So, as I mentioned last time, Tuesday was my 35th birthday.  After getting my feet soaked earlier in the day, I sat pitifully in the game store all afternoon reading game rules and playing a couple of solo Agricola games in freshly-purchased socks.  Eventually, just as other boardgamers were arriving, I left  for a while to eat a birthday dinner with Gwen and Samantha.  We got back at around quarter 'til 7 and broke out the cake that we had brought. 

Most of the crew was finishing up a play of our Game of the Month!, Acquire [the ugly (or at least very busy) 1995 AH version].  We ate the cake, and then Gwen and I talked to Denise (the store owner) for a while.  Unfortunately, everybody else jumped into other games while I was helping Gwen get Samantha into the car and saying goodbye to them, so I ended up missing the boat for both the GotM! and the next round of gaming.  Fighting off disappointment, I decided to break out Space Alert and get it ready to go as soon as other players were available.  Then, as Cartagena and Aquaretto finished up, we got started...

Space Alert

I had read through the handbook for at least the first test run earlier in the day, so instead of reading it word-for-word to the other players, I paraphrased some and tried to explain the rules a bit more briefly.  Knowing that I was going to pick up Space Alert, I had gone to the Czech Games Edition website and downloaded the CD content in mp3 format, which I stuck on my iPod prior to coming.  I've been bringing my iPod speaker dock to provide background music since I developed the delightful Small World playlist last month, so it was really convenient to use it for Space Alert as well.

Anyway, we started by playing through the first test run, and quickly discovered that we had absolutely no freaking clue what the heck we were doing!  By some pure random miracle, however, we actually survived (mainly due to charging the shields at least once or twice) and had a much better understanding of what we should be doing.  Since it only took 17 minutes, we immediately reset and tried out the second test run as well.  Because we focused more on trying to shoot guns than charge shields, we actually took a lot more damage this time, but we also felt like we actually had a clue and still survived despite our incompetence.

Time: 17 and 16 minutes
Score: 2 Wins for the Brave Crew!

Finally, we decided to give it one more try, escalating up to the first simulated mission and reading the extra rules that it incorporated.  Now, I understand that this mission was still pretty tame compared to the real missions that come later, but we moved through it like a seasoned crew.  We managed power efficiently (recharging the main reactor just after it was depleted), destroyed 3 of the 4 threats, and even remembered to wiggle the mouse each phase to keep the computer awake.  By turn 9 or 10, all the threats were destroyed, so we all got drunk and took turns shouting "wee-haw!" and shooting at space junk for the rest of the game.

Time: 23 minutes
Score: Captain Denise, Comm Officer Chris (Me), Crewman Adam, Crewman Chip, and Crewman Josh - WIN #3 with 20 points
Ratings: Denise 8.5, Me 8.5, Adam 8, Chip 8, Josh 8

Space Alert definitely lived up to its hype for us in this first session.  There is certainly a steep learning curve both in understanding the rules and in learning how to coordinate actions, but enjoyment and fun with the game seem to follow the same curve.  I really hope that I can get this to the table a few more times in the coming weeks, so that we can at least get into some real missions to see how much more difficult they can become. 


The board during our Simulated Mission, along with my actions for the game.
Chicago Express

Adam had mentioned wanting to play Chicago Express a time or two over the last few weeks, so I included it in the huge pile o' games that I brought this week.  After our brave yet simulated mission in space exploration, we decided to pull out this stock-based train game and give it a go.  The first thing that I love about Chicago Express is how easy it is to teach and understand.  The first (and only) thing that I am getting frustrated with is that I thoroughly suck at actually playing it... and this time was no different for me.

Anyway, when we got started, Chip won the stock in the PRR to be the start player.  I opted not to buy any of the initial shares, instead using my first two actions to get the second PRR share along with one in the C&O.  Things moved well, and sometime near midgame, I found myself with the most money.  I still held only those two shares, however, and I feared for my ability to keep up with others as the game continued.

Not knowing exactly what to do, I just said "screw it!" and got aggressive.  Using my wealth, I picked up a second share in C&O and one in NYC.  Later on, someone else put up another share of C&O, and I spent well to keep my majority in it.  Unfortunately, most of us had ignored the B&O line for most of the game.  While its income was always near the bottom, Josh held all its stock, and was getting a solid $10+ at every dividend phase for it.  Similarly, he picked up the only share of Wabash that was auctioned as well, and while he didn't exactly get it cheap, it definitely made some significant money by the end of the game. 

So, as I said, I lost yet again.  Josh, in his first game, did what I have thus far been unable to do.

Time: 62 minutes
Score: Josh $81, Chip $73, Me $66, Adam $63, Alton $40
Ratings: Josh 9, Chip 8, Me 8, Adam 8, Alton 8.5

Maybe I worry too much and work too hard in the game.  Looking back, I had $47 or so at that point in the midgame that I mentioned above.  I only netted an additional $19 for all my hard work, and I probably would have made at least that much if I had only stayed the course.  But then again, I don't think that it would have been enough to catch Josh at $81.  Obviously, someone should have taken an action to dilute the B&O (and maybe even the Wabash) or to at least continue to make Josh pay for the monopoly.  But that wouldn't have specifically helped me, which still leaves me at a loss.  

I still enjoy Chicago Express a lot, but I just wish that I could better understand the indirect and obtuse strategy needed to do well.  Unlike many other games, it seems like new players tend to do at least as well (or maybe even better) than those of us with experience.  And again, I don't think that it means that this game lacks strategy, but maybe more that it involves a kind of strategy that is unintuitive; where pushing to improve your position may not be as wise an action as keeping what you've got.  We'll see, and maybe I'll even try to take my own advice the next time we get it to the table.

A Castle for All Seasons

I had heard a lot about this game from a few of the podcasts I listen to, and despite the somewhat tired theme (building a castle, as was done in Caylus, Pillars of the Earth, Arkadia, Castle Keep, and a ton of other games), I was intrigued by what I understood was a significantly deep and varied game with an incredibly quick play time.  Mechanically, it reminds me most probably of Mission: Red Planet with its role-selection mechanism, but then using resource management and worker placement for scoring as opposed to M:RP's area-majority scoring. 
 
Anyway, I had a decent understanding of the rules from reading them earlier in the day, so I did my best to explain them to Adam, Alton, and Josh.  Chip and Denise also hung around to hear how to play and watch a few turns.  Anyway, things went a little slow to start, but then picked up a little as we got into it and figured out what to do.  

We all sort of stumbled into different strategies, with me picking up the lesser silver-bar scoring, both "helpers in the castle" scoring spots, and the cheapest "unbuilt buildings" spot.  We also watched each other pretty closely, and when someone would pull off a particularly nice move with a role, someone else would try it out a turn or two later.  

In the end, a couple of nice Master Builder actions where I anticipated the construction of 2-3 buildings added to my end-game scoring and pushed me over the top for the win.  While I enjoyed the game overall, I also see a lot of upside here for successive plays of A Castle for All Seasons now that we know what we're doing and can plan out some more well-constructed strategies.

Time: 75 minutes
Score: Me 73, Adam 61, Alton 47, Josh 47
Ratings: Me 7.5, Adam 8, Alton 7.5, Josh 8    

It was a good evening of gaming which didn't end until after midnight.  But as always, it always ends too soon for my taste.  Right now, I'm planning to be off work on next Tuesday as well, so hopefully I can find an afternoon gaming partner or two to make up for this week's failed attempt!

Other Games Played

Acquire
Time: 57 minutes
Score: Alton $37.0k, Josh $36.2k, Mark $34.0k, Adam $30.3k, Chris $26.4k
Ratings: Alton 9, Josh 7.5, Mark 7.5, Adam 7.5, Chris 7.5

This was played with the 1995 Avalon Hill version, which I understand included some special power tiles, but I'm not sure if they were used in this game, or what exactly they do...

Aquaretto
Time: 25 minutes
Score: Mark 29, Adam 26, Chris 18
Ratings: Mark 7.5, Adam ?, Chris 8 

Catan Geographies: Germany
Time: 37 minutes
Score: Chris 10, Mark 8, Josh 6, Alton 5
Ratings: Chris 8, Mark 8.5, Josh 8, Alton 8.5

I still need to play this soon, especially if 37 minutes is a normal play time! 

Cartagena
Time: 25 minutes
Score: Chip WIN; Denise, Josh, Robert, Eliot - NOT WIN
Ratings: Chip 9, Denise 9, Josh 8, Robert 8, Eliot 10