I absolutely love this game. Not only the mechanics are great with all the choices you have (and lots of interaction options) but also the theme and the art are awesome!
I like 51st State and Imperial Settlers (Still not sure which I prefer!!). Was glad to see this. However, the Catchupalooza I can’t wait to see is Pax Pamir.
Played this a couple years ago and liked it, but it felt to mean. After it was your number one I wanted to revisit this one. I found that I messed up a rule that allowed unending red contact tokens (embarrassing actually). Zee, you nailed this one. Played it 10 times in the last two weeks. Love this game!
Yah, it ends up actually not being that mean since when you get razed you get resources and you can develop the ruins into an expensive card very cheaply. This isn't immediately obvious though so it can feel way meaner before you understand how to take advantage of the develop action.
@@tylerbrown9797 Also, you need a lot more of those red tokes to actually raze another players stuff vs the cards in your hand which means it won't happen very much. After you've played the game a while you will know when a raze is coming and that certain cards in certain situations are 'not long for this world' and you'll play them knowing you'll only get a few uses out of them.
In my Top10 of all time. Love the theme. Great 2-3 player game. The 4th player lengthens the game without any profit. The different expansions are great each one brings its own twist to the game.
This games strategies are still opaque to me after a bunch of plays. The benefits of razing, over-building, when to deal, etc. But Zee's take is a good guiding principle: don't let resources go to waste. I know you need VP generating cards in the bottom row.
We had 8 players at my home to play a tournament. The quick hard fast tournament. After discussing with input from all players, this are the tournament rules : Two player duels. Every player plays against every other like in a soccer league. Winner get 3 points. The point ratio will be counted like goal ratios. No tie breaker. A tie is one point for each player. All cards ( mastersetbase plus masterset expansions plus allies) shuffled together. Randomly drawn faction. No draft, players start with drawing 4 cards from the deck. At the beginning of a turn, the players get the goods of their faction card plus deals and production. No extra cards, only the card from the faction board and cards through deals or production. Player one starts with 4 actions, than the other. Only 4 actions a turn. Razing : A player get the goods of the loot space plus 1 VP. The razed player get nothing. A ruin counts a minus one point in the end. A card with police tokens is a "one time" card, can used only once. For build over a ruin you need two bricks. Connection cards : Due that there are only 4 actions a turn, you can buy and use a card in one turn. Note : Buy and use is a different action. So 2 actions to do this. Cleaning phase : You return every good and worker. You only hold your cards and your blue/red/grey and universal tokens. The game ends if a player reach 20 point. If it is the start player, the other player have his turn so every player have the same amount of turns. When the second player reach 20, the game ends immediatly. Scoring : When counting the locations, everyone is one VP. Every ruin is s minus one VP. Example : Player have 11 locations and one ruin, 11 minus 1 is 10 VPs. The player with more locations get a half VP for every location more than the opponent. Example : player one have 12 locations, player two 10. Player one have two more, so he get two half points which is one. So he get 13 VPs. Half points rounded up. If a player have 3 locations more, he get 2 bonus VPs. It was an excited tournament full of fun. All playery praised the tournament rules as tense alternative. We sure male a replay.
Chris's point is why I much prefer Imperial Settlers over 51st. The Neuroshima theme makes me want it to be meaner and more conflict-driven. It's the same feeling I had with Scythe. I'm still hoping for a Neuroshima lcg/ccg. 😁
Because no one knows about it? There have been no promotion and they haven't even created a Bgg entry for it. ( It is coming to gamefound in 10 days.) The Portal Games page doesn't even have it listed.
@@rasmusolesen5307 I know all of that. Just seems weird that Zee didn't mention that a new Ultimate Edition will be on Gamefound soon... of course he knows about it 😜
@@tylerbrown9797 Yes, and a new one as well as cooler looking tokens. I would imagine there will be some way for existing owners to just get the new stuff.
The solo mode as is didn't work that well for me, becomes a high score activity where the game doesn't interact that much. Hopefully they'll be an updated solo mode released at some point, although it would be hard to make it work with the expansions.
Can someone please explain to me how the features card work please..i am not able to play this game since its not clear the rules of the feature card..like when does the effect of the card comes into play? The moment u build it only? And the feature card still its effect is "on" throughout your turn and the next one..i really need help please :( Like when it said " score a victory point for every "Gun" symbol u have, max 5 victory points.
@@readilium3432 i did,he doesnt explain how the feature card work..i will check again ..but appreciate it if anyone can give a general idea how does it work 😃
The one thing that drops this below Imperial Settlers or Empires of the North is that there are some resources where having one of them does nothing. You need two or even three to trade them in for tokens and so players would often be left with a handful of resources they could nothing with and they just go away. I do not like that extra step. It bugs me. I like it, but unlike the other two I don't love it.
I thought this series was people playing the game which I wasn't interested in, but first impressions I like. Maybe there's a way to add First Impressions to the title or clarify that in one of the week in review videos. Maybe I'm alone with that but I had been skipping it thinking it was gameplay.
Problem with 51st State is that IMperial Settlers exists. And problem with IS is that Empires of the North exists. The subsequent game outpaced and killed the one before it. The unique decks of EotN with special mechanics they use feel more interesting than generic post apoc faction with no differentiation.
Strongly disagree. I did not play EotN, but I feel 51st is superior to Imperial Settlers due to much more subtle and deep mechanics. Also much more prefer the triggered ending of the game then closed 5 rounds in IS. Also the theme is much more fun IMO. The deckbuilding and expansion mode is not so great for me in IS, while in 51st it's cool to have just a little different flavours, and thats what expansions give. Also, I feel there is a lot of personality in different factions, maybe not as obvious at first glance, but very important thing to care while planning your game strategy.
They actually scratch more different itches than it first appears and I have both for this reason. EotN is all about figuring out what your faction does and then cranking that particular engine whereas 51st State is about cobbling together your own engine from all the various cards that come your way. Both approaches have pros and cons (EotN is much more approachable but playing the same faction has diminishing returns in most cases and 51st State has considerably more depth in its engine building but it kind of just drops you in there making for a steeper learning curve) but that just means I'll pick one over the other depending on the situation.
Is it the same bland cup of synergy that playing Empires of the North is? Empires of the North felt so streamlined that player turns are obvious. The faction unique decks works to its detriment. The synergies are simplified and too obvious. It's like if Res Arcana removed the draft and gave players set decks. It sucks any replay out of the game.
You still have to use the cards as best as you can and manipulate the action wheel. IS and 51st State are the exact same game except one has a 5 round timer which I admit is not as good as 25 point triggers. 51st State cards are not interesting though. They let you get resources or convert x resource into points and that's pretty much it. And I never feel different from other factions. Not played with expansions, but base I felt so generic and at the mercy of the cards.the whole of subtle and deep mechanics quote doesn't make sense if you don't say the same thing about IS given they are the same game!
I bought 51st state basically because of zee and I am extremely thankful for him making me aware of it, it is an awesome game!
I absolutely love this game. Not only the mechanics are great with all the choices you have (and lots of interaction options) but also the theme and the art are awesome!
I like 51st State and Imperial Settlers (Still not sure which I prefer!!). Was glad to see this. However, the Catchupalooza I can’t wait to see is Pax Pamir.
The casual way that Zee says "the killing part".
Love the Catchupalooza series! More please!!
Great discussion - thanks!
Played this a couple years ago and liked it, but it felt to mean. After it was your number one I wanted to revisit this one. I found that I messed up a rule that allowed unending red contact tokens (embarrassing actually). Zee, you nailed this one. Played it 10 times in the last two weeks. Love this game!
Yah, it ends up actually not being that mean since when you get razed you get resources and you can develop the ruins into an expensive card very cheaply. This isn't immediately obvious though so it can feel way meaner before you understand how to take advantage of the develop action.
@@tylerbrown9797 Also, you need a lot more of those red tokes to actually raze another players stuff vs the cards in your hand which means it won't happen very much. After you've played the game a while you will know when a raze is coming and that certain cards in certain situations are 'not long for this world' and you'll play them knowing you'll only get a few uses out of them.
I spit my drink out laughing at Ignacy's face photoshopped on that card.
This warms my heart! ~Chris
In my Top10 of all time. Love the theme. Great 2-3 player game. The 4th player lengthens the game without any profit. The different expansions are great each one brings its own twist to the game.
I love this series! It also helps that 51st State is one of my favorites.
This games strategies are still opaque to me after a bunch of plays. The benefits of razing, over-building, when to deal, etc. But Zee's take is a good guiding principle: don't let resources go to waste. I know you need VP generating cards in the bottom row.
Love this game - did you play just the base game, or did you include any other expansions ? ( Love me some Allies)
The First Martians Edit at 03:39 was gold, more editing like that please :D
We had 8 players at my home to play a tournament. The quick hard fast tournament.
After discussing with input from all players, this are the tournament rules :
Two player duels. Every player plays against every other like in a soccer league. Winner get 3 points. The point ratio will be counted like goal ratios.
No tie breaker. A tie is one point for each player.
All cards ( mastersetbase plus masterset expansions plus allies) shuffled together. Randomly drawn faction. No draft, players start with drawing 4 cards from the deck.
At the beginning of a turn, the players get the goods of their faction card plus deals and production.
No extra cards, only the card from the faction board and cards through deals or production.
Player one starts with 4 actions, than the other.
Only 4 actions a turn.
Razing : A player get the goods of the loot space plus 1 VP. The razed player get nothing. A ruin counts a minus one point in the end.
A card with police tokens is a "one time" card, can used only once.
For build over a ruin you need two bricks.
Connection cards : Due that there are only 4 actions a turn, you can buy and use a card in one turn. Note : Buy and use is a different action.
So 2 actions to do this.
Cleaning phase : You return every good and worker. You only hold your cards and your blue/red/grey and universal tokens.
The game ends if a player reach 20 point.
If it is the start player, the other player have his turn so every player have the same amount of turns. When the second player reach 20, the game ends immediatly.
Scoring : When counting the locations, everyone is one VP. Every ruin is s minus one VP.
Example : Player have 11 locations and one ruin, 11 minus 1 is 10 VPs.
The player with more locations get a half VP for every location more than the opponent.
Example : player one have 12 locations, player two 10. Player one have two more, so he get two half points which is one. So he get 13 VPs.
Half points rounded up. If a player have 3 locations more, he get 2 bonus VPs.
It was an excited tournament full of fun.
All playery praised the tournament rules as tense alternative.
We sure male a replay.
All I want to say here is I love Camilla's dice peeps. Thank you dice artist.
Very nice 2 player game with the Moloch expansion added, completed the game for me.
One of my favorit games along with Imperial Settlers.
I need to get this game back to the table - it has been far too long.
And still hoping that in person game happens someday Zee :)
5:39 Zee is the Rubble Trader, and Charlie Kelly is the Oil Trader.
Love this show format. You could also give your ratings, like for the 4 square videos.
Zee's #1, and now on Gamefound.
Gamefound.
Chris's point is why I much prefer Imperial Settlers over 51st. The Neuroshima theme makes me want it to be meaner and more conflict-driven. It's the same feeling I had with Scythe.
I'm still hoping for a Neuroshima lcg/ccg. 😁
I really like these. Any chance we can get one with see playing tainted grail? I remember him saying he wanted to try it
I am not normally a fan of resource conversion but this one really sings for me (Empires of the North is a bit too easy).
Between the Camilla "SMASH" Dice Person, the Ignacy pic, and the closing outtake I can guarantee that Chris edited this video and I'm here for it.
Thanks
Man, I could've sworn this video came out last week... 😉
Hmmm... wonder why they didn't mention the upcoming Ultimate Edition? Seems strange
Because no one knows about it?
There have been no promotion and they haven't even created a Bgg entry for it.
( It is coming to gamefound in 10 days.)
The Portal Games page doesn't even have it listed.
@@rasmusolesen5307 I know all of that. Just seems weird that Zee didn't mention that a new Ultimate Edition will be on Gamefound soon... of course he knows about it 😜
This isn't promotional material.
Wait whattt? Is it just gonna include all the expansions?
@@tylerbrown9797 Yes, and a new one as well as cooler looking tokens. I would imagine there will be some way for existing owners to just get the new stuff.
Did you guys not play this live? I swore i saw it pop up recently.
I would love to see Zee do a solo playthrough of this one.
I usually love solitaire games, but I just don't get this one.
The solo mode as is didn't work that well for me, becomes a high score activity where the game doesn't interact that much. Hopefully they'll be an updated solo mode released at some point, although it would be hard to make it work with the expansions.
Can someone please explain to me how the features card work please..i am not able to play this game since its not clear the rules of the feature card..like when does the effect of the card comes into play? The moment u build it only? And the feature card still its effect is "on" throughout your turn and the next one..i really need help please :(
Like when it said " score a victory point for every "Gun" symbol u have, max 5 victory points.
generally one-time bonus only, but the expansions vary them up quite a bit.
@@readilium3432 i did,he doesnt explain how the feature card work..i will check again ..but appreciate it if anyone can give a general idea how does it work 😃
The one thing that drops this below Imperial Settlers or Empires of the North is that there are some resources where having one of them does nothing. You need two or even three to trade them in for tokens and so players would often be left with a handful of resources they could nothing with and they just go away. I do not like that extra step. It bugs me.
I like it, but unlike the other two I don't love it.
Zee, play this game live .
Great game.
I sold Imperial Settlers after one play, so it’s safe to say I should stay away from this one lol
Stay to the very end for cucumber burps
I thought this series was people playing the game which I wasn't interested in, but first impressions I like. Maybe there's a way to add First Impressions to the title or clarify that in one of the week in review videos. Maybe I'm alone with that but I had been skipping it thinking it was gameplay.
Problem with 51st State is that IMperial Settlers exists. And problem with IS is that Empires of the North exists. The subsequent game outpaced and killed the one before it. The unique decks of EotN with special mechanics they use feel more interesting than generic post apoc faction with no differentiation.
Strongly disagree. I did not play EotN, but I feel 51st is superior to Imperial Settlers due to much more subtle and deep mechanics. Also much more prefer the triggered ending of the game then closed 5 rounds in IS. Also the theme is much more fun IMO. The deckbuilding and expansion mode is not so great for me in IS, while in 51st it's cool to have just a little different flavours, and thats what expansions give. Also, I feel there is a lot of personality in different factions, maybe not as obvious at first glance, but very important thing to care while planning your game strategy.
They actually scratch more different itches than it first appears and I have both for this reason. EotN is all about figuring out what your faction does and then cranking that particular engine whereas 51st State is about cobbling together your own engine from all the various cards that come your way. Both approaches have pros and cons (EotN is much more approachable but playing the same faction has diminishing returns in most cases and 51st State has considerably more depth in its engine building but it kind of just drops you in there making for a steeper learning curve) but that just means I'll pick one over the other depending on the situation.
Is it the same bland cup of synergy that playing Empires of the North is? Empires of the North felt so streamlined that player turns are obvious. The faction unique decks works to its detriment. The synergies are simplified and too obvious. It's like if Res Arcana removed the draft and gave players set decks. It sucks any replay out of the game.
You still have to use the cards as best as you can and manipulate the action wheel. IS and 51st State are the exact same game except one has a 5 round timer which I admit is not as good as 25 point triggers.
51st State cards are not interesting though. They let you get resources or convert x resource into points and that's pretty much it. And I never feel different from other factions. Not played with expansions, but base I felt so generic and at the mercy of the cards.the whole of subtle and deep mechanics quote doesn't make sense if you don't say the same thing about IS given they are the same game!