February 09, 2011

Participants: Jon, Nadine, Mace, Gili

Quiet game night.

Dominion/Seaside/Prosperity

Nadine 38, Gili 20, Mace 19, Jon 15

Kingdoms: Workshop, Smithy, Council Room, Embargo, Ambassador, Navigator, Vault, Grand Market, King's Court, Peddler. No other Prosperity cards.

Kingdoms costing from 2 to 8. No bonus actions before 6 cost, and no double actions except for King's Court. This was our first play for certain Seaside and Prosperity cards. Nadine didn't understand Ambassador's value; while it seemed to work for both me and Mace, Nadine's ultimate victory may be a counter-argument. She ended with 5 provinces and 8 estates.

I passed up the opportunity to buy provinces twice, which was a mistake. Everyone had 8 or more purchasing power quite early, so the game went too few rounds. King's Court was used three times, and always on Council Room.

Agricola

Jon 53, Mace 40, Nadine 38, Gili 25

The game went for 2:50, which I think was probably pretty quick for us. This time I had a kind of feeling that I was doing well, even though I hadn't accumulated any points by round 8 or 9.

Nadine's major mission in Agricola is to be the first to expand her family, and that's what she did. Mace followed, and I came next. However, the two rounds I was waiting to expand gave me time to add a fourth room onto my house. Thus, after Gili expanded, I expanded again.

Nadine had an early fireplace (her other top priority) and a pasture with several cattle. Mace had what looked like over 20 grain by mid-to-end game. Gili had 5 empty field spaces and only three family members at game end. I also had 12 points in bonus cards.