I also took off my thermal leggings.

Then a strange thing happened. Despite our continued confusion over the difference between scholars and craftsmen, mum began to overtly relish playing. "I love this game!" she said, at least three times, then at the end she said it was the best of the games I'd introduced her to and I should bring it over next time I visit. Sally didn't quite reach the same levels of enthusiasm, but she did seem to enjoy it... The board and pieces are now slightly wine-stained, but never mind.

I think Tinner's Trail is actually simpler

As for the game itself, we missed out (deliberately) one thing, which was the events that define the passing of time in each round, but otherwise played accurately. Sally came to the map belatedly, whilst Crysse kept forgetting you can't move wheels. -The very idea; that a wheel would move!

They both built new buildings for themselves with my mum making a winery and emptying the game's supply of wine, which felt appropriate. I built a biblioteque, and kept joking about how I would go there in the evenings to let off steam - but it was a tough crowd. They were too focussed on other things, I suppose.

You can probably work out who's in the lead at any one moment, but for us it was all a surprise at the end. Sally scored 94 and Crysse and I tied on 120. She didn't want me to find out what the tie-breaker was in case she lost, so we celebrated our shared victory.

My Bag

Whilst the GNN party began in Easton last night, I was stuck at home - so I emailed my puppy eyes at Chris, who succumbed and popped over to keep me company.

We played Orléans, which takes the bag-building mechanic of Hyperborea (they both came out the same year) but applies it to the type of generic-influence-building-theme that's so prevalent in Euros. But nonetheless I enjoyed it - and preferred it to Hyperborea.

In a two-player game there's not much interaction, as you're busy with your own plans in the style of a Rosenberg game, albeit with additional bags. But as Chris pointed out, with four the experience would be very different, as you are moving around a map picking up goods and our gentle perambulations would be more of a bunfight with more players.

The other thing you're doing is increasing your support from various parts of the populace: Farmers, Traders, Craftsmen, Boatmen and Scholars. These 'followers' make your bag grow with potential - and theme-wise how they help all makes sense - but it's a game seeded with potential upsets, as you might desperately need to pull out a Trader to pull off your game-winning move, and get three boatmen instead.

I liked it, though my lack of focus on scholars meant I ended the game as a medieval ignoramus:

Chris 102
Sam 73

For our evening-ender we played Haba's new(ish) family game: Adventure Land! Move your adventurers across the board, picking up herbs (magic!) crafting swords (death!), gathering followers and killing fog monsters. The catch is your adventurers must always move onwards (down, or right) which gives the game a kind of vague story feel to it.

Unfortunately, in a game of very few rules, I outdid myself by getting the key one wrong, and we ended up with an underpopulated boards and our adventurers roaming the landscape looking for things to do. And I was too tempted by far-away lands and ended up with my adventurers clustered in the bottom corner of the board whilst Chris took the fame and glory...

Oh well.

Chris - lots of points
Sam - not so much