Richard Pardoe
United States
San Ramon
California
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With time left, the next R game was another of Reiner's creations - Res Publica.
Res Publica
4 Player
1 hour
Res Publica is a trading game where one can offer an item or ask for an item, but not both. The other players around the table do the same (offer if the active player offers, asks if the active player asks), so one is managing one's hand, providing tells, and trying to build sets. A set of 5 civilizations yields a city (3 victory points) that now allows one to draw (and trade) technologies. A set of 5 technologies yields a monument (starts at 9 VPs, decreases to 4 VPs as more are built). The twist in the game is that there are 12 of each civilization and/or technology, so after the first 10 cards are converted to VP's, the remaining 2 are worthless.
Dave was the first to get a city (playing 5 Babylonians) which gave Dave a supposed advantage gaining the technologies, but it is difficult to trade with others if the technologies are held by 1 person. Rich had 3 Egyptians and 3 Romans in his hand so was trying to get either to a full set when Sterling offered an Atlantean. Rich offered a Babylonian and then tried to hid his shock when Lawrence offered an Egyptian and a Roman. Fortunately, Sterling wanted the Babylonian, so Rich now offered the Atlantean and Lawrence made the same offer, which Rich took to gain 4 in each of Romans and Egyptians.
It was at this point that Lawrence revealed a misunderstanding of the rules. The key is to play a set of the 5 identical cards. Perhaps our rule explanation wasn't clear, but Lawrence played for the straight instead of the flush, playing 1 card in each of the 5 civilizations. Fortunately, early enough in the game that we could continue playing while having a bit of a laugh.
Sterling built the next city offering up a Roman. Rich wanted the Roman, so offered up 2 Greeks, so while Sterling built his city, Rich followed soon after, but still looking for a 5th Egyptian. Sterling would also be the first to build the monument gaining the most valuable at 9 points. Rich still struggled to gain the fifth Egyptian, but saw an opportunity when Dave asked for an Egyptian or Navigation. Rich responded with wanting an Egyptian. Dave took the trade gaining Navigation (and an eventual monument) while Rich got his second city. Rich would eventually get 5 Atlanteans to build his 3rd city and start focusing on just the technologies as only the Romans were out and Rich had no more Romans. But by drawing 3 technology cards, he hoped to get monuments.
As the end approached, Rich had 3 cities (9 points) + 2 monuments (8,7) for 24 points. Sterling had 2 cities (6 points) and 2 monuments (9,7) for 22 points. Rich traded 2 metal work to Sterling for 2 architecture giving Sterling a 6 point monument to 28 points. Rich had 3 architecture and 3 chemistry, and now wanted 2 of either to build his final monument. A trade with Lawrence, and Rich builds his third monument for 5 points and a total of 29 points. Lawrence ended up with all sorts of odds and ends and never did get more than his two cities for 6 points. Dave managed a couple of cities and a couple of monuments for 20 points.
We did overlook one rule where players can cash out their final hand, if we had done this, Sterling did get the 5 Romans and could have built another city for 31 points. But if we had known this rule, we might have traded a bit differently at the end, so we settled with the scores as listed above (and not building out of hand at the end.)
Dave commented that his struggle was always being 1 card behind the others. When Dave wanted Egyptians, Rich was getting Egyptians and had a bit more. When Dave wanted the Wheel, Sterling was getting it and had a bit more. I had sensed a bit of this at some points in the game and tried to see if I could adjust my hand and redirect efforts. By no means do I wish to claim that I was successful or a tactician at heart, but I can see the need to change tactics when it might be more beneficial to do so.
But Res Publica is an interesting game. It plays fairly quickly, offers a bit more mental challenge in tracking cards (or at least who wants what), and has a nice rush towards the finish as the game accelerates.
And so ends our week in R games. Next week - S.
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Chris Hawks
United States
Apple Valley
Minnesota
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RPardoe wrote: The twist in the game is that there are 12 of each civilization and/or technology, so after the first 10 cards are converted to VP's, the remaining 2 are worthless.
Actually, at the end of the game, each pair of cards is worth a single (1) point. This is an important rule, as it makes for interesting endgame play as those who can no longer hope for another city or monument scramble to build up a hand of pairs.
We played last night, and my wife won the game by 2 points: we each had 3 cities plus a 7 and 8 monument for 24 pts each -- but she had 4 pairs in her hand to my 2 pairs.
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