Power Grid

Tactics and Tactility #1 – On going with your gut

[Introducing a new bi-weekly column! In Tactics & Tactility, Ava Foxfort will be exploring the culture and magic of tabletop, accompanied by fabulous illustrator Tom Humberstone. The series began its life on this blog, and we feel privileged to offer it a new home.]

Ava: I can see all the numbers in front of me. Power Grid lays out every variable incredibly clearly. So many numbers, spread out in stout cables across the board, paper money rustling in my hand, and adorable little power stations. Every number is ready for taking, and there’s just no way I can get them all into my head.

Good evening, folks, it’s time to watch my brain slowly crumble.

Imperial Assault: Joining the Dark Sidekick

Quinns: Matt, we have to abort this feature! Reddit’s disapproval is reaching critical levels.

Matt: That’s not the Reddit alarm, that’s my egg timer. I’m making everybody lunchtime eggs to keep up our strength.

Quinns: Wow! I could kiss you.

Matt: Don’t kiss on me, daddy-oats, kiss on these great games.

Quinns: Ladies and gentlemen, roll up! It’s time for a new series where we take a look a team SU&SD’s board game collections. Come and see! Be amazed. Be aghast. Be envious. Comment with thought-provoking assertions like “why do you have that game it is bad”.

You guys will have seen my collection in the background of loads of SU&SD videos, but I don’t think you’ve seen the work that goes into it. Come with me today as I perform… a CULL.

But before that, let me show you my collection as it stands. It’s both completely ridiculous and not as ridiculous as you might think.

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Review: Power Grid Deluxe & The Stock Companies Expansion

Hold onto your hardhats! Power Grid was one of the first reviews SU&SD ever did (archivists will find that ancient episode here), and now Quinns has returned with yet more hot air, desperate to expunge his thoughts as if he were a dirty old steam turbine.

This time around we’re reviewing the “deluxe” 10th anniversary edition, as well as the new The Stock Companies expansion that’s compatible with either edition of the game. Has this classic still got what it takes, or is it fossil fuel?

(That blast of dance music half-way through the video is Showdown by F.O.O.L.)

Welcome back to the podcastle! Not to be outdone after listener Alex Cannon contributed a jingle for last episode, Matt’s made yet another jingle. Ready your body! Lube up your ears. It’s got a harmony. You’ve been warned. As for games, we chat about Liar’s Dice, Arboretum, the new editions of Archaeology, and Elevenses: The Card Game of Morning Tea AND new releases 504 and Power Grid: The Stock Companies. Plus our folk game of the month, of course. It’s not just Friedemann Friese who can pack a whole lot of nonsense into a small package.

Quinns: We proceed directly to the big news of the week, do not pass “Go”, definitely do not collect £200. Put it back!

Stonemaier Games has launched their Scythe Kickstarter upon the waiting world. At the time of writing it’s received a million dollars in just six days, and I’ve never found it so easy to see why.

You have Jakub Rozalski’s art and worldbuilding, pairing mechs with a rich tapestry of 19th century Eastern Europe. You have a timely design, offering the economic engine-building of Eurogames with the conflict and theme and tiny mechs that are going to get players excited. You’ve got a selection of editions to choose from, each of them generous, there’s friendly shipping to Europe, Canada and Australia, and you have Stonemaier Games’ money back guarantee. Don’t like the game after you’ve played it once? They’ll pay for return shipping and refund you completely.

Quinns: Good morning, my mewling clutch of board-kittens! You look adorable! Alas, I know your secret. If you don’t get your weekly games news, you’ll become a snapping, thrashing pit of board-gators, keen to rend my body like so much gory blu-tac.

I’m quite attached to my body (specifically, by my skeleton) so let’s get you your news. It’s the 100th anniversary of the Panama Canal, and Stronghold Games has announced PANAMAX, a board game of managing shipping companies located in the Free Zone of Colon. An area I thought was to be found nnnnnnno apparently I have too much moral fortitude to make that particular joke about Paul’s mum.

It’s the very first ever podcast of 2014, and we’re celebrating with never before seen audio quality! Not that you can see sound. Unless you’re a bat! Do any bats listen to the podcast? We just don’t know. If they WERE listening, they’d hear Paul and Quinns are talking about new year’s resolutions, and all … Read more

Paul: Like a snowman at the door, having a wank through your letterbox, Christmas is coming fast. Everyone and their dog is going to be asking for board games and hoping to unwrap something special but, but not everything that you ask for is going to be suited to families.

Does your brother want to play Twilight Imperium for eight hours? Does your dad understand how the Ambush card works in Memoir ‘44? Will your mum flip the table again if she loses another game of Space Hulk?

Here, then, are Shut Up & Sit Down’s recommendations for games your family can play at Christmas. These are all games with rules you can learn in just a few minutes, and won’t keep you returning to the manual. Some are simple, some are smart, some are physical and some are outright dangerous. But they’re all terribly, terribly good fun.

The object of Power Grid is to supply the most cities with power from your ever-improving collection of power plants. As each player buys power plants, new and better plants come onto the market, forcing you to upgrade as you and your opponents try to spread your power networks across more and more of the country.

Power Grid is one part territory control, one part plant expansion and one part economic management, as players compete to buy the raw materials they need to fuel their ever more demanding power plants.

Tactics and Tactility #1 – On going with your gut

SU&SD Take on The Board Game Geek Top 100: 20-11

Feature: A Day in the Life of Quinns’ Game Collection!

Review: Power Grid Deluxe & The Stock Companies Expansion

Podcast #38: 504 Ways to Eat Paper

Games News! 19/10/15

Games News! 10/03/14

Podcast #13: The Tale of Elfblow Whistleknife

SU&SD’s Best Games For Your Family

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