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'Magna Grecia' by Michael Schacht and Leo Colovini
After an extended break over the summer, games night resumes at Kendall's. The last meeting had been here with Paul and Liz. It ended acrimoniously with Kendall and Spiller at serious odds and with Kendall declaring 'no more games nights....' Too much beer, even for a Ragnar bash.
Fortunately Spiller and Dicken had just presented Kendall with a new game for his birthday, so the sad individual had to eat his words sooner or later. Consequently the three meet again at Dicken's 'new' house. The 'new' house is less convenient for Kendall as he has to drive three quarters of a mile rather than walking two hundred yards. Spiller continues to be motorised, so beer drinking is grudgingly reduced on a second count.
The new game is 'Magna Grecia' by Michael Schacht and Leo Colovini. Rio Grande have done an even better job than usual on the box top, particularly if you like looking at the well-muscled torsos of Southern Europeans. It's also a great theme - the building of Greek cities as they colonised Southern Italy. Were it a Ragnar Brothers game you might expect a cloth map and the outline of 'The Big Boot', heavy infantry counters and a fair bit of cut and thrust. However, this offering comes with the hallmark of 'Venice Connection' and is very much in the German puzzle-game tradition. The board/map is disappointing.
By the time Kendall has finished explaining the rules he is already half way through his first of two cans of John Smiths. The rules are far too complicated to précis here, though it should be said they spread over just 15 pages. Suffice (hopefully) to say that players may build roads or cities or draw more roads and cities into their supply. Meanwhile they may place up to two markets each turn. The markets score points at the game end depending on the number of roads connecting to them, but providing a player has one of his roads connecting to the market from one of his cities - that is unless the market is in one of the player's own cities.
Spiller and Dicken struggle with this concept for most of the evening. Kendall is at a distinct advantage having read the rules twice previously and is now going through them for a third time.
The only other way points are scored is by attracting the attention of the Oracles, and revealing a rippling torso is not enough. No, Oracles are attracted to cities to which they are connected (by roads) and particularly to cities having lots of lovely roads coming out of them. Each Oracle scores four points for the player owning such a city.
Well there's a whole lot more regarding costs of paying for cities and markets (roads are free), where they can and cannot be placed and enlarging cities. Also some neat mechanics for turn order and variable options in a turn.
Dicken and Spiller are set to give it a whirl. Dicken goes first, connecting roads to villages, building a city, placing a market. Then the three analyse his efforts ... and he starts again. Kendall virtually copies Dicken's final solution. Spiller tries something different, then resorts to the same.
Time for Pringles and the second can.
The game progresses. As roads converge in the middle, so more interaction develops as the three grapple for dominance. Spiller asserts that he 'just can't see it' and the evidence bears this out. Kendall laments the lack of historic accuracy, whilst maintaining gratitude for the generosity in buying him the game.
Time passes.
The final tile (12th turn - long game) is completed and the scores tallied. After markets are totalled the three are level pegging, but after Oracles ... Kendall has won by a large margin. One rule too far for Spiller and Dicken.
It's agreed that another playing is called for next week to bed down the rules. The Jury is still out on this one but a singular lack of atmosphere/fidelity to the theme has the boys shaking their heads. Meanwhile, there's time for a quiet chat and a nice cup of de-caf.
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