Game: Elfenroads

Thread: Re: Happy Birthday! A great game turns 15!!!

mistermarino — 2007-11-18T01:41:29+00:00

It's not really like any of the other games on my GeekList, but I gave you an honorary Cordwainer Bird Award and a 1 GG tip for this review, since it does have a very light fantasy theme.

To contribute to the noble cause of getting reviews published for all of the OOP science fiction, fantasy and horror games on the Geek, check out the Cordwainer Bird Award GeekList.

Thread: Re: Happy Birthday! A great game turns 15!!!

BFoy — 2007-10-16T16:59:11+00:00

gamemark wrote:
But I'd suggest you'd refrain from castigating a designer for not re-printing his designs when he has little or no control over that happening & little or no reason to want it NOT to happen.

I considered it whining which is why I didn't say anything.

On this subject, I did hear a rumor that Alan wasn't ever going to reprint Elfenroads (with the same map). Supposedly this was to reward the people who bought the White Wind Elvenroads game.

Thread: Re: Happy Birthday! A great game turns 15!!!

gamemark — 2007-10-16T16:28:57+00:00

photocurio wrote:
Alan Moon seems to be more interested in getting more Ticket to Ride versions out than getting his classics re-printed, unfortunately. Why can't we have an Elfenland edition with Elfengold included? Why can't we have Union Pacific? This would seem to be a no brainer to re-print.

I think you're making assumptions about Alan that have, to say the least, little to do with Alan.

Let's run down the basics:

1. Alan designs games for a living.

2. Almost anything that he can publish that makes a little cash for him is okee-dokee with him.

3. Therefore, publishing more games in a series that is selling like hotcakes makes good financial sense.

4. As well, he is not a publisher (any more). So, he doesn't get to choose which of his games get published.

5. Finally, Alan has been interviewed a couple of times in the last year or so talking about a game based on Union Pacific as well as a new board for a reprint of Elfenland that would somehow connect to the original board. (Sorry, I can't remember where I read this... I think through a link on BGN.)

Look - I understand the frustration of not being able to get an OOP game you'd really like to have. (Let's not talk about Auf Fotosafari in Ombagassa or either of the Dungeonquest expansions, OK?) But I'd suggest you'd refrain from castigating a designer for not re-printing his designs when he has little or no control over that happening & little or no reason to want it NOT to happen.

Thread: Re: Happy Birthday! A great game turns 15!!!

BFoy — 2007-10-16T14:49:52+00:00

photocurio wrote:
Thanks for the review. I would love to play this someday. Unfortunately, the odds of me ever getting to play it seem slim. BTW, does Elfenland + Elfengold add up to the same experience? But since Elfengold is also out of print, I might never see that at my group either.

Arrgh! I was busy getting married and never knew about Elfengold! It does sound like Elfengold would upgrade Elfenland to play like Elfenroads. I have Elfenland too!!!

Thread: Re: Happy Birthday! A great game turns 15!!!

photocurio — 2007-10-16T14:21:40+00:00

Thanks for the review. I would love to play this someday. Unfortunately, the odds of me ever getting to play it seem slim. BTW, does Elfenland + Elfengold add up to the same experience? But since Elfengold is also out of print, I might never see that at my group either.

Alan Moon seems to be more interested in getting more Ticket to Ride versions out than getting his classics re-printed, unfortunately. Why can't we have an Elfenland edition with Elfengold included? Why can't we have Union Pacific? This would seem to be a no brainer to re-print.

Thread: Happy Birthday! A great game turns 15!!!

BFoy — 2007-10-16T11:47:07+00:00

I look at what is written about this game on BGG and I see no articles! That floors me since this is a great game. This is a gamers game like Caylus or PR. And Elfenland is like Caylus Magnacarta or San Juan. The only thing I see written is in Geeklists and those articles seem to be written by people who've discounted the game after playing it once.

Therefore, I have decided to write a review. I don't really know the exact day when Elfenroads was born. But better be late (or early) in paying tribute to one of Alan Moon's best games than to never give it the credit its due.

Background

A bunch of young elves gather to visit all the elfen towns. Inevitively they decide to have a competition to see who can hit the most towns in 8 weeks. The towns are all over the place, in thick forests, hot deserts, rugged mountains or rolling plains.

To walk from place to place would take too long, so they use their magical skills to temporarily transport a conveyance to where they need to go. Many of the conveyances are owned by others so the elves arrange to lease it from their owners. Once a elf makes an offer the other elves know and can make other offers. Since the owners don't want to interfere in the competition, they will only accept higher offers. The conveyances can be elfcycles, Troll wagons, harnesses that allow them to ride unicorns, pigs, magic clouds or dragons. A magic square has a connection to the conveyance. There are also magic squares which increase the business opportunities along the route (represented by a magic square with a coin on it) and increase the travel time along the route (represented by a magic square with a log on it).

During their travels the elves make friends who would like to help them in their journeys. The elves inscribe magic cards to allow them to summon their friends at need. Their friends can be other elfs, trolls, unicorns, pigs, magic clouds, dragons or water elementals which will help them Raft up or down rivers.

It is also possible for the journey to be quite profitable. Messages, medicines and rare herbs can transported between towns. Each town is worth a certain amount per trip. Also instead of making a new friend, an elf can sometimes earn some gold. Finally each turn, wellwishers give each person 2 gold.

A typical week

The week starts with wellwishers giving everyone 2 gold. The elfs also find a unused convenyance and get its magic square. Then the elfs make 2 new friends and get the associated cards or may get gold (see above). The elfs find 16 conveyances, coins, logs and bid on them.

Then the elfs place the conveyances where they need them in the lands (represented by the map). Only one conveyance can be places along each route. In addition, one coin or one log can be played along the route once a conveyance has been played. Not every conveyance can be used in every terrain. And some conveyances are harder to use in certain terrains. It is difficult to maintain the magic connections to the conveyances so the elfs can only keep 2 conveyances each between weeks (turns).

The elfs play cards to summon their friends and use the conveyances. The elfs can use any conveyance whether they placed it or not, as long as they have friends (cards) to power them. When the friend is done, both friend and card disappear (i.e. the card is discarded). Sometimes more than 1 friend is needed to make the journey depending terrain and conveyance. Also the log increases the number of friends needed by 1.

The elf can travel to as many towns in a week as he/she has conveyances and friends. An elf doesn't have to travel to any new towns in a week. Each time the elf travels to a new town he/she gets a special colored cube to commemorate the event. At the end of the week the elf can collect gold for each town he/she visited or the elf can meet 3 new friends.

At the end of the 8th week, the elf with the most cubes wins the competition.

Conclusion

There are many different strategies and there is alot of player interaction. I am known for placing Trollwagons in crappy locations (for other players). I like doing the huge mega trip where I don't move for several turns and then visit a large number of cities all at once. Others visit a bunch of cities every turn. This is a very fun game even though it can be more vicious than Caylus. But people don't have any trouble getting into the spirit of the game and don't take it personally.

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lucmoscrop — 2007-05-21T18:19:51+00:00

different methods of transportation

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lucmoscrop — 2007-05-21T18:19:20+00:00

Elfenroads 3

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lucmoscrop — 2007-05-21T18:18:52+00:00

Elfenroads 2

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lucmoscrop — 2007-05-21T18:18:26+00:00

Elfenroads 1

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maki_nori — 2005-01-20T13:40:01+00:00

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maki_nori — 2005-01-20T13:40:01+00:00

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Fawkes — 2004-10-13T14:53:49+00:00

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2002-08-16T11:19:49+00:00

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dougadamsau — 2002-08-16T11:18:49+00:00

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dougadamsau — 2002-08-16T11:18:35+00:00