1/29/2025 – Berkshire Gamers Session Report #25-04
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11 at UNO Community Center on a chilly night where the weather played a factor….some losing power/heat, frozen driveways and health issues. We lost 5 who had already RSVPed to attend on the day of the session. Special thanks to Tony for doing some much needed snow shoveling at UNO and for Julie bringing healthy snacks.
We honored author Uwe Rosenberg by playing several of his well known games, but due to the cancellations never got to play the full version of Agricola, At the Gates of Loyang and Nova Luna.
Someone in the group who prefers complex games should strongly consider buying or trading for a copy of Rosenberg’s Le Havre, a very unforgiving economic worker placement game.
Our February 5 session will be a request night but we are considering having at least one table of the Rosenberg games that we didn’t get a chance to play if table leaders are willing. Please email Steve games you would like to lead and/or play. We will revert to starting sessions off by pairing off for 2-player games and then accomplish our ‘great divide’ around 7:15 PM once all have arrived.
1/29/2025 @ UNO Community Center
IN: Steve & Sandy, Tony & Rachel, Tim, Armando, Chris, Reimi, Rob, Julie, Kate
ON OUR TABLES:
Uwe Rosenberg Games
Patchwork (led by Kate/Sandy) 2014 two-player polyomino classic that boasts Americana, Valentines Day and Halloween as well as Express editions. A leapfrog race to acquire various shapes of quilting material, placing them onto one’s board, trying to to be the first to create a large complete square. There’s an interesting mechanic of money vs time, which can really leave players struggling to make the right decisions for their own quilt, without allowing their opponent to get too much for too little. Plays very quickly but remains full of interesting decisions on when to take income and when to buy expensive, but rewarding pieces of quilt.
Patchwork Express (led by K-ban) 2018 streamlined version of Patchwork that takes half the time of Patchwork – by making larger polyomino pieces, a smaller grid board with no bonus for being first to complete a 7×7 area.
Agricola: All Creatures Big & Small (led by Tim) 2012 two-player version of Agricola that is closer to the Family Edition than the full game and focuses only on the animal husbandry aspect of that game. So no veggies, sowing or bread baking. Players start with a 3×2 game board that can be expanded during play to give more room for players to grow and animals to run free. Sixteen possible actions are available for players to take, with each player taking three actions total in each of the eight rounds. The player who amasses the most victory points through enclosing space with fences and acquiring the largest number and variety of animals and victory point-generating buildings will be the winner.
Bohnanza 2x (led by Chris & K-ban) 1997 Uwe Rosenberg bean trading classic game that has been reprinted several times and expanded even more. There’s a recent re-theming , Dahlia’s, with flowers instead of beans (Sean has that edition) In the game, players plant, then harvest bean cards in order to earn coins. Each player starts with a hand of random bean cards, and each card has a number on it corresponding to the number of that type of bean in the deck. Unlike in most other card games, you can’t rearrange the order of cards in hand, so you must use them in the order that you’ve picked them up from the deck — unless you can trade them to other players, which is the heart of the game. On a turn, players must plant the first one or two cards in their hand into the two “fields” in front of them. Each field can hold only one type of bean, so if a player must plant a type of bean that’s not in one of their fields, then they must harvest a field to make room for the new arrival. Next, two cards are revealed from the deck, and the player on turn can then trade these cards as well as any card in their hand for cards from other players. After all the trading is complete — and all trades on a turn must involve the active player — then the turn is ended by drawing 3 cards from the deck and placing them at the back of one’s hand. When you harvest beans, you receive coins based on the number of bean cards in that field and the “beanometer” for that particular type of bean. Flip over 1-4 cards from that field to transform them into coins, then place the remainder of the cards in the discard pile. When the deck runs out, shuffle the discards, playing through the deck two more times. At the end of the game, everyone can harvest their fields, then whoever has earned the most coins wins. The key to this 45-minute classic is the trading. If you haven’t played it, give it a try.
Sagani (led by Tony & Rachel) Uwe Rosenberg’s 2020 abstract tile laying puzzle game that is reminiscent of the author’s previous Nova Luna and Framework and set in a world where achieving harmony between the natural elements of Earth, Water, Air and Fire is the central goal of the spirits that populate this world. It also shares tile laying and puzzle elements with Corne’ van Moorsel’s ‘Habitats’.
Agricola: Family Edition (led by K-ban) 2016 worker placement game that is a streamlined version of Agricola, cutting playing time in half while keeping the flavor,main mechanics and farming environment mostly intact. Pastures come already fenced in, no cards, but the same dwellings, offspring and having to feed your people with wheat, bread or roasting your livestock.
Other Games Played
Lacuna (led by Armando) 2023 two-player 15-minute abstract with incredible table presence. 49 wooden flower tokens in 7 different colors are deposited on a square fabric board and spread fairly evenly to avoid clumping. The first half of the game consists of each player placing one of their 6 metal markers between two flowers of the same color (providing there is a clear line of sight) and claiming them. After each player has made their placements, the remaining flower tokens are claimed by whoever’s metal marker is the closest (a ruler is provided to measure). Victory goes to the player winning majorities in at least 4 of the 7 colors. Short, sweet and thought provoking.
Knarr (led by Tim) 2023 race, set collection and drafting card game. Players are leaders of a band of Vikings that are sent to new destinations. Manage the recruitment of your crew, and choose the best territories to explore. Depending on the destinations reached (for trading or influence) and the Vikings who accompany you, players can increase their reputation to gain even more wealth. On each turn players either place a new member in their Viking crew, activate the effects of all of them with the same icon, and get another one from those available under the matching color on the central board, or they can explore new destinations, with the opportunity to trade with those places and get more gains or reputation.
Cascadia: Rolling Hills (led by Armando) 2024 roll & write version of 2022 SdJ winner, Cascadia (there is also a companion Rolling Rivers version and the two can be combined). Players roll their dice, collect wildlife and Nature Tokens, complete Habitat Cards, and fill in the puzzle on their personal Environment Sheet to create the most harmonious ecosystem in Cascadia. Although the core rules are simple, each unique Environment Sheet has its own twist so no two games should play out the same.
Steve
11 at UNO Community Center on a chilly night where the weather played a factor….some losing power/heat, frozen driveways and health issues. We lost 5 who had already RSVPed to attend on the day of the session. Special thanks to Tony for doing some much needed snow shoveling at UNO and for Julie bringing healthy…
11 at UNO Community Center on a chilly night where the weather played a factor….some losing power/heat, frozen driveways and health issues. We lost 5 who had already RSVPed to attend on the day of the session. Special thanks to Tony for doing some much needed snow shoveling at UNO and for Julie bringing healthy…