| Gamers: Jorge (patomas), Edel, Ian (shrapnel), Ken (wolfx), Henry (rhyen), Cheryl (c_mun), Siew Hui, Yee Ling, Dylan, Imran (redtag), Wai Yan (waiyan) and Jeff Au (jack208)
Games: Ticket to Ride, LifeBoats, Caylus, The Downfall of Pompeii, 18Scan, Colloseum, Power Grid, Manila, Die Handler
Location: Old Town Kopitiam & Boardgamecafe.net, Cheras
Date/Time: 14 September 07 (Fri) 8.00 PM - 6.30 AM |
KL BOARDGAMES MEETUP REPORT @ OLD TOWN KOPITIAM & BOARDGAMECAFE.NET CHERAS 14/9/07
by jack208
After the rousing meetup last week (7/9/07) where we also hosted one of the Catan Qualifier Legs, we are back to a more quiet meetup week especially since a few of the OTK regulars could not make it due to other commitments.
We still managed to squeeze in a good range of games from the old classic Ticket to Ride to faves like Powergrid, new games as in Lifeboats and an OOP game in Die Handler.
| FRIDAY MEETUP ROUND 1 @ OLD TOWN KOPITIAM CHERAS |
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Jorge and his wife Edel were the first to arrive to OTK. Ian (aka Shrapnel) joined him and together with Waiyan, they started one of the old classic, Alan Moon's Ticket to Ride while waiting for the others to arrive.
Alan Moon's bestselling game for 4p: Waiyan, Ian, Edel & Jorge
The remaining three - Wolfx, Henry and myself - started a quick game of Caylus on another table.
T3p Caylus between wolfx (in pic) henry & jack208.
Cheryl (c_mun) and Siew Hui were the next to arrive. They brought two other friends - Yee Ling & Dylan. After getting introduced to everyone (this was their first time to OTK Cheras) they settled down for a game of survivor ala LifeBoats.
Six new players for Lifeboats: waiyan, ian, cheryl, yee ling, dylan and jorge
The 3p Caylus game ended pretty quickly at our table and since wolfx has not experienced the joy of throwing meeples into volcanoes, we brought out The Downfall of Pompeii for him. Looking at the happy face on rhyen, this looks like a game he enjoys very much.
Time to chuck your fren's meeples in volcanoes.... aarrrgghhhh!
They were still Lifeboating when we completed our game of Pompeii. Redtag made a surprise impromptu appearance (he probably thinks we are playing TI3) and since the only 4p game we've were 18Scan, we decided it's time to introduce these two to the joy of 18xx.
rhyen was initially given the honor of doing the 18xx intro (via 18Scan) but halfway thru the game, the Lifeboats table finished theirs and shrapnel wanted to learn Colloseum.
rhyen, the 18xx teacher with new students redtag and wolfx on the Scandinavia map
| FRIDAY MEETUP ROUND 2 @ BOARDGAMECAFE.NET |
We concluded R1 at OTK with half-completed 18Scan and Colloseum. Some left but 5 gamers continued to BGC for Round 2.
Started off R2 with an old fave that has not been played for some time; Power Grid on the Germany map. The signs were indeed there that we haven't been playing this for some time as we forgot that with 5 players, we only play 5 areas - we played with all 6 areas hence the map felt "relaxed".
First Powergrid game for redtag
New Padawan trying out his jedi mind trick.... on the game components!
Manila (courtesy of wolfx) was next. This is a good filler game (though some games can take 1hr+) for 4-5 players, and since some have not played this, we decided to do this after Powergrid. Wolfx taught the game and off we go pushing our luck in Manila.
Jorge and Wolfx in a game of Manila.
Die Handler was next (and the last game for R2). This is one of my fave trading/bidding game where the objective is to climb the highest in the social status ladder. Money gets you there but money by itself does not win you the game.
The wooden wagon where you placed your trade goods to be shipped to another city to sell
In this game, each of us are traders... and we can buy any of the five types of goods, store them in warehouses (in any of the 6 cities) and later send them onto the wagons to other cities to sell them. From the sales proceeds (and hopefully not losses), we become rich and pay to get our social status updated.
Sounds reasonably simple yet the game is full of screwage almost in every round. It starts from the bidding to become the Wagon Master. The Wagon Master determines what goods can and cannot be loaded onto the wagon (before it rolls out to another city).. and at what price (yes, you gotta pay to have your goods loaded onto the wagon, and you pay the Wagon Master!)
Somewhat similar to Manila's bid for Harbor Master except in this case, you get to make money off the wagon loading and also control which types of goods are loaded onto the wagons. Usually if you have goods stored in the warehouse, you would want them loaded onto the wagon so that the goods can be sold.
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Mr Blue's not keeping up with the Joneses...
Strangely some players dun quite get the game. This game is a big fave of the Pudu Gamers too but I think some OTK regulars (aanemesis, ayheng) have played the game and were lukewarm to it.
wolfx is probably joining the Lukewarm Club as he gave up halfway thru the game and became Mr Randomizer (ala LostBoyz in the last Railroad Tycoon game at BGC). He literally took out his frustration via random bidding for wagon master!! LOL Anyway rhyen won this game after piping Jorge in the last turn.
R2 ended 630am; Jorge went home while three amigos (wolfx, rhyen and jack208) went for dimsum at Yulek. Not a bad session considering we got to play about 8-9 games.
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14-09-2007