878 Vikings on Kickstarter

Posted on by Tim Porter
878: Vikings - Invasion of England

After already owning the previous Birth of America Series games from Academy Games. I have been eagerly awaiting the Kickstarter campaign for this game on my own country.

Here is a brief description for the upcoming game: 878 Vikings – Invasions of England

Gain fame, riches and a new home as the Vikings voyaging to England, or defend your Kingdom and Christendom from the pagan hordes!

878 Vikings is an area control game in which 2 – 4 players play as the invading Vikings or the English nobles who are trying to withstand the invasion. Viking players control the Norsemen Viking freemen and the fearless Viking shock troops known as Berserkers. The English control the King’s Housecarls and the landholding Thegn noblemen.

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Compared to some of the other Kickstarter campaigns in progress at this moment, this one will definitely raise enough money to fund, but it will not make the megabucks that some of the others have made.

Academy Games have a proven record for delivering top notch games. The base of the previous games have allowed them to hone the game mechanics, while adding some changes to add flavor to a solid game system.

The other attributes that appeal to me

  • 2-4 players makes for flexibility in playing the game.
  • Short playing time. A challenging game in a short time.
  • Team play, two sides with 4-players made for co-operation and conflict.
  • Engaging family-friendly  euro game mechanics.
  • Short game rules make for a beginner friendly game.
  • Enough strategy to appeal to an experienced gamer.
  • High quality and visually appealing components.
  • Historical theme allows the teaching of history while you play. Good for schools and families with kids.

This game will make a great addition to the library of the Wargame Bootcamp (Facebook, BGG Guild). It is easy to learn, fast to play, and supports team play. I would recommend that you check out the Kickstarter campaign. As always with any crowdfunding campaign, be aware of the risks and the rewards.

“Yes, I have been drunk there”

Tim
17th March 2017

DOGS game AMA – Monday, March 6th 8-10am

Posted on by Tim Porter

A gamer mate of mine, Rob Masson, is holding an Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Reddit on Monday, March the 6th (rescheduled from  Friday) from 8 to 10 am.

The AMA will be in  /r/boardgames. An Ask Me Anything is an online interview, where the audience can literally ask any question of the guest.

I am thinking of asking Rob why he likes dressing up in a toga !

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The AMA just happens to coincide with the ending of the Kickstarter campaign for the publishing of the DOGS board game. I am already a backer the DOGS Kickstarter campaign, it is doing well having already passed their funding target and into the stretch goals. So far they have raised almost double the campaign target.

Here is a bit about the game…..

Dogs has been previously published in Brazil (selling out 3 print runs) and is a complete game. This is an English language translation of that same game with some small enhancements to the layout and components as well as a revised two-player variant. The game, its art, and all the components are complete. The funds raised through this Kickstarter campaign will be going directly to printing costs.

img_2564In Dogs, each player owns an Animal Rescue Center and wants to turn it into the largest and most comfortable shelter for city and country dogs. Each game round is divided into three phases:

In Phase 1 players move their trucks through two different areas of the board, Country and City, collecting various stray dogs. Certain dogs will provide immediate financial rewards, while other lost and abandoned dogs of differing breeds will need medical care and food, yielding valuable points at the end of the game. Players will be competing for the same breeds, so tactics and strategy should be carefully considered.

In Phase 2 players select special cards and can perform important actions in five different places: City Hall, the Warehouse, the Pet Shop, a Veterinary Clinic, and the Dog Fair. The number of players who can use each location in the round is limited so choosing the right action is crucial to bringing about good results. In addition, there are three types of resources in the game (gas, food, and medicine) and it is essential to manage them successfully in order to avoid penalties.

In Phase 3 players feed the dogs in their kennels, pay the salaries of assistants, and organize the board for the next round.

Upon completion of a certain number of rounds, the kennel with the highest score wins the game!

The basic game is the same as the original version which was released in Brazil. We have made some changes to the art and added new rules for the two-player game as well as some advanced options for when you’re ready for even more of a challenge.

The two-player game changes things up a bit, there are fewer dogs and resources making decisions tougher. Roadwork tiles are added to the bag and appear on the board randomly, costing extra valuable gas to move through. Several new game end triggers were also added, so keep a close eye on your opponents’ actions!

Advanced options are flexible, add in just one or select them all. Use the two-player Roadwork tiles in a 3 or 4 player game. Limit the amount of food and medicine that can be purchased from the Pet Store. Use one or two of the two-player end game triggers. The choice is yours. While Dogs is primarily a family game, it also has enough depth to engage the strategy gamer.

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Links

The Kickstarter page for the DOGS boardgame.
Gray Mass games website.
The /r/boardgames subreddit on Reddit.com.

Originally posted: 1st March 2017, updated 2nd March 2017