Saturday 17 March 2018

Beware the Ides of March

And the day after, too, for that is when me, Ian, Joe and Martin reconvened for another epic game of Time Of Crisis. It had been over two months since we last played and I spent some time before we began going over the player guide to remind myself what my options are.

We began at 8.15pm, with all four of us choosing to start in Europe. Ian had first choice and went for Gallia. Joe couldn’t tear himself away from Pannonia. Martin and I were keen to be near the action, so he went to Macedonia and I started in Hispania.

Early stages

When the game proper began, Zenobia arrived immediately in Egypt, miles from anyone. She continued to be a thorn in our side for half of the game, since no one could be bothered to go and fight her.

Meanwhile, Ian took Britannia, Joe took Syria, then an event card caused Postumus to pop up in Ian’s Gallia before Martin moved into Galatia and I went into Africa. I continued my tradition of poo-poohing the typical 3 blue, 2 red opening hand, and instead I began with 3 blue, 2 yellow. Somebody needs to.

There’s a round of consolidation and preparation before Ian leaps into action, kills Postumus and is first to buy a 3-value card. It’s a good start for him. On the other hand, Joe loses Pannonia (of course) to some Franks. Martin takes Asia while I continue to consolidate.

Ian throws a mob into Martin’s Asia, then a goth leader appears on the border of Thracia (currently owned by Ian): Cniva. Unfortunately, “Evil Cniva” becomes a bit of a figure of fun, since no other goths rise up to join him for hours, making him look pretty lonely.

The three goths behind him are clearly not that keen

Joe successfully retakes Pannonia and then fails to defeat the Nomads in Egypt. Then he is voted in as the new Emperor thanks to an exploding six! It is 9.05pm.

Martin can’t get rid of Ian’s mob and struggles over his move. He attacks Joe in Syria, but with one hit each it’s a draw. “The Gods smiled on me,” says Joe. “Shit,” says Martin.

I don’t have enough red points to go and fight anyone meaningful, so I move an army into Pannonia so it’ll be near the action when the shit hits the fan. That’s my thinking, at least.

Ian is then voted into Rome, but leaves Gallia undefended. Joe is unable to regain his place in the senate since he has no blue cards in his hand so he strengthens his two provinces. Martin takes back Thracia in order to weaken Emperor Ian.

Then I become Emperor, albeit a very weak one with support at level one. Meanwhile, my army moves from Pannonia into still undefended Gallia. Now it’s Ian’s turn to have no blue cards. He attacks me in Gallia and wins and I’m forced to retreat.

Joe’s crisis rolls send three Franks in Britannia. I’m so surprised that this sleepy outpost on the edge of the empire should get any attention from the barbarian hordes that I take a photo. Meanwhile, Joe takes Asia.

Britannia being interesting for a change

Martin wins two battles against barbarians and then becomes Emperor. A good move. My wounded (both physically and in terms of pride) army attacks Ian in Gallia but loses and is wiped out. With my other cards I recruit a governor (to go with my other spare governor) and build a basilica. It’s about 10.15pm and I have a feeling that I haven’t got started yet.

Martin 29
Ian 28
Joe 25
Andrew 18

It’s around this time that the event card for Inflation is revealed, making buildings more expensive. This card stays in play for a long time, rendering most displays of civic pride out of the question.

Ian becomes Emperor and plays Dannatio Memoriae, knocking four points off the deposed Emperor Martin. This, however, gives Ian two mobs which he puts in Britannia since it’s pretty screwed anyway.

After a long pause for thought, Joe declares that “I want to cause some bollocks.” He foregoes an attack on Italia in favour of invading the Alamanni homeland. He loses, 1 hit to 3. Clearly they were the wrong kind of bollocks. Martin can’t attack Ian either, and boosts support and builds legions.

I build a new army and, with some prompting from Joe and Martin that I should ignore Egypt, I attack Ian in Italia. I win! Then my basilicas help me to win the election too. I am Emperor again, but will Ian stand for this?

Ian, however, has a mess called Britannia to sort out. He ignores me in Rome and builds an army and attacks his occupying Franks. He loses by 1 hit to 4. Britannia falls to Franks and mob-rule and Ian scores just one point in this round. Painful.

Joe attacks the Franks in Pannonia, retreats from the Alamanni homeland and builds a basilica. He also has a mob, which he puts in Martin’s Galatia. “That was dirty,” exclaimed Martin who pointed out that he was neither Emperor nor in the lead.

As before, his hand isn’t equipped to clear a mob. “I just never buy yellows,” he says. Instead he goes to Egypt, nabs a nomad with a foederati card and then attacks Zenobi. He loses 0-2. “That’s fucking great,” he declares.

Then I attack Zenobia and I am victorious! I win a vote in Galatia and then become Emperor! With Zenobia’s win under my belt, I get a discount buying cards and with a half-decent empire for once I have money to spend! So much so that Martin points out I could afford another card after I say I’m finished.If anything, my position is too strong. I am definitely a target.

Meanwhile, the standings have now flipped upside-down.

Andrew 39
Joe 38
Ian 37
Martin 34

Then, as if to demonstrate my newfound target-ness, three Nomads invade my undefended Africa!

You wait ages for a nomad and then three...

Ian takes Galatia from me and Asia from Joe. He has another go at the Franks in Britannia. At first he draws 1-1, but a Flanking Manoeuvre gets him another try. He loses 0-1.

It’s 11.25 and inflation finally ends.

Joe attacks me in Hispania and wins the battle 3-2, but he can’t win the peace and fails to get his govenor elected.

Evil Cniva suddenly moves into action, heading into Asia with his one goth horde.

Martin declares a pretender empire in Thracia and Macedonia. Then he kills a nomad in their homeland for points.

I need to rethink my priorities, and with my support in Rome sinking and Martin’s pretender, I pretty much abandon my empire. I move into Hispania and force out Joe’s army and move another army back into Africa. But I’m still Emperor, even if I have no support or defence.

Andrew 47
Joe 44
Martin 44
Ian 42

Evil Cniva's short spell on the board ends at the hands of Ian. Spurred on by this, Ian then clears Britannia of the Franks. Joe keeps up this momentum of success: he takes Italia and becomes Emperor (it is now midnight, by the way). Then he takes Galatia and beats the Sassanids in Syria.

Martin is, as his turn begins, in last place. He moves an army into Joe’s undefended Galatia. All he needs to put his govenor in is not roll a one.

He rolls a one.

I then retake Italia from Joe and become Emperor again. I also attack Ian in Gallia for points, but we end up wiping each other out. On Ian’s turn, he builds a new army in Gallia and heads into Italia to fight me. Once again, we wipe each other out. But without my army in the capital, it is easier to take in an election, which Ian does, knocking me down four points with his Dannatio card. He is emperor and past sixty points so the endgame begins. It’s 12.25am and Martin offers people whisky.

In Joe’s last turn, he goes after Sassanids, but it’s a draw. He beats the Franks in Pannonia and builds. Martin has 3 red, 10 blue and 1 yellow points in his card. He considers what to do while Ian and Joe start packing away those parts of the game no longer in use. I think that might be a first for GNN.


Martin becomes Emperor and knocks Ian back four points with a Dannatio card of his own. I end the game quietly, regaining Hispania and taking Egypt. We finish at 12.50am

Martin 73
Andrew 67
Joe 65
Ian 62

An immense game, both in terms of length and emotions. And Joe points out that, since Martin ended up the winner, perhaps his earlier move of putting a mob into Martin's territory wasn't as unfair as it had looked. Just like last time, there were no stragglers so perhaps we’re getting the hang of it.


Or perhaps not, as Martin emailed us later to say we shouldn’t have been adding emperor turns when Zenobia was on the board. All told, between her and Martin’s pretender empire, only he and I should’ve rightfully got an Emperor turn but since we were tied for most turns anyway it doesn’t change the standings.

4 comments:

  1. Immense, indeed. An excellent game, best yet, and an excellent write up - I laughed all over again :) thanks all.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That was a fantastic game, thank you all.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, awesome session report! Makes me wish I had been there!

    ReplyDelete