Steve Stanton  - Jun 6, 2005 4:51 pm (#10094 Total: 10096)  
O wa some pow'r the gifte gie us, to see ourselves as ithers 
see us 	 

Played Friedrich (Histogames) for the first time Saturday. While we were
only able to play an incomplete 3-player game (vs. the optimal 4-player)
fun was had by all. 

Each country other than Prussia (except for an advanced game option) has
a series of primary and secondary cities represented by flags which they
must control (by moving onto or over) to win. Prussia wins by not
allowing any of the other countries to win (except in the advanced game
option). An invading country may not control a flagged city if an
opposing defending general/army is within 3 'spaces' of that flagged
city. 

I took Prussia/Hanover. While I was able to keep Russia chasing me in
the East for several turns and I took out Sweden as a fighting force, I
didn't pay enough attention to the threat of France (also played by
Russia in a 3-player game) in the West. I had taken one of the 2 Hanover
generals/armies up towards Sweden in a pincer movement with one of my
Prussian generals/army which left me too vulnerable to French advances. 

Austia/Imperial Army was bidding his time in the South and tracking my
suits played (the map is broken down into separate areas having 1 of 4
suits in which only those suits (or Reserve cards) may be played to
suppliment your on-the-ground troops secretly assigned to your general
counters). 

At the beginning of each turn, each country, with each player sometimes
controlling more than one country, draws their allotment of new suit
cards sequentially from one of the four decks used by all players. For
example, Prussia gets the most at 7 (4 + 3, i.e. Prussia can lose up to
3 cards due to fate cards (see below)) and becomes a powerful and
intimidating force early in the game as it also has the largest maximum
allowable army. 

If got to be quite a nail biter when in a battle as to which card values
to play (not to mention within which suit area combat should be
initiated) as the losing side will have a negative number (unless there
is an unavoidable 0 tie) which translates into the number of troops lost
and number of cities (point to point) the victorious player retreats the
loser. Many times it's wiser to play a card giving you a -1 total and
quiting the battle as I did with apparant good effect against Austria
(essentially having an equal size starting army) for a few turns. 

After 5 turns, a card of fate (separate deck) is turned over at the end
of each turn which could cause one of the countries opposing Friedrich
to quit the game outright. Most of the fate cards have a more minor, but
possibly significant effect. [I had let myself be bled by Austria (see
above) so I could reconstitute troops with any general anywhere on the
board in secret but the fate card said all replacement troops that turn
stink and any general obtaining them could not attack. Argggh.] 

The suit cards also have to be played to purchase fallen troops (6 each)
(each country has a maximum # of troops allowed on the board at one
time) and supply trains (6 each) which are necessary for out of
home-country movement (two turns out of supply and the general and
associated armies are eliminated). Generals may be replaced for free but
at least one troop must be purchased to accompany the newly
reconstituted general (unless the general starts with an existing
general and the troops are transferred to his command). 

Next time I'll pay more attention to France. 

Highly recommended with great components and board. [Using essentially
playing cards (4 separate decks each having 4 suits with a value of from
2 to 13 and two reserve cards that can be played as any suit and having
a declared value of from 1 to 10) seems weird until you actually play
the game. Quite a brillant system, IMHO.] 

Richard Sivel - Jun 6, 2005 6:59 pm (#10095 Total: 10096)  

steve, i read your report with great great interest. Thanks!

I, however, realized some minor mistakes in summarizing the rules ... I
am not sure whether you misread the rules ... so i would like to corect
these, just to be sure 

After 5 turns, a card of fate (separate deck) is turned over at the end
of each turn 

==> You start picking the cards of fate at the end of the 6th turn. 

Generals may be replaced for free but at least one troop must be
purchased to accompany the newly reconstituted general (unless the
general starts with an existing general and the troops are transferred
to his command). 

==> Even if the new general is put on an existing leader he has to
receive a new army for costs of 6 points of cards. 

I am glad that you liked the game! And i hope you will keep enjoying it.

Richard Sivel, histogame

ps:

Played Friedrich (Histogames)

I know, it is a common mistake, but the company's name is histogame (singular)

While we were only able to play an incomplete 3-player game (vs. the optimal 4-player) fun was had by all.

the 3 player game is not worse than the 4 player game. Both have its pros and cons. I could not say which i like more