Strategy and guides for your favourite games by critic Erik Twice. Learn how to improve as a player and how to beat even the toughest competitors.
Not all cards in Terraforming Mars are good. While most are welcome in the right circumstances, the opportunity to play some of them is too small. Be it out of inefficiency, poor design or lack of synergies there are at least six cards I’ll avoid in all but the extreme minority of games.
Brass: Birmingham features six different industries, one more than its predecessor. Each one, from the powerful breweries to the risky potteries, plays a different role. If we want to win, we need to understand how they work and how they interact with each other. When should we build them and why?
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There are more games in the 18XX series than years in the 19th century. With so much choice and such a confusing naming convention, it can be difficult for beginners to know which games are best for them.
After introducing dozens of people to the genre, there are four games that stand out as being a good first experience. But none of them are perfect. Each one has its own benefits and drawbacks to keep in mind before bringing them to the table.
Not all good cards seem great at first. Some projects in Terraforming Mars are stronger than we give them credit for. Hidden synergies, potential discounts or simply being better in practise than in theory can turn a card into a hidden gem, waiting to be exploited.
Brass: Birmingham is less punishing than its predecessor Brass: Lancashire. With more industries available and a wider array of options, it’s unlikely to get stuck or make a fatal mistake early on. But this softer approach also makes it harder to know what we do wrong.
Building too many coal mines, not developing lower level industries and dismissing beer are some of the most frequent beginner mistakes. I explain why they are common missteps and how to avoid them.
