http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/1945845#1945845
(Part 3)
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/1964033#1964033
As the subject suggests this is the second of a series of reviews of games that I can get the family to play while on holiday. There are many fine reviews of this game so I will focus on the family & holiday aspects.
courtesy of Ketty Galleguillos
Quick Game Overview
The object of the game is to be the champion guillotine operator over 3 days of head-cutting! You achieve this by chopping off more and better quality nobles than the other guillotine operators (players).
Components are two decks of cards - 'Action Cards' that are used to affect the line of nobles & the 'Noble Cards' (these include clergy,military,aristocrats,lackys & innocent characters caught up in the bloodshed!)
At the start of each of the 3 days 12 character cards are laid out in a line ready to get the chop.
courtesy of Luis SG
On a players turn, they can (optionally) play an action card to manipulate the order of the the line to get the highest scoring noble card(s) at the end of the line where the guillotine awaits. The player then finishes their go by taking a card from the 'Action Card' deck............and thats about it.
The fun lies in the manipulation of the line to grab the best nobles for yourself or to leave the low or minus scoring cards for the others - ha ha
The action cards are not limited to line manipulation; there are also cards that will give you bonuses for collecting noble of a particular colour, as in the green characters below.
courtesy of Endor Wiggins
There are also action cards that allow you to swop/steal nobles from other players score piles & other nefarious deeds
When the last noble head is collected the day ends and twelve more victims are laid out for the guillotine; after three days you total up the points that are on the noble cards, amended as required due to action cards that have been played - good or bad, and the one with the highest points total is champion guillotine operator
Why this is good to take on your family holiday
It has a simple mechanic that is very easily understood by non-gamers and/or younger children.
It oozes theme, especially for children; whats not to like about chopping off the heads of the
It's portable, two decks of cards and can be played on a table in the bar/lounge/hotel room etc.
It plays quickly: typically the four of us get through the three days in about 30 to 45 minutes.
Minor Gripes
I have found that the game does not lend itself to more than 4/5 people, more than this and you don't get enough turns on each of the three days and the downtime can get to be too much, especially for younger players.
As I mentioned earlier, the heart of the game lies in the manipulation of the line. There is an action card 'Callous Guards' that when played stops the line from being altered. I STRONGLY recommend amending the text or removing this card from the game.
I have played this game with many other families who all love the theme; however it may not be to everyones tastes.
courtesy of Robert Seater
There is a character card who goes by the title 'Piss Boy', not a problem for us but could be for some families with younger children, if so, just don't play with it, its absence has minimal effect on the game.
To Finish
Take this game with you when you go on holiday. Playing this while on a family city-break to Paris was one of our all time great gaming experiences.
regards
Iain
Last edited on 2007-12-30 05:41:58 CST (Total Number of Edits: 1)
Posted Thu Dec 27,2007 05:49 pm
