What was your most-played game of 2017 and WHY?

I'm listing a few games here. The first two are via Yucata.

Sekigahara - 20+ A little different on Yucata because the default rules there allow for checking the discard piles and only limited play of loyalty challenges to speed up the gameplay. I don't think that hurts it much. Most opponents on Yucata are pretty average/newer players to the game too.
Pax Porfiriana - 15ish Great game online but its tough to tell the guy sitting next to you to not do X or the other guy will get the Topple win. Better in person.
Twilight Struggle via Playdek - 30+ I normally set my games to +2 US influence and 21 days. I'll make a couple of plays per day if it is my turn and be happy with that and frequently have 1-3 games going at once.

Actual in person games my top 3 most played this last year is:

Cthulhu Wars - 18. I know 3 other guys that own everything for this and we frequently play 2-3 games in a row on a game day.
Glory to Rome - 9. Strategic, plays fast, and isn't repetitive for 3-4 players, and the box doesn't weigh 10 pounds like Cthulhu Wars does.
Time of Crisis - 8. Only plays with 4 and is an awesome light wargame with some deckbuilding. Everyone I've taught the game to liked it.

That is a good year of gaming, Scott.

RobertB wrote: the_jake wrote:

Twilight Struggle for me, but only due to the excellent PC interface. I really don't know that I could sit through a F2F playing of the game.

It's fine F2F. Much better than, say, Eclipse in RL vs Eclipse on the iPad. My experience with Twilight Struggle has been the need for 20 or 30 ass-kickings before I remember all of the cards in the deck. The PC version is great for that.

Here's the thing. I both want to be able to take my time with my turn and not wait for my opponent to take theirs. The PC lets me play a turn or two a day without being rushed.

Jackwraith wrote: The Others: Seven Sins. A couple of my regular really glommed onto it so we played a bunch of times to try out different party configurations and the different Sins and whatnot.

Jake, do you play TS on your phone? Because I have the app, but have yet to get in any games against a real person. Can the PC and phone apps interface?

I haven't played on the phone app, but I don't think there is cross platform play. I'll check the price and maybe I'll get that format as well.

Looking back, 2017 was about playing the same games with the same people mostly. We spoke a lot about playing more of A Distant Plain, but it never happened. What happened was great, though.
Cyclades is a favourite and it just gets better with more experienced opponents. We actually tested all expansions, modules and combinations. I like vanilla best, but they all have their strengths and distinct feel. The only thing nobody likes are the special items.
We also played a lot of Acquire, because it's a buddy's favourite game. They don't make 'em like this anymore. Which is kind of sad, but the reason is probably that every once in a while someone gets randomly hosed for no mistake of his own and has to sit it out fuming. As long as I'm not that guy, it's hilarious.

I think i've only played wargames this year, must of lost my FAT card in some old jeans or something.

My most played game is Plan Orange: Pacific 1930-1935, 4 plays i think. I slightly prefer it to South Pacific and in some respects Empire of the Sun. I find it easier to workout what my plan is and filter the options.

Nodens wrote: We also played a lot of Acquire, because it's a buddy's favourite game. They don't make 'em like this anymore. Which is kind of sad, but the reason is probably that every once in a while someone gets randomly hosed for no mistake of his own and has to sit it out fuming. As long as I'm not that guy, it's hilarious.

I have a group of friends that REALLY like Acquire and we usually get it out a few times a year, which I'm thankful for because it is one of the ULTIMATE games as far as I'm concerned. Few games make me so happy. It is true that you'll get a raw deal some games or you'll wind up down at heel for pretty much the whole thing, but sometimes the game just takes on a really savage, ruthless tone that is exciting and fun. I love playing with GOOD players, because it is very much a game you can be "good" at.

I think an interesting topic would be "which games do you play a few times EVERY YEAR".

My main group in Michigan has consisted mostly of college students. That means all of these old chestnuts we've been playing for decades are brand new to them. I've introduced lots of games to very positive response, like Ra, Power Grid, Manila, Agricola, and Merchant of Venus. It's really gratifying to see how much they enjoy those games, because I've lived with them for years.

All that to say, I really want to try Acquire with them.

Gloomhaven- As much as I bitched about it, this game remained on my "table" (a slab of plywood that I stash on top of some shelves at night to prevent cats from affecting game state) for quite a few plays. However putting it away has already started to cement its place on the shelf. I can sense it. The inertia when I even think about setting it up again is... palpable.

The Resistance: Avalon - A favored party game with my Zombicide group.

Santorini - Family favorite alongside Codenames & Splendor (which I can't stand, but I'll play it with everyone).

Zombicide: Black Plague - The group still wants to play this damned thing. Another session this Saturday.

Codenames Duet - My wife & I have been enjoying this one. It may get displaced by 7 Wonders: Duel this year

Arcadia Quest: Inferno - Obligatory campaign completion, even though the kids & I could tell this was a shitshow from the first couple of games. Sold.

Citadels. My son got into it and one daughter would play, and my wife and other daughter played once or twice, and I played it with a friend and his son.

I've also played the top secret prototype from Jim Felli several times and need to hurry and get some more games in before it goes to press.

Michael Barnes wrote:

Nodens wrote: We also played a lot of Acquire, because it's a buddy's favourite game. They don't make 'em like this anymore. Which is kind of sad, but the reason is probably that every once in a while someone gets randomly hosed for no mistake of his own and has to sit it out fuming. As long as I'm not that guy, it's hilarious.

I have a group of friends that REALLY like Acquire and we usually get it out a few times a year, which I'm thankful for because it is one of the ULTIMATE games as far as I'm concerned. Few games make me so happy. It is true that you'll get a raw deal some games or you'll wind up down at heel for pretty much the whole thing, but sometimes the game just takes on a really savage, ruthless tone that is exciting and fun. I love playing with GOOD players, because it is very much a game you can be "good" at.

I think an interesting topic would be "which games do you play a few times EVERY YEAR".

Acquire is a game you have to play five or six times before you start getting the hang of it. I’ve been in conversations where people indicate that it’s too arbitrary but that’s almost never the case if you take some care. But that only comes after you’ve seen the action on the board a dozen or more times.

I also recorded a podcast where one of the other people there, who hadn’t played much indicated that it needed a catch-up mechanism. Young’ns say the darnedest things.

Mine was Eminent Domain with the Escalation expansion. Loved playing this with my wife 17 times in 2017. We had bounced off the base game hard way back, and the expansion was sitting there untouched after having acquired via the kickstarter. Something just told me to give it another go, and I'm glad I did. The expansion makes it so that everyone starts with a tech or 2 and a different starting hand. We find that the tech cards get much more action and have enjoyed discovering different strategies to victory.

Mine is YINSH by far.

The female spawnling is a prodigy at this game. I know young minds are elastic and all that jazz, but this girl hates math like no other, but she groks YINSH in a way I have never seen. She just has an innate understanding that is wonderous to watch.

She is just shy of 12 now, but it makes me proud each and every time she kicks my ass up through my teeth.

I seriously rarely ever beat her any more. I've even noted some of her strategies she has developed. One was just line up five rings in a row, instead of random ring placement Willy nlly.

I wasn't prepared for that open move. I smirked thinking it was amatuer hour, but I didn't think it through as she had, and she claimed 2 rings in 11 moves. Inside I was furious for a nanosecond, then all I could do was beam with pride.

Pax Porfiriana 59 ( via Yucate )
7 Wonders Duel 25
Terraforming Mars 27
Combat Commander: Europe 11
Roll for the Galaxy 7
Angola 6
Time of Crisis 6
Innovation 5
Star Wars: Rebellion 5
War of the Ring 5

Nodens wrote: We also played a lot of Acquire, because it's a buddy's favourite game. They don't make 'em like this anymore. Which is kind of sad, but the reason is probably that every once in a while someone gets randomly hosed for no mistake of his own and has to sit it out fuming. As long as I'm not that guy, it's hilarious.

I found the 1999 edition at a thrift store for $2.00 and sold it for $100 five months later. The money went to my daughter's dance tickets, groceries, and some other small bills. I wish I had taken it and bought something worth $100 so I'd have something to show for that score, but such is life. Unmarked, untraceable cash is rare when you're married.