Madison Board Gamers

— Back to Session Reports

Madison Board Gamers Session Report,
Wednesday, June 25th, 2003
 written by John Richards

Session 1
Date/Location6/25/2003 Madison Board Gamers
Session Length360 min.
AttendeesJohn Richards, Chad Krizan, Sara Friedemann, Joe Powers, Steve Mading, Mike O'Brien, Joel Uckelman, Ed McGlinn
Games PlayedClans, Euphrat und Tigris, Euphrat und Tigris, Hellas, Funkenschlag, Reds!
SummaryEverett and Todd are off to Origins, but turnout was still quite good. Joel resumed his Reds game from last week, while Sara and Chad and I started things off with Clans. Good games were played, two new to me and one classic that was well received. Unfortunately I had to run before Funkenschlag wrapped up, but Mike filled me in on the details.
Clans
Played By1-Chad K. 2-Sara F. 3-John R.
Game Length25 min.
SummaryChad introduced Sara and myself to this game. A good filler - a lot of game for a short period of time. My last move I could see Chad finishing the game on his turn, and found a way to exclude his color from one group. Didn't win the game for me, as Chad had done better scoring clans on his turns, but allowed us to tie. Sara was left behind by a bit, but at least the game doesn't drag.
Winner(s)John R., Chad K.
FinishChad K. (45) Sara F. (14) John R. (45)
RatingsChad K. (6) Sara F. (6) John R. (7)
Euphrat und Tigris
Played By1-Joe P. 2-Chad K. 3-Sara F. 4-John R.
Game Length60 min.
SummaryAn introductory game for everyone but myself. No monuments, Joe had one extensive kingdom that he alone ruled which was dismantled by the first external conflict, Sara was shorted on one color most of the game. Chad made a few mistakes (threw in all his red tiles in an internal conflict defending against Sara, not realizing it was her first move and she could start a second conflict before he drew more tiles) but still scored well.
Winner(s)John R.
Finish1-John R. (7) 2-Chad K. (6) 3-Joe P. (4) 4-Sara F. (2)
RatingsJoe P. (8) Chad K. (9) Sara F. (8) John R. (9)
Euphrat und Tigris
Played By1-Chad K. 2-Sara F. 3-Joe P. 4-John R.
Game Length60 min.
SummaryThe first game played quickly, and folks had enough fun that a second game seemed an easy choice (now that everyone had learned the rules).

Chad built a blue monument in the one river space, made it blue & black since those leaders were present, and held onto it for a long time (both colors for three turns, black until end of game). Had many (11 or more?) blue and black at end of game. Turned out the color he really needed was green (at one point throwing in his whole hand in hopes of green, but gaining none), and I won with a 6-6-6-5-1 distribution of VPs. Sara had one very hard turn where an external conflict she started went badly for her in two different colors, netting me most of my green for the game (5) and knocking her position down severely.

Joe and I fought on the other side, him using his catastrophe tiles to mess with my green and black leaders support (knocking them both down from 4 red tiles to 2, by hitting temples common to both leaders) while I used two tiles to cut off his green support. Kept us both busy for a long time.
Winner(s)John R.
Finish1-John R. (6) 2-Chad K. (5) 3-Joe P. (4) 4-Sara F. (3)
RatingsChad K. (10) Sara F. (8) Joe P. (8) John R. (9)
Hellas
Played By1-Sara F. 2-John R.
Game Length45 min.
SummarySara and I gave it two good tries. I'll probably buy this soon. I was surprised the "Attack with an extra Greek" card could be used on defense, but Sara was right to point out that the "Play on opponents turn" symbol wouldn't make sense otherwise. In the second game, that card came up three times in her favor (two cards, retreived once by Zeus) and once in mine, each time making a big effect (causing attacker to lose a turn and many Greeks). First game conflict only started when we were up to 8 cities each, second game conflict started earlier but still a fast game.
Winner(s)John R.
Finish1-John R. (2) 2-Sara F. (0)
RatingsSara F. (7.5) John R. (7.5)
Funkenschlag
Played ByChad K. Joe P. Steve M. Mike O.
Game Length120 min.
SummaryChad was first to connect 20 cities and trigger game end. However, Chad had power plants for only 18 of his cities. Mike was able to connect and power 19 cities. In this game cities powered determines the winner, so Mike was first and Chad was second. Joe and Steve tied for third by connecting 17 cities with enough power for all of them. Joe won the tie breaker because he had more money left at the end than Steve. It was Chad's first time. It was Mike's first time playing it for real, although Mike filled in for Tim for a couple of turns (while he took care of a phone call) one time in the past.

One of the highlights was the bidding for the number 60 water plant which can power 8 cities for free. Chad won the bidding at 110. Chad also had a windmill which powered 4 cities for free. Steve had an impressive oil plant which powered 10 cities. Mike had a garbage plant, a coal plant, and a coal/oil plant with total capacity for 20 cities. Joe relied heavily on a couple of uranium plants.
Winner(s)Mike O.
Finish1-Mike O. (19) 2-Chad K. (18) 3-Joe P. (17) 4-Steve M. (17)
RatingsChad K. (7) Joe P. (8) Steve M. (8) Mike O. (8.5)
Reds!
Played ByJoel U. Ed M.
Game Length240 min.
SummaryComments from Joel: We realized sometime last week that we've been doing something slightly wrong in resolving combat, so we may be calling the game and picking up something else for next week.

At present, the Siberian Whites have been pushed back to the Urals and probably won't ever be on the offensive again. The AFSR gave up their attack on Tsaritsyn (later Stalingrad) and spread out into the Ukraine, which happens to straddle a front boundary for the Reds. The Northwest Army moved on Petrograd, but was repulsed by the Red Army, an armored train, and the tiny Red air force. White random events have generated partisans almost exclusively, leaving the robust AIF units unable to attack (White hasn't rolled 6 on 2d6 in something like 15 rolls), while Red random events have produced a flotilla and a few armored trains, as well as sending a leader to the Central Asian front (where nothing of significance has happened!).
Winner(s)
FinishJoel U. Ed M.
RatingsJoel U. (10)
  Maintained by John Richards and Everett Proctor.