I had future tech to control wheat and got hangin garden and started conquering wheat, since there was also a score card for wheat. Eliyahu took some early animals and started teching for diamonds, while scoring points for animals. Second age he got some good money from diamomds, while I got money from building cities. I also scored wheat. Third age Eliyahu got buildings allowong him a long turn, I expanded a bit and scored wonders but Eliyahu tied for that. Last age was clear I had fewer moves planned, India got me rockets and I teched to Genetics and filled out Glory tokens. I also quickly snagged the worthwhile wonders, which Wliyahubprobably should have taken one of them. Eliyahu had to choose final actions and since I chose cubes to score over diamoms, he conquered some of my cities, gaining gold and glory. In the end we both had future tech, i had 3 more points from glory and he had more tech. But I won by 5 points 109 to 104.
Little secret, I usually type the names above in the order they arrived to game night. Well I actually arrived to Kevin’s place before Kevin did, so I get to be first on the list.
Barenpark
Raphy showed up just as we started, so all three of us could play. My park expanded nicely basically filling up tiles as I got new ones, allowing for very clean and fast finish with 86 points. Kevin had some good planning at the start but was left at the end with a few holes, and scored in the high 70s. This was Raphy’s first game and while he rushed high value pieces, he was left with many holes and didn’t compete for the higher point statues, leaving him with a score in the 60s I think.
The Golden Ages
Kevin – 74, Zevvy – 73, Raphy 55
Kevin started as China, Raphy as Persia and myself as Rome. Though Kevin didn’t get to do any attacking the first round, he began solidifying his control over ore, which was one of the scoring categories. Turned out to also be his Future Tech goal, which was critical in the final scoring. I built two buildings, figuring I may as well take advantage of my ability, and while it meant passing last, at least I could use those colonists for 3 points each as artists. Kevin remained as China until the final age when he switched to the EU, building the UN as well and making war very profitable for himself. I focused on diamonds as the Aztecs, and then England and finally Russia. But Kevin ended the last round quite early–with no ‘control’ goals, there was no reason to drag out the last round. I did get a lot of points from technologies, also thanks to Oxford. My last turn I took a risk and attacked, giving Kevin money but hoping to get a good glory tile–I got 2 points, and after the final calculation Kevin won by one point. Raphy scored a lot of points in the later rounds, buying wonders, but didn’t tech up quite as fast and was one round short from computers, and one Glory tile short from his Future Tech. I also didn’t get Future Tech points, since it needed most money, and everyone else had way more.
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Being able to plan to meet, and actually do so, and actually learn and play a new game with a new person and actually have it be fun—this felt like a return to the Golden Ages of what game night can be.
Haifa Board Games Crew 