Date Posted: 2017-09-28
There are many videos out there providing tutorials for many board games but some are better than others. We consider them good if they are quick, easy to understand and well-presented. So we head out to watch the top 3 pages of YouTube for the more popular games and found these. Not shockingly, they are usually the ones that are higher-ranked.
Additional note: The video has forgotten to mention that if a 7 is rolled, anyone with 8 or more cards loses half of their resources, rounded down. For example, if a player has 9 cards, discard 4 cards, not 5.
A unique way of teaching Power Grid that has saved me so much time and frustration!
Jaipur
Condottiere
Pandemic
Love Letter
Carcassonne
Ticket to Ride
Catan (previously "Settler of Catan")
Additional note: The video has forgotten to mention that if a 7 is rolled, anyone with 8 or more cards loses half of their resources, rounded down. For example, if a player has 9 cards, discard 4 cards, not 5.
Power Grid
A unique way of teaching Power Grid that has saved me so much time and frustration!
Dixit
Saboteur
Hanabi
Date Posted: 2017-10-02
Settlers of Catan is another board game classic, combining worker placement, resource management, area control and even social deception all in one game. It's easy to learn but difficult to master and we hope that this article will bring your games up a notch. We have scoured the Internet for top tips, played with them and here are the ones that have worked well for us. Enjoy!
Before going to any top-level Strategy, this is the most crucial thing to do. Always expand early by building settlements as they give you more resources to do more things. Do this before attempting to build the longest road or largest army. Building more settlements also makes it harder for your opponents to build them.
The main idea is to focus on getting bricks and lumber. This allows you to build the longest road, earning you an extra 2 points. Its useful in getting that extra edge over your opponents, especially between 7-10 points. Be sure to avoid letting another player build a settlement in the middle of the road. It helps if you build 2 separate roads before joining them later in the game as it helps you from being an obvious target.
Largest Army Strategy
Expand Early
Before going to any top-level Strategy, this is the most crucial thing to do. Always expand early by building settlements as they give you more resources to do more things. Do this before attempting to build the longest road or largest army. Building more settlements also makes it harder for your opponents to build them.
Longest Road Strategy
The main idea is to focus on getting bricks and lumber. This allows you to build the longest road, earning you an extra 2 points. Its useful in getting that extra edge over your opponents, especially between 7-10 points. Be sure to avoid letting another player build a settlement in the middle of the road. It helps if you build 2 separate roads before joining them later in the game as it helps you from being an obvious target.
Largest Army Strategy
In general, this is the best strategy for most boards. Keep buying development cards until you get 3 soldiers. This allows you to move robbers away from your tiles onto another players' tiles when needed. By playing as many soldiers as possible, you will be able to get the 2 extra points for Largest Army.
2:1 Port Strategy
Use this only when the board layout is favorable. This is trickier than the previous strategies as you will be reliant on a single resource and having the robber not be on the tile. Furthermore, the port strategy makes it clear to other players on the resources that you are reliant on.
Wheat Monopoly Strategy
This strategy hopes to keep wheat out of the opponents' hands. It only works if there are only few wheat tiles that can be easily blocked. The idea is to never trade wheat, a resource that is required to build things for Victory Points.
Settlement Placement Tips
For beginners, remember to count the number of dots that are on the numbers of each resource and place settlements where you can get the highest total number of dots. This will increase the chances of getting resources as the dice rolls are more probable. For more advanced players, make sure that the numbers are as varied as possible across as many resources as possible. This will maximise the odds plus the variety of resources you have. It will give you the upper hand during trades.
Remember to focus on bricks and lumber to build roads to spread across the map. Occasionally, build on rare resources so that you have bargaining chips during trades.
Robber Placement Tips
Firstly, place your robber on a 5,6,8,9 tile as they have a higher chance of disrupting your opponent. Secondly, place it on a rare resource that your opponent is occupying so that he has less bargaining chips during trades. thirdly, place on tiles that are touched by as many opponents to maximise the impact. Fourthly, place robbers where cities are at to further disrupt resources. You will need to balance these 4 points before placing the robber and different points take precedence depending on how the game goes.
We hope that this has helped you win your next Settlers game!
Credits to settlers-strategy.com and Board Game Business Podcast for providing these strategies that we tested.
Date Posted: 2017-12-25
Pandemic is a classic, challenging cooperative game. Players' reported of winning only 60% of the time. However, with the right strategies in place, you can drastically increase the odds. These are the few strategies that have personally worked for me. I have compiled and summarized them:
From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q9jTNz0Adg Focus on finding a cure as soon as possible as it greatly increases the chance of winning the game. Just curing any single infection tips the game nicely to your favor.
The key is to move as little as possible as transportation is very expensive because technically nothing is happening when players move. Always look at the city cards you have before making a move. If you are deciding between multiple cities, choose the one with 3 cubes and do not worry too much about the rest - think of the outbreak meter as a resource. You do not have to worry about it until it is at its halfway mark.
Place a research station on 1 side instead of the middle of infected cities so players can sweep the map without backtracking. Plus, keep cards that are near research cities rather than far away as you will be able to go to the research station, travel to the city and use charter flights to travel anywhere on the map.
from: https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/2372/what-are-good-general-strategies-for-pandemic
In a 4 player game, each player draws 15 cards in total by the end of the game. Assuming that the cards are evenly distributed, you will only have 3 of each and there will be a need to pass cards between 1 another. Cures will only happen in the later stages of the game so focus on choosing a specific color for each player to cure.
However, in a 3 or 2 player game, it is much less tight with players getting 20 and 30 cards respectively. Do take note that in a 3 player game, there are only 8 to 9 rounds so stay close to be able to pass cards around.
Role Synergies
Find a Cure in the First 3 Rounds
From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q9jTNz0Adg Focus on finding a cure as soon as possible as it greatly increases the chance of winning the game. Just curing any single infection tips the game nicely to your favor.
Transportation
The key is to move as little as possible as transportation is very expensive because technically nothing is happening when players move. Always look at the city cards you have before making a move. If you are deciding between multiple cities, choose the one with 3 cubes and do not worry too much about the rest - think of the outbreak meter as a resource. You do not have to worry about it until it is at its halfway mark.
Place a research station on 1 side instead of the middle of infected cities so players can sweep the map without backtracking. Plus, keep cards that are near research cities rather than far away as you will be able to go to the research station, travel to the city and use charter flights to travel anywhere on the map.
Time and City Cards
from: https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/2372/what-are-good-general-strategies-for-pandemic
In a 4 player game, each player draws 15 cards in total by the end of the game. Assuming that the cards are evenly distributed, you will only have 3 of each and there will be a need to pass cards between 1 another. Cures will only happen in the later stages of the game so focus on choosing a specific color for each player to cure.
However, in a 3 or 2 player game, it is much less tight with players getting 20 and 30 cards respectively. Do take note that in a 3 player game, there are only 8 to 9 rounds so stay close to be able to pass cards around.
Role Synergies
Also from: https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/2372/what-are-good-general-strategies-for-pandemic
The Operations Expert has a good combo - build a research center, discard the city card to fly anywhere or a specific city, build 1 more research center and then remove a cube. Other players can then come in for reinforcement.
The Scientist and Researcher can hold 14 cards in total. If 13 of them are city cards, it means that there is at least 4 of them with the same color. They can swap cards around to find a cure quickly.
Dispatcher makes other players mobile by moving them around for them while the Operations Expert makes them mobile on their own turns due to the placement of Research Centers.
Both the Medic and Quarantine Specialist help fight infections. The Quarantine Specialist prevents cubes from getting into the city she is in and all connected cities while the Medic remove all cubes in the city she is in. The Quarantine Specialist will have to do a little more work by keeping track of what has been discarded and/or placed on top of the infection deck.
The Dispatcher can quickly move the Medic once a cure has been found to quickly eradicate an infection.
Picking your Poison
Lastly, if you and your team are caught in a dilemma, think of these 3 factors:
- how likely is the city going to be drawn from the infection deck
- how close is it to the next epidemic
- which other cities are connected to the city
- how many cities are connected to the city
Pandemic is a good game but it becomes great when turned more into a strategic exercise rather than simply thinking of it as a luck-based game. Have fun!
Date Posted: 2017-11-02
Carcassonne is a board game classic that's easy to learn and difficult to master. After playing hundreds of games with my friends, I tried several strategies that I found online to start mastering the game. Here are those tried-and-proven high-level strategies:
From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-EMilsWxgI
Build small cities, preferably 2-3 tiles to score almost immediately and before other players hijack those points. The key is to build them in the same farming area so that you can place your farmer(s) to score later on. Also, build roads that are as far away as possible, turning them away from the cities to ensure that the farm area is as big as possible.
Abandon farming and attempt to hijack other players' large cities, completing the city with them to score huge points. Players that are not on the city are severely disadvantaged. However, they might try to hijack those points so try not to push your luck too far.
With the base game, players have these number of turns each:
2 Players:
35.5 turns per player
Player 1 has 1 more turn than others
3 Players:
23.67 turns per player
Player 1,2 has 1 more turn than others
4 Players:
17.75 turns per player
Player 1,2,3 has 1 more turn than others
5 Players:
14.2 turns per player
Player 1 has 1 more turn than others
Defensive: Build a monastery and try to complete features around it to score both feature points plus the monastery's.
Offensive: Build a monastery at the region where other players' have invested in so you get points when they inevitably build features around it.
Roads are most effective as a defensive tool. Roads give low scores and they might get your meeple stuck. Instead, use them to place near features that your opponents are building or build roads to reduce their farm sizes.
For larger player counts such as 4 or 5, place farms early as other features are less likely to be completed and smaller cities are common.
If players are tending to large cities, try to hijack the points by joining your city with them. If players are building small ones, place farmers so you can score with them.
From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-EMilsWxgI
Small Cities Strategy
Build small cities, preferably 2-3 tiles to score almost immediately and before other players hijack those points. The key is to build them in the same farming area so that you can place your farmer(s) to score later on. Also, build roads that are as far away as possible, turning them away from the cities to ensure that the farm area is as big as possible.
Big Cities Strategy
Abandon farming and attempt to hijack other players' large cities, completing the city with them to score huge points. Players that are not on the city are severely disadvantaged. However, they might try to hijack those points so try not to push your luck too far.
Tile Counting
With the base game, players have these number of turns each:
2 Players:
35.5 turns per player
Player 1 has 1 more turn than others
3 Players:
23.67 turns per player
Player 1,2 has 1 more turn than others
4 Players:
17.75 turns per player
Player 1,2,3 has 1 more turn than others
5 Players:
14.2 turns per player
Player 1 has 1 more turn than others
Feature-related Strategies
Monastery
Defensive: Build a monastery and try to complete features around it to score both feature points plus the monastery's.
Offensive: Build a monastery at the region where other players' have invested in so you get points when they inevitably build features around it.
Roads
Roads are most effective as a defensive tool. Roads give low scores and they might get your meeple stuck. Instead, use them to place near features that your opponents are building or build roads to reduce their farm sizes.
Farm
For larger player counts such as 4 or 5, place farms early as other features are less likely to be completed and smaller cities are common.
Cities
If players are tending to large cities, try to hijack the points by joining your city with them. If players are building small ones, place farmers so you can score with them.
Date Posted: 2017-11-30
Going for a board games night and unsure of proper etiquette? Here are some universal etiquette that will ensure you do not get kicked out of the gaming group.
Yes, even when the plate is huge and the cups are on coasters. We want to keep the game owner as calm as possible, instead of having to look out for close-calls. Bonus points for wiping your hands clean before handling any game components. Remember, games can cost almost $100 and the components are usually irreplaceable.
Riffle shuffling decks may be cool but they often lead to bent cards. Slamming the card on the table is satisfying but could lead to card damage or marking the card. Throwing the die up high could make it more dramatic but might chip the die. When in doubt, observe how careful the owner is with the game and be even more careful.
When someone is explaining the rules, listen. They might have practiced beforehand, reformatting the rulebook so that players can understand them faster. It might be annoying when they are repeatedly interrupted or when question is raised about a rule that was explained very clearly to everyone else. (However, if you were the one explaining, be nice if someone asked politely as they could be overwhelmed by the rules.)
Some games tend to encourage 'quarterbacking', the practice of a player instructing others to simply follow their advice. Games should both be about fun and fulfillment and players feel most fulfilled when their actions are due to their analysis. If a player is too shy and repeatedly ask others what to do, encourage them to voice out their thoughts and just do what they think is right - board games are about people, not winning.
You may ask someone to take slightly less time on their turn but repeatedly asking "whose turn is it?!" and tapping the table is simply rude. If someone takes a very long time on their turn and there is no sign of it improving, that particular game might not be suitable for them or even, they might not be suitable being there at all.
Board games are most fun when players are focused and interactions are due to the game. Private conversations should be done during mealtime or before/after the game. Why would a player think so much when other players are in their own world since they might win just because other players are going through the motion? On top of that, keep the phones away just like at the dinner table.
Play towards the game objectives, not simply to disrupt a particular player. Disrupting the last ranking player in the game instead of the 2 players in front of you is not in the spirit of most games. It throws other players as they should be thinking of strategies based on the objectives and not a personal vendetta against him.
Let me explain what "properly" is. When you are so far back in terms of points and in no position of being first place, do you:
1) aim at disrupting the player in front
2) aim at disrupting the player next in rank from you
3) aim at simply improving your own score
Many suggest that all 3 are suitable but in my opinion, point 3 is the most sportsmanship-like and point 2 is next in line.
The owner might have been the one setting up everything since he knows the correct setup, but packing the game is common sense. Of course, if they insist not to do it as they have their own way of packing, let it be. It's the thought that really counts and the game owner will really appreciate it!
Keep Food and Beverages Separate from the Gaming Table
Yes, even when the plate is huge and the cups are on coasters. We want to keep the game owner as calm as possible, instead of having to look out for close-calls. Bonus points for wiping your hands clean before handling any game components. Remember, games can cost almost $100 and the components are usually irreplaceable.
Handle the Components According to the Owner
Riffle shuffling decks may be cool but they often lead to bent cards. Slamming the card on the table is satisfying but could lead to card damage or marking the card. Throwing the die up high could make it more dramatic but might chip the die. When in doubt, observe how careful the owner is with the game and be even more careful.
Know the Rules
When someone is explaining the rules, listen. They might have practiced beforehand, reformatting the rulebook so that players can understand them faster. It might be annoying when they are repeatedly interrupted or when question is raised about a rule that was explained very clearly to everyone else. (However, if you were the one explaining, be nice if someone asked politely as they could be overwhelmed by the rules.)
Do not be 'too Alpha'
Some games tend to encourage 'quarterbacking', the practice of a player instructing others to simply follow their advice. Games should both be about fun and fulfillment and players feel most fulfilled when their actions are due to their analysis. If a player is too shy and repeatedly ask others what to do, encourage them to voice out their thoughts and just do what they think is right - board games are about people, not winning.
Be Patient
You may ask someone to take slightly less time on their turn but repeatedly asking "whose turn is it?!" and tapping the table is simply rude. If someone takes a very long time on their turn and there is no sign of it improving, that particular game might not be suitable for them or even, they might not be suitable being there at all.
Be at the Table both Physically and in Spirit
Board games are most fun when players are focused and interactions are due to the game. Private conversations should be done during mealtime or before/after the game. Why would a player think so much when other players are in their own world since they might win just because other players are going through the motion? On top of that, keep the phones away just like at the dinner table.
Do Not Bring External Affairs to the Table
Play towards the game objectives, not simply to disrupt a particular player. Disrupting the last ranking player in the game instead of the 2 players in front of you is not in the spirit of most games. It throws other players as they should be thinking of strategies based on the objectives and not a personal vendetta against him.
Be Offensive, Properly
Let me explain what "properly" is. When you are so far back in terms of points and in no position of being first place, do you:
1) aim at disrupting the player in front
2) aim at disrupting the player next in rank from you
3) aim at simply improving your own score
Many suggest that all 3 are suitable but in my opinion, point 3 is the most sportsmanship-like and point 2 is next in line.
and lastly...Pack Up Together
The owner might have been the one setting up everything since he knows the correct setup, but packing the game is common sense. Of course, if they insist not to do it as they have their own way of packing, let it be. It's the thought that really counts and the game owner will really appreciate it!