A Question

[Habbaku]

block games

Europe Engulfed.   

Hellenes looks awesome, by the way.

[Caliga]

That's the problem with Kentucky gamers - the whiskey to gameplay ratio is too high to handle anything that isn't nailed down.

I haven't touched a block game since I was in Massachusetts.  Some dork at MIT kept trying to make us play them.

[Ed Anger]

I'm a convert to block games mister! 

They anger me.  For one, alot of them require you to rotate the block to reflect unit damage, and inevitably some clumsy fuck bumps the table and screws everything up.

You know what angers me? EVERY DAMN GAME HAS CARDS. FUCK THOSE CDG's.

[Berkut]

Oh, that reminds me that I am up in my game of PoG with Habs!

[Malthus]

I've never payed a block game.

[Ed Anger]

I've never payed a block game.

A fun one:

http://www.columbiagames.com/cgi-bin/query/cfg/zoom.cfg?product_id=3215

The rules are on the site.

[Queequeg]

Have you tried Europa Barbarorum?  It is a mod for R:TW, totally changes it.  Insane historical accuracy, about as much as you can get out of the engine.  Link.

Obviously the period is quite a bit different, as you will find that trying to stave off a Parthian cataphract force as the Common Hellenes will be....difficult, no matter the terrain.

What happened to the supposed Europa Barbarorum for EU:Rome anyway?

Unless it expands into Persia, or even better the Punjab, I won't go out of my way to play EU:Rome. 

[PRC]

A fun one:

http://www.columbiagames.com/cgi-bin/query/cfg/zoom.cfg?product_id=3215

The rules are on the site.

Yeah, Hammer of the Scots is very good.

So is Crusader Rex: http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/8481


Different style of block game than those two, but the Command & Colors: Ancients are very good too: http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/14105

[Habbaku]

Oh, that reminds me that I am up in my game of PoG with Habs!

I figured you were just trying to avoid losing it as long as possible.

[Jaron]

Oh, that reminds me that I am up in my game of PoG with Habs!

I figured you were just trying to avoid losing it as long as possible.

He pulls the same trick with me in any thread we argue in.

[The Brain]

I'm a convert to block games mister! 

They anger me.  For one, alot of them require you to rotate the block to reflect unit damage, and inevitably some clumsy fuck bumps the table and screws everything up.

You know what angers me? EVERY DAMN GAME HAS CARDS. FUCK THOSE CDG's.

Preach it brother!

[Threviel]

Have you tried Europa Barbarorum?  It is a mod for R:TW, totally changes it.  Insane historical accuracy, about as much as you can get out of the engine.  Link.

Obviously the period is quite a bit different, as you will find that trying to stave off a Parthian cataphract force as the Common Hellenes will be....difficult, no matter the terrain.

What happened to the supposed Europa Barbarorum for EU:Rome anyway?

Unless it expands into Persia, or even better the Punjab, I won't go out of my way to play EU:Rome.

The map could be changed couldn't it? I was thinking about some dude claiming to represent Europa Barbarorum that before release was talking about how they would make EB for EU:R. He was quite active but I don't know what happened to the plans.

[dps]

Hopefully Hellenes will be better than Columbia's Athens and Sparta out of the box.

This is the guy who did all the Front games.

Read an article he wrote about the systmen used in those games.  He points (correctly) that most board games do a terrible job of simulating the fog of war and the uncertainty it leads to, and that the block system does this much better than other wargames, but the problem IMO is that it doesn't let you learn much about any other aspects of the campaign or battle being simulated.

I've also talked to the guy at Origins a couple of times.  Seems like an OK dude.

[The Minsky Moment]

Read an article he wrote about the systmen used in those games.  He points (correctly) that most board games do a terrible job of simulating the fog of war and the uncertainty it leads to, and that the block system does this much better than other wargames, but the problem IMO is that it doesn't let you learn much about any other aspects of the campaign or battle being simulated.

My 2c is that the best designs and most playable games come from a conscious understanding that you have make clear decisions about what you are going to model and what you aren't - and then focus on the simplest, most elegant way to capture the elements you want to focus on.   EastFront does a very good job of capturing thongs like feints, operational surprise, limited resources, and logistics.  It does what it does and it does it well.

Bowen Simmons' design articles also provide a good, detailed example of these principles being carried out.

[dps]

Read an article he wrote about the systmen used in those games.  He points (correctly) that most board games do a terrible job of simulating the fog of war and the uncertainty it leads to, and that the block system does this much better than other wargames, but the problem IMO is that it doesn't let you learn much about any other aspects of the campaign or battle being simulated.

My 2c is that the best designs and most playable games come from a conscious understanding that you have make clear decisions about what you are going to model and what you aren't - and then focus on the simplest, most elegant way to capture the elements you want to focus on.   EastFront does a very good job of capturing thongs like feints, operational surprise, limited resources, and logistics.  It does what it does and it does it well.

I agree--pretty much all the block games from Columbia Games do what they're designed to do, and do it well.  They just aren't what I'm looking for in wargames, for the most part.