Episode 144: For Honor & Empire
Release Date: Jan. 23, 2012 Running Time: 144 min. Listen Now: Download: Subscribe via iTunes: See sidebar for other subscription options |
Deck building: the next generation. From galactic conquest to warring gods, we review Core Worlds and Ascension: Storm of Souls, two of the newest titles in the genre.
News & Notes: Hive Pocket, L5R PnP, Rockband Manager, Star Trek Catan
The List: Core Worlds
Playbill: Ascension - Storm of Souls
Back Shelf Spotlight: Fzzzt!
Notes from the O.C.D.: How to organize card game rules
Mail Bag: NFL Pool winner
Complete Show Notes continue after the break.
News & Notes
Hive Pocket BGG | Gen42 Games
A new pocket sized version of the abstract classic, debuting at Nurnberg and available in the US some time in March.
Legend of the Five Rings: Free Print & Play Link
The Legend of the Five Rings is FREE to print and play through the end of March 2012. NINE fully playable printable decks, one for each Clan. And these are not beginner decks, these have rares and were designed to hold their own at tournaments.
Rockband Manager BGG | Fantasy Flight Games
SFind your drummer and head out on tour. Use your talented stars to record killer albums, book sweet gigs, perform sold-out shows, and gain decibels to win the game. Bid for new gear and opportunities to improve your group's sound. Throw a cheap shot at your rivals by engaging in some hijinks. There are multiple roads to glory in this game, so you must develop a plan to rise above the competition. Are you ready to rock?
Players start the game with two small space stations at the intersection of three planets, with each planet supplying resources based on the result of a dice roll. Players collect and trade these resources – Dilithium, Tritanium, food, oxygen and water – in order to build spaceships that connect regions in the galaxy, establish small and large space stations at new intersection points in order to increase resource acquisition, and acquire development cards that provide victory points (VPs) or special abilities.
On a dice roll of 7, a Klingon ship swoops in to prevent resource production on one planet, while taxing spacegoers who hold too many resources.
The one new element in Star Trek Catan compared to the Settlers version is a set of character cards, each featuring one of Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Sulu, Scott, Uhura, Chekov, Chapel, Rand or Sarek. Each character card has two special powers that the holder can use on his turn, such as a forced trade.
The List
Core Worlds BGG | Stronghold Games
Over the course of 10 turns, assemble a deck of cards to battle of the remnants of a once mighty galactic empire.
Playbill
Ascension: Storm of Souls BGG | Gary Games
This expansion takes players into the chaos following the Fallen One's demise. As Samael's monsters run wild and his minions conspire, the world is being slowly overtaken with souls that should have moved on. Are you ready for the new challenges that Vigil's future holds?
The 200-card set features tons of new cards and mechanics, in addition to a new Event card type.
Backshelf Spotlight
Fzzzt! BGG | Surprised Stare
Mechanics collect robots from an assembly line to create crazy machines for points. An auction-style deck building game.
Virtual Spiel-a-thon Answers
Mail Bag
Congrats to Geoff for winning our 2011 NFL Pool!
Check out Trent Howell and the Board Game Family on a local TV segment talking about building traditions. Link
Music
Music credits include:
Empire by Jukebox the Ghost | the song
Honor Among Thieves by Bob Pressner | the song
Empire Theme Empire Total War | the song
Applecore by Lionel Hampton | the song
Galactic Empire State of Mind by College Humor | the song
Errata
I'm sure there are some goofs in there somewhere. Let us know if (when?) you find one!
Starting decks in Core Worlds do not have different card backs. They have icons on the cards depicting the faction.
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