Grading the Alhambra Expansions (8)

 

Palace Staff

Shuffles the servant tiles and place 6 out on the side of the board. Put your marshal in the fountain area. Whenever you collect money of less that 6 move your marshal that many space and take a servant tile for each matching building color you touch. Leave them in your Alhambra to score points every round. 

This expansion is a PASS

Nice idea, but way to fiddily  to deal with. I felt it was an unnecessary task to perform for so little points each round. Bummer because when I first read the rules, I thought it'd be a lot more than what it ended up becoming. 

Orchards 

Start with a fruit board and place fruit on each tile. When purchased, you can add it to a matching area on your board. Discard if you have no spot for it. Score end game points based on how many orders you've fulfilled at the end of the game.

This expansion is a Meh

It's ok, but I never really found myself choosing s tile based soley on what fruit came with it. My eyes were still going for tiles that I felt scored me the most points in the game. However, I did end up losing because my nephews played closer attention and eeked out a win by covering his entire fruit board at the end of the game. I don't mind it, its just not an essential expansion for the game. 

Traveling Craftsmen

You start with 2 of these characters, when used they pass to the next player.

This expansion is a MUST

There's a similar module that comes in card form, where when you buy the specialist, you can use them once and then discard. THESE characters eventually come back to you as more players use them and pass them around. I agree, a combination of both expansions at the same time would probably be too much but push comes to shove, I like this expansion better! 

Bathhouses

When these tiles are drawn, they are place out with another tile making the cost 8 more expensive. When bought you place it in a way where you can score points by placing the exact color building that match the bathhouse tile's direction for 2 VP

This expansion is a Meh

I don't like how it makes tiles more expansive. We had one game where 3 bathhouses were out and everyone kept grabbing cards because things were so expensive. I did score some big points off it them in the end, but because it takes a lot of effort to get it, I'm not sure if its a module I'd like to play with as much. 

Have a good weekend folks!