Movers & Shakers - Board Game Preview
Transcript
Hello everyone. This is Johannes
and this is Simon
and you are watching Board Gaming Ramblings
and today we are taking a look at Movers and Shakers.
We are. This is an upcoming crowdfunding project. So this is obviously a prototype sent to us from the publisher. So thank you so much for that. This is not a paid video. This is just our opinions and feelings after playing the game. This is a new game from Polo and Nuno, which are two fantastic designers that we are big fans of, and that's the main reason why I want to play this game. Sometimes there are prototypes I'm like, I want to play this game because of the designer, because the publisher more than because we want to do like a a pro. Yes, a thing. My words disappeared. But because I want to play the game, that is like my usually my excuse for for doing these kind of things because I'm excited for the game. And this one I was excited to play. So today we're going to talk about it. I'm going to give you a brief overview. First of all, let you know everything you see in this video is a prototype and they have changed uh the board like a a lot of this a lot of this and there's going to be different boards for different player counts. So a lot has changed. So don't look at this board and think this is the final board because we had to we we had to proxy a bit here and there to be able to play it without marking it up because that was my other option and then wouldn't look as good in pictures and stuff like that. So just know that everything is prototype and they have changed up the board for game balance and also for different player counts. With that said, this game is going to be played over two rounds. You are wanting to I don't know the theme because we're not a theme channel. Check out Thinker Theur or other channels for theme. We are mechanisms all the way
most of the time. Um, basically you want to move cargo.
You're gonna have some cargo on contracts. You want to place those cargo out in different cargo freights. Freight transports could be other players trains. No, because a train is like this is a train and these are two freight things. I don't remember the name, but it's a different name because when you put them together, it's a train and it can be multiple of these, but only if there's less than three spaces, but you can place it wherever you want as long as it's in one of the loading zones, which are the two cities, and also uh the two junctions. One is under here. Obviously, this playerboard is not supposed to be here. This is just for showing you how it looks. So you want to place cargo, fulfill contracts, move the cargo from one city to the other, get money depending on how you move on these tracks, then use that money because every time you go over nine money, you will get an investment token and get zero money. And then you will use those investment tokens to invest over here between the two rounds or and after the second round to get points. You're going to do this by playing cards. You're going to have some cards in your hand.
There are ways to get more cards. You're going to have some cards that are transport cards and some cards that are loading cards. When you it's your turn, you're going to play a card to one of these six slots. And you're going to choose to play it either down like this or up like this. And depending on what you do, there will be a different action shown. You will be able to do the action on the card and the action shown up here. They might be moving this up, which is going to score you. For example, this one. This contract is purple. So, at the end of the game, if I have fulfilled this, I will score as many points for this contract as I have under purple. You will be moving on these tracks. Two of them is for the two different cities which will see how much coins you get for each cargo you had delivered there. And the last thing is this businessman who's just going to move up and get you points. There's different way things to do, but most of the things you're doing are those things. You will be moving around and when you move around, this is like the main core concept of the game is that you can join up with others and move them. Like in this example, there's no reason for me to move this yellow.
But let's say it look like this. Maybe I want to make sure to get my uh my wagon in there, but also my cube because when we get in, all of these are delivered. And also these will make you move on this track that gives you bonuses as well. So, it's a very interactive game that way because you will be moving other people's tracks around or trains around to try to do it the best way possible for you. And that is basically what they're doing in the game. Let's talk about it. Yeah, let's start talking about the card placement because I really like this part of the game.
Here's a card.
Um, I want more. Give me more.
There's all the cards.
Yes, please. Because at the beginning of around, you will fill this up two times during the game. And when you look at the cards, you be like, "Okay, this I really want to move more on these. That means I should probably play this down below so I can multiply this. Maybe I want to do twice." But then it means I will not be able to do this. Okay, do I really want to do this? Maybe I should put this in another slot. And you're trying to both look at the the main action to see what's good for you, but also the timing uh regarding what's happening on the board, but also where where you're planning to put this. I had a lot of fun trying to play the best way possible and thinking also when you're taking it all off between the rounds and getting new cards. Okay. Oh, the now I have to think a little bit different.
Now I have to change up my initial plan. I really like this mechanism.
It's a pretty tactical game.
Yeah.
Because the cards you get are random.
So you will be maybe you will but most of the actions are similar. Yeah.
But you will, for example, let's say this was the hand. You will have like oh I see I have three cards that will move me here.
Yeah.
And I have three cards and only two cards that will move extra for the for the train movement. it could look completely different. So you can look at these also like the bonuses you have up here to know a little bit of what what strategies you can go for. I feel like the middle actions are like variations of the thing that you do. Yes. Another interesting thing which I basically told you a bit about in the overview is this money track cuz you're going to have uh up to nine money but as as soon as you get more money you basically lose all your money and you get an investment token and the investment token isn't 10 money. You can't trade this into money again. So, let's say I'm nine, I get two. Now, I only have one coin. So, if I then want to play a card that costs more than one coin, for example, this one that costs two coins, I couldn't do it because I got money before I really wanted to get the money. So, that's an interesting It's not a huge part of the game. I was thinking it was going to be more like the um balancing of that track was going to be a big bigger part of the game. Oh, yeah.
But it was not like it was more like you wanted this. It was very I was like, "Oh, I can get some coins, but I'm not going to do it because I wanted to get this."
I was actually in a position one time, okay, where I had I I could get exactly the amount that would switch me over and then I saw that my trains were coming to a station and I was getting to a point where I could buy one of these.
So then I really needed money or else it would be super bad. Uh so then I had to delay my plans with that. So, it can affect you, but I agree it didn't affect me in that much way that much that I thought it would.
Uh, the interaction is a big part of this game, especially when it comes to moving the trains. So, when to place your train and also, for example, this
is your cargo. You mean like the trains are always on?
Yes. But for example, this could actually hold another cube. And when when you see these trains with already somebody else's cubes on them, you really want to like be in on that because yes, you could place all your cubes on your own trains, but then you will be the only one that's moving those cargo. So, you want to try to snag a spot on a train that somebody else wants to move as well.
This is, as far as DC go, a lighter game. Yeah, it's not a light game. I would put it in a medium game, but it is one of the lighter games I played from these designers. H I think like this is the crunchiest part of the game. The tactical use of the cards. Um you want to move these and it's kind of interesting because when you move uh let's say we had a player who played like this basically who moved one auto white to the top and tried to that player won that game and get a lot of coins by the end of the round everything is going to go down to the lowest uh one that you have. So there's different ways to go here, but basically it is a lighter game. It's very streamlined. It feel like like you're playing the cards, then you're paying things here or you're getting coins doing this and you repeat one more time and then you're done. So it is pretty straightforward in that way. It's very hard for me to play this game. H and it's not meant to be like, oh, I'm supposed not to do it. Not comparing it to Panamax because the game is completely different. That's not why I compare it. But this, it's very hard.
Do not compare it because it's very different. But this movement, and we didn't say this, but let's say uh this one is here with a cube in it, and you want to move this, then you're going to push this forward.
Yeah.
And if you're in a position like here, for example, you would have to push this and help me basically to be able to get then you can go past it.
That's a thing you try to do. And and this movement is taken from Panamax, but it's way simpler here
because in Panamax there's a lot more of um doing things also to be mean because the different places that you land in Panamax is going to have oh if you're there at the end of the round you have to pay coins and that's a very heavy economic game. Uh, so for me personally, I'm like missing a little bit of that heaviness and the tight decisions from that.
I don't think you feel exactly the same way.
No, I think we're exactly opposite because I uh I I think Panamax is too punishing.
So, I like this because it's is done in a much nicer, lighter way. So, it isn't that hard or that Yeah. gruesome to move from one place to another in this game?
No, I think it really depends on what you want out of a game. Like this is a still a very nice design from these designers, but a lot lighter. So, if you are looking for like a heavier game like I'm always am from these designers, it was a little bit lighter than I was hoping it would be,
but still a pretty solid game.
Yeah, I agree.
Anything you want to add?
No, I'm fine. You can for example I'm going to ask once more and you can say like a you can subscribe to the channel somewhere. Okay. Is there something you want to add cinema and this is this is part of the video because that's what who we are. So cinema is there anything you want to add?
Uh yes it is actually.
Oh I really wanted to add the information about uh that you could subscribe to this channel.
Oh wow. How how does that work? It is a button down there and it's it's actually completely free.
Maybe we should make a tutorial video how to subscribe to YouTube channel.
It would be quite fun actually. But yeah, if we hope that this video gave you a feel of the game. If you have any questions about the game, let us know in the comments. And if it is something you want to check out, follow the link in the description to find out more about the game. That's going to be the end. Thank you so much for watching. I'm Johannes and you've been watching Board Gaming Ramblings. And bye-bye.