Any boardgamers?

[Gekneldeland]

Dunno if this is too off-topic (pc games), but I kind of strolled into the boardgame world via HoMM V through warhammer II (great game in its own right, very dissapointing compared to previous release) and finally Warhammer fantasy (boardgame). Looooong story.

So, I've ordered myself Twilight Imperium and War of the Ring (bloody expensive stuff but looks terrific). Why not warhammer? Well, it's too expensive for too little and I get the feeling it's more about the little figurines than the game these days... dunno, just my feeling.

So, anyone playing any great boardgames? Any suggestions for good strategy games?

B.t.w. Has anyone thought of the boardgame possibilities for HoMM? Personally I think it could be interesting. It already feels somewhat like a animated boardgame .

[klaymen]

I play boardgames too. I own only World of Warcraft: the boardgame, but my workmate is quite a maniac. We played together Prophecy (a Czech game, probably unknown out there), War of the ring, High voltage, Caylus and several others, not that good for me (Pillars of Earth, Notre Dame and such). In a few days we are going to have another playing session, he will show me Twilight struggle and Agricola, probably few others too.

[Kristo]

I've tried to like Twilight Imperium. I really have. I can't do it. Thirteen hours and nothing to show for it. Three times. But don't let me stop you.

I played Railroad Tycoon the other day. That's a good game if you have enough people. Five seems to be a good number. I've also tried the updated version of Blackbeard published by GMT Games. There's plenty of opportunity for what my friends and I call "screwosity" - the ability to play a card or an event to completely derail another player's plans.

HOMM, interestingly, lends itself pretty well to being refereed by a computer. You'd have to simplify the rules A LOT to play a complete game at the speed you can play on a PC. I think that would be a Bad Thing.

[Gekneldeland]

@Klaymen - twilight struggle? Is that like a expansion or something different? War of the Ring - did you enjoy it? I know many reviewers think its great.

@Kristo - 13 hours!? Mmm, I've heard some people get VERY frstrated with it. Still, I'm (we) will give it a try.

HOMM simplified? Well, I don't think thats bad. You see, I find that some board games (the few I've had my hands on) lend themselves quite well to simplified rules. But it has another charm that you can't replace with all the calculations and stats of a perfect replica.

Mmm, I'd have to play a lot more games to see what the potensial is, but could be interesting. Maybe just change the gameplay a bit to compensate for taking away the HEAVY parts of the game.

[klaymen]

Twilight struggle is about cold war, it is for 2 players (USA vs. USSR), players draw events and fight for supremacy. I didn't hear about Twilight imperium (yes, shame on me), but I'll google it. About WotR: it is fine, but we were only two, so the game started to bore me. Maybe with more players it will become better, but it is just my oppinion.
Btw I reccomend you Imperial and Caylus (both are more about skill than about luck, you don't use any dice).
About HoMaM boardgame: it will be hard to convert, you will have to find some compromise between hardcore difficulty (calculations between many factors and variables) - PC version and not too simplified game, to keep the spirit of HoMaM games. I think it should use dice for randomness (luck, morale) + card effects (spells). Don't forget that the game should be easy to play, more maths than playing will ruin the fun

[Talin_Trollbane]

last boardgame i played was HeroQuest in like 1995. still have it in my storage.

[Lord13]

I played Warhammer board game many years ago.
I droped it cause is too expensive hobby for me, I
was starting to creating a Wood Elven army, I loved
the whole thing, build the army, paint myself my own
models, but was too expensive really.

At past I played ofc also Hero Quest, I painted the
miniatures also! Later I discovered the Dungeons And
Dragons(2nd edition) with which I was playing with many
friends for many years. Was great experience but I have
not got so much free time anymore

Ah, Risk btw is a classic board game, really fun to play,
I played sometimes the LOTR version, was good

[Angelspit]

I play casual games these days, like Ticket to Ride and Carcassonne. It's much more difficult to find players for long games such as Zombies!!!, Return of the Heroes or Formule Dé.

There is a HoMM boardgame, in CCG format (with a tiny board). I have yet to see it in store though.

[Kristo]

If you like Zombies!!! you might also like Last Night on Earth. LNoE is a mostly cooperative game where you have to work together to kill enough zombies (played by one or two people) before sunrise. Thematically, the game is excellent. I will warn you though that it isn't easy for the humans to win. They did a good job of keeping you on the edge of your seat.

[Gekneldeland]

@Lord13. Yes, Warhammer is way too expensive, and too FEW people around who's playing it (at least in my country - South africa).
Painting the Figurines is great! The War fo the Ring contains a ton of beatiful figurines begging for color! One guy who tried it to paint them all took more than 2 months (few hours every day), and that was with his wife.

HeoQuest? Heard about it. Is it some old type of D&D style game, like Descent?

@Angelspit. Carcassonne? Heard a lot about it. Germain design. Seems the Germains make the best board games. Not visually as flashing as the American designed, but they aim for good gameplay. You know like little downtime, player interactivity and duration.
I'm going to google for that HoMM boardgame - just for curiosity's sake

@Kristo. Sounds great! I'm kinda looking for some co-op games. Just something different to play. I'm checking out Arkham horror - based on H.P. Lovecraft's work. Not so much a thinking as a 'work together type of game'. You can even play it on your own! I've been a PC gaming nerd for more than 15 years so this boardgame territory is a bit new except for D&D and the usual shite.

[ThunderTitan]

Monopoly bitches... used to play it outside on a bench or a greasy, cemented pipe intersection inside the kindergarten grounds with all guys/gals from the neighbourhood... fun, dangerous times...


And i never got why you need figurines to play WH... just use chess pieces or something else if you don't have the money... buy only if painting is your hobby and you feel it's worth the mullah.

[Gekneldeland]

Lol! Yeah, I guess any boardgame could be really intense depending on the situation. D&D with rapists and murderers in a cellblock is going to be different than your normal geek with a fake cotton beard and a cloak stolen from mom's wardrobe.

And I agree with you there. Warhammer is overpriced. I thought of really taking some time and building up those figurines with highly detailed printed cardboard paper - stands and everything. Some people do it and it looks terrific - haven't seen any Warhammer stuff though. But still, don't know if it is a legal issue... you know, copying replicating figures.

[ThunderTitan]

There'd be a lot more man-rape for one... (because a geek you can easily fight off...)


And i wasn't talking about copying, but just using the equivalent of a piece of paper with the words Tac Squad on it... sure, for official GW tournaments that wouldn't work, but otherwise you're peachy...

[Angelspit]

LNoE is a mostly cooperative game where you have to work together to kill enough zombies (played by one or two people) before sunrise.

That reminds me of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a rather light adaptation of the TV show that features some interesting cooperative play, and fairly good components.

@Gekneldeland: I think Carc has some good artwork, and the board looks marvelous once it is completed. I really like the fact that you can mix and match the expansions to completely change the way the game is played.

For the Heroes CCG, check this out:

http://www.heroesofmightandmagic.com/he ... game.shtml

[Talin_Trollbane]

HeoQuest? Heard about it. Is it some old type of D&D style game, like Descent?

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/images/thing/699

[PhoenixReborn]

I remember hero quest. Fun times. I also remember playing some war strategy games. Blitzkrieg, Tactics, Alexander etc. Too bad I still suck at heroes.

[Gekneldeland]

@Thundertitan - Well, I don't want to copy the 3D physical model as such, just make a cardboard paper printed edition with a image of a Space marine slapped on (like a photo of the figurine itself or even make my own artwork).

@Angelspirit - Thanks for that link!

I found this:

https://www.celestialheavens.com/439

A review of Heroes and just quickly mentions the reasons why to play a bit watered down ver. of the pc game - it's the whole boardgame atmosphere. Different to a computer. So simplifying a M&M game will not be bad... I really need a break from my PC.

@Talin. Thanks for the link! Seems to be much like descent. Love the figurines.

(B.t.w. Just a side note: I tried Battle for Wesnoth last night. Pretty good game. I was actually a bit surprised. The game is simple, but rich and still intense enough to satisfy some hard-core strategy lovers. Love the 'look and feel'. I see a HoMM boardgame somewhere there )

[Angelspit]

I really need a break from my PC.

That's what I love with boardgames. They are easy on the eyes, you can interact with your opponents directly, they are more relaxing, etc.

[Jolly Joker]

I used to play ALOT. Today, though, I play leisure board games.

If talking about FANTASY boardgames you have to name this one: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/714
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talisman_(board_game)

I remember playing it a couple of times, but in my opinion this was too much leisure/luck. Depending on the gamers, though, you may have fun with it.

This one is more serious, especially for a Heroes gamer something very enticing:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/103
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_(game)

I have an original AH copy, by the way.

I enjoyed Dark Emperor as well, another AH game that wasn't too popular. It's a bit unbalanced, but that'd due to the radically different situation of the 2 players, so a typical game involves actually a rematch with cahnged sides:

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1719

Lastly the one that brought me to fantasy wargaming:

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1997

I've got the expansion pack as well (of course) and this one as well:

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2046

[Gekneldeland]

@Jolly joker. That Titan looks amazing!

Seem to be a old game but with a very loyal following... some good strategy involved. You seem to play your engaged battles on a another map (?). There's a Valley games edition 2008 - a reprint of the original Avalon Hill title. Looks stunning...

I want this!

My War of the Ring will arrive some time next week. Some say it's boring, but I'll give it a try and give my opinion (some time). We could always keep drinking beer untill someone starts a exchange rate tactic with monopoly money... boredom sometimes manifests in strange ways - I know