Other Worlds Part 1
The first of these two games remains one of my finest efforts in a non-solo game, and really proves the ineffectiveness of a particular strategy that often appeals to new players.
2/27/2015
Two more games: one was 80 points, the second one was 40.
Game 1
Cursed Americans:
Whydah + Hag of Tortuga, captain, helmsman, oarsman
Squalo
USS Lenox + helmsman, explorer, oarsman
Flying Fish + captain
Sea Duck + explorer, oarsman
Philadelphia + Gus Schultz
Imperialists: (English/French/Spanish – the main imperial nations of the Age of Sail period)
Monaque + captain
Mont Blanc
HMS Lord Lineton + captain, helmsman
Edinburgh Trader + captain, helmsman
Virtuous Wind + captain, helmsman
The game used a unique setup, inspired by the “Other World” scenario from the scenario compilation on BGG. The two home islands were on a small table separate from two other tables, which contained 4 wild islands apiece (8 total) with 6 random treasures on each island. Both fleets would have to brave whirlpools in order to get to the other oceans to get treasure.
One table had the islands in a line with 4 whirlpools on the outside, while the other table had the islands in a square with just one whirlpool in the center.
The fleets sailed out, with the Cursed Americans weary of the considerable firepower contained in the Imperialist fleet, who had crewed every ship with a captain. The CA’s (Cursed Americans) had gone first and were eager to get away from the initial ocean and out into the wild of the other worlds.
In a strange opening to the game, an iceberg adjacent to a whirlpool moved into it, and a new house-rule was created on the spot. The iceberg was sent flying through the whirlpool and into another ocean! Each whirlpool was labeled 1-6 and a die roll was made to see where the iceberg would end up.
With the Virtuous Wind moving S+S+S and approaching the CA fleet, the Whydah, flagship of the CA fleet, gave the Flying Fish an order to deter the Wind from attacking. Knowing it would turn into a suicide mission, the captain aboard the Flying Fish complied, turning to port and knocking a mast off the Spaniard while also positioning herself to block the Wind’s movement.
The Lenox was the first ship to brave a whirlpool, losing her oarsman in the process. She warped to the ocean with four whirlpools.
The Monaque and Lord Lineton sank the Flying Fish as the rest of the CA fleet fled towards the whirlpool. The Virtuous Wind ran home to quickly repair her one mast.
The Sea Duck followed the Lenox into an ocean, but came out through a different whirlpool. The Edinburgh Trader and Philadelphia warped to the other ocean, the one with a single whirlpool.
The Lenox had acquired a few high-value coins and wanted to make a deposit back at her home base. When she arrived via whirlpool at the home island ocean, however, she found the hulking Monaque (towing the dangerous Mont Blanc) and HMS Lord Lineton standing in her way! The Sea Duck had managed to move the Monaque in the opposite direction via a lucky mysterious island roll, but things weren’t looking good for the CA’s.
The Squalo stayed in the HI ocean (rather than follow the move boosting Hag on the Whydah) since she didn’t have any crew to sacrifice to the whirlpool and only had two body segments.
With four gunships and two of them (the Virtuous Wind and Lord Lineton) with the HI-raiding ability, the Imperialist strategy now became obvious. They would try to blockade the CA home island and steal their gold rather than risking the whirlpools on the way to and from the wild islands. The Cursed American admiral aboard the Whydah hadn’t expected such a low-volume gold strategy with 8 wild islands and two oceans to choose from, and so had to make a quick change of plans.
The Whydah went after the Edinburgh Trader, the only ship that the Imperialists had sent to a different world. Knowing that the Philadelphia could teleport the Trader home if the Whydah could derelict the Trader, the CA’s planned to break the blockade by suddenly forcing two ships (the Philadelphia and Edinburgh Trader) to appear at their HI, with the Imperialists unable to continue the blockade with an opening now created at the CA HI. Also, the Trader could repair and then begin firing on her old allies, who wouldn’t be able to return fire as long as the Trader stayed docked. The CA’s saw it as the best possible plan, since they would get massacred if their runners all came home against the Imperialist gunships. The Whydah sailed through a whirlpool in pursuit of the Edinburgh Trader.
With the Philadelphia off grabbing gold in the same ocean, the Whydah struck. With 3 cannons of 4 in range, she connected for two hits on the Edinburgh Trader, who had to wait a turn to explore since she only had a captain and helmsman aboard.
Meanwhile, back at the HI ocean, trouble was brewing. The repaired Virtuous Wind joined the Monaque and Lord Lineton in an impressive display of firepower. The Lenox cautiously sailed outside their range as the Sea Duck joined her, also with gold aboard.
The Edinburgh Trader fled into a fog bank, and with the Philadelphia nearby, the CA’s took a risk and sent the Whydah back home to support her gold runners. The CA’s were relying on the Philadelphia to ram the Trader derelict, and then capture her on the following turn.
When the Whydah appeared through the whirlpool, the Squalo took advantage of the Hag of Tortuga’s presence and swam L+L underwater to arrive astern of the Virtuous Wind. The CA’s wanted to make as many points of contact with their HI as possible so the Imperialists wouldn’t be able to completely surround their HI. The Lenox and Sea Duck used round-earth rules to divide up and make the Imperialists focus on multiple targets.
On the next turn the Sea Duck slipped her gold home as the Imperialists turned their ships around. The Squalo stayed submerged, using the Fear keyword to successfully cancel the Virtuous Wind’s ship and crew abilities. The Whydah lurked outside of range.
In the other world, the Philadelphia managed to ram the last mast off the Edinburgh Trader, who was now dead in the water!
On the next turn, the pent-up tension that had been building for many turns finally exploded! Suddenly there were four ships docked at the CA home island! The Philadelphia warped herself home with the Trader, who immediately used her action for the turn to begin repairing. The Monaque looked on helplessly as the Philadelphia docked home her prize. The Philadelphia and Trader both had gold on them, bringing even more action to the CA home island!
On the previous turn, the CA admiral completely forgot about the HI-raiding abilities of the Lord Lineton and Virtuous Wind. Both ships swooped in and docked at the CA HI.
The Fear keyword is so seldom used that the ability wasn’t read correctly (forgetting that it affects ship abilities as well as crew abilities). The Virtuous Wind’s crew were too scared to steal any of the treasure from the CA home island! The Lord Lineton, however, pounced on a 5 that had been brought back by the Sea Duck. The Sea Duck and Squalo teamed up to dismast the Virtuous Wind.
The Philadelphia and Trader hastily repaired their lost masts. The Squalo turned around, but the crew of the Lord Lineton weren’t impressed. The Whydah sailed into range of the Monaque but only hit once.
With the Lord Lineton worried about the gold she had on board, the derelict Virtuous Wind, and the not-so-scary Squalo, the Lenox was able to sneak into port on the quiet side of the CA HI.
The Lord Lineton tried to save the Virtuous Wind, but the CA’s now had a numbers advantage. The Lineton was dismasted by the Lenox and fully repaired Edinburgh Trader.
The Monaque dismasted the Whydah but was unable to sink her. The Mont Blanc killed Squalo, leaving the CA’s with one less advantage.
Seeing another opportunity to use her ability, the Philadelphia scooted out and grabbed the Whydah and got her back home so she could repair. The Monaque sailed for home, disappointed with the outcome of this chaotic battle.
The Monaque and Mont Blanc sunk the Lenox, while the Edinburgh Trader used her long-range guns to sink the derelict Lord Lineton and Virtuous Wind. This cleaned up some of the mess of the battle, leaving only four ships (plus the Mont Blanc) left in play. The Whydah and Monaque, flagships of their respective fleets, repaired and prepared for a final battle.
The CA’s sailed in line of battle with the slow Whydah at the end of the line.
The Monaque attacked first, dismasting the Philadelphia. The Trader and Whydah ganged up on the French five master and crippled her, but not before she sank the hated Philadelphia using her special “shoot through ships” ability. The CA’s won this final confrontation by a hair, but the game was already over with so much gold on the CA home island.
The CA’s had collected 29 gold, along with 3 from the 5 that the Lord Lineton had stolen. With the Edinburgh Trader captured the Imperialists only had the 2 from the Lineton’s heist, giving the Cursed Americans a 32-2 victory!
Although only half of the islands were explored and most of the action took place back at the HI ocean, this was still a fun and hard-fought game. It was nice to see usage of the Philadelphia’s ability, the Fear keyword, and home island raiders. The chaos in the HI ocean at the end of the game made this one memorable as well.
Game 2
French Pirates:
La Lyon + captain, helmsman, musketeer
L’Intrepide + explorer, oarsman
Hades’ Flame + explorer
Cursed Americans:
Whydah + captain, helmsman
USS Lenox + helmsman, explorer, oarsman
Sea Duck + explorer
This was also an “Other World” game, but with a much different map. There were two whirlpools near the HI’s, and only one other ocean. The other ocean contained three whirlpools and four wild islands.
The French Pirates went first and sent each of their ships through a different whirlpool. However, the Intrepide quickly sailed back into the whirlpool when the entire Cursed American fleet emerged right next to her!
Every ship in this game docked at a wild island, but only the treasure runners had any gold to speak of. The random treasure used happened to be almost all 1’s and 2’s, making for some disappointing hauls.
With the wild islands so far apart there wasn’t any action in the other ocean. The treasure runners headed back as the Whydah made a feint towards the Lyon.
The Hades’ Flame and Sea Duck were the first to bring gold back, with the Lenox following soon after.
The Whydah slowly made her way back with an extra 1 gold as the Sea Duck and Lenox headed out for blood. Eager to break the peace, the Cursed Americans wanted to cut off the Intrepide before she could return home.
Unfortunately for the CA’s, they couldn’t quite ram the Intrepide, who sneaked into port. At the beginning of the turn the CA’s paid their price for sailing their ships right past an iceberg, losing one mast on the Lenox.
With the CA’s plan failing, the French Pirates took advantage and sunk the Lenox and captured the Sea Duck. The Whydah approached the French HI looking for revenge.
The Lyon sailed out and promptly dismasted the Whydah with the help of her musketeer, ending the game!
The gold was tallied up, with the CA’s bringing home 7. The French Pirates had found the lone 6 among a pile of 2’s and 1’s, giving them a resounding victory!