Too many games too little time.
We tend not to play any single game multiple times in a row, there is always a new game on the shelf begging for a play. Therefore, this review is based on our initial reactions, after only 1 or 2 plays.
Recent games acquired have not suited the way we have been playing games for the past 15 years.
Are we just getting older or are the rules of some recent games became even less clear? They seem to take multiple readings and even once I think I’ve got them sussed, when it comes to explaining them to everyone else, I seem to fail miserably. I could highlight a few fairly recent additions, Le Havre, Dungeon Lords, Vasco. After a failed start my group enjoys all these games.
However, I’ve came to the conclusion that it’s not the rules that are the issue, but the complexity of the games themselves. These games possibly require a failed ‘first run’ through before getting to grips. We are not used to this, we like to get a game right first time, play it through, enjoy it, then move onto something else. For us, gaming time is too precious to spend 2 hours of a 4 hour games night, every Thursday, ‘getting to know’ a game. Then the game can take 2 hours plus. We usually enjoy trying to get at least 4 games to the table in a night. Is this what makes us a Euro Player?
So what about Brass? I have been reading for years the reviews it’s been receiving, was keeping away from it, since I knew my group didn’t like 2 hour plus games. But it’s in the top 10, I need to have it. When I got the chance to buy it for under 30 GBP, I snaffled it up.
I was eager to play it as we have enjoyed past Martin Wallaces games, Age of Steam, Liberte, Tinners Trail even Princes of the Renaissance.
Easily summarised: Play cards to place counters on cities in Lancashire. 5 different types of counters of increasing levels: cotton mills, ports, coal mines, steel or ships. Connect cities with Canals in the first pass, then railroads. Counters get flipped over when certain conditions are met, then score VPs at the end of first pass, remove all level 1 counters, start again with railroad connections. Score VPs again. Simple.
Except it wasn’t. Not the first time I tried to explain it. Initially we couldn’t figure out if you received victory points or cash for ‘selling’ cotton, money seemed really tight. We then realised we had forgotten about loans. Most games we keep away from loans, usually they carry a penalty. However, here it is different. Loans were more essential and the penalty was slight, a small reduction in your wages.
We gave up early on, since it was clear we were playing it wrong.
However, it didn’t stay off the table for long. With our experience behind us we started the next game in earnest. We all had a vague plan of how we wanted to approach it. We got to the end of the game, in under two hours and all enjoyed the experience.
You could really see all the systems coming together. Strategies were formed and we were able to annoy other players with placements, since cotton could only be sold at ports, grab all the ports. Lots of connections brings in lots of VP’s, go for connections. Lots of different ways to play. Income was coming in thick and fast the other player took more loans than myself and I ended up with the highest pay, but came in last.
It really didn’t matter. We had fun playing it. That’s why we play games. Another thing happened, which doesn’t happen very often, I began to think about the game after the event. I wanted to play it again and try something else out.
Martin scores again.
If you can get past the initial rules explanation, understand how everything joins together, you are in for an highly strategic and enjoyable game. It makes me want to throw out the other 400 games so we can play this more and concentrate to become an expert in just one.
Will never happen. Life’s too short.
No comments:
Post a Comment