Roads & Boats

Wonderful design. Careful planning required although it can end up being a bit multi-player solitaire. To avoid this, play on a tight board where you ignore opponents at your peril. Just slightly too long to be able to play too often but well worth the effort.

I've played it with 1-4 players, and prefer it either solo or 2p. I have trouble seeing where I'd want to play it with 5 or 6 people (let alone 4), especially if it's not an isolationist map... This is a game that reminds me of Ora & Labora/Le Havre with the resource conversion chain (but expanded), and a spatial component bolted on that is abstracted in the former two titles (totally in Le Havre and partially on O&L). The more I play though, the more I find that it reminds me of Twilight Struggle in terms of sharp edges in the rules as written. Numerous times I have had to go hunting through forums or posted FAQs to find something that was insufficiently defined or explained in the rulebook. Some of this is just the price of learning a game, but some of it is just hard edges/corner intersections of rules.

Splotter is renowned for being fiddly and this is no exception; chits, markers, little pieces being moved and stood up/laid down. Wargamer tweezers would help in this area, but otherwise it hovers around "almost too much." The turn order "praying" situation is prototypical Splotter; why accomplish with one track what you can with two and an additional paragraph of rules (similar to hull value/player tracks in Indonesia; unnecessary and valueless).

It's enjoyable; I like resource conversion chains and spatial games, but there are two serious downsides; maps are solvable in the abstract, and the game has an epic passive/aggressive feeling to it w/ the stealing of resources which I loathe (I also play wargames so I guess that clarifies where I stand on interaction). On the flip side, the sandbox you get to play in, and things you can pull off (especially with the expansion) are staggering when combined with the various map options. Last, in the multi-player game, it runs about an hour too long on the assumption that someone doesn't make a serious attempt at the wonder. The solo game doesn't have that problem as much since it's just 20 turns. On the note of the wonder, the idea of game pacing and game clock is really strong (but subtle) here; if I throw a bunch of stuff into the wonder, you may not have sufficient turns to really get your stuff moving and score points. It's similar to the various strategies in FCM; do you go for the short game and hope you can end it before your strategy peters out, or do you go for the long game and hope the game doesn't end before you can get any semblance of points on the board. Even in a 2p game, it's quite possible (but no small task) to win by running out the clock (I've done so, but only barely). Much like the rest of the game, it is simultaneously wonderful and infuriating.

I do sort of just sit and think about it sometimes... Not every game can say that, so I guess that's something. Rated a 7 for solo play, a 6 for 2p, a 4 for +3p (for a simultaneous action game, it drags too long, especially if you constantly call for turn order).

There's some quality about this game that I really enjoy, but I don't really know what that is or how to describe it. It's kind of tedious to play, and a chore to set up, yet also delivers a unique gaming experience. I think this is a product of its era, in the late 90s this was an acceptable design that wouldn't make the cut for a publisher today, of course it helps that the designers own their own publishing company.

reviewed on my blog with 3rd edition

This is pretty much the the 90's PC games The Settlers as a board game. I can't think of many other Euro board games that have you build and run logistics networks in this much detail. The threat of another player coming in profiting off your hard work by using your building or just picking up goods you were not protecting makes it a tad meaner than your usual pick up and deliver.

I found it interesting and quite fun, but also incredibly fiddly. Manipulating the tiny chits is hard enough, keeping track of which units have moved and which goods have already been transported becomes a real chore late game. The simultaneous play keeps the game moving, but makes it almost impossible to audit other player’s turns. I couldn't help but think this would have been more fun if it were all automated for you as it would be in a video game.

I can build and develop AND transport, too? And there are countless hours and pieces I can put into it? I'm not sure how much more I could ask from a game. ; )

Rocky