Seriously, I care less about this holiday each year.
Sunday, October 31, 2021
Saturday, October 30, 2021
The hypocrits
I love seeing church members who attend festivals and events of tens of thousands of people, yet on Sunday (the very next day) they won't come to church for "COVID" reasons.
COVID has become the excuse for every pretend Christian out there who's faith was too weak in the first place. Like the sower with the seeds, they've fallen among the weeds and have been choked out.
Friday, October 29, 2021
TI4 Tips: Mechs
I forgot about the Mechs!
Before I begin my discussion on the units in the base game, I might as well start with the lone unit from the expansion.
I love the expansion because it encourages you to play with everything in it. It's a fact, you can't ignore these at all in the game. Each one has a special function depending on your race.
It's true, you don't need these to win the game. In fact, the last time I played I didn't get a single one and still pulled out a V, but I wouldn't ignore them altogether due to the many uses they can provide during the campaign.
Thursday, October 28, 2021
TI4 Tips: Units
As I sit down and write this every day, I seem to able to come up with multiple topics.
It's not hard, this game is massive and amazing and I can talk about it for 2 months and not get bored. (hence the past 6 weeks of post)
So next week, I'm coming back and breaking down the Units you can get in the game and what strategy comes with each. I'll be ignoring (for the most part) individual species powers pertaining to certain units and just talk (bare bones) about the advantages of getting each one. I'll also be handling this 2 units at a time.
I'm having too much fun with this.
Wednesday, October 27, 2021
TI4 Tips: Relics
The expansion brings in the aspect of fragments. Collect 3 and turn them in for a power card called a relic.
It's a great red herring in the game. Should you get it?
Sure. If you have the time.
But don't make this the focus of your game. I see people skipping over planets of a certain color because they're searching for one last shard to possess a Relic. It's a dumb move but it fools a lot of players into losing their focus on the game.
Like I said, I collect them, trade them if necessary and eventually am able to get one during the game but don't obsess with getting more. Sure they have great powers but gaining them is where precious time could be wasted for achieving other directives.
I don't think you need a relic to win the game.
Tuesday, October 26, 2021
TI4 Tips: Mecatol Rex
Is it worth it?
Yes.
This may be my "fall" for a red herring but so many paths to victory go with controlling this planet, I don't see how you can ignore this planet for the entire game and still pull off a win.
It may be possible and my hats off to anyone who actually can accomplish it but I believe this planet if worth fighting for....at least for a time.
It shouldn't be your main focus of the game but if you can sit on it for a few turns to score to quick points then good for you.
I'll always go after this planet in the beginning but abandon it completely once everyone's armies start massing in numbers. It the center of the galaxy for a reason. Everyone wants to get there at one (or two) times in the game if they're serious about winning.
Monday, October 25, 2021
TI4 Tips: Legendary Planets
Are they worth it?
My answer is: No.
Yes they give you benefits every round you continue to occupy them and if I had one next to me, I'd surely get it. But there's no way I'm going out of my way to control them. They simply aren't worth the effort.
Yet because of their minor bonuses, people fight over them all the time. I think it was a smart "red herring" for players dumb enough to fall for it and in my games, it does.
The brilliance of this game is that it entices you to go after certain things that do not tie to the objectives in the game. Serving more as a shiny bauble to distract you while the game is being played. There's a lot of that in the game and I love it.
This week, I'll be talking about a few more "herrings" you should avoid.
Friday, October 22, 2021
TI4 Strategy Cards: 7 and 8
7) Technology
When should you get this card? Never
Why should you get this card? You don't need to. Someone will ALWAYS grab it every round. Sure they get on tech for free and another one at a higher cost but you can always take advantage of the secondary ability and be fine. This is the most overrated card in the lot. People are OBSESSED with owning a War Sun in the game, they'll do everything in their power to build it. Though it waste precious time and victory points along the way. Honestly, if it wasn't for the War Sun, I'd probably lose every single game of TI. A War Sun is great to have but to me, it looks like the BIGGEST red herring the game has to offer. And every player falls for it....every time.
8) Imperial
When should you get it? When you control Mecatol Rex
Why should you get it? To score VP's and gain secret objectives. Other than 6, this is the best card to have but only if you control Rex. I squat on the planet for as long as I can before getting the heck out of dodge and never worrying about it again. But for those few sweet turns I'm earning 2 VP's a round. It's truly what gives me the edge in beating out everyone else in the game time and time again. Great card!
Have a good weekend folks!
Thursday, October 21, 2021
TI4 Strategy Cards: 5 and 6
5) Trade
When should you get it? When you need trade goods.
Why should you get it? ....... with card #4 I also never have chosen 5. But a lot of people love having that extra trade and I admit it will give you extra resources in the game if you're running short but to me that's just poor planning (or rushed thinking) on the player's part. I always know how much I'll need and what I can get from round to round. I don't try to rush things because then I take my mind off the objectives of the game. I think it's a mistake to choose this card unless you really have no better option to gain resources with.
6) Warfare
When should you get it? As many times as you can.
Why should you get it? The ability to take back one of your command tokens on the board and re-activate a system is crucial to any gameplay. It technically allows you double movement on an army of your choice. I love this card. If I'm not sitting on Rex, I'll choose this card first when given the opportunity.
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
TI4 Strategy Cards: 3 and 4
3) Politics
When should you get it? Whenever you need a few more options on ways to complete an agenda.
Why should you get it? Simply put, all this gives you is 2 extra action cards. The whole thing about Agenda cards is relatively pointless, but the action cards are what you want to shoot for. I'll be honest, the only time I've picked this is because I was stuck on a way to achieve my objective and wondered if a few more action cards could help me out. You can go the entire game without every choosing this one in my opinion if you wanted.
4) Construction
When should you get it? If ever you really need a PDS canon and/or Space Dock
Why should you get it? Personally? You should never get it. I never have. It's pretty lame and since everyone can do the exact same thing in as a secondary action (given you have to pay for it) than you just wait for some other bozo to pick it up for you instead.
Tuesday, October 19, 2021
TI4 Strategy Cards: 1 and 2
1) Leadership
When should you get it? Whenever you can
Why should you get it? It's the best way to get more tokens on your board to do more actions in the game. It's so powerful in the game it's the only card players aren't allowed to choose in back to back turns.
2) Diplomacy
When should you get it? Later in the game.
Why should you get it? Not only does it protect a planet you control (except Mecatol Rex) but it also dwindles the actions of the other players when they're forced to waste an token for it. If you get it though, play it early. I've seen WAY too many people hold on to it too long and become ineffective in the game as other players (mainly myself) have rushed to play out there strategy tokens before that card is played, rendering it useless for the player.
Monday, October 18, 2021
TI4 Strategy Card Tips (Overview)
Starting tomorrow I'm at it again! This time talking about Strategy Cards in the game. When and why you should get them. Because these post will be a lot shorter, I plan on doing 2 at a time. Probably with the same image up for each post this week.
The reason I'm doing this series is because a lot of people I play with make mistakes on choosing which card is best for them in that moment. So you could in a way consider this "Part 2" of my tips for playing the game.
See you tomorrow!
Saturday, October 16, 2021
The NEW land of the free
Denmark is back to normal. As are Finland and Sweden for the most part.
They never really panicked that much about it in the first place.
Sucks Americans leaders are so stupid.
Freedom under fire
It's funny that the ones most adamant about not getting the vaccine hail from the medical field. And though they're the professionals of medicine we still believe the pharmacy companies who are getting rich selling us the vaccines.
How blind can we be??
Winning
While our Governor is intent on having the state circle around the toilet, Gov Abbott of Texas is showing what it means to be a true leader.
The abortion bill still being his highlight but that he put an end to the discriminatingly evil vaccine mandates is unbelievable!
I know Texans are happy about it. They're now the envy of America for installing such great laws.
Makes me hate our worthless Governor even more.
Friday, October 15, 2021
Tips for TI4: The Yssaril Tribes
The final group I'll talk about is one I've never played but know exactly how I'd win. I made the mistake of telling my nephew this when he got the race and almost ended up losing the entire game because of the free tip.
This race is super unique. For an action, they can....discard an action card.
Why is that big you ask? Because you're stalling for the other players to pass. That was, when you use your Strategy card for the round, no one else will have the ability to take advantage of it either. Insanely powerful if used correctly.
At the top of the round when everyone gains an action card you gain an extra one to look at and choose which one to keep. (this is a sneaky, sly species you're dealing with)
And finally, unlike all the others who have a limit to how many Action Cards they can have in their hands, you have NO limit, no matter what law or condition is passed. That's pretty big too. So to put it simply, action cards are your path to victory here. No other race can say that.
These guys are all about spying. If you ever attack them and their Commander he been unlocked, be ready to have to share EVERYTHING with them. Action Cards AND Secret Objectives. What they do with the information afterwards is up to them.
Sell it to the highest bidder? Blackmail you to keep their mouth shut? Warn others they have an alliance with of what you're up to?
And on top of that I have a no strategy I'd add to all that if I were to play them. I'd make something up. That's right, I'd lie about what they had. Either to sow distrust, or place an unfair "black mark" upon that player where no one will ever want to deal with them again. There's endless possibilities on where you could go with it.
And the Hero action is soul crushing.
When activated, every player must offer you one Action Card from their hand. If you don't keep it, you can randomly destroy 3 other Action Cards in their hand. Thereby forcing players to give you a decent card or suffer losing 3 crucial cards they were hoping to help them out during the game.
I'm telling you, Fantasy Flight Games is pure genius.
Well folks, that's all I got! Thanks for letting me ramble so much about my favorite game! Let's do it again some time soon! (like next week?)
Thursday, October 14, 2021
Tips for TI4: The Xxcha Kingdom
Another classic race from the base game that I have yet to play but want to because I think EVERYONE who's played them before completely ignore their advantages in the game.
For instance, after every vote, you can gain control of a planet that has no forces on it. Which is literally most of the planets in the game. The ensures you are always taking a new planet every round without any effort on your own.
Also (concerning politics) whenever an agenda is picked to vote for that you don't like, you may spend a strategy token and have them select the top agenda off the deck instead. You have that much political sway that any outcome that doesn't look like it's going your way you can defeat the law ever going up for vote.
But when the political phase comes.... I don't see anyone playing with this group take advantage of it. Your Commander gives you a +1 vote for each planets Influence and your Hero can revoke a law in play, draw 5 agenda cards and vote (all alone) on both of them during the game.
I think the problem is that no one thinks you can win this game through politics and nothing could be further from the truth. If I had this race, I would DOMINATE the agenda every round to my advantage. And that Hero action could be a game winner depending on what laws you pull from the 5.
Probably 3rd on my list of races I hope to play one day. If for nothing more than to show the others how poorly under estimated they were about them.
Wednesday, October 13, 2021
Tips for TI4: The Yin Brotherhood
This is an underrated race by a lot of players. They're considered weak. Yet, I've won with them before and I could do it again if given the chance. Here's why:
1) For every 2 influence you spend you can "convert" one infantry of the other players on the planet. In a lot of cases (if you have the influence) you can take over entire planet without ever firing a shot!
2) You can sacrifice one of your Cruisers and Destroyers to do damage to a ship of your choice! This mean your fanatical army of cruisers and Destroyers could literally win any war on the first round. Astounding!
The Commander allows you to produce 3 troopers instead of the average two and the Hero let's you either double the number of troops on the ground or refresh that planet's resources for the round to be used again.
This game drips with theme and it shows with this religious race. Plus, it's really the only time a player focuses on getting Cruisers and Destroyers in the game over some of the bigger ships and I can't blame them either. It's crazy knowing the amount of damage they can do.
Now that I think of it, it sort of makes them the most dangerous army of them army. They have no fear. The way I won with them was going up to the biggest baddest army and cleaning their clock with just cruisers and destroyer. The crushed looked on their faces when they realized they didn't stand a chance makes every other player avoid you at all cost to protect their precious mega ships from your clutches.
Seriously. After my first demonstration in battle at what they could do. No one touched me for the rest of the game and I walked into the victory circle without any problem at all.
4 more "Play before you Pay" games
Time for another edition!
I hear so much about this game but every time I watch a play through, I don't get it the hype. I'll gladly try it since every other game I love in my collection always points to this game in the "People also liked playing" page on BGG.
Alex from Boardgameco turned me on to this game. It looks like an interesting worker placement game, with a revolving wheel of placement options and an interesting theme. But for the price.... I need to play this one first.
Let me be clear, I DO NOT need another dungeon crawl in my collection though this one intrigues me as well. The minis look incredible and it all takes place on one board with different walls and traps set up? But for me to add another dungeon crawl, it has to be epic at this point. But I'm interested in playing it none-the-less.
Pandemic meets Fantasy is what I hear about this one. I've been interested on and off of it over the years. SO many expansions though, so before I dive down the rabbit hole collecting them all, I want to see if this game's for me first!
That's it for today!
Tuesday, October 12, 2021
Tips for TI4: The Winnu
Taking over Mecatol Rex doesn't require 6 influence at first and when you gain Rex you place a PDS cannon and Space Dock on it. Making the center of the planet your main objective early in the game.
But where they begin to shine is with their leaders. The Commander gives you a +2 in ALL combat rolls when on Rex and the Hero let's you take advantage of someone's primary strategy card.
I know it doesn't sound like much but for me, this race matches my gameplay to a T!!
The first thing I try to do is grab Rex early. Because pretty soon the entire galaxy will be fighting over it in no time. But if the Winnu get it first....they'll never give it up. The key is, you need the Commander unlocked as quick as possible or you're doomed.
I love the Winnu. There's only one way to win the game and that's a strategy shared by all players. You however, are the only one with an advantage when controlling it.
Don't Breathe 2 (Review)
What a perfect example of everything that can go wrong when you try to make a sequel to a great film that doesn't have anymore story to tell.
This one is weird. It doesn't quite line up with the first movie and makes the blind protagonist look more like he has super "Daredevil" senses than ever before.
There's so bloody action scenes that were fun but overall, you'll just sit through the entire movie asking "Why?"
Not worth your time....even if you loved the first one.
Monday, October 11, 2021
Tips for TI4: The Vuil'Raith Cabal
The final expansion race I have yet to talk about may be one of the deadliest.
Like the Nekro Virus, whenever they destroy an opponents unit, you can capture that unit and trade it in for one of your own when producing more units at a base.
This is incredibly powerful and everyone who's played as this race does this.
What no one has yet to use that captured unit for is when it comes to tech. Because instead of getting a new ship (which everyone does) they can instead turn it in to get any type of tech no matter what the pre-requirements.
You want a War Sun? Easy. You'll have it by the 3rd round if not sooner. Amazing. They can also make black holes in space that only they can travel over without rick. I think you get 2 or 3 of them and if I was to ever play with them, I'd place them around my home planet to scare off any and all would be attackers.
In exchange for powerful abilities, the Commander and Hero don't do as much. The Commander let's you produce 2 additional units than your base will allow (there's tech that's easy to get and allows everyone the same power) The hero makes all players roll who are next to a black hole and could lose one space ship is they roll a 1-3 on a 10 sided die.
For such weak leaders I've never seen anyone ever use them. But with their strong natural abilities the leaders don't matter.
You want to win with them? Just keep fighting. The "V" will come before you know it.
Promo's I'd love to have
Today I thought I'd talk about board game promos. I've been collecting a lot of them this year instead of hunting new games but there's still a few that elude me to this day!
Pioneers Queenies
I bought the game on a flash sale on Amazon and wish I'd held off on it and snagged a copy with the Queenies. In my experience, Queenies always make the game better. While I love Pioneers, I' pretty sure it'd be a better game with the Queenies.
Sadly, Queen Games doesn't have them available in their online shop and the game isn't very old, so unless I want to pay more for the queenies than I did the game, I'm out of luck here.
Lords of Waterdeep: Rapid Expansion
I'm a completist. I admit it. When it comes to games I love I have to track down everything for them. But paying $200 for one promo? Not going to happen. Sadly, there doesn't seem to be any other way I can get a copy and that sucks.
Love this game by Eagle Gryphon but can't find anyone willing to sell this promo. And since it's not that popular it doesn't look like anyone will be selling them soon. Too bad, more cards would've been interesting to see!
Friday, October 08, 2021
Tips for TI4: The Titans of Ul
The player gets "sleeper" tokens which they can place on planets they control. When that planet is activated, Ul can place a PDS on that planet. Sleeper tokens on other planets you control can be used as a beacon to summon your Flag Ship onto them immediately and smack the snot out of would be invaders.
Makes you think twice before taking over any planets with these tokens on them. The good news is the tokens aren't unlimited. You Commander allows you to receive a trade good anytime you produce units and your Hero has the only permanent power in the game. You strengthen your home planet by +3 in both resources and influence. I found that interesting.
I didn't get to play with these but the person that did, used those tokens wisely. Spreading them across valuable planets and quickly assembling his Flag Ship made everyone think twice about going there. Since his Flag Ship can appear on ANY of those marked planets (I think you have 3 or 4 tokens in the game) it makes them very dangerous.
But to do all this requires a lot. You MUST have your Flag Ship built early or those beacons won't be that scary. But if you could get the ball rolling early, you probably have a good shot at victory.
More "Try before you Buy" games I'd like to play
I've always had a soft spot for Queen Games and this one appears to have the makings of a "keeper" in my collection but for some reason I can't explain, I'm not on board just yet to pick up a copy before I check it out first.
60 minis, easy rules and set up, quick game play. $25. REALLY tempted to go ahead and pick this one up. But is it too simple a game without much replay-ability? I'd love to find out first before I purchase.
I almost pulled the trigger on Kickstarter for this one back in the day but help off. I like "Architects" but Paladin's looked atrocious and made me wary about picking this one up. All in all, it does look appealing and I wouldn't mind playing it before making a definite decision.
Have a good weekend folks!
Thursday, October 07, 2021
Tips for TI4: The Federation of Sol
The only humans in the game and (what I feel) are the weakest of the bunch. That's not to say you can't win with them. I did. But it was without much help from their abilities to do it.
You can spend one strategy token to place any 2 infantry onto a planet you control and you get one additional command token back per round. This is nice, but it's a tech that everyone will eventually get early on in the game so it doesn't give you that much of an advantage.
The Commander allows you to place an infantry on one planet you control (per phase) and the Hero let's you take back all of your command tokens from the board and place them back onto your board.
This doesn't really impress me unless you have some big crazy plan to mobilize your troops again. I used it after everyone started passing at the end of the phase, so that I could essentially get another turn uninterrupted by others. That was nice and it was a very productive round for me but overall I didn't feel like they were that powerful or balanced to begin with.
So as for strategy, I guess take Rex and pray you can stock it with enough troops until trouble starts coming your way. I was lucky in the game I played with them because the other 4 players in the game got too involved with their own conflicts that they forgot about me fortifying Mecatol Rex before it was too late.
If I get them again, I'll gladly accept the challenge but I really hope that doesn't happen when playing against my very tactical nephew.
Time Stories Revolution: Experience (No Spoilers)
So if you loved the meta story within the series (which I did) you must get this. It's an add on to the game when it continues the meta story, plus gives you a little "after adventure" at the end of every expansion you play. (except Damien)
It follows after what came in the book and Madame. And it answers a LOT of questions. In fact, (minor spoilers) green slime and the reason we had to get time cubes and given a reason.
Also, the events of Madame's ending are explained in thorough detail, leaving (in my opinion) no further questions unanswered. While it doesn't make up for the poorly executed ending to Madame, it was nice to at least get that information now. (They knew fans were livid)
With this add-on, the game let's you take on a character who, over time, will gain special abilities during the run of a game and afterwards in the mini-game of the future when you return from a mission.
There are 9 story cards and after each game you play (in the Blue Cycle) you'll get to read more of how the meta story unfolds.
So far, I like it. But so far we've been extremely fortunate by what card situations we've received.
I look forward to see if the creators have taken more time and effort into the story since they obviously were lost in it towards the end.
Get this if you care about the meta story. Honestly, I wouldn't be playing this season if it weren't for this.
Wednesday, October 06, 2021
Tips for TI4: Sardakk N'orr
The first species I ever played with and I lost....because I failed to stay true to what the species did best.
War.
This group has only one trait. A +1 in all battles for ALL units. It's insane.
Playing with them, I never lost a battle. If I had stuck to battles I'd be undefeated today in this game.
The Commander allows you to send troopers not only down on the planet you occupy in space, but in the next tile as well! Allowing you to conquer more planets within the same turn. The Hero allows you move your forces anywhere on the board after capturing a planet. This could lead to you taking 2 home planets on one turn. (if possible) I can't tell you enough what a boon that would be for the player.
With this race, you fight and then you fight again. There's a few warrior races in the game but this one is a juggernaut. If I had marched straight down to Mecatol Rex at the beginning of the game, no one would've challenged me. They're just that powerful.
Time Stories Revolution: A Midsummer's Night (No SPoilers)
I imagine someone who does, will LOVE this game. Even if they've never played Time Stories before. I also bet they made a lot of references to the situations and characters of his plays that flew right over the heads of my group. (who also don't care for Shakespeare)
This is one of the few expansions that take you to "AT" or Alternate Time. Something we haven't seen since "Prophecy of Dragons" and like that game this was open world.
The game uses "mcguffins" throughout the entire run that for us, didn't come unraveled until the very end because we didn't realize we had the items needed to trigger each card in our collection.
For example say, one card says "You need the Golden Apple (Item 7) to get Item 18" And when you get Item 18, it turns out to be another item you next to get Item 42 and so on and so on.
We thought we were stuck at the end because we'd been everywhere. That's when I realized someone in my group didn't realize he had the item we needed to start the chain of events. When we discovered that, the game ended in under a minute of fast and new found information coming in one after the other.
I'm sure that's not how it was supposed to go but for us it was a lot of fun. Like previous expansions of the game, I'd play this one again in a heartbeat. Maybe next time we'll have someone who like Shakespeare enough to geek out and show us all the connections to his works within the game.
I should also mention the twist at the end was incredible. I loved it. And even rewards the player playing the "meta story" BIG TIME at the end.
But I'll talk more about that tomorrow. Overall, this expansion was another hit for the series!
Tuesday, October 05, 2021
Tips for TI4: The Clan of Saar
Another unique race in the game that has an ability like no other. It's the only race that can continue to achieve objectives even without it's home world.
Their factories are also the only ones in the game that are mobile and they gain a trade good for each planet they take over. I've won the game with them due to this.
Commanders allow fighter and infantry to automatically go to any of your space docks when produced and your Hero completely obliterates anyone next to one of his space docks.
In one word: Brutal
This is such a great race to play because you don't have to constantly guard your home planet. It doesn't matter. Plus, moving your Space Docks is probably the most powerful ability you have. I've never used the Hero's ability but it's a no brainer you would use it against Mecatol Rex or someone's home planet.
Funny thing is, of everyone who's played this race, NONE have let it slip out what they're hero can do. They like to keep it as a secret weapon. It's become an unspoken code between players who have been that race before never to mention it to another. But with a movable space dock, forces are readily available to you, just about wherever you go. And that's why it's easy to win with this group.
Time Stories Revolution: The Hadal Project
NO SPOILERS
In this first adventure into the Blue Cycle you travel back to the year 2099 NT (I say "back" because you start farther in the future) to stop a virus from killing everyone on earth.
Wild they came up with this story in 2019 huh?
Anyway, you're a team trying to find the cure and to do that, they game switches a few things up and gives you another way of playing Time Stories you never really thought of before. In fact, I thought it was quite genius myself!
I will had it to the franchise, I'm amazed at how they continue to amaze you with different ways to change up the basics of the game. Its what makes it so exciting for me today!
And though these are all individual adventures with NO over-arching meta story like in the last season (Also referred to as the "White Cycle") it isn't exactly true. There are trace elements of the meta story that you'll only experience is you play with a companion expansion to the game (which I'll talk about later this week)
Overall, I thought this story was good and a solid game. One of the things I failed to mention the blue cycle has is the EXCELLENT "interaction cards"
Now, when you talk to a character on a card each and everyone of the players could (and most likely will) have a different discussion with them. For example, I may talk to this kids on the street who just sticks his tongue at me and walks away, while the next person does it and the kid decides to give him information....or an item!!!
I REALLY like that. And it takes the game to an entirely new level. Now one card doesn't say the same thing to anyone who accesses it. You may have several people who need to talk to an individual before getting the most out of the situation.
Pretty smart.
This expansion is well down and worth playing if you're interested in the series.
Monday, October 04, 2021
Tips for TI4: The Naaz-Rokha Alliance
When reading about them I didn't think they were that much to go off on. I went on to win with them the first time playing the expansion.
They are masters of exploration. They pull 2 cards from the research deck whenever they explore a new planet. Their mechs can fight in space (not just on the planet) And most importantly, it only takes 2 shards (instead of three) to gain a relic. This was awesome.
With my Commander unlocked I could re-explore any previous explored planet when I gained it from another player. The Hero allows you to take advantage of 2 secondary abilities of any unplayed Initiative cards AND allows you to gain another RELIC!!!
I lied earlier, because now that I remember I had 4 relics in the game (double the average in a game) when I played as this race. To my knowledge besides the Empyrean they are the only other race in which exploration is their power.
And you can win by constantly exploring planets and gaining the bonuses that come out of it. It's a slow burn as first but by the end of the game I was able to pull away with a small lead in the end.
Time Stories Revolution: Damien
I usually do these reviews on my YouTube channel but since I've talked to death about it on there, I thought I'd switch things up and talk a little about the "Blue Cycle" or "Season 2" of the story here.
NO SPOILERS
Damien was the promo game that was released before the actual games came out. Though hard copies exists they're very hard to get a hold of. Thankfully I got mine brand new for $35 and couldn't believe it.
A free print and play version is available on Space Cowboy's website if you want to play it.
Revolution makes many changes to the original game in that now there aren't any "runs" play happens over a single run with small "resets" throughout the game.
Dice rolling is gone too and instead is a point based system with a random deck of cards to determine the outcome.
Damien is a prequel to another expansion set to come out later this year....they think. It's actually been delayed for over a year and no one knows really why but the story takes place in the 50's as a group of kids try to track down the mystery of their friend Damien who disappeared.
It takes about an hour to play and (like all demos) gives you a taste of the mechanics and elements of the game.
The new rules I'm not a fan of. I enjoyed dice rolling over card selection because at least you have some sot of interaction with the outcome by rolling your own die. Here you have a pre-determined card flip give you the pass/fail result and its anti-climatic in my opinion. That's the worst thing about this new version.
On the flip side, we did enjoy the game. It appears to move more quickly and not drag. The story and clues were interesting in this one, where you had to pay close attention to all the details in the game to resolve the end game "puzzle".
It's not really a puzzle but more of a quiz to see how well you took notes. I liked that. Damien isn't worth tracking down a physical copy of but if you feel like making a nice print and play, it'll set you back around $30 at Office Depot.
Up to you whether you think it's worth it.
Saturday, October 02, 2021
Friday, October 01, 2021
Tips for TI4: The Nomad
It may not sound like much, but I have a plan on how I would play them if given the chance.
The Commander once unlocked allows you to build your Flag Ship for free. Making one of the most powerful units in your army expendable and no cost to you. The Hero (for one phase only) can move your flag ship again and again, ignoring previously place tokens.
And THAT is where you'd have to plan your power move at the end of the game. Go on a rampage and tear through the galaxy one that one turn to accomplish anything you needed. I've seen only 1 person play as this species and they never used any of their abilities so I'd love a crack at seeing what all potential lies unlocked with them.
Things I don't miss due to COIVD (5)
Sure it was fun when they were re-playing old movies. In fact, 2020 was the best year for movies that I can ever remember! But unless Hollywood goes crawling back into the shells again, I doubt the classics will ever come back.
I'm content just sitting at home and waiting for everything to come out streaming.
Have a good weekend folks!
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