|
Spiller’s Bash – ‘Cuba’ - again by Stefan Stadler and Michael Rieneck
England have just beaten Andorra. £20 (‘We hate Setanta’) for the usual desperate fare. Steve Slade has paid on his credit card and will be lucky to get the Ragnars to pay their share. Half time was best; the Indian take-away arrived bang on time and was excellent in quality and quantity. Spiller’s choice of Chinese proved to be as inspired as a Steve McLaren selection, arriving a full 90 minutes late.
And so the Ragnars take themselves to ‘Cuba’. It’s been a long day already and Phil’s ability to absorb any more rules is in serious doubt. Spiller, Dicken and Kendall already have some experience of playing the game. The game is set out in all its glory; surely one of the best boards and set of components. Dicken opens his bottle or rum, pours himself a large Cuba libre (for atmosphere) and eschews forth into the rules. These have been sketched out in a previous review, but during tonight’s game it turns out that the Ragnars are going to play it correctly!
Apologies to Stefan for our error last time. For some reason (probably Dicken’s fault) we had been playing that votes in Parliament could only be bought in the event of a tie; not so. Consequently, the extra two votes for the Town Hall do not guarantee control of the Parliament after all. In the previous two games our mistake meant a shoe-in for the person grabbing the Town Hall first.
The game begins. Phil is soon completely confused by his resource / product board. The more times the mechanisms are explained to him, the more bamboozled he becomes. It could be Setanta’s fault, or the Indian or the day’s gaming. It’s not the rum, as only Dicken is drinking it. Spiller commiserates with Phil, but is urgent that he gets on with it; which he does with a Caribbean ‘whatever’ gesture.
Kendall starts boldly by putting all his products onto the 2-point boat. This gets him an impressive number of points, but also suggests a complete lack of strategy. Dicken eyes the water buildings. Spiller plans a long-term strategy based on the Town Hall. He is still convinced of its power. Phil asks again about how he should be organising his board.
On the other half of the table the remaining Ragnars are already onto their second game of ‘Zooloretto’. Choosing the right game for the time of day is a problem at these weekends. Too light, too early and one wonders if it was worth making the trip. Too heavy, too late and there’s likely to be blood on the table.
NOTE: in the Ragnar’s case this is invariably red wine, coffee, curry or Weetabix. Spiller has had to burn his table-cloth in case wife Christina discovers it when she returns.
Kendall has now built a wood factory or some such thing; it doesn’t really matter, as for the remainder of the game it stands unused and unloved. None-the-less his score steadily mounts as he duly pays his taxes, puts the odd product on a boat and occasionally tips a wink at the architect for a couple of extra points. This strange ‘anything goes’ performance has a peculiar charm.
Dicken’s water empire splashes in the points; an impressive deluge at first and then easing off to a steady flow. Analysis of the buildings reveals that this rate of points accumulation should be pretty consistent across the various strategies (rum, cigars, water, hotel building etc.) provided players get the appropriate pieces in play and that not too many players crowd in on the same areas.
The alternative is what Spiller is attempting. He now has the Town Hall and money to go with it. He gains control of Parliament and starts to set the laws as he wants them. Points start to come his way, but he is still some way behind Dicken and Kendall.
Phil is getting nowhere and has least points.
Turn 4 and the wheels come off. Everything seemed to be going swimmingly….. Then the turn order (first player) decision (after a momentary rule check) favours Dicken…. Then the control of Parliament is tied between Spiller and Dicken…. Then it’s discovered that the first player wins that tie! Spiller is beside himself, ‘I’ve been planning this all game…!?!’
Dicken doesn’t feel he can help him out (why should he?). Kendall can’t see how the events of the turn can be reasonably unpicked (why should they be?). Phil can’t see what the fuss is about (Why don’t you breed your pandas?).
The game is called off. If only the same could have happened after England’s two goals at the start of the second half.
Cuba ‘s moment of valediction will have to wait. It will happen. This is a very good game that needs repeated plays before its multiple layers come together in one’s head. Kendall has a plan.
Gamesnight 3rd July… ‘Cuba’ by Michael Rieneck and Stefan Stadler
Dicken has already set up the game when Derek, Jamie (son of Derek) and Kendall show up. Carol (Dicken’s better half) is also going to play, so the company numbers five. ‘Cuba’ looks terrific, filling the table with a sumptuous board, counters and wooden pieces. Good enough to eat, chew, drink or smoke. Fortunately Dicken has provided generous supplies of nibbles and Derek has brought along more … just in case.
After some preliminary conversation, Dicken launches into the rules. Plenty here that is familiar territory, but many subtleties to bear in mind. Anyone reading reviews of ‘Cuba’ will know that the game explores some systems and structures that appeared together in ‘Puerto Rico’. There’s also a strong feel of the excellent ‘Pillars of the Earth’ which is not surprising as it is by the same designers. Some have also suggested ‘Caylus’, but ‘Hey!’ Not that much! All designers are standing on the shoulders of others …..
Dicken starts. He plays his ‘Worker’ card on his ‘Field’ board, drawing a stone resource, a wood, a water, sugar product and a citrus. Carol follows suit, doing something pretty similar (although her board is configured differently), then Kendall (pretty similar) etc. Everyone has started the game with 2 resources and 2 products so with their first move they have added to the resources they can use to construct buildings.
Back to Dicken who now plays his ‘Architect’ card and places a building onto his Field board, paying his stone and wood resources – he has chosen the large Branch office which will allow him (when it is activated) to supply a ship with one or two kinds of merchandise without having to use the ‘Mayor’ card. There are other options in the cards that can be played; said ‘Mayor’ card allows resources and products to be loaded onto boats earning victory points, the ‘Tradeswoman’ allows products to be bought and sold at market and the ‘Foreman’ allows buildings on the Field board to be activated - only four of these five cards will be played in any one turn. Playing these cards is the main part of the game and generates most of the ‘action’ of the game. There’s a good deal more and a lot of inter-meshing, and it all purrs along very nicely.
Kendall is tucking into the reduced fat, reduced cost humus. On a less healthy tangent he has decided to turn tobacco into cigars and is busily loading them onto boats. It proves encouragingly profitable and after a slow start he bolts into an early lead. Derek’s strategy will eventually gravitate towards water and Jamie towards wood. Carol and Dicken operate broader portfolios. What becomes apparent is that careful management of the Field board is important and that novices (as at this table) will make costly mistakes.
Meanwhile Dicken has monopolised the political options in the game. ‘Cuba’s Parliament meets once per turn with an election decided by the number of votes allocated to the one unused action card of each player’s hand. The ‘Mayor’ has five votes; Dicken has foregone the loading boats action in order to try to secure control of Parliament. As it happens, so has Kendall and Carol and the tie is resolved by a secret auction, which Dicken wins at the cost of 1 Peso (a bargain).
Kendall is attempting to make humour from the ‘baccy’ industry. ‘Something to chew on’, ‘Spit it out’ etc. Lots of lead balloons – too much brainwork required in this game for such frivolity. Derek is having trouble nailing down a strategy and is coming in for stick for slow play.
Parliament gives a choice of two from four cards (Bills) each turn. These are randomly generated and add a good deal of ‘Event chaos’ into the game. For example, dictating how much tax a player needs to pay in order to collect the two victory points on offer that turn. Up to four such conditions are in play each turn, but two will be changed each turn. Controlling Parliament means controlling the chaos – for your own ends. Unfortunately for Dicken, the effects are not that dramatic on turn one… or turn two … or turn three.
The humus has been totally reduced and Derek has slowed still further, even to a point of asking if the game could be re-wound to replay his turn – generously refused. Scores are bunched together and no-one seems to be able to make a BIG play to get the drop on other players. Most dramatic victory points can be earned by filling boats, but players are covering the options. Dicken buys another ‘Warehouse’ to safe-guard sugar, citrus and tobacco – it’s a desperate move and he knows it.
Meanwhile Derek has finally stumbled across his water strategy. By gaining control of Parliament he sets up a BIG score for himself and looks set to repeat and improve this next turn. Kendall shatters Derek’s hopes by grabbing the Town Hall, giving him two extra votes in Parliament and by dismissing the Water subsidy Act. For the last two turns of the game (five and six) he’s guaranteed control providing he holds back the Mayor or Foreman; it’s a must do play.
Jamie and Derek bemoan their Field management. Carol and Dicken have nowhere to go. Kendall fluffs his last Parliament card play …. but hangs on to win by one point from Derek.
It’s getting late; gone eleven, making playing time well in excess of two hours, but it’s a first play and that’s always longer than normal. Still the company is happy to spend time in post-game discussion. Inevitably this focuses on where ‘Cuba’ sits in the halls of the great and good. And … here is a thought; if ‘Cuba’ were the first game of this type ever invented, then hobby-gamers (if they somehow or other miraculously materialised) would be in seventh heaven. This is a beautifully constructed game in terms of components and systems. It has a variety of strategies, with a measure of manageable chaos to negotiate. It’s not too long, but long enough.
However, it isn’t the first of its type ….. and therefore will always be seen in comparison and being so close to at least one classic game, its reputation will be diminished.
Still, there’s plenty more good gaming to be had from it for the Ragnars. The variety of the building actions allow for a number of different strategies to be made, with or without the use of the subsidy acts. It may have too many variables that restrict your feeling of control for some gamers but the Ragnars (as you may have noted from our own games) like a bit of chaos and randomness in our games. So for us it’s an enjoyable game with terrific production values and the rum bottle is always at least half full!
Return to top
|
