HIGHLIGHTS AMONG GAMES
Hamburgum
A small donation, please!
Dear Reader! This time I have chosen a game for fans of this column, as regards to the demands on playing abilities as well as regards to the topic. Especially on the topic experienced critics will be please, because usually many topics are only re-dressed in new words. Hamburgum feels somewhat different – see also an excerpt from the description in the exquisite rule book. “Hamburg in the 17th century! Mighty fortifications protect the city from the devastations of the 30 Years War. Due to Protestant refugees Hamburg has developed into Germany’s most prosperous and biggest city. Already from afar mighty churches and the forest of ships masts announce the pride and wealth of the citizens. Players lead Hamburg families who prestige and wealth … The game ends when the last church in Hamburg has been completed and the winner is the player you earned the most prestige from donations to churches.” Well, donations are welcome any time at the Austrian Games Museum in Leopoldsdorf, too, provided they come in the shape of games, old and new. But don’t worry, you are welcome without them, too, anytime! www.spielen.at
The connoisseur’s eye is following the obligatory cone of light, regardless to what one is looking at, the front or the back side of the board. „Hamburgum“ or „Londinium“, and Antverpia“, that has been published a short time ago as an expansion extending the pleasure - those are the harbor towns in which you will immerse yourself embodying a trader of the 17th century; the towns are complete with city walls, marina and six churches each. If you want to know more about those buildings and the relationship between Church and State or City Hall and Stock Market you are cordially invited to study the opulent brochure that introduces you to the historic background in German language for Hamburgum and English Language for Londinium. It is not necessary to do this but it intensifies the pleasure when setting up the stage which introduces you quickly into the game. In your turn you may move your Rondell marker – an ingenious idea of designer Mac Gerdts known from Antike and Imperial – onto one of eight spots offering opportunities for ship construction, trade, donations to church or acquisition of buildings. This sounds easy and familiar, but players are again and again assailed by doubts if the actual decision will result in the desired events. Even after several games with different numbers of players certain questions remain unanswered. And this is good, because Hamburgum or Londinium or Antverpia all leave room for creative development and very different strategic approaches to the game. What more can you want? But, a final warning: Experts and newcomers do not really mingle well in this opulent game dramaturgy. To unbalanced is the distribution of chances, too one-sided the success accounts at the end of the game. So a small donation, please, oh sorry, I mean hints! The 17th century will hold action-intensive experiences for you!
Rückmeldungen an: hugo.kastner@chello.at
Homepage: www.hugo-kastner.at
EMPFEHLUNG # 74
Players: 2.5
Age: 12+
Time: 75+
Designer: Mac Gerdts
Art: Matthias Catrein
Price: 40 Euro
Year: 2007
Publisher: eggert spiele
Taktik: 8 von 9
Info±: 0 von 0
Glück: 1 von 9
In reality, this Rondell game by Mac Gerdtsm too, makes do without any element of chance, albeit with the fact that an incautious fellow player can yield a cheap donation tile or choice building to a third player. But despite a total strategic-tactical structure Hamburgum plays surprisingly smooth and fast, without the paralysing effect of half-hour turns as known from chess.
Hugos EXPERT TIP
Should you be the happy owner of the supplement board for Antverpia, I can recommend the slightly changed rules that come with it for use with the core game Hamburgum, too. The ship donations are upgraded, the order of donations is fixed and, finally, you have to pay a special church tax. The overall game is flowing even more smoothly due to these changes.
Hugos Flashlight
„Hamburgum“ is a quiet challenge, in the true sense of the word, because players implement their trade business and productions more or less undisturbed and only for their own benefit. Set in the 17th century, the topic of Hamburgum demands mature people who aim for worldy goods as well as for parochial benisons, which can be helped along a little bit by opulent donations. A classy game with unexpected depths, regardless of the number of players.
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Season tickets, please!