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KL BOARDGAMES MEETUP REPORT @ OLD TOWN KOPITIAM & BOARDGAMECAFE.NET CHERAS 9/3/07
by aycee, rhyen, and jack208

The usual Fri evening meetup at Old Town Kopitiam (OTK) after we managed to break-the-bank last week (report still pending, sigh). Our break-the-bank session last 7+ hrs last week and it was even mentioned in our forum that "doing 1856 in 3 hours is the Holy Grail of Boardgaming", but everyone's still keen to come back again for another 1856 session, which is fast becoming the HOTTEST game this part of the gaming world.

But I bet surely no one expected what happened next in this week's 1856 session. Read on and you'll find out.

Three gathered at OTK for dinner at 730 pm - Ainul, Alan and Jeff. No. 4 (Henry) joined us soon after and we quickly embarked on our usual appetizer for Fri evening - Caylus.

While the Caylus session was going on, gamer no. 5 Long (LostBoyz) arrived.

We ended Caylus quickly by pushing the provost forward. Henry won, Ainul continued to wonder at the game, and the rest of the gamers trickled in - Alvin (aycee) and Heng (ayheng). Ken (wolfx) was supposed to car-tag with Heng but he's not here yet. Forgot to ask Heng what happened (but Ken did arrive later around 10ish).

We quickly settled our bill and adjourned to Boardgamecafe.net centre for our main agenda for the evening - a 6-player session of 1856!

The shortest 1856 game ever!!! (In Malaysia that is) A.K.A.: Don't need to hotsun one to screw someone!!! A.K.A.: Learning to be a corporate raider!!! Basically, after letting me win another game of 4-players Caylus at OTK (I kid you not. The proof is to your right, I am playing BLUE), the gang headed back to BGCLand to do 6-players 1856. We have Jeff, Ainul, Ay Heng, Long, Aycee, Alan and me (7 people). So, how do you play 6-player game with 7? Easy, we paired up Long with Aycee as his consultant/advisor/schemer-in-crime (who somehow managed to also become the banker throughout the game, asking people to exchange dollar notes).

The Six who started - Alan, Long (his advisor Aycee hidden by him), Ainul, Henry, Heng and Jeff (holding camera)

The starting order went: Henry (why do I always draw first in 1856?), Heng, Jeff, Alan, Long & Aycee, Ainul.

Results of Bids for private companies:

• Flos Tramway: bought for cost $20 by Henry
• Canada: Alan for $45
• Waterloo: Long & Aycee for $55
• Great Lakes Shipping: Ainul paid $95 (interestingly, there were 3 bidders on this one, Henry, Jeff and Ainul. Henry pulled out leaving Jeff and Ainul to drive the price up on this one)
• Niagara: Heng for $105
• St Claire: Jeff for cost $100

1st round of profit taking (from private company) as per usual.

Private Public companies started:

• Alan: GW ($65 per share)
• Long: LPS ($65 per share)
• Ainul: CPR ($70 per share)
• Henry: GT ($75 per share)
• Heng: WR ($65 per share)
• Jeff: CA ($70 per share)

additional stocks brought:

• Henry: 1 share of CPR

Operating round #1:
All companies laid tracks and bought trains (5 level 2 trains were sold, 1 left.) in their 1st round (except for Jeff's CA since he has no legal train route and cannot be forced to buy). Everyone wonder whether he would connect to a city first before the last level 2 train is sold.

Stock round #2 (priority with Heng):

• Long: 1 share of LPS

*Please note that all photos of stock round are taken prior to any trading of shares

Operating round #2:
All companies laid tracks and didn't buy any additional trains yet (Jeff's CA still managed to avoid do any train runs at all). GT, CPR, LPS and WR issued dividends while GW withhold dividends. CA still can't run and watches its share prices decline in tandem with GW.

OR#2: Tracks laid by GW (Alan), LPS (Long) and CA (Jeff) in the West

OR#2: Tracks laid by CPR (Ainul) and GT (Henry) in the North-East

OR#2: Tracks laid by WR (Heng) in the South-East


OR#2: All companies earning $5 EPS except for CA which has no route yet.

OR#2: Stock market position. CA has no route but GW has $5 EPS but chose to withhold

Stock round #3 (priority with Ainul):

• Heng: 1 share of WR

Operating rounds #3:
There was 2 operating rounds in OR#3 as the 1st sale of the 3-train triggered Phase 4 (where there shall be two operating rounds).

1st OR: CPR bought the remaining level 2 train to maximise delivery, necessitating several other companies (LPS, CA and GW) to take on govt loans loan to finance their purchase of level 3 trains. Jeff's CA finally found a legal train route just in time for power through; two level 3 trains remaining.

Dividend: GT, CPR, WR, GW payout. LPS, and CA withhold.

2nd OR: All companies then started utilising green tracks up upgrade existing tracks rather than expand and everyone's dividends soar.

Dividend: GT, CPR, WR, LPS payout. CA and GW withhold.

(Please note that CA and GW have finally moved into the yellow zone, as noted in the next photo). CA took another govt loan while CPR joined the ranks of company with debts liable to the Chanucks.

EPS chart after OR#3: GW now performing best with $14 EPS while CA with its new level 3 train earned $7

Stock round #4 (priority with Jeff):

• Jeff: 1 share of GT at $75
• Ainul: 1 share of CPR
• Henry: 1 share of GT
• Heng: 1 share of WR
• Jeff: sells GT share at $90 (blast you Jeff, corporate raider)
• Heng: sell WR shares
• Jeff: buys 1 share of CA

Operating rounds #4:
1st OR: GT, CPR and WR upgraded key cities and maximised their runs. CPR & WR both take out govt loans to finance the purchases of the last two level 3 trains. LPS expanded GW's eastern route but neglected to place his remaining station marker, which GW dutily complied to hem in LPS (thereby necessitating LPS to break out northwest of London later).

Note from jack208
Here, LPS missed a good opportunity to completely cut out GW and make his life terribly painful. If LPS has placed a token in the city south of Barrie (see picture below), and CA (which runs after LPS) likewise placed another token, this would have locked out GW (which runs last of the three companies in the West) from i) being able to use both its level 2 and level 3 trains, and ii) unable to destinate until it breaks out of that deadlock.

OR#4: The three companies in the West building up a profitable network. CA and GW have placed their station markers to lock out LPS from going further south.

Dividends: GT, and WR issue dividends, CPR, LPS, GW and CA withhold dividends; GW share prices dropped into the dreaded brown zone). CA takes out another govt loan and buys the 1st level 4 train, essentially wiping out everyone's level 2 train.

Note from jack208
CA has been planning to get the level 4 train for a few turns earlier by intentionally not connecting to a route and withholding its dividend. By getting that first level 4, CA achieved a few things: i) Everyone's level 2 trains were rusted with the bonus of wiping out GT's only level 2 train and forcing Henry into a FTP situation which nearly bankrupted him but in any case the damage would have set him back a few many good rounds, and ii) CA with a level 3 and now a level 4 train, pumped its EPS up to $20. The early rust of everyone's level 2 trains may meant most companies did not get breakeven from the cost ($100) of purchasing the level 2 trains.

OR#4: WR has now connected to its destination city and has started expanding westward from Buffalo. Pity the game ended prematurely else it would be interesting to see how WR fared in this instance as it has established a virtually unchallenged network in the South-East.

OR#4: In the North-east, CPR has completed its link to Toronto while GT started branching out to expand (but were hobbled by the FTP situation).

OR#4.1: Both CA and GW has entered the Yellow Zone.

2nd OR: GT's FTP requires Henry to sell off another GT and CPR share, depressing their share prices. but he rummages enough cash to finance the purchase (thanks to earlier profitable dividend issue; but must remember to keep for rainy days, Henry!). GT was unable to issue dividends as its only level 2 train were rusted from the previous round.

Dividends: WR, CPR, LPS and CA upgraded their tracks, maximised their runs and issued dividends. GW withheld dividends (dropping it's share prices further into the dreaded brown zone, about $35 per share).

The finished board after the operating round is to the right (below).

OR#4: EPS table at the end of Op Round #4. CA has jumped to $20 due to its level 3 and level 4 train combo while GT dropped to $0 due to FTP situation.

OR#4: CA playing a dicey game with the Govn Loans (has maxxed out to 3 loans) but that's needed in order to quickly finance the purchase of the level 3 and level 4 trains.

Stock round #5 (Priority with Alan):

• Ainul: 1 share of CPR
• Jeff: 1 share of GW (he starts conferring in Heng to shut down GW through stock price manipulation)
• Alan: 1 share of GW
• Long: 1 share of LPS (Long was contemplating buying GW shares after observing Jeff without realizing Jeff's ulterior motive, but Jeff warned him off and he decided to reinvest his profits back into his own company)
• Heng: 1 share of GW
• Jeff: sells GW shares (GW share prices drops to $30)
• Alan: 1 share of GW
• Heng: sell GW share (GW drops into the white zone, closes down)

The Hot-Dip maneuver - If you zoom to the Stock Market, you would notice GW hanging precariously just 2 boxes above the White Closed Zone. Sale of two shares will push GW over the edge....

Note from jack208
It was Heng who first spotted the Hot-Dip possibility. He nudged me and we contemplated for awhile whether to do it or not. Well, since it would be a historical moment for 1856-MY (we did not have any player bankruptcy for 1856 yet), we decided to go ahead. The funny thing was Long's eagerness to snap up GW shares when he saw us doing so. That was classic herd mentality at work! :P 

The end result of the share price manipulation is shown on the right.

(Watch the hapless investor wind up his insolvent company)

Game ends: 1 hours 59 minutes. Why? Because a private investor has gone out of business!

Celebrating the Hot-Dip Moment when GW closes down after seeing its share price plummeted into the Closed Zone when stock raiders (Heng/Jeff) struck! If we were drinking Guinness, this would have qualified for the Guinness Moment photo.

Note from jack208
This was our 2nd 6-player 1856 game; the first was played some weeks back when most of us were still exploring the nuances of 1856. I've to say the dynamics of a 6-player game is so much different from that of a 4- or 5-player. With 4-player, there was more time for us to build our network, take some profits, then decide either to start 2nd company or grow current company long-term. With 6-player, the train rush comes quite early and each player has only enough starting capital (player starts with only $250) to barely form one company so FTP threat can be deadly. Can't wait to do another 6-player session.

Credits: This meetup report was cross-posted from Rhyen's Blog.

Wolf In Sheep's Clothings We'd heard stories about it, but all of us put it down as stories to scare the children, to make sure they go to bed early. All that changed when Goodman Jack was found dead, his throat torn out, his body a bloody mess near the village gates. Everyone remembered his accusation the day before, "There is a werewolf amongst us, and he holds post within the village council!" That morning itself the whole village met to discuss Goodman Jack's death. No doubt about it, the killings were the work of a -gasp- werewolf. It wasn't just any boogeyman story any more. Given that our little village was isolated from the rest of the world, there was no doubt that the werewolf was lurking among us.

All villagers in good mood, it seems. Well, photo was taken before the wolves first killing

It wasn't a comforting thought. None of us would be able to sleep soundly until the werewolf was exposed and killed. Already, looking at the crowd, everyone carried with them folklore safeguards meant to protect them: cloves of garlic, pieces of silver, crucifixes...Village leaders Father ryhen, Goodman Long, Matron Ain, loreweaver ayheng, trader Wolfx, Chief Alan, old man Vincent and lexicographer aycee headed the council in attempts to expose the werewolf.

Goodman Long putting his points across

Father ryhen spoke first. Everyone else was scandalised as Father ryhen spoke of contacting the Village Seer, the local witch. While everyone acknowledge her prowress (and the necessity of having someone skilled in the arts of midwifery, herbology and other secret magicks), no one openly talked about her. Whatmore Father ryhen openly suggesting working with a heretic!

Everyone seems to be paying full attention to the ongoing discussion

Goodman Long voiced out against Father ryhen, condemning him and leading a group of villagers to believe that Father ryhen has been possessed by evil spirits and needs to be cleansed...terminally. Father ryhen's quiet manner was drowned out by Goodman Long's speeches, but not before causing the villagers to split into to groups of thought. However, having the majority of people behind him, Goodman Long and his mob burned Father ryhen at the stake as a heretic.

And they LAUGHED again... after Father Rhyen was lynced... geez

Everyone then went home, secured in their belief that their village is no longer under threat.

Old man Vincent was then found dead next morning. Dread swamped the villagers. Was there another werewolf lurking in our midst? Or, more horrifically, did we kill innocent Father ryhen in error!

Back to serious discussion after finding out OM Vincent was dead too

Matron Ain was suspected. A girl of easy virtues, she was accused of sneaking out at night and wandering about near old man Vincent's hut. Her remarks that we were 'stupid old men who cannot see beyond our noses' was a scream of defiance that went unnoticed. She died at the stake as well.

Next morning, Village Militia Chief Alan was found dead in his office. The MO was the same - ripped jugular, claw marks. This time there was no doubt amongst the guilt-ridden villagers. They were murderers, manipulated by the werewolf (or werewolves) to kill their own brethren while hiding their own tracks.

The survivors deciding again who to lynch

Throughout all this, village trader Wolfx had heard mutterings against him, but having no other basis than having the family name of Wolfx no one openly confronted him about being the werewolf. But with the werewolf still at large mutterings against him grew louder, the source of it coming from Goodman Long. Things came to a head among the village elders with trader Wolfx and Goodman Long at each other's throats (figuratively speaking) while village loreweaver ayheng and lexicographer aycee kept quiet. Since no incriminating evidence could be produced, the village elders decide to put the matter off till the following day.

And they LAUGHED again after yet another villager was lynched. Is this their way of coping with the guilt of lynching one of their own?

Next morning Wolfx was found dead. That night, loreweaver ayheng was visited by Goodman Long and lexicographer aycee, only to witness a ghastly transformation under the full moon...

Credits: This meetup report was cross-posted from Aycee's Blog.

We did two rounds of Werewolves before ending R1 around 1230 am. Five of us stayed back for R2 - rhyen, ayheng, aycee, wolfx, vincent and jack208. Since both wolfx and vincent have not played Puerto Rico before, we took the opportunity to introduce them to this wonderful game.

Vincent has to take his leave after Puerto Rico but he'll be back next week. The four of us then did Antiquity before we said goodbye at day-break. And oh dim-sum at the nearby restaurant.

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