John R
United States
Saint Paul
Minnesota
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(Cross posted from our gaming blog, Margin of Victory)
On the first day of the new year, my wife Sara and I sat down to play Manoeuvre. After losing to her on December 23, I was out for revenge and we chose the same sides; she played the Americans and I played the Spanish. But there was a twist on our game this time: We used a chess clock. Here are the rules we used:
-25 minutes allotted to each player
-Pauses are allowed for rules clarification
-Your timer will run during your entire turn (including resolving battles, etc.)
-The penalty for going over your allotted time is 1 “nightfall point” for additional 30 seconds you need
-Be gentlemanly/ladylike: no hemming and hawing during your opponent’s turn to run down his/her time
Sara was a real sport about trying this out, as she usually takes much longer than I do during her turns. By the time we finished, however, she stated that it was a lot of fun and she’d try it again. (I think winning 8 to 7 in nightfall may have had something to do with this!) While neither of us felt that the addition of the clock had a huge effect on the game, knowing that the clock was running did put a bit of pressure on each of us. It also made this very abstract game feel just a little bit more like a war game. I will admit I did think, “Gosh, I need to get my objectives quick…I’m running out of time.” The clock also meant that each of us had to use the other person’s turn wisely, planning out discards, potential moves, etc.
This addition of the chess clock may have been a bit redundant, especially when you consider that the rules about deck reshuffling and the endgame already act as a time constraint of sorts. At the same time, I do believe that in friendly competition, it might provide a bit of added excitement.
(Note: There are many chess clock apps available for smart phones and laptops. We used this site.)
John,
Margin of Victory blog
Game does not come with Wifey, baby bump, laptop, or fireplace.
We just used a simple online chess clock application.
Four minutes into our game.
I lost at nightfall, 7 to 8.
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Michael Hopcroft
United States
Portland
Oregon
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Chess clocks may not be that bad an idea. Maanoeuvre is best when it moves quickly. It also has many chess-like qualities so it seems fitting.
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