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We played Cuba Libre last night and I really enjoyed it. It took me a while to figure out what I was supposed to be doing to win (which is a problem I usually have when learning variable power area influence type games) but after it clicked it went a lot more smoothly. I enjoyed how the game slowly layers bonus effects on to the 26 July faction. We also had a player leave early so we replaced them with an AI, which was handy. It was really close at the end, with the Govt and DR tying with one point off of victory and the AI syndicate and I being a point behind them. I also like the basic flow of the game that the cards create. Sometimes you need to pass because you absolutely need to take the upcoming card. It creates some jockeying for turn order which doesn't seem very common in pseudo-wargames but it's a gameplay element I like very much.
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Dec 24, 2013 20:13
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| # ? May 17, 2024 16:18 |
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I did a VASSAL game of Cuba Libre with Tekopo and it was pretty fantastic (and very close). He's doing an LP of the game (starring me as some Mafia-type corrupt Syndicate fucker) that's been going pretty wonderfully. The COIN games are a wonderful bit of stuff. It's pretty nuts and wonderful to get a whole series of variations of this mechanic. As redudant as it may be, I ordered the three currently out and the upcoming fourth  .
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Dec 24, 2013 22:09
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Joel's released a Navajo Wars expansion as a free pnp. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zbsh6hhrdv13g01/BneumD4Odu
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Dec 24, 2013 22:30
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I can't wait for Fire in the Lake to come out, the increase in mechanics is gonna be sweet.
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Dec 27, 2013 00:24
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I picked up Maria for christmas because I have low impulse control. Read the rules and it's surprisingly easy!
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Dec 27, 2013 10:48
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Played my first game of Andean Abyss yesterday. It was really fun, and much easier to get into than I expected. One player came totally unprepared but was able to pick up the rules within the first few turns. One problem was the play time. We thinned out the deck to 3 prop cards and 45 events, but we still took around 5.5 hours to finish, so now I'm thinking of getting Cuba Libre as a more flexible alternative.
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Dec 27, 2013 17:37
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I think with experience (and without needing to go through rules), it is possible to get the playing time of any COIN series game way, way down. For example, we managed to get to 4 Prop cards (out of 5) in ADP in about 5.5 hours, with me being experienced in the game and another player having played the game once. They are, however, very long game nonetheless and even Cuba Libre will clock in at 4 hours. It does depend on how AP prone a player is, though, but once you remember how to perform your actions without having to go to the cheat sheet to check what the conditions are (I'm good enough in ADP that I remember most of the Pashtun-specific rules for Taliban/Warlords now.
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Dec 27, 2013 17:41
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Panzeh posted:I can't wait for Fire in the Lake to come out, the increase in mechanics is gonna be sweet. I know, I'm so hype for it myself. I'm hoping all the new troop/guerrilla interactions will lead to even crazier political wheeling and dealing 
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Dec 27, 2013 23:54
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Tekopo posted:I think with experience (and without needing to go through rules), it is possible to get the playing time of any COIN series game way, way down. For example, we managed to get to 4 Prop cards (out of 5) in ADP in about 5.5 hours, with me being experienced in the game and another player having played the game once. They are, however, very long game nonetheless and even Cuba Libre will clock in at 4 hours. It does depend on how AP prone a player is, though, but once you remember how to perform your actions without having to go to the cheat sheet to check what the conditions are (I'm good enough in ADP that I remember most of the Pashtun-specific rules for Taliban/Warlords now. AP was the main problem, and I think Cuba Libre's smaller size will help a lot with that.
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Dec 28, 2013 14:00
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I think it would be entirely possible for a group familiar with the COIN games and not prone to AP to play Cuba Libre in 3 ~ 4 hours, and Andean Abyss/A Distant Plain in 4~5. That being said, getting a group that familiar with those games is an uphill battle of its own. I'm starting a solitaire game of Next War: Korea, using the advanced rules (it seems that the  ).EDIT: I have a picture of my initial setup. The scenario is Strategic Surprise, which is the first of the Advanced Scenarios where the "US/ROK's worst nightmare" of DPRK invading ROK without warning [ Here's the pic. I'm also working through more of the Advanced Squad Leader ruleset. I've mostly grasped the Basic Game/Infantry ruleset; now I'm working through the Ordnance/Artillery stuff. The rules still surprise me in just how much detail they've abstracted into a couple of dice and some cardboard. Trynant fucked around with this message at 14:41 on Dec 28, 2013 |
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Dec 28, 2013 14:11
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Played a game of Cubra Libre 3P today, me as the Government and the Syndicate as the dummy! The flowchart was easy to use and worked really well, definitely going to do more 3P games in the future because it's so intuitive and competitive. Competitive enough that the dummy player actually managed to win, on end scoring. I am going to commit ritual suicide now 
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Jan 4, 2014 18:30
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Tekopo posted:Played a game of Cubra Libre 3P today, me as the Government and the Syndicate as the dummy! The flowchart was easy to use and worked really well, definitely going to do more 3P games in the future because it's so intuitive and competitive. Competitive enough that the dummy player actually managed to win, on end scoring. I am going to commit ritual suicide now This happened to my group in AA, we felt the same way. Nothing like you and two friends getting your rear end kicked by a flowchart.
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Jan 4, 2014 18:39
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I think the moment of realization was the best. "Wait, poo poo, guys, it's going to win, the AI is going to loving win". Cue furious doublechecking that we hadn't missed anything out.
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Jan 4, 2014 18:47
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Is anybody interested in some VASSAL play? I'm a complete newbie to the software, but i'm kind of in a rut - i'm a big fan of board wargames but i never get to play the ones i buy as my local boardgaming scene is more interested in euros. I'd be mostly looking for twilight struggle or COIN games but i'm willing to try most things as long as you're willing to go against a relatively new/weak player.
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Jan 6, 2014 17:08
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I'm almost always up for something and we have several people that usually play on #boardgoons on SYNIRC. We have been attempting to get people to play COIN games in the weekends and although it slowed down for the holidays, we should be back up to speed shortly. Anyone for A Distant Plain this weekend? I'm free on either day.
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Jan 6, 2014 17:40
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I'd be interested in playing that. I am familiar with the COIN system but i only have cuba libre so i'll have to dig up the rules first. Shouldn't be a big deal though.
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Jan 6, 2014 18:08
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A Distant Plain has a few more moving parts but nothing really too difficult. It's mostly the Pashtun differences between warlords/taliban that seem to trip people.
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Jan 6, 2014 18:14
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Tekopo posted:I'm almost always up for something and we have several people that usually play on #boardgoons on SYNIRC. We have been attempting to get people to play COIN games in the weekends and although it slowed down for the holidays, we should be back up to speed shortly. Anyone for A Distant Plain this weekend? I'm free on either day. Yeah I'd be free, just let me know which day. 
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Jan 6, 2014 18:22
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Saturday at 1 PM EST?
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Jan 6, 2014 18:24
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I'm down, just don't make me government cause I'm bad 
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Jan 6, 2014 19:19
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Tekopo posted:I'm almost always up for something and we have several people that usually play on #boardgoons on SYNIRC. We have been attempting to get people to play COIN games in the weekends and although it slowed down for the holidays, we should be back up to speed shortly. Anyone for A Distant Plain this weekend? I'm free on either day. Tekopo posted:Saturday at 1 PM EST? edit: Scratch that, I'm busy that weekend. ConorT fucked around with this message at 08:20 on Jan 8, 2014 |
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Jan 7, 2014 03:47
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Tekopo posted:I think the moment of realization was the best. "Wait, poo poo, guys, it's going to win, the AI is going to loving win". Cue furious doublechecking that we hadn't missed anything out. I need to start using IRC again. I want to see how these new COIN play. I finally got The Hunters after I realized they never charged me (card expired right before they charged) and emailed GMT support. I'm still forming an opinion, but it's a decent light tactical game. They seem to have nicely thought out drms with risk balance in choosing attack range. Which I guess is the only real choice you make when playing. My first game just ended, an IXA that died to a lucky roll air attack on its 11th patrol in May 1942, 145kton total.
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Jan 7, 2014 04:24
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Are there any good, in-depth war games that focus on individual-level scale of combat? I think I'm basically asking for a minis game with war gaming's rules/lack of suck. The two closest candidates I know of so far are Sergeants and an almost-war-game Earth Reborn. Any thoughts?
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Jan 7, 2014 17:26
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Up Front comes to mind, although it handles position abstractly and the reprint is DOA.
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Jan 7, 2014 17:42
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played a solo game of Cuba Libre as M26 and lost to the Syndicate in the final Propaganda round. I actually ended up with a bigger victory margin than they had but they had their victory criteria going into the round which meant I auto lost. I think in a solo game syndicate represents the biggest threat as the government and DR algorithms mostly leave them alone. That combined with me starting on the other end of the island meant that before I could get into position to screw with them they were already set up well casinos and resources. Still a lot of fun.
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Jan 9, 2014 02:41
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I should probably try to do a solo play of a COIN game after my 3P experience because the game works really well with the flow-chart (I should have got out of the mindset that you need 4 players much sooner tbh).
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Jan 9, 2014 08:18
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It's not perfect, the AI factions are non-interactive and the victory rules shift a bit but it's still fun.
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Jan 9, 2014 12:19
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I...I may have gone a little overboard with collecting Advanced Squad Leader stuff. I'm just thankful I don't have the urge to clip the counters...yet
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Jan 10, 2014 12:29
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Trynant posted:I'm just thankful I don't have the urge to clip the counters...yet I remember saying stuff like this to myself a couple years ago. Now I have one of these: 
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Jan 10, 2014 12:34
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Give me an amazon link and I will buy that 
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Jan 10, 2014 12:44
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I recommend getting the 2mm corner clippers from Oregon Lamination. Either this or this. They make chits looks very nice. 
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Jan 10, 2014 17:06
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Oldstench posted:I recommend getting the 2mm corner clippers from Oregon Lamination. Yep, this is the one I have. I got mine off eBay, but they're on Amazon as well.
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Jan 10, 2014 17:46
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Not on UK amazon or UK ebay 
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Jan 10, 2014 17:50
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This is a pretty interesting read: Article about A Distant Plain
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Jan 10, 2014 21:39
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I really appreciate a game's ability to put you in the mindset of someone doing abhorrent things just because they'll let you win.
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Jan 10, 2014 21:59
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Tekopo posted:Not on UK amazon or UK ebay OL ships worldwide from their ebay.com listings, AFAIK http://www.ebay.com/itm/2mm-Corner-...=item564e73cdfc
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Jan 10, 2014 22:05
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cenotaph posted:I really appreciate a game's ability to put you in the mindset of someone doing abhorrent things just because they'll let you win. EDIT: I bought the cutter, for I am weak and I need to clip those corners! Tekopo fucked around with this message at 22:24 on Jan 10, 2014 |
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Jan 10, 2014 22:19
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Tekopo posted:This is a pretty interesting read: Ireland is in the works? Awesome, i was thinking about picking up fire in the lake when it's out(?) but now i kind of want to wait.
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Jan 10, 2014 23:11
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I wan't aware that Ireland was gonna come out, I'm having trouble thinking of what sides are going to be there (maybe less than 4?). Also I'm not sure what period of the Philippines they are going to portray, maybe the US occupation? Or the more recent insurgency? I'd also heard that an African insurgency was in the pipeline (Congo or perhaps Angola)?
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Jan 10, 2014 23:16
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Angola would be a relatively straightforward 4-player design. It'd be interesting to see how it stacks up against the classic.
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Jan 10, 2014 23:53
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