Zulus on the Ramparts!

Zulus on the Ramparts! is a board game of the category wargame inspired by Rorke’s Drift in 1879. The player assumes the role of the 140 British soldiers who faced more than 4,000 African soldiers in the legendary siege in which the first were incredibly to finally retire victorious enemy. No tokens representing the army of His Majesty only a deck of cards and some markers. Yes Zulu regiments are represented by several chips symbolizing the four main formations attacked Rorke’s Drift and “life points”.

On the map we see represented the missionary position and four “ways” to move toward him. These “pathways” oval divided into five cells each representing the advance of the Zulu regiments. If any of them reaches the red square that is the “Victoria Zulu” tab, the game is over for the player, who has failed to repeat the heroic historical result.

The record of Zulu victory begins in the red box with a 0, but may be delayed by the player up to two positions, making it harder to reach their target Zulus. In other parts of the map are in certain markers and letters reporting things like water scarcity and ammunition, the arrival of the night, forming a reserve platoon or building defenses now.

Zulus on the ramparts!, board
Zulus on the ramparts!, board

Before starting the game, we put in a bowl a series of round tiles that represent both the progress of the various Zulu regiments as various events. We must also prepare before starting the deck in a specific way, leaving from the last 4 cards (shuffled at random) of relief column that ends the game (if you have not done before) and inserting the letter Night (hampering the fight) to about half of the deck.

First thing we do each turn is, remove one of the fas of the container and make it effective: execute the corresponding event in the case of one of these or, in the case of an advance (most likely) will move the number of spaces the corresponding Regiment (iButho) Zulu.

If you still survives then the player performs the main phase of action, where you can choose from several options: forming the reserve squad, trying to put out fires, build a barricade, distribute ammunition and water, shoot / melee attack heroes and draw cards. The latter represent the official historical fence and give the player important assets and greater flexibility and can often “sacrificed” in exchange for decisive action. The player usually has a five-card hand that is renewed at the end of the day. These letters will or will these heroes who have seen or bursts of gunfire. Heroes can also shoot or use special skills stronger and be used for various actions on the board as the platoon booking form or build the barricade. For all these latest features, normally we should have “fallen” hero to the table with a prior action.

Zulus on the ramparts!, tabs
Zulus on the ramparts!, tabs

The shooting and fighting are made by rolling dice. According to the letter we use, we can pull a number of dice (typically between 1 and 5) depending on the distance at which the Zulu regiment are. 6 eliminate a life point of the enemy formation (having from 2 to 5 points); May 1 will be withdrawn the box back.

Once selected and implemented the action, the player ends his turn by drawing a card from the deck if you like, and removing (dropping) a hero.

The game may end in several ways: the most common is the Zulu entering the enclosure, as already in advance, meaning that the player has lost. Alternatively, remove all English Zulu regiments. The third way to finish the game is when the “Column relief” letter is at the end of the deck appears. At that time, the player has points that may have been gathered or lose based on a scale to determine which side has won and his margin of victory (may be less, epic, tie, etc).

Features
Game Type Strategy, Wargame
Recommended Age +12 years
Language English
Players 1 Player
Game Time 25-35 minutes
Difficulty Medium
Boardgamegeek www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/41627/

Libertalia

Purpose and preparation of Libertalia

The goal is simply to be the richest pirate. For three rounds, we will plunder other ships for the purpose of Libertalia. To do this, we will have games lasting 60 minutes, two to six players.

Before starting the game, each player will choose a pirate, with their respective crew. The youngest player shuffle their character cards and steal nine cards. After saying aloud the rank and name of these cards, the other players will look at their decks those letters and, with them, make up a mallet.

Then each of us will randomly select one of the tabs crew. Also we will take the den, which will serve to make the cards drawn to the game, scoring marker and thirty letters of the corresponding color. In addition, each receive ten doubloons. The rest will be left in the bank. Now, each player places his den and his letters before him.

Booty chips will be introduced in the bag to mix. So six tabs catch by each player who has in the game and placed in the hollow intended. You can now start the game, for which we must take account of the character cards and letters of special actions.

Libertalia, board
Libertalia, board

Characters cards and special cards


Character cards represent the different members of the crew, with different skills, names and ranks
. In turn, some will be more important than others. Furthermore, special cards, whose actions are required to perform, are associated with a particular time that may be used. These cards are divided into Day, Sunset, Night and New Tomorrow.

Actions under Day and Sunset, can be resolved only once per game, which is when the character comes into play. The first will be resolved in order of increasing range, while Twilight is resolved in descending order.

Evening special actions will be resolved during the night of each shift, as its name suggests, provided the character with the special action is in the lair of the player. The End of Campaign will be resolved only once per game, when the end of the campaign in which the character has come into play only if it is still present in the lair of the player at the end of the campaign.

Libertalia, cards
Libertalia, cards

How to play Libertalia

As we explained, each game will consist of three rounds. For each of them, we must solve six days of looting. These rounds will sack long special stages except the end of season stocks, but adding a resting phase at the end of the three previous rounds, where we’ve gotten wealth will be distributed.

Our level of wealth is obtained by adding the loot they have more doubloons our guard. The chests are obtained doubloons worth five, three jewels and goods of one. Finally, sets of three maps we have twelve doubloons worth, but it will only add them in threes. That is, if we get one or two loose, not counted.

Meanwhile, not all objects added riches because there are cursed relics that will make us lose three doubloons. In addition, sabers and Spanish officials have no value. The sum of all the doubloons during the three rounds of play will dictate the winner of the game.

Libertalia, components
Libertalia, components
Features
Game Type Strategy,Card Game
Recommended Age +10 years
Language English
Players 2 – 6 Players
Game Time 45 minutes
Difficulty Medium
Boardgamegeek www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/125618/

Neuroshima Hex!

First of all say that despite what I may like this game and how fast they are their games, so far I could only taste a tiny part of the whole menu that offers this game. We are facing a great little game.

His background is post-apocalyptic based on an RPG published by Portal called Neuroshima, this is the tool of combat that was created for a reduced time to resolve the skirmishes own RPG, apparently I worked so well that they decided to publish it. The story: After the Apocalypse humans who survived fled to the cities, while a huge cybernetic body took shape, an army of machines coming from the north patrol the remains of our civilization chasing humans, these divided struggle between whether for food, fuel, territory …

The game mechanics

The game mechanics is very robust, the most robust I’ve tried, and it has another quality that combines many features from other games, in an explosive combination. After speaking with several players, some reminded a card game, players tournament, reminded a draft, others reminded a tactical wargame, others to a game of miniatures. Part of his success is due to that than like many types of players of very different tastes. It can therefore like a wargamer as a eurogamer as a americantrasher, whereby these labels hatred and what use.

The characteristics of mechanical despite appearing to have picked up here and there, it gives you the impression of playing in a collection, and instead is quite original, it is very visual, intuitive, dynamic although we speak a tactical wargame, exempt dice, their random part is the hand of cards that touch you, but it is controllable with house rules and then explain.

The game modes are varied, fight to the death, in plan last one standing, wrestling team, scoring 20 combat damage, is a wargame, how does it work best? Well, according to taste, a wargamero maybe likes the fight 1vs1 or in pairs or teams, eurogamer liked to score more without removal? All this based on tag-based I hate prejudice. My impression is that the multiplayer very well hold up to 5, 6 or 7 players according to the creators, I read that played up to 8 players, but as happens all the more turn-based games players are harder departure, less controllable loses some of its charm, I think a solution for many couples is to do team players in teams of two.

Neuroshima Hex box
Neuroshima Hex box

Description of the components

Let us turn to the description of the components, it is a small board, instructions and chips. There are two types of tiles, board sheets are divided into: headquarters, modules and soldiers; And then there are the chips of action. The modules provide bonus on board the soldiers, which can be initiative, damage from a distance or close combat. Immediate action sheets, played to take effect without placed on the board.
The soldiers have features like ranged or close combat, armor, initiative and endurance, but can include tokens own immediate action skills, modules add their bonus to those features, provided they are connected to them. The most common actions are the movement, the fight and push.

Neuroshima Hex tabs
Neuroshima Hex tabs

The sequence of play

Each turn three tabs shown to all players steal, first rule out, with the other two decide if you play unfold on the board or guardians, knowing that if you keep a tab, the next only you steal turn up to have three, so it is advisable to play and not save yourself a lot.

The fighting began in two ways when the small board is full, or when a form of immediate action combat is played. This is simultaneous and begins tabs major initiative to lowest, when they play the zero initiative continued where he had left rotation.

Neuroshima Hex board
Neuroshima Hex board

Who wins?

The victory achieved by the game system that we select, which destroys the headquarters of another twenty barracks damage support in qualifying so I do not make the first twenty damage to enemy headquarters.

The board is small so that there is no time for speculation, is not a game will be diplomatic, you coward, I’ll take back these kill and then I come and win. From the first moment to the last must be dividing, or thinking and give the other where it hurts, in the headquarters of course, but sometimes question of dismantling the move the other.

The system is robust and rules Aguata home, home hosts, without going clear, I would add the hidden game, showing no bone chips, increase hand 5 tabs, allowing 2 saved to make more combos

As a negative point: The default have told me, they find you is that when you open and destrónquelas, gives you a feeling of mini-game. Let leftover box, but I take a walk after the BGG and see all the free stuff, the print and play, the editors of Hosts, redesigned official armies, the events for fans, 2 free campaigns etc. I can think on the contrary I need cash.

Features
Game Type Fighting, Science Fiction, Strategy Games
Recommended Age +10 years
Language English
Players 2 – 4 Players
Game Time 30 minutes
Difficulty Medium
Boardgamegeek www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/21241/