Game Report: Andy T, Andy S, Neil, Hamish & French Tom

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A Saturday afternoon, the perfect time for a spot of War on Terror, unless you've got a vicious hangover, so a round of applause for Neil who managed to make it to his first ever game, and we also welcome French Tom into the fold...

Early game and everything seems nice enough, unfortunately Neil leaves early but Andy T soon expands to take his space and take Asia for his own. French Tom is liking Africa, Hamish seems to settle in Europe which gives Andy S the run of the rest of the world. Andy T turns evil and picks up some devilish cards, Andy S manages to steal a Revolution card, but it's not enough and suddenly the whole of Africa is shouting 'they all must go' and Tom's empire falls.

Andy T's final village crumbles and he joins Tom as a terrorist playerAndy T tries to move in quick but Hamish seems to beat him to it somehow, now there's a new front opening between the Andies in South East Asia. Lots of screaming, shouting and finger pointing ensues but ends up with some nuclear wasteland and Andy T's final village crumbles and he joins Tom as a terrorist player.

The propaganda starts straight away, both Empires are looking strong and the terrorists only hope is to get them to fight each other. Instead they appear to be working together to keep the terrorist forces at bay. Andy S is looking stronger, closer to winning and the pitch of the 'war propaganda' raises a notch. Hamish holds back though, allows Andy S to win the game with a victory for his empire. Hamish has vowed to strike first next time round...

Game Report: Andy T, Andy S & Tom M-J

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Another daylight game which Tom uses as an excuse for just how violent things became. Tom looks like he's going for the North Americas, Andy T Asia and Andy S plays a lovely move, claiming the whole of the southern hemisphere for his own in his first move whilst simultaneously turning Evil. It's not long before Andy T takes a pop at what looks like a 'run-away' Empire, but the invasion of Egypt fails. In retaliation, Andy S drops a nuke on the Balkans. This breaks out into full scale war between the two sides, Libya breeding terrorists after a regime change.

In retaliation, Andy S drops a nuke on the Balkans.Tom keeps his head down. Andy T is soon in retreat and Tom wades in, managing to take most of Africa and some of the Americas from Andy S. Luckily Andy S has two nukes up his sleeve and soon takes some of the land back. Things are getting hairy and at times all three of us thought we were winning. Three hours into the game and Andy S turns terrorist as Tom has to leave for work. We decided to play out the end game anyway. After a short, fair fight the terrorist win. Shame.

Game Report: Andy T, Andy S & London Pete

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A saturday afternoon game, always a good time for a spot of War on Terror. Pete is introduced to the game for the first time, up against the Andys. Andy T goes first, spreading his three villages thin, trying to claim North America for his own, but leaving enough space for Andy S to jump on in. Pete grabs south Asia. Andy T is smarting from the set-up round so he sends in the terrorist on his first turn. It looks like it's going to be a dirty fight. Before long Andy S is nuking Peru and Andy T funds a regime change in Alaska, taking Pete's city just as he finishes building it.

Pete drops a nuke in the Congo and Andy T doesn't look so good.Greenland becomes a hot spot, terrorists jumping back and forth from Iceland. After a few initial secret messages it seems to be every man for himself. Each fancying their chances at points, apart from Pete who has an air of doom about him. Andy T knocks up a handful of cities, the red menace spreads through Asia. Andy T tries to speed up the process with a nuke, but Pete manages to purchase a bunker just in time.

Rolling in cash, Andy T likes the odds. Then a well timed Kyoto Protocol from Andy S dents the funds, Andy S follows it up with his very own regime change in Europe. Pete drops a nuke in the Congo and Andy T doesn't look so good. He cheers up when he turns evil and gets some Terrorist Cards. But it's too late and Andy S wins with the Americas, Nowhere and a handful of Africa. Two and a bit hour game...

Game Report: Andy T, Andy S, Ilaria, Tom M-J, Adrian & Gabby

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It's not often we attempt two games in one day, in fact this was the first time. It's not a good idea. We're now thinking about putting a health warning on the box...

Andy T's brother plays it for the first time, along with Gabby. There's a tense atmosphere in the air but that may have just been Andy S trying out his fake moustache... Or possibly just the memories of past six player games and the chaos that was due to unfold.

Andy T gets to be Evil for quite a few turns and unleashes terrorist hell into the world.The world soon gets cramped and the balaclava of Evil does the rounds, only adding to the tension. Adrian shows his colours early with a unprovoked nuke, which is looking like a popular 'first move' in the game. The fight for Lebensraum then starts for real.

Andy T gets to be Evil for quite a few turns and unleashes terrorist hell into the world. Nukes are dropped, China gets it more than once. Gabby's empire is soon split up and both Andy T and Adrian are looking good with the odd city starting to appear.

Adrian's early 'tactical nuke' against Ilaria seems to hold her civilisation in check for most of game. His dictatorship continues to impress as he wipes Tom clean off the board. Andy S's empire crumbles during the same turn and we've got ourselves a terrorist team. The world is soon covered in the dark matter and Andy T is wondering if he shouldn't have been quite so gun-ho earlier.

Four hours into the game, as Ilaria's empire crumbles we decide to call it a night. The empires had only just started to talk about working together for the War on Terror... Who knows who would have won... But I think the terrorists were having the most fun.

Game Report: Andy S, Andy S & Tom M-J

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It's the boys! A hardcore, no messing, the 'originals', three player game... And it starts off angry. Andy T places his three initial village in North America, Nowhere and Africa, claiming South America as his own and a game plan already in mind. Unfortunately Tom settles in South America and it looks like it's going to get nasty as terrorists are being bought in the first round. Andy S goes for a Europe and Australia mix and Tom also looks like he wants Asia. After some very passionate 'I was there first' debates concerning rights to land, Tom decides to invade North America, just to shut Andy T up.

Andy S decides to go to the loo at this point, a strategic errorMinor battles and terrorist attacks break out and Andy T soon forces him out, it ends peacefully as Tom withdraws his last settlement in return for peace in South America. Andy S has eyes for Africa and cleans out Andy T with a well placed nuke. Andy S decides to go to the loo at this point, a strategic error as it gives Andy T and Tom (now friends) just enough time to plan their pincer movement on Europe. A turn later and the combined force of Tom and Andy T knocks the wind out of Andy S and he turns terrorist, complaining of lack of funds. There's talk of fighting for world peace but it's obvious both Tom and Andy T have victory in their sights. After one peaceful turn they start taking pot shots at each other, dropping the odd bunch of terrorists on the board.

Andy S sends in the suicide bombers and Andy T seems on the verge of winning, but is the target for the terrorist force. Tom takes this opportunity and grabs Asia, Africa and South America all for himself.... 8 Empire points and his second ever victory! Well done Tom. Just over two hours for the game.