But I'm getting ahead of myself. Five of us arrived at Joe's kitchen and we tried not to be disturbed at the pile of girls' hair in the corner. Myself, Sam, Steve, Anja and Joe (of course) were in attendance. We decided on a game off Joe's list of games he'd bought but not yet played: Hansa Teutonica. This had been suggested as a gaming option so often it was starting to feel like an in-joke: Joe suggests Hansa Teutonica, we all chuckle and choose something else instead.
But this week, we decided to give it a go. Joe patiently talked us through the rules and, although we weren't quite sure of the right strategy, we set about building routes and taking control of cities in Germany in the olden days.
It was a lot of fun, and taking control of the right cities paid dividends to those with foresight. I went for biggest network and a multiplier which, luckily, no one noticed until the end. Steve complained a lot about not understanding the rules, but was quickly in the lead alongside Sam.
But although I got bonus points for a particular route, I missed out on some other choice pickings, which left me just short of first. Sam luckily asked for clarification of a rule as the points were counted up which gained him enough points to avoid a draw with me and claim first place all for himself.
Sam 51
Andrew 47
Steve 41
Joe 39
Anja 33
As a nightcap, we decided on a quick round of 6nimmt. We tried to spice up the proceedings by talking in Italian "goomba" accents, until Joe pointed out that the mafia almost never play 6nimmt. We complained when we were dealt high cards, and we complained when we were dealt low cards. In fact, the only way to win the game is to be dealt no cards at all. But that's not an option so we struggled on.
It turned into a very close game in the end. Steve came in a poor last in the first round, but played well enough afterwards to bring himself up to second. I looked like being stoney last until I managed a clear final round. On the down side, Anja went from challenging for first to ending in last in the space of one round. Such is the cruel nature of 6nimmt.
Sam 36
Steve 47
Andrew 51
Joe 62
Anja 69
Thanks to Joe for a very enjoyable night. Hansa Teutonica was a success, and worth playing again now we know what everything does.
Meanwhile, it's an increasingly congested form table this week, with four gamers on eleven points. Amazingly, despite Sam's great performance, he stays on eleven points, but creeps up a place thanks to having a better more recent score. By the same method, Steve and I leap over Adam into third and fourth respectively. Anja, meanwhile, manages to fall to the bottom of the class, even below the mostly-absent Hannah.
| Points | ||||||
| Quentin | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 9 |
| Sam | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 11 |
| Steve | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 |
| Andrew | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 |
| Adam | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
| Jonny | 3 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 15 |
| Joe | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 15 |
| Hannah | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 20 |
| Anja | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 21 |
Shame we didn't get to try out Luddites! Sam.
ReplyDeleteI liked Hansa T; it feels a little bit fiddly rules-wise, but not too bad.
I like the playing time (1hr 25mins, though that would definitely decrease now we know what we're doing), and I'm intrigued by the timer - first to 20 points ends the game.
It feels as though that would be a difficult thing to control - Srteve ended the game but was in 3rd place, so I wonder what the strategy is. As Andrew (I think) pointed out last night, it feels like it's a game where you need to specialise. You need to decide which abilities you're going to try and develop, to have a chance of fully developing them.
Then again, perhaps it's game of two halves. If everyone spent the early game developing their abilities, no-one would be creeping up the points track at all. Then, everyone switches to getting offices on the board, and it's suddenly a race to the finish. That might feel a bit disjointed though.
Anyway, glad you enjoyed it, and I'd be keen to play again.
I liked Hansa, though I can imagine getting frustrated with it in the way Year of the Dragon can do your head in - lots of options and you're being stymied at every turn. As Andrew and I agreed on the way home, you can see Adam being very good at it. But despite that I'd be keen to play again.
ReplyDeleteBut if everyone is building up their abilities, then some canny young chap could profit by controlling an appropriate city. Let's play it again soon!
ReplyDeleteindeed.
ReplyDelete