X-mas bingo at TreEmme

Friday 22 was a particular evening at TreEmme. Instead of the usual games we played the traditional X-mas Bingo, thanks to the effort of Viki (X-mas elf) and Busso (Santa Claus).

Was nice to be at the club with families and children. This year we had 9 kids and I think that will come a nice tradition for Club TreEmme

good play and happy Christmas
Liga

Some days after ...

I'm still alive but I have not too much time for myself in these days. Francesco and all the Christmas staff are taking from me all the time. But are nice days!

Here is me with my two sons, Francesco and Caterina


And here is Francesco one week after


good play to all
Liga

Monday Evening at Home

Monday evening I was alone at home with my daughter, since Serena and Francesco were yet at the hospital. So why not an evening of games with a friend, while Caterina was sleeping ?

We started with Marvel Hereos: was the first time we played it in two and was a good game! We miss the rules about plying only in 4 area so the only complain (too few competition for the missions) was caused by our fault!


The game is nice also in two, since there is not direct interaction anyway and there is really no down-time! We played the Galactus scenario.

I play with the X-Man and in the first turn I sent Cyclops together with Wolverine in a 3 points mission and spent the remaining 2 trama points for an ally!

I completed the mission and I got also 1 story card. Gianluca was playing with the Avengers and at the end of the 1st turn we was tied at 4. I was first and got the Arcinemesis since my enemy has more followers than his.

I sent wolverine in mission with Cyclops in support and also set in support Jgrey. I completed a 5 points mission and got another story.

I was able to knock down hulk with my nemesis and I finished the 2nd turn 10 to 7.

In the 3rd turn I was able to complete a 5 points mission just in the 4th round and I won the game!

After Marvel Heroes I shown Gianluca Space Hulk (1st edition). We play the 1st mission and I used the Genestealer. Was an easy victory since he left behind the Sergent and 2 marines to cover the back and I was able to kill the flamer bringer. was a long time since I played Space Hulk and I think it is always a great game!


Finally we play Football Tactics 2006 for 20 minutes: 1-1. I still find this game a nice light soccer game but Gianluca didn't agree with me and find it boring.

good play
Liga

Welcome Francesco!

This morning at 01:03 Francesco is arrived! He is very well: 48 cm and 2,950 Kg. Also Serene is very well. I'm still alive: I was able to stay up without passing out during the birth and also without bothering too much Serena and the obstetricians! Father are really funny characters during the birth!

Here I'm with Francesco!

Monday at TreEmme

After the surprises of the first evening (Scuro, one of the best player, defeated!) also yesterday evening was really amazing: the old beaten by new players

the firs two tournament scenarios in the Barbarossa Campaign was not so good: the first one was a bloody bath for the Russian players and the second one was really static.

Here are the results:

1st Scenario


Gianluca (Italian champion in charge) against Davide (also an expert player).

axis allied

gianluca davide 6-1
davide gianluca 4-6

Liga against Carlo Lucca

CarloL Liga 6-4
Liga CarloL 6-0

Glauco against Ponz (two old friends use to play against each other since in the teens)

Glauco Ponz 6-2
Ponz Glauco 4-6

Salvo (a new entry) against Fede "the Bovaz"

Salvo Fede 6-4
Fede Salvo 4-5

Non we go to the 2nd Scenario and a lot of surprise: Salvo, really a good player (and really an expert in rolling dices!) beat Liga two times. Glauco beta Gianluca in the first game and concede a marginal victory in the second. Ponz beta two times Davide but is not enough to reach the final since CarloL win 2 marginal victories against Federico.

2nd Scenario


Salvo Liga 4-3
Glauco Gianluca 6-1
Ponz Davide 6-2
CarloL Fede 4-2
Davide Ponz 4-6
Gianluca Glauco 4-1
Liga Salvo 5-6
Fede CarloL 2-4

and here the final ranking

Salvo 10 21-16
Glauco 9 19-11
Gianluca 8 17-12
CarloL 7 14-14
Ponz 6 18-18
Liga 3 18-16
Fede 0 12-19
Davide 0 8-24

Combined with the Friday evening games, here the Final Ranking

Salvo 10 21-16
Misu 9 20-15
Glauco 9 19-11
Jordan 8 19-12
Gianluca 8 17-12
CarloL 7 14-14

Saverio 6 18-15
Ponz 6 18-18
Marco 4 18-20
Liga 3 18-16
Jappo 3 12-19
Scuro 1 15-12
Fede 0 12-19
Davide 0 8-24

So, are going to the final stage (next Monday): Salvo, Misu, Glauco, Jordan, Gianluca, CarloL

Good play
Liga

PS. I forgot at home my camera so no pictures!

[Review] Yspahan

Yspahan
by Andrea “Liga” Ligabue


Voto: 4/5

"Un gioco semplice ma non banale, che può essere giocato in un'ora e con un bellissimo modo di utilizzare i dadi. Uno dei titoli leggeri migliori di questo 2006"

Premessa "Storica"

Dopo l'interesse suscitato da Ys e lo strepitoso successo di Caylus la Ystari si è ritrovata ad essere una delle case editrici da cui i giocatori si aspettano di più. Dopo l'uscita quest'anno di Mykerinos, che non conosco, con Yspahan secondo me ha confermato la sua capacità di produrre giochi divertenti e belli. L'autore è un nome nuovo ma un ottimo debutto per lui. Tra l'altro Ysaphan è un gioco piuttosto veloce (una partita raramente dura più di un'ora) e semplice da spiegare, adatto quindi anche a compagnie non solo di appassionati (a differenza di Caylus ed Ys). Sebbene nel gioco si usino dei dadi, quasi un sacrilegio per i puristi dei German Games, il gioco è tutt'altro che banale e non è certo dominato dal fattore fortuna.

Descrizione Generale

In Yspahan i giocatori si contendono la vittoria tramite l'occupazione dei diversi sobborghi nei quattro quartieri della città. Ogni turno di gioco dura un giorno ed alla fine di ogni settimana si calcolano i punti e poi i sobborghi vengono di nuovo svuotati. La partita dura 3 settimane. I giocatori hanno però altre maniere per fare punti: costruire edifici, che tra l'altro danno anche abilità speciali, e inviare merci sulla carovana.

Nel gioco esistono due tipi di risorse che i giocatori devono gestire ed ottimizzare per vincere la partita: i soldi e i cammelli.

Svolgimento dei Gioco

Il giocatore di turno lancia 9 dadi e li dispone, raggruppando i dadi che hanno conseguito lo stesso risultato, su una apposita plancia nelle 6 possibile aree. Le aree vanno occupate partendo dal basso (l'area dei cammelli) e salendo man mano nei quattro quartieri fino ad arrivare all'area più alta, quella dei soldi. E' ovvio che quando nel lancio dei nove dadi mancano dei numeri sono le aree più altre che restano vuote, ad esclusione dell'area dei soldi che deve sempre essere occupata.

Dopo questo lancio, partendo dal giocatore di turno e man mano proseguendo in senso orario, ogni giocatore sceglie un gruppo di dadi ed esegue una delle azioni possibili in quell'area.

Azioni sempre possibili sono: pescare una carta o muovere il mercante del numero di caselle pari al valore del dado in quell'area.

Nella riga dei cammelli è possibile prendere tanti cammelli quanti sono i dadi, stessa cosa per i soldi. Nelle aree corrispondenti ai 4 quartieri invece si possono andare ad occupare tante case nei sobborghi quanti sono i dadi. Ogni casa può avere al massimo un occupante e un giocatore non può andare ad occupare case in sobborghi diversi nello stesso quartiere fin tanto che non ne ha riempito uno.

Dopo avere scelto i dadi ed eseguito l'azione il giocatore ha poi la possibilità di acquistare un edificio. Gli edifici si pagano in cammelli e soldi, da un minimo di due fino ad un massimo di cinque. Gli edifici danno dei benefici che vanno da cammelli e soldi extra fino a punti vittoria. costruire edifici conferisce comunque punti vittoria, a partire dal terzo edificio.

Alla fine di ogni settimana i giocatori ottengono punti vittoria in base ai sobborghi che controllano (occupano completamente).

Una nota particolare merita il movimento del mercante e i cammelli. Quando il mercante si muove, percorre una strada in mezzo alle casupole di Yspanha e può terminare il suo movimento davanti ad alcune case: in questo caso l'occupante della casa deve rimuovere da li' la sua merce e porla sulla carovana a meno che non disponga di un cammello da scartare, nel qual caso manda una merce sulla carovana senza rimuoverla dal sobborgo.

La carovana conferisce punti vittoria ad ogni giocatore alla fine di ogni settimana in base al numero di beni (e alla loro posizione).

Conclusioni

Il gioco è davvero divertente e a discapito dell'indubbia casualità nel tiro di dadi e anche molto strategico. Per vincere occorre sapere gestire bene soldi e cammelli e al tempo stesso andare ad occupare i sobborghi. La Carovona è una via alternativa per fare punti che può o non può premiare a seconda dell'evolvere della partita. Le carte aggiungono un ulteriore casualità al gioco: alcune sono in effetti molto forti e altre meno, ma nel complesso non rovinano il meccanismo ed anzi danno un qualcosa in più

Sunday of games

Hi all

yesterday was another good day because I have introduced at gaming hobby two new friends. Yesterday we was at lunch at some friend home. They have two daughters, one 5 years old like Caterina (they are in the same kindergarten) and a 8 years old.

After lunch the two little girls was playing together and the oldest one was a bit tired. Luckily I had with me Ticket to Ride: Europe (just in case!) so we play a game!

Was really nice because both the girl and her parents was really happy about the games and asked me to bring games again the next time! Really a good Sunday! (I also won the game and that was good because usually my wife beat me at Ticket to Ride: Europe).

good play
Liga

[Review] Football Tactics 2006

(for the english version of this review look at the end of the page)

Voto: 3/5

"Un gioco veloce e divertente che senza pretese di voler essere una simulazione ricrea a tratti le atmosfere del calcio. La fortuna è un aspetto senz'altro importante ma per vincere occorre anche un pizzico di strategia. Consigliato sopratutto per i giocatori non abituali"


Premessa “Storica”

(da questa mia recensione voglio soffermarmi a scrivere un trafiletto per ogni gioco che lo inquadri un po' nel contesto in cui è uscito)

Fare un gioco sul calcio è sempre un'impresa ardua perché è uno degli sport più seguiti, tutti lo conoscono (almeno in Italia) e tutti nutrono quindi grandi aspettative. Per quel che ne so io ancora nessuno è riuscito ad inventare una bella simulazione del calcio che sia al tempo stesso giocabile e divertente. Ricordo il “Supermundial” uscito in occasione dei mondiali del 1982, con tanto di esagoni e un aspetto decisamente wargamistico; il “Gioca Goal” e tanti altri più o meno sfortunati progetti. Ogni volta che ci sono i Campionati del Mondo, proliferano i titoli su questo sport: quest'anno ad esempio, degno di nota, HysteryCoach della Scribabs.

Football Tactics non ha la pretesa di essere una simulazione; è un gioco leggero, veloce e divertente che riesce a darti belle emozioni. Pur essendo la casualità un tratto dominante in questo gioco (si tira il dado per fare ogni cosa!), occorre anche un briciolo di strategia e nel complesso, a mio parere, il mix è perfettamente riuscito.

L'autore/editore è lo stesso di Ninja Galaxy, da cui Football Tactics ha anche “ereditato” i simpatici ometti di legno, cosa che contribuisce certamente a dare un tono allegro e scanzonato al gioco.

Descrizione generale

Ogni giocatore è alla guida di una squadra di 11 omini: 1 portiere (più grande), 4 anonimi difensori e 6 centrocampisti/attaccanti. Il campo di gioco è una griglia quadrettata con al centro la rotella per i tiri in porta. Nel proprio turno il possessore di palla cercherà di posizionare uno dei suoi omini appropriatamente, muoverà la palla e poi tenterà di raggiungerla con un altro dei suoi omini; cosa che farà anche il difensore. Risolto il contrasto si determinerà il nuovo possessore di palla e si continuerà in questa maniera fin tanto che uno dei due non avrà occasione di segnare. Come in tutti i giochi del calcio degni di questo nome ci saranno calci d'angolo, falli, ammonizioni e rigori. Senza essere frenetico il regolamento prevede anche un tempo limite per eseguire la propria mossa e quindi non si corre il rischio di degenerare in una lenta e noiosa partita a scacchi, visto che il gioco è tutt'altro che scacchistico.

Il turno di gioco

Il possessore di palla, come prima cosa, deve lanciare un dado e muovere uno dei suoi omini dell'esatto ammontare del tiro, in orizzontale, verticale o diagonale. Durante il movimento il giocatore potrà cambiare direzione solo una volta e non potrà transitare (ma solo terminare) sopra caselle occupate dagli avversari: in questa maniera è possibile ostruire e bloccare i movimenti degli avversari con uno schieramento sagace dei proprio difensori.
Dopo aver mosso un giocatore è la volta della palla: anch'essa si deve muovere dell'esatto ammontare del lancio di un dado e può cambiare direzione solo una volta (e per giunta non può mai tornare indietro su colonne o righe già percorse ... niente tiri con effetti spettacolari quindi). Se la palla termina su una casella contenente un proprio omino si può subito effettuare un altro passaggio (ma solo una volta); se si è in area di rigore o in una delle caselle speciali per il tiro da fuori area si può subito tirare!
Dopo il movimento della palla entrambi i giocatori possono muovere un loro omino (sempre dell'ammontare del tiro del dado) per raggiungere la palla.

Se alla fine di questa sequenza due giocatori avversari occupano la stessa casella avviene un contrasto: chi ottiene il numero più alto col dado diventa il nuovo possessore di palla. I difensori (i segnalini anonimi) hanno un +1 nei contrasti ma non possono mai uscire dalla propria metà campo. Il portiere ha un +2!

Se un giocatore attaccante vince un contrasto in area di rigore o in una delle caselle speciali per il tiro da fuori area, ha diritto ad effettuare un tiro in porto. Si fa girare l'apposita freccia speciale (reminiscenza di vecchi giochi MB!); circa la meta' degli spazi rappresentano il goal! Poi ci sono parate e calcio d'angolo.

Come nel calcio c'è la regola del fuori gioco. Inoltre se in un contrasto un giocatore ottiene un 6 e l'altro un 1 è fallo! E il giocatore che ha ottenuto 1 è anche ammonito!

Ci sono poi alcune piccole regole di posizionamento che impediscono il verificarsi di situazioni troppo paradossali o un gioco troppo “chiuso”: al massimo 3 giocatori possono stare in colonna uno dietro l'altro e al massimo 4 in riga. Non ci possono essere più di 4 giocatori per squadra in area di rigore e al massimo un giocatore per squadra in ogni casella.

Conclusioni

Senza davvero nessuna pretesa questo gioco riesce ad essere divertente ed avvincente, oltre ad avere materiali buoni. Sicuramente non è un titolo per il palato fine dei giocatori esperti ma può essere un simpatico diversivo, un bello strumento per far divertire i più piccini o per mettere al tavolo persone lontane dal mondo e dalla culutra dei giochi.

English Version

Historical Background

Design a football game is not an easy task since everyone (at least in Italy) knows something about football and there is always a lot of expectation about it. As far as I know no one has been able to make a nice football simulation that is both accurate and fun. I remember, in Italy, "Supermundial" (was out in 1982 and inherited most of the classical wargames mechanics, hexes included!) and many others more or less lucky projects. And every four years, for the World Championship, come out a lot of games.

Football tactics doesn't pretend to be a simulation: it is light, quick and fun and it is able to arouse emotions. Randomness is a dominant aspect of the game (you roll dices for everything) but you also need strategy to win and the mix works well.

The designer/publisher is the same of Ninja Galaxy and you use the same pawns: that helps in giving the game the right fun atmosphere.

Overview

The players are leading one team of 11 men: 1 goalkeeper (larger), 4 defending anonymous pawns and 6 midfielders/attackers.

The game field is a squared grid with a small wheel used for the shooting in the middle.

During the turn the ball owner will move one of pawns, than the ball and then it will try to catch it up with another pawn and than also the defender will move a pawn to catch the ball. Resolved the contrast the new owner of ball will be the new offender and the game will be continued in this way until a goal will be scored. As in all soccer games there will be corner kicks, faults, admonitions and penalties.

Without been an "hurry up" game, the rules fix a time limit in order to execute the moves and therefore it does not run the risk to degenerate in a slow and boring chess game,

The game turn

The owner of ball must first roll a dice and move one of its pawn of the exact amount in horizontal, vertical or diagonal. During the movement the player will be able to change direction only once and he will not be able to cross (but only finish) over square occupied by adversaries: in this way it is possible to obstruct and to block the movements of the adversaries with one shrewd alignment of the pawns. After moved a player it is time to move the ball: roll a dice and it must be moved of the exact amount and can change direction only once (and it cannot never return behind on columns or lines already covered). If the ball finishes just on a square occupied by own pawn it can moved again (but only once); if the pawn is in the penalty area or on one of the special square for shooting from outside area it is time to shoot!

After the movement of the ball both players can move a pawn (always of the amount of a rolled dice) in order to catch up the ball. If at the end of this sequence two opposing players occupy the same square a tackle happens: who obtains the higher number with the dice becomes the new owner of ball. The defenders (the anonymous pawns) have +1 in the tackle but they cannot never exit from the own half field. The goalkeeper has +2!

If a player win a contrast in the opposing penalty area or in one of the special square for the shooting from outside area, he has the opportunity to try to score. Like in old MB games, you have to turn the special arrow; approximately half of the spaces represent the goal! As in real soccer there are rules for outside. Moreover if in a tackle a player obtains 6 and the other a 1 it is fault!
And the player who has obtained 1 also is admonished!

There are then some small rules of positioning that prevent too much paradoxical situations or a game too much "closed": maximum 3 players can be in column one behind the other and maximum 4 in line. Cannot be more than 4 players in penalty.

Conclusions

Without pretending to be a real simulation this game succeeds to being amusing and fascinating, beyond to having good materials. Sure it is not a title for the fine palate of the expert players but it can be a likable alternative and a good game to play also with kids or peoples not too much introduced in the game world

Friday Evening at Club TreEmme

I was not there Friday but I want just to post the results of the first group for the Memoir'44 Tournament. Tuesday I'll post the report of the second evening (Monday) of the tournament, the one I'll partecipate, including pictures and comments.

Friday Evening Results

Final Ranking
(was 3 points for a win, 2 points for a win cause end of the time, 1 point for a tie)

Player Point Medals

Misu 9 20-15
Jordan 8 19-12
Saverio 6 18-15
Marco 4 18-20
Jappo 3 12-19
Scuro 1 15-12

1o scenario: [Barbarossa] Russian Breaktrough

German Russian Results

Saverio Scuro 6-3
Jappo Jordan 6-2
Marco Misu 5-6
Scuro Saverio 4-5
Jordan Jappo 6-3
Misu Marco 6-3

2o scenario: [Barbarossa] Lipovec

Misu Saverio 5-4
Jordan Jappo 6-2
Marco Scuro 6-4
Saverio Misu 3-3
Jappo Jordan 1-5
Scuso Marco 4-4

Memoir'44 at Club TreEmme Modena

This evening will start the Club TreEmme Modena Memoir'44 Tournament.

6-8 players this evening (Friday) and 6-8 players Monday will fight on the Barbarossa Campaign scenarios. I'll play Monday Evening so I hope to write a report Tuesday.

Here are (Italian) the Tournament Rules

Regolamento torneo di Memoir'44 Club TreEmme Modena 2006

Numero di partite giocate

Il torneo si svolge in due fasi. Nella prima fase (serata) verranno giocate da ogni giocatore 4 partite: due scenari ognuno giocato sia con l'asse che con l'alleato.

Nella seconda searata, il cui accesso sarà limitato secondo modalità da determinare in base al numero degli iscritti, si giocheranno altre 4 partite: due scenari ognuno giocato sia con l'asse che con l'alleato.

Abbinamenti

Prima serata di gioco:

1a partita: scenario 1

Il sorteggio degli abbinamenti verrà fatto pubblicamente davanti ai partecipanti il giorno stesso della competizione. Vewrrà determinato casualmente sia l'avversario che la fazione con cui ognuno giocherà la prima partita

2a partita: scenario 1

alla fine della prima partita verrà stipulata una classifica (vedi sezione punteggi). Salvo restando che ognuno dovrà giocare lo scenario con la fazione opposta rispetto a quella della prima partita, gli abbinamenti verranno fatti alla svizzera (il primo incontra il secondo, il terzo incontra il quarto, ...).

3a partita: scenario 2

Alla fine delle prime due partite verrà fatta una classifica totale fra i giocatori. Gli abbinamenti vengono fatti alla svizzera (il primo incontra il secondo, il terzo il quarto, ...). Il giocatore con il punteggio più altro decide con quale fazione giocare lo scanario.

4a partita: scenario 2

Alla fine della terza partita verrà stipulata una classifica. Salvo restando che ognuno dovrà giocare lo scenario con la fazione opposta rispetto a quella della usata nella terza partita, gli abbinamenti verranno fatti alla svizzera (il primo incontra il secondo, il terzo incontra il quarto, ...).

Seconda serata di gioco:

Lo schema degli abbinamenti è lo stesso, tranne che anche gli abbinamenti per la prima partita vengono fatti in base alla classifica delle prime 4 partite e in ogni coppia, il giocatore con il punteggio più altro, decide ccon che fazione giocare.

Vincitore

Alla fine delle 8 partite il giocatore con il punteggio più alto (vedi sezione punteggi) sarà il vincitore.

Punteggi

Al vincitore di ogni partita, che ottiene la vottoria conseguendo il numero di medagli previsto dallo scenario vengono assegnati 3 punti. In caso il tempo finisca prima della fine regolare dello scenario il vincitreo (il giocatore con il maggior numero di medaglie) otterrà 2 punti di vittoria. In caso il tempo finisca con i giocatori in parità ognuno conseguirà 1 punto vittoria.
In caso di parità in classifica vince il giocatore che ha conseguito il maggior numero di medaglie; se la parità sussiste vince il giocatore che ha concesso il minor numero di medaglie. Se la parità sussiste si sorteggia.

Tempo a disposizione per ogni scenario

Suggerisco di lasciare un tempo di gioco di 35 minuti per ognuno dei primi due scenari. Allo scadere del tempo i giocatori avranno diritto di giocare un ultimo turno. In ogni caso la partita deve terminare con i gicoatori che hanno disputato lo stesso numero di turni (se inizia la partita l'asse deve finire l'alleato e viceversa).

L'arbitro può decidere di penalizzare (o anche squlificare) un giocatore che perda tempo in maniera vistosa.

Dubbi e contenziosi

Per ogni dubbio l'arbitro è giudice inappellabile ma può decidere di rimandare la decisione ad un voto di maggioranza tra i partecipanti al torneo

Ricordatevi che per i primi due scenari sono in uso la regola del Blitz e la regola del commando russo. Per chi non conoscesse l'espnasione Esatern Front può leggere queste due regole

I'm now a member if the IGA

I'm now a member of the International Gamers Awards committee for General Strategy Games.


That is really a great news for me and I think it is also a great news for Italy. I'm a bit worried but I'm happy: I'll have to play more games (and that's not so bad!) and keep my eyes open on the new release (but actually that is what I was doing already in the last 3 years!).

What I was wondering about is: I'm already so old ? Usually peoples are elected members in committee late in their walk in this world but I'm only 34. I think that living in a city with the largest and greatest Italian game association, Club TreEmme Modena, really helps. I started my game career early , when I was 16, playing everything was avaible in the late 80s: Avalon Hill Games, World in Flames, Star Fleet Battles, RPGs, Battletech and Games Workshop Games. In my gaming association there was players that are used to play games since the beginning of the 80s and teach me a lot. They teach me the pleasure to learn and play new games and I keep doing that during the years also trying to teach new members new games.

So, I'm ready for this new challenge: play must go on!
Liga

Yesterday Evening

Yesterday evening I was sick so I wasn't able to attend my usual Monday Evening game session.

I spent the evening at home playing with my wife and my daughter and finishing to watch The Chronicles of Narnia, really a nice movie both for my daughter and me!

I got this week a new pack with two new armies of Battleground: Fantasy Warfare. So now I can start to play with Dwarfs and Orcs.

I have taken advantage of Thanksgiving offer at Columbia to order all the armies and the maps for Wizard Kings and Hammer of the Scots. I'm still waiting also a pack with Shear Panic and my copy of Battlelore. I'll be quite busy in December since I have still to play a lot of Essen games.

But the greatest present I'll have in December will be Francesco, my son, that probably will land here in our world in the middle of December. Serena's belly is really big and we are all looking for him.

good play
Liga

Friday Evening at Club TreEmme

Friday evening was my first time playing Tempus. I had great expectation about this game both because is a Martin Wallace game, and usually I like a lot his games, and second because on the net a lot of people talk about Tempus as a light civilization game.

We was five: me, Marco, Sassa, Dante and his friend. The map comes out with a big peninsula on the right, a lake and a big continent on the left. I started first occupying a grassland close to two fields: Dante start close to me, Sassa take the north and Marco and Dante's friend share the peninsula.

I got the first civilization advance, since I was occupying already two fields. Dante's friend started building city soon; Dante and Sassa was expanding slowing while Marco take a reproduction tactic: no city until it was at the end of tokens.

we play the game (and now I think was not the right way) fighting hard to be the first to make the civilization advance. I built 3 town (2,3,3) in the south and let Dante enough space to expand, trying to avoid as much as possible the war.

The game plays in a good equilibrium and I was enough smart to get the trains advancement. I was controlling Sassa (that was the strongest on the map, with a lot of cities) and in the last turn I was able to build a 4 points town and use the 3-5 movement to spread in the map.

The game ended with me and Sassa both at 20 and Marco at 19 (in the last two turns he built a lot of cities). Dante's friends got the flight advance bonus but wasn't enough for him to reach us.

The game is nice and you need a good strategy to win but, at least from this first game, is not at all a civilization game. The theme is just a little part of the game and I never got the feeling to be a civilization evolving: it is quite abstract at the end. The mechanics are good and the game plays well in less than 2 hours. I think I would like to play it again but is not the "light civilization game" I was waiting for.

After Tempus was the time for Yspanha that is one of the game I like to play most in these days: it is quick, it is easy to teach and it is fun. And, until now, I always won!

We was four: me, Sassa, Marco and Dante's friend.

Me and Sassa have already played, the other two was at their first game. Since I got a lot of money in the first three days I try to play running for the building. I was lucky and I got enough camels to pursue my strategy. At the end of the first week I was last, since I got no points for tokens in the map but I was able to build 3 building (extra camels, extra money and extra tokens). The second days I played using 3 golds and I got a really lucky roll: I was able to full occupy all the suburbs in the richest neighborhood.

I won the game, in the end, with more than 25 points on the second. I got all 6 buildings.

I find Yspanha a great game: just a bit random driven but not too much. It could happens (like in this game happened to Sassa) that you are blocked since you are not able to get camels, but is not a common problem. At the moment one of the best Essen 2006 hits.

Finally there was time for a Football Tactics against Sassa. I loose the game 1-0 (but we played just half an hour). I confirm my impression: it is a funny soccer game, with a lot of randomness but funny. I like it

good play to all
Liga

Monday Evening at Club TreEmme

Yesterday evening was a nice night of game at Club TreEmme Modena. In the first part of the evening we have had our annual renew of the Club TreEmme Modena council. The new council will be:

President: Marcello "Piffy"
Secretary-treasurer: Enrico "Ribot"
Advisors: Andrea "Ciuffo", Roberto "Viki", Antonio "Jappo", Federico "The_bovaz", "Lok"

After that I played again two times Factory Fun. I like this game more and more every-time I play it (now I have played more than 5 times). We was four: me, Franz, Marco and Jappo. The first game was for me an easy win since all the other players was at their first game. The second one was an hard fight and I won only because Franz decided to try to get a machine also in the last turn and was not able to deploy it.

I think this game works really well in 2,3 and 4 player and it is a really good game experience.

After that we play Yspahan. we was four: me, Jappo, Zhu and Gianluca. Was the first time for everyone. the game is nice, quick and easy to teach. It is not too much lucky driven but good dices rolls could sometimes really help. I was lucky in the first week and I got a really luck 8 1s roll (so I got enough camels for all the game) and, thanks to the right card, I bought the building that let you place an extra cube. At the end of the first week I was last but I was first at the end of the 2nd. No one of us really play in the caravan until the last week. I was able to put there 4 cube (one in the 2n row) and win the game. Zhu and Jappo was second.

I hope to play it again soon; I think it is really a nice game

good play
Liga

My Game Collection

Far from being a real game collector I'm quite happy about my games collection (something close to 500 titles). In the new house I was able to fit almost all in the same room (I miss all my RPG manuals that are still in the old house). Cards games and games without boxes (like the old TFG games) are all fitted in the wooden boxes.

Here you can see my full collection: I think I still need to buy one more IKEA expedit bookshelf because, you know, we are close to Christmas!





(a special thanks to Sdp that helped me in making the join of the pictures)

good play
Liga

Week end at home: Football Tactics

After the conference in Rome I spent the week end with my wife and my daughter. Sunday afternoon my cousin's family come to visit me and while the children are playing together we take time to try Football Tactics. I was really well impressed by how this game plays easily and funny: it is not a football simulation but you really have a good feeling playing it and it is really funny.

In few minutes me and Lillo (my cousin) was totally involved in the game: Of course, since you have to throw dices almost for everything, the game is a bit luck drive ... but not too much, since you have to play well and think how to move your pawns over the field.

Here you can see my cousin Lillo exulting for a perfect action


And here I'm going through the (simple) rules



During the turn the Offending Team (O-team), the one with the ball, first throw a dice to move a pawn, than throw a dice and move the ball and finally, move a pawn to take the ball (if it is in an empty space) or just move the ball again. After that the Defence team (D-team) move a pawn to try to get the ball. If the ball is contended there is a tackle: if the D-team win, becomes the O-team and the turn start again, if the O-team win and the pawn is eligible to score, roll to see if there is a score.

The game is really simple. The pawns have to move the full a mount of the dice thrown and can change direction only one time during the movement: they can't pass through opponents pawn (so you can block your opponent with your men) and can't stop on a space already occupied by a friendly pawn. The ball move in the same way but changing the direction it can go back in an already passed column or row but it can pass through any space.

There are other little rules but very clever that make the game more tactic: the defender are better in tackling (+1 on the dice rolls) but can't cross the midfield line; you can't have 4 ore more pawns in a row or 3 or more pawn in a column (just one adjacent to the other): there are fault, corner kick and so on.

Included in the box there is a timer.

We really enjoyed the game (we play it half an hour) and I won 1-0 scoring from the long distance after defending for the most of the game.

Here the action where I scored


After the match was over we discovered that my goal was not legal since In the preceding defending action I violate a rule letting 4 pawn adjacent in a row.

I'm sure I'll play it again.

good play
Liga

[Review] Factory Fun

Descrizione Generale

In questo originale gioco della Cwali i giocatori sono impegnati nelle costruzione ed ottimizzazione di una fabbrica costituita dall'unione ed intgrazione di macchinari, fonti di energia, condutture e depositi di prodotto finito. Il gioco, adatto per 2-4 pesone (ma è possibile scaricare dalla rete il necessario per giocare anche in 5) è in realtà quasi un solitario perchè l'interazione tra i giocatori è davvero minima e il grosso della partita consiste nel trovare la disposizone migliore e più efficace per i macchinari acquisiti.

Se giocato non con giocatori che abusano del tempo per prendere le loro decisioni una partita si risolve in 30-45 minuti (anche meno quando si gioca a due) ed è un'esperienza di gioco davvero piacevole.

La partita

Ogni giocatore ha a sua disposizione ad inizio partita una fabbrica (plancia quadrettata con un pilone intransitabile al centro), 4 sorgenti d'energia (blu, giallo, rosso e marrone) e 3 depositi (bianchi). Durante la partita potrà utilizzare (acquisire) tubature, ramificazioni, depositi addizionali, terminazioni e, in particolari circostanze, anche nuove fonti di energia.

La partita dura 10 turni. In ogni turno viene rivelato casulamente un numero di macchinari pari al numero dei giocatori: l'assegnazione dei macchinari viene fatta in ordine di velocità di scelta, il primo a sceglierlo si aggiudica il macchinario e deve piazzarlo nella sua fabbrica. Non è obbligatorio prendere un macchinario ogni turno (nel caso i macchinari avanzati vengono scartati), ma quando possibile conviene. In questa fase la capacità di sapere valutare con velocità quanto un macchinario si possa adattare alla propria fabbrica (o quanto sia possibile rivoluzionare la fabbrica per fargli posto) è determinante ed in questa fase di scelta contemporanea si esaurisce tutta l'interazione tra i giocatori.

Una volta scelti i macchinari i giocatori li devono posizionare nella propria fabbrica: ogni macchinario necessita di un certo ammontare di energia per funzionare in uno o più colori e in quantità dieterminata (da 1 a 3) e a sua volta genererà altra energia e/o prodotti finiti. Ogni maccinario, una volta posizionato, darà un certo numero di soldi: non è cosa rara però spendere più di quanto il macchinario renda sul momento perchè ogni tubo, sorgente d'energia, deposito (bianco o nero) posizionato in mappa costerà soldi. Anche spostare macchine precedentemente posizionate in mappa costerà soldi (e se ne possono spostare al massimo due ogni volta che si posiziona un nuovo macchinario). Non riuscire a posizionare uno o più macchinari acquisiti (in questo caso verranno rimossi definitivamente dal gioco) comporta punti di penalizzazione. Pochi macchinar conferiscono come bonus particolare una fonte d'energia extra.

Questa fase di gioco viene svolta da ognuno singolarmente: non esiste da regolamento un limite di tempo ma suggerisco di accordarsi prima della partita su un limite ragionevole. Riuscire ad alimentare un macchinario con l'energia fornita da un altro comporterà grandi bonus di solid a fine partita. Le fonti di energia inziali (le sorgenti nei 4 colori) sono illmitate mentre l'energia fornita dai macchinari ha un valore limitato. Si possono combinare più macchine per alimentarne una. Ci sono poche altre limitzioni nel posizionamento (ad esempio quello di non crerare circuti chiusi). Per la vittoria finale è determinante riuscire a prendere i soldi di bonus alimentando macchinari con altri macchinari: per la mia esperienza più della metà del punteggio finale di una partita è sepesso determinato da questi punteggi di bonus. E' inoltre molto importante riuscire a posizionare le fonti di energia in maniera accorta (posizioni centrali) in modo da potere alimentare più macchinari.

Conclusioni

Nel complesso il gioco è divertente e richiede una certa dose di pianificazione ed intuito (nella scelta dei macchinari) senza essere eccessivo. La varietà dei macchinari è davvero notevole (e in ogni partita ne vengono usati solo una parte) e quidi le partite non sono mai ripetitive. Ci si può sbizzarire nel costruire fabbirche con percorsi evoluti o cercare di compattare il tutto, magari a scapito del posizionamento di qualche macchinario. Il gioco funziona bene sia in due che in tre che in quattro giocatori e, per quel che ho potuto osservare, non mi sembra particolarmente alterato da fortuna/sfortuna.

Thursday evening at SdP home!

I was in Rome at a networking meeting and I was so lucky to be hosted at SdP house. Sdp is a great gamer and collector, and also a good friend. We spent a good evening eating and plying together. I also learnt from SdP that he will be the first Italian invited at Alan Moon Gathering ... I hope he could make there a lot of pictures and bring me some.

First we played Khronos. We was in 5: me, SdP, Isabella, Emiliano and Paolo. We used the variant suggested by the designer himself (play two cards as one card of chosen colour). In the game you have to try to score points in three different epochs, might, faith and reason, building and occupying war, religious and civil buildings. Every turn you can move your pawns (2) in one (or two) of the three maps and build there according to the four cards you have in your hand: more cards you play bigger will be the building. Also the building in the early epochs (might and faith) will have shadows in age of reason. When you place a building you can just expand a dominion (a group of connected buildings) or just found a new one. In each dominion can be just only one prominent war and religious building. Connecting two dominions could cause a fight for the prominency.


At the end of the 4th and 7th turn there is a score phase: you get points in age of might if you occupy the biggest war building in dominions: occupying the religious one in age of faith and occupying civil in age of reason. You can score only in 2 of the 3 ages.

The three maps are connected and the early ages could influence the last one.

I found the game really funny and deeply strategic: you have to plan what and where to build, looking for other players plans and also thinking about the evolution on the other map.

I won the game getting a rel big dominion in the age of might ruled by me and as large as half the map. In the 7th turn I also score quite a lot point in the age of faith for a big dominion. I never played for all the game in the age of reason. I got 67 points and the seconds, Isabella and Emiliano, scored 28! Now I'm really unhappy to haven't bought the game in Essen!

Here Isabella is looking for the best move.


On the other table Flaminia, Virginio, Rporrini and Ugoslave played Factory Fun.


After that I played three Factory Fun game with SdP. I lost the first one but I won the other two. I think it is also quite a good 2 players game: really didn't change too much playing in 2,3 or 4 players. I'm happy to been able to play it again,

Good play to all
Liga

Tank to SdP for this pictures and also some of my Essen pictures. You can see more SdP picture here

[Review] Legie

Here is my review of Legie, a CzechBoardGame game, I have done for La Tana dei Goblin. At the bottomo also the original Italian version

General description

Legie is a game for two in which the players contend for the victory alternating in placing pieces on a grid, in this way often also removing one or more opponent's pieces, in order to be the first one to have all 11 own pieces on the map. Although the theme is emphasized at graphical level, both in pieces and in lands tiles, Legie re-enters totally in the category of abstract games.

The map is composed by 4 squared tiles 3x3, rappresenting waters, plains, mountains, castles and forests: in the game base the type of every square is pure decorative while it becomes meaningful in the advanced game. The tiles are assembled at random and have lands in various positions and composition on two sides: in this way the possible combinations are indeed many (to the lovers of statistics the not difficult task to compute!) and the map is therefore always various.

Every player possesses a set of 10 pieces: two warriors (sword), two knights (two swords), one scout (sword and shield), a general (two swords and one shield), one tower (one sword and inamovibile), one catapult (one arrow and inamovibile), an archer (one arrow) and a King. The swords indicate the power in attack, the shield improve the defense, the arrows allow attacks at a distance.

The basic Game

During the turn the player must place on the map, in one free case, just a piece. It is then necessary to see if everyone of adjacent opposing pieces (orthogonally) must be removed: that happens when the number of adjacent opposing swords exceeds the number of shields of the attacked piece by two or more. When you remove an opponent piece you have to replace it in the map with the flag (that will prevent therefore to place in that case other pieces until the flag is moved elsewhere). Pieces removed from the game immediately become available for the opponent already in its sequqnt turn.

The interesting aspect of this game is just this: a pure offensive strategy, aimed in removing opposing pieces turn after turn, not always rewards because therefore offers the possibility to the opponent to place again in map strong pieces (above all the king and the archer) making attacks still more effective. It is necessary therefore to balance attack and defense, trying to protect own weak pieces and being away from strong pieces of the opponent. Particularly important for the creation of a good defense are the tower and the catapult, since once in map they cannot being removed from the adversary. The archer (like the catapult) allows to eliminate an opponent piece whenever on the map, unless it has a shield, and is therefore a lot important. The more frightening piece is the king who eliminates all adjacent opposing pieces.

The game soon becomes therefore one challenge to acquire an advantage (one or two pieces) on the adversary and then to maintain defending own weak counters and castling.

The basic game is amusing but indeed a lot much abstract; the advance rules (lands) give instead greater variety to the games.

Advanced game

In the advanced game there are 4 types of land other than plains, everyone with its peculiarities. The forest protect from the arrows (archers and catapults) but at the same time denies the possibility to hurl arrows: optimal therefore for warriors (a sword) and knights (two swords) that otherwise would be exposed to the enemy fire. The mountain is simply impassable for inamovible pieces (towers and catapults). The castle confers a shield (and therefore also the immunity to the attacks with the arrows) to who does not possess already one. The water is impassable for all pieces that have two different icons (practically only warriors, knights, archers and kings could go there).

Conclusions

For me Legie is a nice and intriguing game: once you learn the powers of pieces and their various effectiveness in the basic game I suggest to go quickly to the advanced game where the characteristics of the land force to use a more complex strategy. Played without excessive thoughts rarely take more than half hour. The game seemed to me not repetitive and seem not a particular advantage/disvantage for the starting player. The materials are good and the graphic is simple but effective. On the whole sure a game that it is worth, seen also the price not elevated: it has hit me in particular for the fact that playing for placing all 11 own counters and not only eliminating enemy pieces, the strategy to adopt is indeed particular and originates.

and here is the Italian version:

Descrizione Generale

Legie è un gioco per due in cui i giocatori si contendono la vittoria su una griglia a caselle quadrate alternandosi nel piazzare i propri pezzi, spesso causando in questa maniera la rimozine di uno o più pezzi avversari, allo scopo di essere il primo ad averli in mappa tutti e 11. Sebbene l'ambientazione sia accentuata anche a livello grafico, sia nei pezzi che nei terreni, Legie rientra pienamente nella categoria dei giochi astratti.

La mappa è composta da 4 tasselli 3x3 raffiguranti pianure, montagne, castelli, boschi e specchi d'acqua: nel gioco base la tipologia di ogni casella è puramente decorativa mentre diventa significativa nel gioco avanzato. I tasselli sono orientabili a piacimento e hanno terreni in diverse posizioni e composizione sui due lati: in questa maniera le possibili combinazioni sono davvero tante (agli amanti delle statistiche il non difficile computo!) e la mappa è quindi sempre diversa.

Ogni giocatore possiede un set di 10 pezzi: due guerrieri (spada), due cavalieri (due spade), uno scout (spada e scudo), un generale (due spade e uno scudo), una torre (una spada e inamovibile), una catapulta (una freccia e inamovibile), un arciere (una freccia) ed un Re. Le spade indicano la potenza in attacco,, gli scudi migliorano la difesa, le frecce permettono attacchi a distanza.

Svolgimento del gioco base

Al proprio turno il giocatore deve posizionare sulla mappa, in una casella libera, un proprio pezzo. Occorre poi vedere se ognuno dei pezzi avversari ad esso adiacenti (ortogonalmente) deve essere rimosso: cosa che avviene quando il numero di spade avversarie adiacenti supera due più il numero di scudi del pezzo attaccato. Nel caso un pezzo venga rimosso al suo posto si posiziona la bandiera (che impedirà dunque di posizionare in quella casella altri pezzi fin tanto che non verrà eliminato un altro pezzo). I pezzi rimossi dal gioco diventano immediatamente disponibili per l'avversario già nel suo turno subito successivo.

L'aspetto interessante di questo gioco è proprio questo: una pura strategia offensiva, volta a rimuovere i pezzi avversari turno dopo turno, non sempre premia perchè così facendo si concede all'avversario la possibilità di riposizionare in mappa i pezzi forti (sopratutto il re e l'arciere) eseguendo attacchi ancora più efficaci. Occorre dunque bilanciare attacco e difesa, cercando di proteggere i propri pezzi più deboli e stando lontano dai pezzi forti dell'avversario. Particolarmente importanti per la creazione di una buona difesa sono la torre e la catapulta, che una volte messe in mappa non possono più essere rimosse dall'avversario. L'arciere (come la cagtapulta) quando posizionato permette di eliminare un qualsiasi pezzo non dotato di scudo dell'avversario, ed è quindi molto importante. Il pezzo più temibile è il re che entrando in gioco elimina tutti i pezzi avversari a lui adiacenti.

La partita diventa quindi presto una sfida ad acquisire un vantaggio (di uno o due pezzi) sull'avversario e poi a mantenerlo difendendo i propri pezzi deboli ed arroccandosi.

Il gioco base è divertente ma davvero molto molto astratto e scacchistico; le regole avanzate (terreni) danno invece maggior varietà e vivacità alle partite.

Svolgimento gioco avanzato

Oltre alla pianura nel gioco avanzato ci sono 4 tipi di terreno, ognuno con le sue peculiarità. La foresta protegge dalle frecce (arcieri e catapulta) ma al tempo stesso nega la possibilità di scagliare frecce: ottima dunque per fanti (una spada) e cavalieri (due spade) che altrimenti sarebbero esposti al fuoco nemico. La montagna è semplicemente intransitabile per i pezzi inamovibili (torri e catapulte). Il castello conferisce uno scudo (e quindi anche l'immunità agli attacchi con le frecce) a chi non ne possiede già uno. L'acqua infine è intransitabile da tutti i pezzi che hanno due icone diverse (in pratica ci possono andare solo fanti, cavalieri, arceri e re).

Conclusioni

A me Legie è parso davvero un gioco interessante ed intrigante: una volta imparati i poteri dei pezzi e la loro diversa efficacia nel gioco base suggerisco di andare subito al gioco avanzato dove le caratteristiche del terreno costringono ad impostare una strategia meno diretta e semplice. Giocato senza eccessivi pensamenti una partita raramente dura più di mezz'ora. Il gioco mi è sembrato non ripetitivo e non mi sembra ci sia un particolare vantaggio/svantaggio per il giocatore iniziale. I materiali sono buoni e la grafica semplice ma efficace. Nel complesso sicuramente un gioco che vale la pena avere, visto anche il prezzo non elevato: mi ha colpito in particolare per il fatto che vincendo posizionando tutti e 11 i propri pezzi e di fatto non eliminando mai i pezzi del nemico, la strategia di gioco da adottare è davvero particolare ed originale.

Conference in Rome

Hi all

starting from this evening until Friday I'll be in Rome for a networking conference. I'll be hosted by SdP, one of the founders of La Tana dei Goblin and one of the greatest Italian gamers.
So I'll be able to have a game session tomorrow evening and probably also this evening.

Since I'm still without networking at home it could be I'll not be able to update my blog until Monday ... unless I could do some updates during the conference!

good play
Liga

Monday Evening at Club TreEmme

Hi all

yesterday evening at Club TreEmme Modena I was involved in a play-test session by Cogito Studio (Alf, Carlo A. Rossi and Alessandro Zucchini). We tested three games: one classical German Games and two quick light games (filler).

I don't really know how much I can tell about these games, so I'll be foggy! t

Te first game (from Alessandro Zucchini) was really nice and, I think, ready. We was four (me, Saverio, Paolo and Carlo) and the game last for less than an hour. It has some really nice and new ideas.

The second game (filler) was from Alessandro too. It is a simple bid game and it plays well and quickly: there is not too much in the game but it is fun and that is what everyone looks in a filler. I think also that one is close to be ready. We play it in 6, me, Saverio, Paolo, Carlo, Alf and Alessandro.

The third game (from Carlo) was still a filler but it is far away to be ready: the game, as we tested, doesn't work at all and we stop it before the end. We was agin six: me, Saverio, Paolo, Carlo, Alf and Alessandro.

After this session of play-test we play Factory Fun. Was my first play at this game and I found it quite enjoiable. We was 4 player: me, Saverio, Alf and Carlo.

The game is about building a factory connecting machine to appropriate power sources (in 4 colours: red, brown, blue and yellow). Every machine needs some input (represented as a number that range from 1 to 3 in one, two or three colours) and give some output (it could be 1,2 or 3 points in one colour or a final product: black).

Every player start the game with a game board, a power source in each of the 4 colours, a black output depot and 3 white depots.

During the turn you can acquire a new machine and you have to try to fit it in your factory. Moving pieces already there (machines, connections and depots) cost you money like adding new elements. Connecting a new machine give you money.

Every round as many machines as players are revealed and every one take one (or zero) machine in speed order.

If you are not able to place a machine you loose points. If you are able to take the inputs of a new machine from the outputs of others you get bonus (points that you score in the end).

It happens that you have to rearrange your factory to make space for the new machines but you can rearrange only 2 machine every turn and only if you place a new one.

The game become a sort of solo-play puzzle: the interaction between players take place only in the beginning of each turn in the phase where the new machines are assigned.

I found it a really nice game and I hope to play it again.

Other game played at club TreEmme: two D&D 3.5 groups and a 4 players Marvel Heroes.

good play
Liga

Essen 2006: Italian Emotions Part II

Here I’m with the second part of this collection of Italian Emotions about the Essen 2006 fair.

In these Part II the feelings of one of the pioneers of designing games in Italy, Angelo Porazzi, together with the impressions of Acchitocca, at their first game, but which game! Also Alfredo Genovese (Bolide designer and producer) and Mario Sacchi (Post Scriptum).

I hope you enjoy this small window on Italian Emotions.

Angelo Porazzi
(Game Designer, Illustrator and Producer)

My third Essen Experience (first two were with great Andrea Ligabue:)) was a big, big satisfaction. My oldest game Warangel 10 Years Edition, sold out in two days.
The latest game WrestAngel was picked up by Nick Medinger of Funagain US and other retailers out of Italy.
The PhotoReport (I use to realize after each fair) of Essen 2006 is now published on my website, on SpielBox Online thanks to kind Knut MichaelWolf and on Hall 9000 thanks to friendly Frank Gartner.
Very happy for all Italian games I communicate in my PhotoReport thanks to Giro d’ Italia Ludico, excellent idea of Jost Schwi of Spielepizza.de, that was based and host at my booth, showing together lots of Italian games and authors. So...Wunderbar!;)
A Very HappyAngelo
(due HappyAnimals, is my next game with SilToys, presented at Essen06 as a prototype)!

Mario Sacchi
(Game Designer and Publisher)

Second year in Essen, for Post Scriptum, this time in stand together with Scribabs (co-producers of High Voltage).
For us it was absolutely a great experience: we got really a lot of contacts with distributors, retailers and press, and also the public liked the game very much. High Voltage was played by many people and everybody
seemed to enjoy it.
And then, this fair is always a great time to discover new games and see old friends.
At the end we were really tired, but satisfied!!

Flaminia – Acchittocca
(Game Designer)

To speak about the fair “in a generalized manner” is for me really difficult: for me it was a full immersion in “Leonardo da Vinci”! : My first game and to see it played in tens of tables at the same time was spectacular! And then was also spectacular to see as the Italian Game (for who does not live in Italy could be unnoticed the fact that in the last years many publishers and many authors have grown, and many good Italian games are been released and have been received with enthusiasm also to the foreign country… but for an Italian like me that fills up of pride!
And it was absolutely unforeseeable until few years ago. In fair I have had way to try a heap of new releases, some indeed really interesting: I have found some ideas absolutely new (like the timers of Space Dealer) and some small jewels (as it seems to me, from the only game that I have made, Notre Dame).

Virginio – Acchittocca
(Game Designer)

I think that for a player the first Essen seems like to be entered (how much appropriated) in the “Paese dei Balocchi”. See my own passion shared from many persons, above all living in Italy where when you speak about boardgames they watch to you like Martian, it is really nice; better see tens of persons at the same time and uninterruptedly play your game; the fact so many players has appreciated Leonardo, buying it, voting it, making us compliments quite and asking us to autograph their copies, has filled up us of joy and pride, having made us to swell the chests and repaying us of all the job made. We have then tried many interesting games of which some I liked a lot (Emira, Hermagor, Notre Dame), some pretty (Space Dealer, Arkadia, the pillars of the earth) and also others of which I could not speak well therefore I prefer to abstain. The only bad things was experience the little sport way in which Leonardo was pulled down from the first place in Fairplay where, without a sage operates of fake 5 and 6, widely would have been attested. We sadly discover that also the “Game World” is not safe by this kind of behaviours, but this is something else and doesn’t fit too much in this topic.

Stefano – Acchittocca
(Game Designer)

This have been my 5th time in Essen, so the “surprise effect” have been vanished a long time ago :)
However Essen is always a wonderful experience and this year I had the opportunity to see for the first time if people enjoy Leonardo. We worked hard on it for 4 years and seeing that every table available was full all the time was great!

Antonio – Acchittocca
(Game Designer)

This was my first Essen and after been there, a posteriori, I must admit that every player have to make this experience at least once in his life (better if more than once!). As all I was really happy from the result of our first published game and, altogether, for all the Italian games; to have 3 Italian’s games in the first 10 of Fairplay (Leonardo, Hermagor, Ur) was really an optimal result and index of the fact that the Italian authors are working well and with fruit. We hope to be able to continue in this way!

Alfredo Genovese
(Game Designer, Publisher & Distributor)

The first time of Ghenos games & Bolide at Essen!
Just a few words to describe our impressions:
1) Unforgettable! Essen fair gave us an impressive feeling regarding the games’ market: same level of professionalism as other markets (we came from other experiences before launching Ghenos games), but marked by a unique sense of friendship no other one has. Essen is an international fair and a relationships pot at the same time. People are focused on their own core business but they really love their products, they are not just interested in making money.
2) Sold out! We have finished the Bolide boxes. We were embaraced since we were not able to sell on Sunday...we did not believe in such a success…
3) Enthusiasm: Essen gave us an incredible push towards our targets. We are not tired, we are revitalized! See all of you next year with a new game!!!!!


Good play to all
Liga

Essen 2006: Italians Emotions Part I

Hi

still too much busy to conclude my Essen Experience (I miss only the sunday), I have just prepared a small article for BGN.

In these days I got a lot of feedback from Italians about the Essen Experience. I remember at my first Essen, years ago, there was not more than 2-3 Italian publishers/designers (Kidult, Leo Colovni, ...) and not many Italian games. Now also Italians (designers, gamers and publishers) look at Essen as a central moment in their activities.

I have tried to capture comments and feelings of the Italians and put together in this post: I’m still waiting an answer from others so it could be that some day a part II will be posted here.


Andrea Angiolino
(Game designer)

This year Essen went very well for me. As an author I can say that “Wings of War” sold a lot - some sets were sold out and several people joined the Yahoo Discussion Group and gave feedback on forums after the show. As an agent, good things on the horizon: hard to tell what will become real, but anyway in Nuremberg we’ll see something on the market for sure. As a player I finally managed to get Command & Strategies n. 5 with a game about the air battle of Arras.

My only regret is a really huge one:I have not been at Essen! All this happened from far away while I was at home among rulebook drafts, little models of biplanes, game books and magazine articles to be written sent around, prototypes to be tested ... That’s awful. I have to work even more in the next future. Before the next Essen, or even the next Modena, I want to be free and be there again. Everybody enjoying the fair while I am back home finishing my homeworks? No way! ;)

Giacomo Sottocasa
(Game Designer and Publisher)

Everytime I enter the Eingang Ost to the Internationale Spieltage I’m a child again It’s quite difficult to mantain a professional profile, trying to discuss international distribution for my company or to find a publisher for my games, while I’m surrounded with all those wonderful games, while I feel I must play everything in there, while I’d like to discover evry single tile or wooden piece hidden in the boxes the Essen Spiel is a multicoloured universe of fun where you can meet gamers from all over the world& the Essen Spiel is a unique chance to play games from companies and self-producers coming from everywhere.

Carlo A. Rossi
(Game Designer and Game Developer)
I attended the fair from Wednesday (yes, one day before) to Sunday and the only thing I can say is “hey there, is there someone who played tons of games and can suggest to me some to buy? because… I don’t!!!

Meetings, meetings, meetings nothing more; it’ s really the case to say “all work and no play makes Carlo a dull boy” (that is, btw, my actual screensaver).

Silvano Sorrentino
(Game Designer and Publisher)

Publishing a game about the Leonardo da Vinci (designed by Acchittocca and already sold out at half of the fair) was a good thing both to daVinci Games and other representative of Italian Genius.
Not only Leonardo was 3rd at Fairplay, but also other two Italians games was in the first 10: Hermagor (Emanuele Ornella) and UR (Paolo Mori) and the tables of others Italian0s games was always crowded (think about Nexus’ Marvel Heroes).
The Italian Game seems to be appreciated every year more. I was very happy both for the success of Leonardo and for the success of the other Italians: World Champion!

Alf
(Game Developer)

This is my second adventure in Essen, and my only regret is that this year my free time was just a couple of hours. But even when busy running from one meeting to another what can be seen around is always amazing and inspiring. Gamers, families, cos-players, game designers, and everyone likes games or has something to do with them can find someone else to play, work, or just exchange idea. It is just like a pilgrimage to “La Mecca” for a Muslim, it must be taken as a trip at least once in a lifetime.

Walter Obert
(Game Designer)

Great time for me, nice to meet so many people from different countries in the name of Game. Without voice after have shouted and laughed with so many “hytericoaches”. A special thanks to our special german friend, Jost from www.spielepizza.de. Ciao! To next year, with next games!

Paolo Vallerga
(Game Designer and Publisher)

I went back from Essen really happy. This year I have presented a game by Walter Obert (HisteryCoach) that has had a great popularity both for gamers and distributors. I have also had a lot of contact for my fantasy series “Saghe di ConQuest”, Spain and Canada over all. This refund me of the great effort put in the production. This year the budget was fully positive. So, “Arrivederci a Norimberga”

Piero Cioni
(Game Designer)

Tenkigames at Essen 2006
The big event has ended. As usual it was a wonderful experience! We met a lot of people: gamers from all around the world, journalists, designers and other publishers.
Our Essen was very good! Our tables was full of people trying our new games. This year we show games for families and we was happy to see families having fun with our snakes or our collapsing aztec ruins.
We met also a lot of distributors from several countries and we signed agreements to see our products distributed in several countries we doesn’t reach before. All in all, we are extremely tired… and extremely happy!
HTPWYS
(Hope To Play With You Soon)


Good play to all
Liga

Essen Experience: Sunday

Here I'm reporting the last Essen day. Four days seems a lot of time to see and play but it is enough just only to have an idea of what was happening in Essen: there are booths and part of the fair that I never seen in my 4 days of continuous walking and playing: many games in my list I hadn't time to try ... anyway

Sunday morning we have an appointment at 2F demo booth with Ele to try the two new 2F games: Fiji and Formidable Foes.

We started with Fiji and I liked it: it was a nice auction game with a sort of "I think that you think that I think" mechanism, but is quite nice: I bought it!

After we go for Formidable Foes: Eve was really great (and funny) explaining us the rules but we didn't like the game too much. There was good ideas and some clever mechanic (and, as usual, a really nice graphics and materials) but the game is a bit boring and repetitive. It was on my to buy list but I decided to preserve my money for something better: I must admit that this year I was quite disappointed by Mr. FF releases ... I hope for the next year since I think he is one of the most talented designers.

Sunday morning was just gone and we end walking around in the "Little Italy" area: Mind the Move, Zugames, Post Scriptum, Angelo Porazzi Games, Scribabs, What's your Game ?, Manor House and Sil Toys was all located close each other in the same corridor at hall 9. We got catched by Cocktail Game publisher who show us a small jewel: Zigomar, a funny game (for kids, I suppose).

The game is quite easy: the clown face is made of 6 tiles (2 hairs and eyebrows tiles, two eyes tiles and two mouth tiles). Every tile has two different faces (eye open or close, eyebrow up or down, ...).

You got a card displaying the clown face and quick you have to arrange the tiles to show exactly the same face. you can play with different rules (using only one hands, building the opposite face) and also in pairs (on assembling the clown's face and the other looking the card and giving hints). We was so pleased that we bought two copy of Zigomar and one copy of Rapidcroco.

After we was so luck to meet Mik Svellov at the fair and so we finally have time to travel and play together: Monty and Viki also liked Mik a lot and so the poor Danish Man had to babysit 3 Italians around the fair.

We all also had still to buy some games so we shared our time playing and buying.

The idea was to play some games we still have in our list but also stopping where we can find seat (Sunday was not an easy playing day!).

We start playing Genesis at Face2face booth. The game is not bad: every turn you have to play one or two tiles in the map according to the result of throwing a pair of dices (every dice could show one of the 4 colours or a jolly). You try to be the one with the most connected tiles of the same color in each group. At the end of the game every group (with 3 or more tiles) of connected (orthogonally) tiles of the same colour score 4 points for the first (the player with the highest number of connected tiles in the group) and 2 points for the 2nd. If a group is mad only by tiles of one players he score 6 points. the largest group in each colour score double and the largest of all the groups score triple.

If you don't like the results of the dices you can just place a single tile of the colour you like.


The game plays well and it is nice but, for me, too much abstract: i won the game, anyway.

After that we play, always at face2face booth, and old game: I'm the Boss. Monty, after discussing for a lot of time about the absurdity of some rules, won the game because me and Viki was so idiot (that was the world Mik used!) to let him score really a lot of money: anyway, was a nice game and Monty bought it.


After that we gone walking around and we was so luckily to find a free seat for Notre Dame. I think it was one of the best game played in Essen and I think I'll buy it as soon as it will be released.

The game is played in round. Every round is made of three turn. In every round all the player have 9 cards, displaying the actions they could make. In every turn you get 3 random cards: keep one and pass the other two to the player on your left. Than, again, keep one of the two you get and pass one to the player on your left. Now you have three cards but you play only two. Every card display an action: usually putting one token in one of the city areas you control. Every token you put in the map usually give you something according to the place and to the number of token already there. You can get money, victory points, tokens or just fight the rats.

With the money you can buy a special power (at the end of each turn) or victory points at the cathedral (playing the right card).

The powers usually permits you to get something more.

After the three full rounds (nine turns) the game is over and the winner is the player with the highest amount of victory points. It works really well and you have to think ahead and look what the other players are doing trying to argue which cards you can get and which card you can give. For me a great game.

I won the game scoring 73 points: one of the highest score, according to the designer.

After that we say hallo to Mik and we ran for the last buying.

Just the time to optimize the space occupied by the game boxes in the car and we start for our long night driving. We drive until Switzerland than we stop 1 hour sleeping and we drive again.

Was a really, really, really great experience!

good play
Liga

Essen Experience: Saturday

Saturday was for me the day devoted to the Dungeon Twister European Tournament. Since the tournament start only at 12:00 I had a free morning of playing.

Monty and Viki book also for me a seat at King of Chicago booth to try the new game from Denmark. I was not happy because friends told me that the game was buggy but I would like to give it a chance.

I must admit that graphics and materials are really nice and the theme quite charming. You are the boss of a gangster family trying to develop your buisness and fighting the other families.

At the beginning of every turn you collect money from your buisness and from your gangsters; after there is set-up phase where cards are drawn. You take a card and it could be a special card (and you keep), a resource card (and you refill some resources on the board and draw a new card) or a man (and you have to put it for auction). If you are unlucky you could draw only men while other players acquire important event cards (first big bug in the game, easy to fix I think, but not fixed!).

Now is the action round when you can acquire new men. After that you have to organize your men letting them in defence of your shops or carrying in the car and go around making your business.

The first action round start: you throw the dice, move your car and make your buisness. Then is the turn of the second player and so on for 4 times.

To get resources you have to move your car where resources are. To open a new shop you have to go in the right place and have the right amount of resources. To fight other players you have to move over theyr shop and/or cars. If you finish your move close to an empty building you can place there one tokens (gangster) that will give you extra money in the beginning of the next round.

It easy to see that if you are unlucky and throw a lot of 1s and 2s you are out of the game without any possibility to change it (second bug, also easy to fix but not fixed!).

There is also a special rule concerning the car fights: if you loose a fight you go to the mechanics and wait until the beginning of the next turn before having the possibility to move again: if that happens in the 1st or 2nd action phase you can loose 2-3 action phases ... and be killed again in the beginning of the next round and loose 3-4 action phases again (another bug! terrible bug!).


I really didn't like the game: I think the materials and graphics are good but the rules must be rewritten from the beginning. Monty liked the game very much instead and bought it!

Just finished the game I have time for a quick visit to a new french company, Atomic Mix: the game they show, Ls Hache et le Feu, seems really nice (a sort of Diablo, the told) but it is still all in French and too much language dependent for me to try.



I just passed close to Amigo booth and I took a picture of Walhalla (from Alessandro Zucchini, my countryman).


After this I have to run at the Dungeon Twister Tournament. I was there all the afternoon. My first game was against one of the pro-ludo staff. I was an easy game and I won 7-0.

The second game was against a German player: he was really better than me (I wasn't expert in using Paladins & Dragons new characters) and beat me 5-2.


The 3rd game was against a nice french: it was a really hard game and finally I won 5-4.


The final game was against Sherinford, a Belgian player (the one in the picture below) that I discover was the person in charge of running the DTL. He beat me easily 5-2 but was a good game and it could be ended 5-4 (for him, of course) with a bit more attention!



The premiation ceremony was nice and I got a special character as reward: I was 12 on 28, the first of non-french speaking!


Here the two winners ... pereaphs the next year!



Just the time to a quick look at Khronos, the game with the highest bought/played ratio


and than at a dinner with the Italians.

During the dinner there is time for a quick play-test of a new card game from Walter Obert.

Back at the hotel I joined Mik and other firends for a Bolide race,


than Pyramids (card game) and than, finally, bed!

good play
Liga