Tuesday 29 January 2013

Hey that's my Thurn.

Having survived each their own mini hardship in the lead up to games night, James the nasty weather, Paul trial by small children and myself over cooking the carrots, we three sat down to begin playing mildly challenging Euro board games.  I made my feelings known right from the off by saying I wanted to play a game we hadn't done as a three. I suggested Thurn and Taxis and received no real opinion either way and so it was unboxed. Refreshing ourselves of the rules as we played I noticed that previously we had misinterpreted a rule where you collect scoring tiles for having post offices in adjoining territories. This, and with the additional player, changed the dynamic dramatically. Now the game was tighter and you weren't able to do whatever you wanted.

Another of my washed out very green looking pictures

Paul took up large chunks of Bayern whilst I occupied east and west region. Meanwhile James kept his powder dry silently scheming. The end of the game crept up on us after James' crafty plot to cover all of Bayern and take the first scoring chit meant that he had only one more post office to play. In the last round I managed to bag a few extra scores whilst Paul languished with a lack of cards, his strategy of lots of shorter routes not really coming off.

Game was very close with James winning on account of him getting the bonus point for finishing the game.

James - 26
Chris - 25
Paul - 17

Paul then did his usual trick of turning us over in Alhambra but not by such a greater margin as last time. I was bemoaning my luck when I missed out on the final tower to James making us tie for first place however, when we counted back I still wouldn't have won....

Paul - 135
James/Chris - 125

We had just enough time left for Hey Thats My Fish where Paul and I battled each other into mutually assured destruction and James sat at the other end of the ice floe hoovering up fish.

James - 37
Chris - 36
Paul - 23

I must have had a trying evening as on several occasions I jumped ahead of James to take my go. I blame the many nights of 2 player games affecting me.

We have now made a little mini pact to try and get through all of the games we haven't played, and who knows, with my birthday coming up there maybe a few more to choose from!

6 comments:

  1. Glad to hear Bracknell is now a regular three-hander! And I salute a write-up that ends with an open plea for presents.

    Must play Alhambra again. I think I overplayed it and moved on as a result, but it's a really nice game.

    Speaking of really nice games, my mum is buying me Railways of the World for my birthday...

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  2. Paul was making not too discrete enquiries about it last night. I wonder why! I have a feeling it wouldn't fit on my kitchen table!

    Yes my list of wants are as follows; Biblios, 7 Wonders, Medici and Tsuro. And I want Agricola so that I can just have it, take it out every now and again to look at it and never play it!!!

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  3. Thurn and Taxis is a game that I keep hearing about, but I've never played. The theme doesn't grab me, I'll admit. What's it like? Since it's set in Germany, I have visions of being crushed by Adam/Anja as they hoover up territory.

    Sorry about you having to cook the carrots, though. Hope you feel better now.

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  4. The theme could have been anything (True of most board games - In fact does anybody know of a game that feels remotely like they are doing what the theme suggests?) However it plays sort of like Web of power meets Ticket to Ride. It's OK as a two player but the three was much more enjoyable. The expansion was good too when Paul and I tried it...

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  5. If only I had just cooked the carrots, but sadly I over did them. WHY DID THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN TO ME!

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  6. Agricola and Tinner's Trail feel thematically sound to me. Railways of the World less so (certain cities want certain goods depending on colour) but it is a fab game and Paul would love it.

    I have played Thurn and Taxis though I can't remember it now - I traded away to Joe so I obviously wasn't bowled over.

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