'Castle' by Serge Lager & Bruno Faidutti - 06/12/00
Spiller has enjoyed another birthday. He is warmly welcomed at Dicken's house, despite Kendall losing count as he tries to stock-take 'Backbacks and Blisters' . In the ubiquitous carrier bag Spiller has his birthday present from Dicken and Kendall. It is 'Castle' by Serge Lager & Bruno Faidutti and it is still in its shrink-wrap! It's great opening a new game for the first time, knowing that the intact shrink-wrap guarantees that the contents have not been disturbed by a soul since the little elves packed everything tightly in the box. We are reliably informed (by the Westminster Abbey Gift Shop) that torn shrink-wrap will not sell, but that people cannot resist taking the shrink-wrap off in the shop, in order to inspect the contents. And its not just games. Other things get opened, like packets of tea.
Jeux Descartes do a good job on game components. In 'Castle' there are two packs of cards, four cardboard castle walls (an ingenious way of doing without a board), some very nice coloured counters and a black bag. The black bag has a very attractive draw string. Dicken immediately places the counters inside the bag and pulls the string. Kendall starts to read the rules in a clear voice, with just a hint of desperation. There are only four pages, but that's not to say there won't be moments when the three brains present switch off simultaneously. This usually has the effect of creating a kind of black hole into which the game gradually and inevitably spins, wrecking an otherwise pleasant evening.
Fortunately we are kept awake by some pleasing discoveries. Firstly that the black bag is not needed! The counters are returned to the perfectly acceptable zip-lock bag. Dicken tries to calculate which of his games is yearning for a black bag with tasteful draw-string. Secondly, we learn a new word - 'Orthogonally' . This is something akin to diagonally, but sort of square-on. It is filed alongside 'Contiguous'. The game length is 30 minutes for five players, rising to 75 minutes for two players. That's quite an unusual feature and may be linked to the two player game being described as a fascinating tactical battle, or words to that effect. Hopefully, this is a good thing. It seems relatively straight forward.
Each turn a player does two of the following; play a card from his hand, draw a card from his draw pile or exchange a card with the 'Exchange' (an imaginative name for the rest of the cards, which are left face-up in an increasingly disorganised pile). The aim is to get rid of all your cards, playing them onto the 'Ramparts' , 'Towers' , 'Courtyard' or 'Outside' .No-one has a clue what they're doing, but as it's Dicken to go first, Spiller and Kendall are able to appear knowledgeable. Dicken plays a Soldier onto the Ramparts and draws a card. Kendall does exactly the same.
There are a lot of Soldiers and it seems a good idea to find out exactly what you've got in your draw pile. Spiller plays a Siege Engine against one of the four Ramparts. Now, this is the heart of the game; Soldiers and Siege Engines. All the other cards are of importance, but its the Soldiers and Siege Engines that really matter. Kendall and Dicken will spend the evening trying to put their Soldiers on the Ramparts (and keep them there), whilst Spiller hacks away at them with his Siege Engines.
Dicken starts to look more closely at the cards in the Exchange. They sport some very impressive art-work. Kendall is particularly pleased to have 'The Mistress' in his hand. She is wearing a long red dress, split to the thigh and is bestride a Polar bear. The Polar bear is dead. It is a rug. In the Exchange are more Soldiers, a Knight, a Fairy, an Alchemist, a Barbarian, a Witch, a Courtesan etc. etc. You get the picture - lots of characters, lots of cards doing lots of different things. Collectibles, with a 'board' , in a box - no bad thing.
Dicken exchanges something for something else. The writing is quite small and no-one is sure what cards are really useful, its unlikely that Dicken has a cunning plan as yet - so Kendall and Spiller press on with their turns. Spiller has not eaten recently, so the appearance of the cheeseboard and Pringles is very well received (this web-site is not currently sponsored by the manufacturers of Pringles, but we are always open to offers). Dicken is a generous host putting on a fine spread and he and Kendall champion the merits of Stilton, Spiller being quickly converted.
As the Courtyard begins to fill with cards, it becomes apparent that certain cards are distinctly more useful than others. Dicken's Priest protects his other cards diagonally and orthogonally, Knights stack on top of other cards giving another type of protection. The King meanwhile, seems a rather portly fellow who loafs around with or without the Mistress. Quite a lot of cards 'send back' cards to their original owner. Herein lies the function of the counters, being placed on top of cards to show ownership.
The big sending back happens when the fourth Siege Engine is placed. Unless Soldiers are protected, they ALL get sent back. Spiller owns four Siege Engines (Kendall owns the fifth), so he cracks the whip over Kendall and Dicken's Soldiers. Siege Engines themselves are removed by the placing of the fourth Soldier on a Rampart. This all sounds quite complicated, but it plays very easily, and (by some minor miracle) the rules hardly need to be referred to.
After about an hour Dicken is down to his last few cards. In true tradition he is promptly shafted. Kendall nears the winning tape and suffers similarly. This must be the fascinating tactical bit. Spiller manfully places Siege Engine after Siege Engine. Kendall and Dicken throw Soldiers at him. It could go on for some time. It does. But then.... Spiller produces his coup de grace....the Merchant. Not only is this fellow able to shuffle other folks's counters, but he also allows the playing of an extra card! Spiller has three cards left ....game over. Dicken and Kendall are gracious in defeat, after all its Spiller's birthday game. The Merchant is unlikely to stay in the Exchange beyond one turn in future.
It's been a civilised session compared to some weeks. Spiller agrees to tidy up his flat and be host next week. Dicken apologises for not having completed the fantasy football for this week. Kendall and Spiller gamely try to remember something positive about their respective teams.
NB. We played 'Castle' again a couple of nights later and discovered that the Soldier/Siege engine impasse is quite easily avoided with a little thought and judicious use of the 'Exchange'. A good game in all respects, for a reasonable price at under £13. Dicken particularly likes it especially after winning the second play and so can claim that skill outweighed beginners luck.
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