May 20, 2009

Participants: Jon, Hershel, Gili, Abraham

Small game night. Also game night has been moved back to 7:00 pm until mid-August.

Dominion

Jon 16, Abraham 6, Gili 5, Hershel 5

We played with Witch and no card whatsoever that could block or mitigate the Curses: no Moat, no Chapel, no Remodel, nothing. I took here early on, and began toasting all them. I ended up with 3 curses, which was nothing compared to their 8 or 9 each.

Otherwise, the set had no two cost cards, and only Bureaucrats for other attacking. Plus Village, Mine, and Market and maybe Lab. Once the curses were done, we realized that that was one of the three piles completed toward the game ending, and the Duchy and Village finished it.

Hershel 41, Jon 32, Abraham 21

We played another game to close the evening. Witch again, but this time there was Remodel. Also Thief, Feast, Adventurer, Throne Room. No 3 cost cards. Hershel had much of his copper stolen, and then played Throne Room/Adventurer at least three times, which was incredibly powerful. Throne Room/Witch a few times, too.

I played Throne Room/Feast to snag two Duchys at least once, and bought a slew of other Duchys. Ended with Estates, Duchys, and curses.

Pillars of the Earth

Hershel 45ish, Abraham 33, Jon 32, Gili 26ish

Having complained about the luck in Stone Age last week, especially in contrast to this game, I decided to pull this out to show Abraham how it's done. First play for him.

Boy was I made a fool of.

The luck in this game revolves around a) which professionals are available for purchase in phase 1 versus available by means of Master Workers in phase 2, and b) the order of the Master Workers drawn in phase 2. I've had a little trouble with a) a few times, but nothing to write home about. b) can get a little annoying and tight with money on occasion, but generally speaking, even if you miss first chance to get what you want, you usually have a chance to get something decent. With really bad luck, you get screwed for an entire round.

I got screwed THREE TIMES IN A ROW, in rounds 4, 5, and 6 (out of 6). With my three pieces in a bag of twelve Master Workers, mine didn't get pulled until after AT LEAST 6 others were pulled each time. In one of the rounds, only after 8 others were pulled. There is simply nothing you can do with that. Nothing at all. I'm amazed that I scored as well as I did.

Hershel got the professional who give money for wood, and so had flush cash the whole game, which let him buy things with his Master Workers every round, even at the higher prices. Abraham and Hershel both converted cash into VPs at the end. Gili lost out to my buying all the stone out from under her once, and then she did it to me when I was already dying a slow death, anyway. Otherwise, she doesn't understand what she's doing wrong.