A popular fan rule variant you could try is to randomly dole out 3 end-scoring yellow tiles to each player at the beginning of the game. This will be your long term strategy for that particular game, thus making it like your hand of cards in Agricola.
We have been playing caverna for a few months now and really enjoy it,I hope there is an expansion that gives different starting positions/abilities as this would mix up the first few rounds,good review though.
Never played Agricola or Caverna, always wanted to check one or the other off of The List. Someone gave Caverna for Christmas, so I'm taking a crash course before Prezcon next month. Good review, I feel like this one is very iconic Joel with the trademark rambley endings. Cheers. :)
Great review! Personally I find the fact that you can dabble in this and that, or focus on one aspect of the game, and switch tactics mid way through the game is a huge problem. If you can just do whatever you want (so long as you aren't going out of your way to waste your turns) then, in what way is the game a challenge? The lack of focus, for me, trivializes the decision making. I wholeheartedly agree with you that with an expansion or two of new buildings the need to pick and focus on a dominant strategy from the given options would add a lot of replay to the core, as would a variant where a portion of the tiles are drafted to specific players as opposed to available for everyone. Cheers!
Drive Thru Review Haha oh I know, I get that! :) I just like when the actual mechanics of a game challenge you as well in some way, like more hunger stress in Agricola or the negative effects in say Bruges. Even the provost in Caylus who can control what you expect to accomplish in a turn and sometimes force you out of castle sections, but that is more 'active' than passive. Notre Dame is another good example of having to not only outwit your opponents but also the game itself.
I am really looking forward to playing Caverna - if I ever get my hands on it. I have had it on preorder since the beginning of November. I have never played Agricola, but I have played Rosenberg's Ora and Labora and greatly enjoyed it. Any comparison between Caverna and Ora, Joel?
A popular fan rule variant you could try is to randomly dole out 3 end-scoring yellow tiles to each player at the beginning of the game. This will be your long term strategy for that particular game, thus making it like your hand of cards in Agricola.
Silver Fang Cool variant. Sounds interesting.
We have been playing caverna for a few months now and really enjoy it,I hope there is an expansion that gives different starting positions/abilities as this would mix up the first few rounds,good review though.
Never played Agricola or Caverna, always wanted to check one or the other off of The List. Someone gave Caverna for Christmas, so I'm taking a crash course before Prezcon next month. Good review, I feel like this one is very iconic Joel with the trademark rambley endings. Cheers. :)
+TheGreatHamEl So much to say... Brain fry!
Drive Thru Review Don't ever change, m'man.
Great review! Personally I find the fact that you can dabble in this and that, or focus on one aspect of the game, and switch tactics mid way through the game is a huge problem. If you can just do whatever you want (so long as you aren't going out of your way to waste your turns) then, in what way is the game a challenge? The lack of focus, for me, trivializes the decision making. I wholeheartedly agree with you that with an expansion or two of new buildings the need to pick and focus on a dominant strategy from the given options would add a lot of replay to the core, as would a variant where a portion of the tiles are drafted to specific players as opposed to available for everyone. Cheers!
The challenge comes from the other players :)
Drive Thru Review
Haha oh I know, I get that! :) I just like when the actual mechanics of a game challenge you as well in some way, like more hunger stress in Agricola or the negative effects in say Bruges. Even the provost in Caylus who can control what you expect to accomplish in a turn and sometimes force you out of castle sections, but that is more 'active' than passive. Notre Dame is another good example of having to not only outwit your opponents but also the game itself.
I am really looking forward to playing Caverna - if I ever get my hands on it. I have had it on preorder since the beginning of November.
I have never played Agricola, but I have played Rosenberg's Ora and Labora and greatly enjoyed it. Any comparison between Caverna and Ora, Joel?
Hard to compare those two. I don't really care for Ora. I played it a few times. It's definitely a good game. I just don't really like it at all.
OK, thanks for responding.
How would you say Caverna compares against the Agricola revised edition?
Not played the new edition yet.