Drever

The Players

Turn 6

Action Phase

The Nomads spend 4 power to gain 7 coins.

The Giants use their stronghold action for two shovels, which they use to convert F3 to wasteland, then spend 1 worker and 2 coins to build a dwelling there. The Nomads spend 2VP to gain 3 power.

The Witches spend 1 worker and 2 coins to build a dwelling on O9.

The Cultists spend 2 workers for 2 shovels and convert G7 to farmland, then convert 2 power to coins and spend 1 worker and 2 coins to build a dwelling in G7.

The Nomads spend 2 workers and 5 coins to convert the trading house in E4 into a temple, taking the boon that gives 1 space in the Earth cult and 2VP per dwelling built.

The Giants spend 1 workers and 2 coins for a dwelling at K4.

The Witches use their bonus tile action for a shovel to convert N8 to forest then spend 1 worker and 2 coins to build a dwelling there.

The Cultists spend 4 power to gain 2 workers.

The Nomads spend 1 priest, 2 workers, and 5 coins to reduce the costs of shovels, gaining 6VP.

The Giants spend 1 worker and 2 coins to place a dwelling in M4. The Witches spend 2VP to gain 2 power.

The Witches spend 3 power to build a bridge from N8 to M9.

The Cultists spend 4 workers and 8 coins to upgrade the trading house in O8 to a stronghold, gaining 7VP. The Witches spend 4VP to gain 5 power. The Cultists gain 1 space in the Water cult.

The Nomads spend 1 priest and 4 coins to increase their shipping by 1, gaining 2VP.

The Giants spend 4 power for 4 coins then spend 1 priest and 4 coins to increase their shipping by 1, gaining 2VP.

The Witches convert 2 power to coins and spend 1 priest, 2 workers, and 5 coins to reduce their shovel costs by 1, gaining 6VP.

The Cultists use their boon action to advance one space in the Water cult, gaining 2 power.

The Nomads create a standstorm in J3, converting it to desert, then spend 1 worker and 2 coins to build a dwelling there, gaining 2VP.

The Giants spend 3 power to gain 1 priest.

The Witches send their priest to support the Air cult, gaining 1 space and 2 power.

The Cultists spend 1 worker and 2 coins for a dwelling at G8.

The Nomads spend 2 workers to convert L3 to desert, then spend 1 worker and 2 coins to build a dwelling there, gaining 2VP. The Giants gain 1 power.

The Giants use their boon action to advance 1 space in the Fire cult, gaining 2 power.

The Witches spend 1 worker to convert M9 to forest.

The Cultists send a priest to support the Water cult, advancing 1 space.

The Nomads spend 1 worker and 2 coins to build a dwelling at M2, gaining 2VP.

The Giants send a priest to support the Water cult, gaining 1 space and 2 power.

The Witches use their boon action to advance 1 space in the Earth cult.

The Cultists burn 1 power to gain 1 coin, convert 1 priest into a worker, convert 3 workers into coins, and spend 1 priest and 4 coins to improve their shipping by 1, gaining 3VP.

The Nomads convert 1 power to a coin, use 1 worker to convert I1 to desert, then spend 1 worker and 2 coins to build a dwelling there, gaining 2VP.

The Giants send their priest to support the Fire cult, gaining 1 space.

The Witches convert 1 worker to 1 coin, but 2 power for 2 coins, and spend 2 workers and 3 coins to convert the dwelling in N6 into a trading house, gaining 3VP.

The Cultists pass.

The Nomads burn 3 power to gain 3 coins, then pass, gaining 8VP from their bonus tile.

The Giants burn 1 power to gain 1 coin, then pass.

The Witches use Witches' Ride to place a dwelling in M9.

The Witches pass.

End of Game Scoring

Cults

Fire Cult: The Nomads gain 8VP, the Cultists gain 4VP, and the Giants gain 2VP.

Water Cult: The Witches gain 8VP, the Cultists gain 4VP, and the Giants gain 2VP.

Earth Cult: The Cultists gain 8VP, the Witches gain 4VP, and the Nomads gain 2VP.

Air Cult: The Giants gain 8VP, the Witches gain 4VP, and the Cultists gain 2VP.

Areas

The Nomads have a total value of 13 structures adjacent, gaining 15VP.

The Cultists have a total value of 13 structures adjacent, gaining 15VP.

The Giants have a total value of 10 structures adjacent, gaining 6VP

The Witches have a total value of 8 structures adjacent.

Leftover Resources

The Nomads gain 1VP for 3 coins. The Giants convert 2 workers to 2 coins and gain 1VP for 3 coins.

Final Scores

The Nomads have 118VP

The Cultist have 102VP

The Witches have 72VP

The Giants have 64VP.

Congratulations to Martin on his decisive victory.

End of Game Statements

Kevin Wilson (Giants): First, thanks to Chris for running the game. It was fun. Thanks to my fellow players for playing and for being my guinea pigs once again as I experienced a game for the first time. Since it was my first time, I hope I didn’t make any critical mistake that left a door open for one of my opponents to the detriment of the others. If I did, I apologize to those who suffered.

I really like the game. Or at least I think I do! While I feel like I got most of the game mechanics clear through my first play I also feel there are some real strategic considerations in the game that I didn’t fully pick up, at least not quickly if at all. These are the kind of things a player learns through repetition so sign me up and let’s go again.

One of the mistakes I feel I made was not focusing on building my income sources after establishing my stronghold. Everything I read for the Giants said I had to focus on getting my stronghold in place early at almost any cost to get that 2-shovel bonus; which I did. But after I think I should have focused a bit more on building my sources of coins and workers more than I did. As a result, a couple of times, I had to focus on favor tiles or bonus cards to make up for a shortfall.

Another item I failed to capitalize was keeping an eye on the VP/turn track and use the coming turns to plan for VP opportunities beyond the current turn. I would look but my lack of income didn’t allow me to take as much advantage of that knowledge as I think some of the more experienced players were able to do.

I also think I need to be a bit more strategic on where I decide to build. My upgrades were beneficial to my opponents, provided power time and again but I didn’t seem to benefit as much as the building seemed to concentrate elsewhere, at least early. And my two towns ended up too far apart to be of any special value in the final counting. I simply didn’t focus on closing that gap or building the ship range until perhaps too late.

All in all, it seems like a very good and interesting game. One certainly with more hidden delights than I think I fully comprehended with my first play but gems I want to find through additional plays.

Again, thank you Chris for running what I think might have been a little bit cumbersome in the bookkeeping and certainly had more details in the maps, tables and counters to track and provide.

To my fellow players, thanks for playing and if you have any advice, send it along.

Finally, I understand that the game The Gaia Project is a re-implementation of Terra Mystica with a sci-fi theme instead of a fantasy theme. Has anyone here played that game and if so, what did you think? Me, I’m a sucker for any good-looking, well structured sci-fi themed game and may want to try that one too.

Chris Geggus (Witches): From the game viewpoint, this is a game I can never get to grips with. I don't know why, but I have always been way off the mark in every game I've played. Rather as Kevin has said, I often forget to look that turn ahead to see what's coming down the turn-pike. A frustrating game when I never have what I seem to need virtually every turn. However, always enjoyable getting another game under my belt so thanks to Chris, well played Martin and thanks to all - especially to Christopher for his little faux pas which gave me another tile in error. I'll pay you back one day Chris – honest!

Christopher Hunt (Cultists): Thanks again to Chris for running the game and explaining the rules when I misguess. Very enjoyable. Congratulations to Martin a decisive win. This was my second game. The first I did not play on the cults and lost heavily, this time I based my play around them. Still learning, not looking ahead to see what to do in a turn.

Martin Burgdorf (Nomads): This game is really great. I want to thank Chris for quickly updating the web page with our moves. This was the first time I played "Terra Mystica", and even though the rule book is rather long, it was easier for me to make myself familiar with this game than with most others. I like that one has several strategic options for investing the resources and that there is almost always a work around solution if you run out of coins or workers.

In the end I think I was lucky that my resources were just sufficient to build all dwellings. Else it would have been a very close finish between Nomads and Occultists. In the last two turns I had to make the choice between trying to get the most adjacent structures and building a third town, but the latter seemed too difficult, because it required bridges or massive terraforming. Bridges, however, bring no victory points, like ships, and do not allow a sandstorm to cross a river.

I would like to play this game again. Kevin's suggestion to try the Gaia Project sounds very interesting as well.