Making MeCCG more fun/easier - how do YOU play the game?

EndersGame · Post by **EndersGame** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 6:45 pm

I'm curious how other players play MeCCG from a practical point of view.  I sometimes use:
- a map mounted on cardboard, plus pawns to designate the current location of various companies.
- two D20s (or MTG life-counters) to keep track of current MPs.
So how do you play the game?  Any tips/ideas to share, that might enhance further enjoyment and ease in playing the game?

Zarathustra · Post by **Zarathustra** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 11:54 pm

Having a map is key.

Points: the german starter boxes came with sliding counters, so you could use those.  If you play on GCCG it automatically counts your points for you

I also like to play naked, just to distract my opponent.

Sauron · Post by **Sauron** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 5:21 am

Can I find a new play partner?

Strider · Post by **Strider** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 3:20 am

Sounds more disturbing than distracting...

EndersGame · Post by **EndersGame** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 10:05 pm

So you mean to say that hardly anyone actually has any serious suggestions about this?

Sauron · Post by **Sauron** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 11:42 pm

I don't know what you're really looking for.

Most players use a map.

You know where companies are by the site card you keep with that company.

A counter of sometime is useful for MPs, but alot of players just ask for totals instead of keeping a running count.

2 sets of dice are always good, one set for each player.

I like to put my 2 different decks in 2 different color sleeves so it's easier to split the decks apart and find wayward cards.

Zarathustra · Post by **Zarathustra** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 12:13 am

Take a look here too.

Post by **jhunholz** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 1:22 am

I also like to play with sleeves.  It keeps your cards cleaner and it is easier to tell which of your opponents creatures you killed, or things like that.  

Like others have said, two sets of dice are nice, and score markers/marking system is always handy. I also like to keep my sites in a binder for easy finding, but at a minimum you should have them organized in some way so you know where to find them.

Post by **Gwaihir** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 1:22 am

I tend to put a map on the table and usually just play over it, moving cards aside a little whenever I need to find something specific. By now however I have gotten so accustomed to the geography that just the image of the map on the back of a site card is usually enough for me.

Sometimes I do use counters for MPs and sometimes for stage points as well. I find they are not overly useful though, as I generally forget to keep track during the game or find that too cumbersome.

I have a fixed placing for deck, discard pile and sideboard. This is important to me to keep me from mixing them up. In addition I find it useful to check early in the game how my opponent places followers - a lot of people digress from the method suggested in the rulesbooklet here - to avoid any confusion later.

Other things I find useful to have are:
- a small stack of "planned for" sites as a location deck on the table,
- but all other sites available relatively close at hand as well, for flexibility
- to have the rulesbooklets nearby for reference
- to tournaments I usually bring my (by now rather old) printed copy of the CRF as well
- next time I expect Mark to be in the event I might add a large towel to the kit as well; just in case

I have never used additional markers for company position; that's what the site cards are for.

EndersGame · Post by **EndersGame** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 7:11 pm

Exactly the kinds of things I was looking for - very helpful, thanks!  Feel free to share any more ideas.

Sly Southerner · Post by **Sly Southerner** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 1:09 am

I ususally let a player re-roll sauron's eyes if the outcome would really kill their game. Unless of course it is really close.  :D

EndersGame · Post by **EndersGame** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 5:19 am

I put the official map under glass inside a photo frame, and use some soldier figurines from another game to track the location of the companies.  It could be argued that this gives the game more of the "board-game" atmosphere which it deserves.  As an additional bonus, the framed map is attractive enough to hang on the wall when the game isn't being played.  For what it's worth, check out a couple of photos here:
http://www.bggfiles.com/bggimages/pic104087.jpg
http://www.bggfiles.com/bggimages/pic104085.jpg
Has anyone else tried anything like this?

EndersGame · Post by **EndersGame** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 2:27 pm

One more suggestion: playing a multi-session game.  One of the draw-backs to MeCCG is that those with a busy lifestyle will sometimes find it hard to complete an entire game in one session.   What I did with my son recently is set the game up on a corner table, and we played it in three shorter sessions over the course of two weeks.  In between sessions, we just left the cards on the table, so that the next time we could carry on playing where we left off.  It worked rather well, and playing this way will probably make it easier for us to play the game more often.

Zarathustra · Post by **Zarathustra** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:15 pm

This can be done on GCCG as well simply by putting a 'counter' on one player's wizard to mark that it's his turn and saving the game.

Also, don't worry, once you get more accustomed to things you'll be able to play a game in half an hour.  My friend Brian and I often used to finish that fast.

Post by **Gwaihir** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 9:12 pm

EndersGame wrote:One more suggestion: playing a multi-session game.

Personally don't like that at all: can't remember what happened anymore with that much time in between (i.e. don't remember what's still to come in my deck and what not, what hazards I was facing, etc.) and that is quite important.

Half an hour? Hmm.. not happening here, not for the standard two-deck game anyway. About 90-100 minutes generally, I think. That's including getting up for tea and stuff like that.