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Tag Archives: Gloria Mundi

Gloria Mundi & Kingdoms

After winning at Gloria Mundi last week, I was pretty sure that everyone would want a rematch this week. For some reason, my friends seem to have a hard time swallowing the fact that through cunning strategy and impeccable timing I am able to win once in a while. Luck might have a little to do with it too…LOTS of luck. So how did this week’s game go? Well…

We first decided to randomly choose our positions at the gaming table. I know that might seem rather odd, but changing our table positions can change the dynamic of the game a bit. The game started off just like the last game, but soon one fact became very clear to Mike and I. We were not going to win. And we were only about half way through the game. Both Owen and Ben had been able to develop several buildings that gave them movement points, which is how you win the game. I, on the other hand, was inexplicably using Ben’s strategy from the previous game. (I think Ben came in last in that game.) I could generate vast amounts a certain resources, but no movement. Mike was struggling to get both resources and moment points. So as Mike and I watched, Ben and Owen got further and further ahead of us.

In the final moves of the game, Ben took a big risk and called for a Farm turn that gave both Ben and Owen vast amounts of moment points. It moved Ben within two moves of winning, but propelled Owen to within one move of winning. Now, Owen only needed a gold resource behind his screen; because if he did, he could use it to move and win the game. Alas Ben’s risky move paid off. Owen did not have the gold he needed, so Ben won the game. Mike came in last.

We still had some time so we played Kingdoms. Kingdoms is played over three rounds in which you score points on a grid where you have castles in the rows and columns. After the first round we were all in the same point neighborhood. Mike was in the lead, but was catchable. That all changed after the second round. Mike jump 100 points ahead of the rest of us. And the rest of us were all within 10 points of each other. So the final round turned into not so much trying to stop Mike as it was to try not to be last! After much backstabbing by the rest of us, Mike won with 289 points. Owen did a good job of catching up (much to his surprise) with 229 points. I had 219 points and Ben brought up the rear with 198 points.

Next week we’re playing Galactic Emperor.

Chaos Steve

Gloria Mundi

We played an interesting game Monday night called Gloria Mundi. This is a game where you play a Roman statesman during the fall of the Roman Empire. The goal is to get as far from Rome as you can with the winner being the first to reach Africa. While the players are fleeing Rome, the Goths are rampaging towards Rome pillaging as they go. On a player’s turn, he decides what kind of a round it’s going to be: Farm, City, or Peace. The type of round he chooses determines what type of resources he gets. Unfortunately whatever a player chooses could help all the other players as well. After collecting resources, the player can build a building, if he can afford one. A player is able to move further from Rome by building buildings or by spending resources on a building’s ability. During the final phase of a player’s turn, he must decide if they are going to bribe the Goths or let them rampage, possibly destroying one or more of his holdings.

So how did our game go? Fantastic! In the beginning we all wondered just what the best strategy should be. We learned quickly just how devastating the Goth rampage can be. It wasn’t long though before a few players were using the Goth rampage to their advantage. I believe Owen was the first to cause someone else (me) to lose a resource card, while he scooped up the resource from the board.

Throughout the game I got very lucky in that I was able to purchase relatively cheap buildings that helped me move further and further from Rome. Soon I was in the lead and was managing to stay there. It looked liked Owen was going to give me a run for my money near the end of the game, but some unlucky resource losses kept him from getting too close. In the end I was able to win. (I told you the game went fantastic.) Owen was second, followed by Ben and then Mike.

I think we’re all anxious to play this again. Me, because it was fun. Everyone else, because they want to see if my win was pure luck or brilliant strategy. I think we all know which it was.

Chaos Steve