1/15/14

Today I played St. Petersberg and 1812: Invasion of Canada.

St. Petersberg
St. Petersberg is a card game of building and improving resources. The game has a board for organization, but it's not technically necessary. The game goes through four fixed roles. In each, players can buy face-up cards, but in that role, more of that type of card is made available for purchase, and at the end, players collect their income and victory points, depending on what they've already built. My strategy didn't work out, and I got last.

The fixed roles mechanic was interesting. At the beginning of the game, each player was dealt a card which determined which role they went first on. This caused some inequality. For example, I almost never got an upgrade card, because few were ever drawn, and I was always last to choose. The purchasing mechanic worked well otherwise. All buildings had value, and there was a lot of risk/reward when buying.

The rules are not too complex. It takes a little getting used to, and I couldn't really use my strategy well, but we were able to pick the rules up pretty quick. Gameplay was quick and easy. The strategy was more difficult.

The game was relatively friendly, with player interaction coming in the form of competing for cards. Since no one knew how to accomplish their strategy well, the competition was lower. I imagine in future games, the competition would be higher.

In conclusion, a fun game, but I need another playthrough or two to really see how it works.

1812: Invasion of Canada
1812: Invasion of Canada details the US' attempted invasion of Canada in the war of 1812. There are five groups split into the two sides, who each take their turn separately (to some extent). Combat is done through special die rolling as Canada and the US struggle for control. All movement takes place through card plays, and once a card is played, it can never be used again, so the game has a fixed length. My group didn't get close to finishing, but it was clear our team was going to win, as we had conquered a good third of the American land.

The combat was interesting, fun, and fast paced. In the game, many units in battles, instead of being killed, flee or retreat. So control of territories could move back and forth between the sides. My partner and I devised a tricky strategy, which worked, and we won huge victory after victory.

The rules took a while to explain, but they were simple once you got into the game. It was a very cohesive experience. Gameplay was free flowing and easy.

The teams worked very cooperatively and I got to know my teammate better. The game was friendly.

In conclusion, a fun game, one I would like to finish sometime.