Civ IV is the name of the game. I have five 3 man teams on the board, grouped by geography. My team is Ethiopia, Mali and Zimbabwe. We are currently in the lead, but, we still have one more team to discover.
Yacht club tonight for dinner with the missus. The rest of the weekend, probably continue TW Rome Iceni campaign. Hopefully play some Dustwind with a co-worker.
The GROGPUBLIC OF ROME is open for players to sign up, at last!
(https://imageshack.com/a/img923/4029/exojOB.jpg)
(Although I've updated that board a little more since last weekend...)
Click here to the forum game (or its introduction anyway): (http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=22819.msg628433#msg628433)
A little farther downthread, I provide some snapshots of a demo game after Turn One with three players. (http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=22819.msg628443#msg628443)
Some sample snapshots from the Militarist player, who (as you might expect) was elected by the players to go prosecute the first war, but who maaaayyybe should have waited another turn or two:
(https://imageshack.com/a/img921/7458/8foSq3.jpg)
(https://imageshack.com/a/img923/8271/CGX2sq.jpg)
The official basis rules for the game (http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=22819.msg628536#msg628536) are posted as a pdf attachment at that link. I'm using an expanded variation of those rules, which I haven't posted up yet but which I'll attach below (sorted as a topical flowchart so that I can keep up with them better).
The rules kinnnnnnnd of boil down to this:
0.) Setup Phase: fully automatic, Players do nothing. I'll create the scenario decks; set up the board; deal at least two family Senators to each Player (reporting their stats); randomly deal one hidden Faction card to each Player (p-mailing each player as to what card you've got and what it does and when you can use it); and randomly assign one Senator of one Player as a temporary Consul. I'll assign a Faction type to each player based on current Senator stats (and explain your Faction's special skills). This will also assign the "clockwise order" around the table. At that point I'll report initial conditions to the Forum, and provide some snapshots so players can be introduced to their factions.
00.) Turn Zero: Running clockwise from whoever holds the temporary Consul, each player will choose one of your Senators as your Faction Leader (I'll explain why that's important) and decide whether to hold or play a few types of Faction cards to buff your Senators early. (Most Faction cards can't be played until parts of the Republican system have been established, however. In the first several turns Players will be 'building' the Republic.)
Those two Phases won't be repeated. Each Turn will consist of 7 other Phases, with Turn 1 having a few special rules which I'll explain at the time.
1.) Mortality Phase: an entirely automatic phase, this randomly checks if any senators die from indirect causes (even on the first turn!). Later in the game, it also advances some Imminent Wars to Active.
2.) Revenue Phase: a somewhat automatic phase, where all the normal money generation and billing happens. Previously exchanged money among Factions gets activated here, and similar exchanges can be made without delay. Players can also move money between senator and faction treasuries, and direct your senators to donate to Rome's treasury. A GAME LOSING PHASE if Rome can't pay its bills.
3.) Forum Phase: This is where Scenario or else Random Event cards are rolled, drawn and played, one for each Player (all of which is automatic one way or another). Each Player, one after the other, will also spend a round working out a sequence of four or five relatively simple choices for your Faction (early in the game more like one or two choices), while I'll do some potentially complicated automatic stuff behind the scenes.
4.) Population Phase: a short entirely automatic phase, dealing with civil unrest. A GAME LOSING PHASE if Players haven't been successfully managing the slings of outrageous fortune.
5.) Senate Phase: a highly regimented player interaction and choice phase (with some automation). Each Turn, Players must vote Senators into various offices, and vote on some Republic administrative choices. Assassinations can be attempted here, too! The Senate Phase is the meat of each Turn. Early in the game there isn't much specific business to vote on.
6.) Combat Phase: wars play out now. Usually entirely automatic. A GAME LOSING PHASE if more than 3 Wars remain Active after the Combat Phase!
7.) Revolution Phase: Players each take a round to buff up their Senators with Statesmen and Concessions; discard (or donate) down to <=5 Faction cards; and (if valid) decide whether to rebel.
After that, the next Turn starts with the automatic Mortality Phase.
To recap: each Player has a few choices to make in the Revenue Phase; a few choices in the Forum Phase; a number of things to hash out together and vote on during the Senate Phase; and a few choices to make in the Revolution phase. Most of your choices and actions will be during the Senate Phase; and I take care of all the automation.
I start introducing the 8 Factions here (http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=22819.msg628783#msg628783), which I plan to finish up today (with the final 3).
I'm hosting a game day next weekend, and since three out of four of us are in our late 50s, we're going to go old school and play Panzer Blitz. So this weekend I'm going to break out the game, re-learn the rules, and push some cardboard around. And since I'm hosting, I am going to find a large scenario that four of us can play. Besides that, I have a million chores to take care of.
Quote from: trailrunner on August 24, 2018, 06:51:08 AM
I'm hosting a game day next weekend, and since three out of four of us are in our late 50s, we're going to go old school and play Panzer Blitz. So this weekend I'm going to break out the game, re-learn the rules, and push some cardboard around. And since I'm hosting, I am going to find a large scenario that four of us can play. Besides that, I have a million chores to take care of.
Check out this site for lots of good Panzer Blitz goodness... more units, maps, scenarios.... :D
http://www.imaginative-strategist.layfigures.com/IMSTRAT%20PB%20Page.html
On the PC:
Finally bought TOAW VI with my matrix anniversary discount so trying to re-learn that and see if it finally clicks.
Maybe start an Endless Space 2 campaign.
On the table:
Learn the campaign rules for Wild Blue Yonder I received last week.
Continue my Seal Team Flix campaign. Seriously fun and tough game.
Around the house:
Finish re-assembling my garage after the reno and usual yardwork.
Also going to watch some local auto-cross tomorrow morning. First event I've been able to get to this year.
Quote from: Barthheart on August 24, 2018, 07:09:25 AM
Quote from: trailrunner on August 24, 2018, 06:51:08 AM
I'm hosting a game day next weekend, and since three out of four of us are in our late 50s, we're going to go old school and play Panzer Blitz. So this weekend I'm going to break out the game, re-learn the rules, and push some cardboard around. And since I'm hosting, I am going to find a large scenario that four of us can play. Besides that, I have a million chores to take care of.
Check out this site for lots of good Panzer Blitz goodness... more units, maps, scenarios.... :D
http://www.imaginative-strategist.layfigures.com/IMSTRAT%20PB%20Page.html
Thanks for the fond memory...Panzer Blitz was my first ever board wargame. Hadn't thought of it in decades.
Post Scriptum
Steel Division
War Thunder
Combat Mission Normandy - Arnhem.
Perhaps some Arcanum.
Undecided mostly. Probably some Space hulk Death Wing Enhanced, Steel Division and Star Traders...but something tells me I may end up playing something totally unanticipated.
Quote from: Destraex on August 24, 2018, 07:31:57 AM
Post Scriptum
Steel Division
War Thunder
Combat Mission Normandy - Arnhem.
Simlar, but mostly JTS Seven Year's War
Well it's Street Taco night at the Elks Lodge so I'm making sheet cakes this afternoon and attending tonight and then tomorrow it's a domino tourney at the Lodge so there again. If any time allows I'll be answering PBEM files and sneaking in some CMANO or EUIV
We're seeing Paula Poundstone tonight at a local venue and then my son starring in a play Sunday afternoon.
Not sure I'll get much gaming in. At least I don't have to work this weekend. Small victories.
Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion trying out the E4X mod and probably some Bards Tale is the plan.
Well after an extremely stressful week I am looking forward to unwinding the next two days.
Endless Space 2, Space traders frontiers and some Octopath traveler
See...its already been an unexpected weekend. Installed and played...are you ready for it...Theatre of War: Kursk 1943. It seems much better than I remember it. Still looks very good too. Maybe a little bright in the color palette, but otherwise, very serviceable.
I played the first one, wanted to love it, but couldn't get past the frantic pace. Has it improved a lot?
Quote from: Sir Slash on August 24, 2018, 10:21:58 PM
I played the first one, wanted to love it, but couldn't get past the frantic pace. Has it improved a lot?
Too soon to tell. My major beef was always the frailty of infantry. They just seemed to have no survivability whatsoever. I just played the training mission in Kursk and had relatively light casualties despite having assaulted a lightly held village and then repulsing a pretty significant counterattack with a substantial armor element. I had a T34 and it shredded the oncoming light German armor. I don't know if this is due to the nature of the scenario, though, or if the game had been patched.
I also reinstalled ToW 3: Korea, cause there aren't many Korean War games out there to begin with.
I can remember with the first game having a hell of a time keeping my tanks from charging like mad at the enemy every time they can in sight. But it was fun.
I loved the old theatre of war 1 for it's unique early war gear. However its shine wore off quickly because of it's really poor optimisation. It barely ran on my relatively top end PC back in the day.
There was also the problem that the extensive patching by the developer triggered specific virus warnings.
On the other hand, the developer himself extensively patched it, so... O0
Quote from: Destraex on August 24, 2018, 11:18:07 PM
I loved the old theatre of war 1 for it's unique early war gear. However its shine wore off quickly because of it's really poor optimisation. It barely ran on my relatively top end PC back in the day.
Was gonna say, I liked the first one as well. Then it lost it's shine for me, by Kursk and I'm not sure why, maybe pace. lol. now I want to try it again!