1. 9
in attendance at the start so we split into 2 tables. On table 1 a group of 4
players played “SETTLERS OF CATAN –
Traders version” . This variant of the popular game introduces the element
of trading, whereby players visit one of the 3 cities on the board to collect a
commodity and then they have to deliver it to one of the other 2 cities who
want that commodity in order to receive gold coins and the token, which is
worth 1 VP. To do this they have a Caravan which starts its movement points(MP)
on 4 and these points are used to traverse the roads between the 2 cities.
Using your own road costs 1 MP, using another players road costs 1 MP, plus 1
gold coin to the ‘owner of the road, to cross a section without a road costs 2
MPs. This takes planning, and the player can temporarily increase their MPs by
discarding a Wheat card to add 2 MPs. A further complication is that we played
with the barbarian option and 3 barbarian figures are in play throughout, placed
upon the roads. To pass a barbarian costs 3 of your MPs, which slows down your
progress. They can be removed upon the roll of a 7, and you place the barbarian
of your choice, either on an intersection to thwart the other players, or on an
existing road owned by an opponent, in which case you take a Commodity Card at
random from that player. All other aspects of Settlers as present but the
victory points target is 13. Freya quickly upgraded her settlements to cities
and was lucky enough to receive lots of sheep. She traded these in on a 4:1
basis to get the commodities needed to build roads connecting her 2 cities. She
also upgraded her caravan by spending commodities, so that she received more
Gold when she traded in her goods. The other players were somewhat left behind
in this so they never really caught up with her. Jerry managed to build a
reasonable network and ended up with 9 points, Mike built the largest army and
ended with 8 points, and Poppy finished just behind on 7 points. A pleasing
version of this franchise which needs to be played again to become more competitive.
2. On
Table 2 the other 5 players played “ELFENLAND”,
the route-building game which has been played before so is not described in
much detail here. There are 20 cities in the game which require a visit, and
that is very rarely achieved but Rob managed 19 of them. Alister bemoaned his
luck that every route he chose was ‘modified’ by the other players so his
progress was of the slow variety.
3. Table
1 then played the quick game of “CLANS”,
about nomads moving around the land until they become isolated and the villages
formed are scored. The game has been described before so will not be repeated
here. The result was in doubt until the very end but Freya managed to sneak
through by 1 point for her second victory of the evening.
4. Table
2 finished their session with “MANILA”,
the game about sailing punts with commodities on them up to Manila and hoping
to avoid the pirates. A double whammy by the pirates enabled Rob to grab loads
of cash so he became Harbourmaster rather easily and this enabled him to sail
serenely to a clear-cut victory, the final scores being Rob 158, Alister 101,
Roger 81, Kevin ( first outing) on 61. Always good for a laugh, one of the most
popular games in the club.
Games played and
Winners were:
Settlers of
Catan-Traders version Freya Freestone;
Elfenland Rob
Piesse;
Clans Freya
Freestone;
Manila Rob
Piesse.
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