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Tuesday, 28 March 2017

A visit to 'The Works'

On Sunday I paid a visit to the Dartford branch of THE WORKS to buy some more recorded books. Whilst I was there my eye was caught by a board game that was on sale ... Alex M Newman's SUN TZU.


A quick look at the box indicated that it was two-player game, and that it came with 21 Red and 21 Blue soldiers. The price was indicated as being £10.00, but when I got to the till I was only charged £7.00, so it must be a real bargain! Once I got home I had a look on BoardGameGeek, and the reviews were fairly positive.


The box contains:
  • One Game Board divided up into five Provinces (Jin-Yan, Han-Qi, Wu, Chu, and Qin) and with two tracks for the Sun Tzu and King of Chu figures to move along.
  • Ten Score Displays
  • One Rule Book
  • Fifty five cards (40 Action Cards, 10 Warlord Cards, and 5 Event Cards)
  • Forty four 28mm Plastic Miniatures (21 red Soldier, 21 Blue Soldiers, 1,Sun Tzu figure, 1 King of Chu figure)
On the surface the game appears to be quite simple, but reading the rules one gets the feeling that the complexity comes from the tactics the players choose to adopt.
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14 comments:

  1. KEV. Robertson.Tuesday, March 28, 2017 12:14:00 pm

    Bob,
    A most interesting Bargain- 7 Pound! The 40 Plastic figures would be worth it for them alone. I've had a bit of a Bargain with e-Bay (UK) with the purchase of four packets of Wargames Foundry 25mm figures...usually they retail at 12 Pound per Packet- I bought them at considerably less working out at about $2 AUS per figure... (24 figures) Posted. Most pleased indeed. Cheers. KEV.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Robert (Bob) CorderyTuesday, March 28, 2017 3:22:00 pm

      Kev Robertson,

      I saw the box and immediately thought '42 figures = 10 Portable Wargame units!' If i see this game on sale in another branch of THE WORKS, I may buy another copy - or two - just for the figures.

      Your Foundry figures are a real bargain, and I look forward to seeing them painted and in use in the not too distant future.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  2. David BradleyTuesday, March 28, 2017 1:15:00 pm

    Looks interesting! Must check out my local branch, at £7.00 you can't go wrong!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Robert (Bob) CorderyTuesday, March 28, 2017 3:25:00 pm

      David Bradley,

      The game was originally priced at around £25.00, reduced to £10.00 ... and when I got to the till it turned out to be £7.00. A real bargain ... and I may buy another copy or two if I see it on sale in another branch of THE WORKS.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  3. Ray RousellWednesday, March 29, 2017 6:15:00 am

    Everyone loves a bargain Bob, great spot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Robert (Bob) CorderyWednesday, March 29, 2017 8:02:00 am

      Ray Rousell,

      I can resist everything ... except a bargain!

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  4. Archduke PiccoloWednesday, March 29, 2017 7:50:00 am

    If its the figures you go for, check out the board game 'Shogun'. You get 5 factions (Red, Orange, Green, Blue, Purple) each with 3 diamyo figures, 3 pairs of flag bearers (one of each with a plug-in base as the 'Experience marker'), 9 samurai archers, 9 samurai swordsmen, 9 ashigaru gunners, 36 ashigaru spearmen. On top of that you get 28 non-aligned (grey) ronin swordmen. Discounting the 'plug-in' flags but adding in the single ninja spy/assassin (appropriately in black) that's 346 figures all up.

    They aren't bad figures, and all.

    The game's pretty good as well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Archduke PiccoloWednesday, March 29, 2017 7:52:00 am

      Sorry: 5x69 +1 +28 = 374.

      Delete
    2. Robert (Bob) CorderyWednesday, March 29, 2017 8:04:00 am

      Archduke Piccolo,

      If I can find a copy of the game that is not too expensive, I may well 'invest' in it. It sounds as if it ticks a lot of boxes.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
    3. Robert (Bob) CorderyWednesday, March 29, 2017 8:05:00 am

      Archduke Piccolo,

      What's a few figures between friends? I hadn't even spotted your 'mistake'!

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
    4. Archduke PiccoloWednesday, March 29, 2017 11:15:00 am

      I've looked into this a bit since my earlier reply. It turns out that those figures might not be easy to come by. Apparently it has undergone a couple of reincarnations since I bought the game in 1990: to 'Samurai Swords' and finally 'Ikusa'. It is not clear that in its present incarnation the game still uses figures. Pity, because the ninja simply rocks the billy.

      But if you do get hold of the game 'avec les figurines' you might find some of the other doodads pretty handy as well.

      Delete
    5. Robert (Bob) CorderyWednesday, March 29, 2017 11:55:00 am

      Archduke Piccolo,

      That is a pity ... but I'll see if I can find a copy of the original game on sale on eBay.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  5. UnknownWednesday, March 29, 2017 11:16:00 am

    Bob,Acquiring boardgames because of the figures - and in yet another period! - is dangerous...I have several sets of RISK that testify to this. Beware!
    Arthur

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Robert (Bob) CorderyWednesday, March 29, 2017 11:57:00 am

      Arthur Harman,

      I also have several sets of RISK figures in storage ... just in case!

      I think that I can use these new figures to play-test my forthcoming PORTABLE WARGAME: ANCIENTS rules ... which are currently in draft form.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete

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