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Anthony BoydellUnited Kingdom
Newent. Glos
Unspecified
Every homo sapiens needs an outbuilding within the curtelage of their property
Welcome...to my Shed!
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Sometimes you just can't fight the overwhelming urge to jump right in, feet first, and see what happens. Since Monday's introduction to the beautifully-punishing, as-smooth-as-Fred-Astaire Food Chain Magnate, I've been thinking about it...and thinking about it...and thinking about it some more. I'd made a mental note that Food Chain Magnate was going to be a Jobbers-breaker and that we should only play it in the safety of a Wednesday night at his place - ie. when we all understood it would be pretty much the only game of the night - rather than bogging down the friendlier, lighter Friday night Ross-on-Wye crowd BUT...when I peeked in to the games for the night bag and saw some fillers, a couple of prototypes and a Rococo promo I've been carrying around for Norm since Christmas (will he EVER return?), I said "Far Kit!" and pulled FCM from the shelf and stuffed it in. Before I could change my mind, I kissed la famille au revoir and got on my way.
Having it 'with' was only the first step to success, however, as I needed to find enough people to join me without destroying the possibility of a second table. Luckily, very (very) occasional attendee Gary plopped himself down with Boffo and Smudge while the bouncy duo of Harry and Suzanna completed the set. Jobbers was up for FCM like a shot - he was worrying at the box like an in-season Terrier - but the Batesons were a little more reticent and with Gary 'out of practice' it was deemed better for them to keep him company. They would have a packed evening, as it turned out, while we would settle for 3 hours of delicious Splotter Spellen pain: it hurts SO GOOD!:strip_icc()/pic2877725.jpg)
Ready to start!
Unlike Monday, my copy of FCM was still unpunched so there followed a good 20 minutes of de-sprewing and card pile sorting; already feeling a little daunted at playing again, I also ran through the rules as I remembered them. Figuring in for a penny, I included Milestones too - none of this 'Introductory Game' crap, folks; time to get exceedingly jiggy with it!:strip_icc()/pic2877726.jpg)
Going!
It's not a complicated game, it's just difficult and - as expected - the start was tentative: H and S decided to beef up their middle management capability and trainers, while Jobbers and I warmed up the hotplates to prototype some pizza recipes. Within a couple of rounds we were all smiling contentedly at our personal collections of varied Milestones; I was particular pleased at my Freezer and my Eternal Marketing.
Jobbers got in to burgers to compete with a burger-obsessed Harry and the latter's friendly Business Manager cultivated (pun intended!) a lucrative series of gardening projects to help pump up the income. Suze, rattling about the suburbs on her drinks-laden Carts, decided that EVERYONE needed to know about her bubbly waters and built an aeroplane (see below); this, of course, diversified the requirements of the residents for which Harry and Jobbers were both late to the party...frantically scrabbling about to recruit errand boys but it was too little, too late. Suzanna's luxury artisan beverages and some cheap meat 'n carbs earned her a fine fortune in the final rounds while I fulfilled (or should that be 'filled full') the customers that she couldn't!:strip_icc()/pic2877727.jpg)
These folks have eaten so much food in the game that they can no longer
fit back in their houses and must now reside, permanently, in their gardens!/pic2877728.png)
CocaEbola gives you wings! And stomach ulcers.
The Batesons and Gary were finishing another (they played a few) Glass Road, with Concordia avec Salsa already under their wings, as we bled the Bank a second time and totted up the final scores:
Suze 306 (a smooth glide to victory aided by being the only one in liquids for most of it)
John 248 (high churn, beaten off by expanding customer demands)
Anthony 216 (better than Monday and only one serving off Jobbers!)
Harry 141 (lots of Corporate activity that ground somewhat to a halt)
Universally hailed as a big success, FCM will be back again at The White Lion; I'm extremely pleased to have taken that last minute packing gamble after all!:strip_icc()/pic2877756.png)
A bijou satirical swipe: gain an Employee of the Month token when you use the University
Graduate. On receipt of the second, s/he promotes to a Junior VP immediately.
Everyone Needs A Shed
Life and Games (but mostly games) from Tony Boydell: Father, Grandfather, Husband and Independent UK Game Designer.
I got a job making money for the man throwing chicken in the bucket with the soda pop can
06
Feb
2016
- [+] Dice rolls
