Good Board Game?

[Greyroofoo]

My coworkers and I are thinking of getting together every other week or so to play a board games. As none of us have much knowledge about board games beyond risk or monopoly. I am turning to the wise sages that reside on this board for help.

So what's a good strategy oriented board game would you recommend?

[WSUCougar]

Need some parameters to narrow the list down a bit:

# of players?
Time available?
Historical period interests?
Level of complexity desired?

[Buzzbee]

Need some parameters to narrow the list down a bit:

# of players?
Time available?
Historical period interests?
Level of complexity desired?
He said co-workers. That narrows it down a bit.


Chutes and Ladders
Candyland

[Greyroofoo]

Need some parameters to narrow the list down a bit:

# of players?
Time available?
Historical period interests?
Level of complexity desired?

at least 4 people should be able to play
we plan on playing on the weekends or anything other time we can get drunk.
Any historical time period
As for complexity, I guess anything we can pick up the rules for after a game or two.

[Lathum]

A few good "game night" games are

Apples to Apples
Cranium
Taboo

[terpkristin]

It's not a board game, but I always recommend Munchkin by Steve Jackson.
http://www.warehouse23.com/search.cgi?pline=Munchkin

If you're a former D&D'er, you'll get the reference to "munchkin." Works best in a group, and as the tag for the game says, "Kill the Monsters Steal the Treasure Stab Your Buddy …"

I like it anyway...

If you like different types of games (unique), try http://www.sjgames.com

/tk

[terpkristin]

Oh, and I second Cranium. Great game for a group. :)

/tk

[Chas in Cinti]

My coworkers and I are thinking of getting together every other week or so to play a board games. As none of us have much knowledge about board games beyond risk or monopoly. I am turning to the wise sages that reside on this board for help.

So what's a good strategy oriented board game would you recommend?

Grey.

If you have a good amount of folks (4-6) try:

Shadows over Camelot or Ticket to Ride by Days of Wonder (http://www.daysofwonder.com/)

Conquest of the Empire, Age of Mythology, or Bootleggers by Eagle Games (http://www.eaglegames.net/)

Settlers of Catan by Mayfair Games (http://www.mayfairgames.com/)

Finally, a good slash 'em up game is Zombies! (http://www.twilightcreationsinc.com/zombies/) by Twilight Creations.

If you ever desire higher-level military games, let me know...

Have fun and good luck!

Chas

[Lathum]

Scatergories

[SegRat]

http://www.apbagames.com/stadium/games/index.html

[jbmagic]

Risk

[Psmith]

You might have trouble finding a strategy board game for 4+ players that isn't too complicated for intermittent, possibly drunken play. I recommend the card game Bohnanza. It's very simple to learn, works well with 4-6 players, yet is more strategic than the typical "party game." Settlers of Catan is a big favorite among board gamers who are just branching out beyond Monopoly and Risk, but I believe it only takes 4 players.

[WSUCougar]

Actually, I'd recommend any of the Mayfair train games for good group drinking fun. The flow of play is fairly simple (good for inebriated players), but the strategy is still there and the gameplay is fun.

Take a look at "Empire Builder" for starters.

[BrianD]

Oh, and I second Cranium. Great game for a group. :)

/tk

Great game if you don't have any overly shy people. I've seen people get filled with anxiety more than fun with this game.

[Psmith]

Actually, I'd recommend any of the Mayfair train games for good group drinking fun. The flow of play is fairly simple (good for inebriated players), but the strategy is still there and the gameplay is fun.

Take a look at "Empire Builder" for starters.
I love Empire Builder, but you'd have to be a masochist to want to count those little mileposts while drunk.

My objection to playing Empire Builder with groups of people is that 1) the gameplay can be very slow while people try to figure out the best route from say, Memphis to Seattle, and 2) aside from cutting people out of cities, there's very little interaction between players. I'm very interested to find that you've had such a different experience with it. I enjoy it best playing with just Tredwel, when it takes us under an hour to finish.

[Greyroofoo]

One of my coworkers mentioned Settlers of Catan. I believe it is 4 players but there's also an "expansion" that makes it 6 players. We're kind of lwaning towards that.

Diplomacy was also mentioned a couple of times.
There's also a board games based on "Civilization". Has anyone played it?

[Lathum]

Tell me more about Empire Builder

[Schmidty]

If you have a Wizards of the Coast store around there, they have a lot of good choices. Also, you can order from their website: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/products

[Psmith]

One of my coworkers mentioned Settlers of Catan. I believe it is 4 players but there's also an "expansion" that makes it 6 players. We're kind of lwaning towards that.

Diplomacy was also mentioned a couple of times.
There's also a board games based on "Civilization". Has anyone played it?

Now I hate you (for maligning my beloved Civ):p Civ the computer game was based on the board game, NOT the other way around. (Unless you're talking about the piece of crap version that was released recently) And it's not for newbie gamers. It requires 7 or so people, about as many hours (add a few if you aren't pretty experienced with it), and at least one person who knows the rules thoroughly. I'm not trying to be elitist, just being honest.

If there's an expansion of Settlers, go for it. Almost everyone who plays it likes it, and it's not too complicated or time-consuming. Diplomacy, like Civ, requires someone who really knows the rules. It also requires that your coworkers can backstab each other without it affecting things Monday morning. Try out some other games first to get a feel for how you interact while gaming.

[WSUCougar]

Tell me more about Empire Builder
Empire Builder (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/168)

[Lathum]

Empire Builder (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/168)
thanks, but I could have done that myself :)

I am looking for something more objective.

[Psmith]

Tell me more about Empire BuilderThe board is a map of the US overlayed with a grid of dots. You use crayons to draw railroad track from dot to dot, connecting cities. Different cities produce different goods (like cattle, bauxite, and machinery). The players are randomly dealt contract cards, which say, for example, "Los Angeles will pay $30 million for bauxite. So you build track to somewhere you can get bauxite (that would be Memphis) to Los Angeles. Then you take your train token and move it along the track, so many dots per turn, from Memphis to Los Angeles, at which point you get 30 mil and a new contract card. Building the track is practically irresistable, because, hey, you're drawing on the board! And it's sanctioned! The real fun comes when you have a well-developed track system and you get multiple contracts you can do at once (you can do up to three simultaneously), so you zip across the board throwing sheep and cotton around willy-nilly, accumulating millions of dollars in a few turns.

I need to take a cold shower now.

[WSUCougar]

Ah, sorry.

Map of U.S./Canada/Mexico, cities, rivers, and mountains overlayed with a dot pattern. Each city produces one or more products which are used as loads on your train. You build a network of rails by connecting the dots (drawn with a crayon). You draw load cards which have three options for city + load + payoff. You select which cities you can reach for the biggest payoffs, then build more, etc.

[WSUCougar]

It appears Mr. Smith out-matrixed me.

[Lathum]

It sounds exactly like the fantastic PC game railroad tycoon

[WSUCougar]

The real fun comes when you have a well-developed track system and you get multiple contracts you can do at once (you can do up to three simultaneously), so you zip across the board throwing sheep and cotton around willy-nilly, accumulating millions of dollars in a few turns.
Yeah, or when you pull off a $100 million triple play (three distinct loads, all dropped in the same city simultaneously), and you do the Empire Builder equivalent of the Funky Chicken dance to taunt your wife.

[Psmith]

It appears Mr. Smith out-matrixed me.No, no, it's Psmith, with a silent P.

[Thomkal]

Grey,

I give you boardgamegeek.com :) All you could ever want to know about any board game. Settlers of Catan is a popular choice there, especially as an introduction to more "modern" board games.

[st.cronin]

Whatif

[Chas in Cinti]

Empire Builder (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/168)

I prefer's Days of Wonder's "Ticket to Ride" and "Ticket to Ride - Europe"

But it's all just preference...

-Chas

[Glengoyne]

A ticket to Ride!

Settlers is a good choice as well. Chas In Cinci is all over this one.

I'd also throw Niagra in the mix.

Check out www.funagain.com Also www.boardgamegeek.com.

Have fun.

[Mustang]

Well.. if you are getting drunk while doing this.. I wouldn't go with anything too heavy..

I'd recommend such games such as Axis & Allies, Heroscape, Monsters Menace America, Zombies!

[Karlifornia]

http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/lawrence/153/wizgame.jpg

[Taco]

Blokus!

[saldana]

i would second the above axis and allies comment...5 players, a good game takes 5 or so hours, and as long as you actually have 5 players, the strategy period usually takes place while other people are rolling their battles, so the game can move along at a pretty good pace.

apples to apples is a great party game because it is impossible to complain about losing or rules or pretty much anything else.

i would hesitate on cranium with coworkers, just because some of the questions/categories can be a bit odd, and depending on your co-workers, you may not want to try to act out "butternut squash" for them (ask lathum :) )

[houle]

Best strategy board games for 4 person play in my experience are

1. Titan by Avalon Hill
2. Settlers of Catan by Mayfair
3. 1830

Pick Settlers if you want to play 4 games in 4 hours,
Titan if you want more in depth strategy and are willing to play 1 game for 4 hours.

You can check out Titan online here http://colossus.sourceforge.net/

and you used to be able to play Settlers here
http://settlers.cs.northwestern.edu/
but now yahoo has a pay version so you may not be able to anymore.

[WSUCougar]

Titan by Avalon Hill
Wow, pulling out a classic there. I'll see your Titan and raise you a Merchants of Venus.

[Lathum]

depending on your co-workers, you may not want to try to act out "butternut squash" for them (ask lathum :) )
LMAO

[houle]

Never played MoV, though I believe I have an unopened copy on a shelf somewhere.

[Schmidty]

Never played MoV, though I believe I have an unopened copy on a shelf somewhere.

Ouch, WSU. It wasn't even good enough to open.

[houle]

Sorry didn't mean that as a slight.

[Schmidty]

Sorry didn't mean that as a slight.

You need a full-scale apology thread.

[Schmidty]

By the way, I'm kidding.

[Peregrine]

I would suggest checking out some of these games, all are very good intro games, personally I wouldn't stick new gamers with Empire Builder, I think you want to break them in a bit easier than that, say with Ticket to Ride.

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist.php3?action=view&listid=5152


Then you can move onto slightly meatier games:

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist.php3?action=view&listid=9556

[Warhammer]

Why go TTR?

Go Union Pacific!

[Axxon]

No, no, it's Psmith, with a silent P.

I would suggest that if it's a silent P then you may be P'ing in the wrong place.

[Chas in Cinti]

I had a HUGE gaming group back in Evansville, IN before and during college... then I went and graduated, got married, and moved to Cincinnati.... I got nothing here (and now I'm divorced)...

I would LOVE to have a gaming group again... a little KingMaker, Republic of Rome... SPQR, Perryville... No Better Place to Die (double blind with a GM of course)... eh well... Have to settle for solitaire play and convention gaming I guess. Now where's that new copy of Devil's Horsemen?

-Chas

[Jonathan Ezarik]

Chas,

Have you ever posted on Consimworld that you are looking for gamers? Or have you ever considered moving to Pittsburgh? :)

[moriarty]

Puerto Rico (I think that was the name) was a pretty good board game.

[WSUCougar]

Never played MoV, though I believe I have an unopened copy on a shelf somewhere.
That's probably worth a pretty penny.

[gi]

Munchkin is good, Lord of the Rings by Fantasy Flight games is good for Co/Op Board gaming. The new axis and allies is fun. If you can find it, Cults across america is fun.

If you have a lot of time to kill, Twilight Imperium 3 is fun but taxing from Fantasy Flight Games.

Puerto Rico is very popular as well.

[terpkristin]

FINALLY I get some agreement on Munchkin! :)
It's a card-based strategy game (not board).

/tk

[gi]

FINALLY I get some agreement on Munchkin! :)
It's a card-based strategy game (not board).

/tk
I own all of the Munchkin series. A lot of fun to be had with friends. Munchkin-Fu is my favorite. :)

[Chas in Cinti]

Chas,

Have you ever posted on Consimworld that you are looking for gamers? Or have you ever considered moving to Pittsburgh? :)

I'm thinking about doing that... the problem is, with the gaming community, you're never sure *what* you're going to get when you get involved with new people. If I have to play one more game with a guy in an airbrushed "Winter Fantasy '95" shirt I'll kill myself... I'd rather play solitaire Chutes and Ladders....

:)

-Chas

[Warhammer]

I had a HUGE gaming group back in Evansville, IN before and during college... then I went and graduated, got married, and moved to Cincinnati.... I got nothing here (and now I'm divorced)...

I would LOVE to have a gaming group again... a little KingMaker, Republic of Rome... SPQR, Perryville... No Better Place to Die (double blind with a GM of course)... eh well... Have to settle for solitaire play and convention gaming I guess. Now where's that new copy of Devil's Horsemen?

-Chas

Next time I'm on my way to Hubbard, I might need to stop in!

[Psmith]

Puerto Rico (I think that was the name) was a pretty good board game.
Yup, that's the name. It's a very fun game. There are millions of tiny pieces, which can be intimidating, but people seem to enjoy arranging the components of their little domains, so it evens out. You can play it with 3-5 people (2 players requires some rule tweaking), so it might be okay for Greyroofoo's group, at least on the nights when there aren't too many people.

If you liked Puerto Rico, you might want to try San Juan, which is a card game based on Puerto Rico -- basically Puerto Rico lite. It's less complicated but still very enjoyable.

[Solecismic]

I'm a huge Empire Builder fan from my college days (and my ex-fiance is listed in the credits for at least one of the versions - she introduced me to the game). We used to make up all sorts of loads and cards, i.e. take Shoelaces to Tanya Harding in Portland for $30 million.

And no, there's no plan for any Front Office Trains game.

[PilotMan]

And no, there's no plan for any Front Office Trains game.
My son will be so dissapointed. :(

[WSUCougar]

My wife and I made up our own Random Events chart for Empire Builder, since we got bored with the same old cards. Any time we draw an event card, we roll on the chart.

One of the events was a rampaging T-Rex (my wife is a dinosaur geek). Draw a load card for the starting city, then a d6 for direction and a d6 for dots moved each turn. If it went through a rail-connected dot, the rails were wiped off. The T-Rex rampaged until it drowned in an ocean or Great Lake.

[Chas in Cinti]

My wife and I made up our own Random Events chart for Empire Builder, since we got bored with the same old cards. Any time we draw an event card, we roll on the chart.

One of the events was a rampaging T-Rex (my wife is a dinosaur geek). Draw a load card for the starting city, then a d6 for direction and a d6 for dots moved each turn. If it went through a rail-connected dot, the rails were wiped off. The T-Rex rampaged until it drowned in an ocean or Great Lake.

Sounds like the Rampaging Elephent rule from SPQR... :)

Good rule, I like it...

[DanGarion]

Heroscape http://www.hasbro.com/pl/page.viewproduct/product_id.14923/dn/default.cfm is pretty fun to play.

[jamesUMD]

I would third Axis & Allies. I miss playing that.