Nuketown

My Favorite Game I Never Play

Posted in by Kenneth Newquist on Mon, 03/12/2007 - 4:12pm

Pirates of the Frozen North

I love WizKids' Pirates of the Spanish Main and its various expansions, even though I never actually get to play the game. Hell, I think I've officially played it twice, but that hasn't stopped me from picking up booster packs for every other expansion.

The most recent of these is Pirates of the Frozen North , which introduces a new Viking faction and corresponding Viking longships. It also has icebergs that move about the board on their own, smashing any ships they come in contact with, and the icebreaking ships needed to destroy them. I picked up a pack to honor my Swedish ancestors, but I'm more interested in snagging the recent Pirates of the Mysterious Island, which has submarines, and the upcoming Pirates at the World's Edge which ups the game's weirdness quotient even further with giant crabs and prehistoric sharks.

And, of course, I need to find some time to actually play the game. I think another all-day board game Saturday (aka LanceCon) is in order...

erilar said,

Tue, 03/13/2007 - 8:20am

As a member of Ken's gaming group, I'm in that same camp of "love it, but never get to play it" regarding Pirates. Absolutely a great game - such a testament to the fact that great game design is so much more important than complexity.

Unfortunately, it seems like the older we get (and hence, the more responsibilities we take on), the more games that get added to the aforementioned category. Maybe after our kids move out... :)

PS - Jon's going to be all over these new viking ships!

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Kenneth Newquist said,

Tue, 03/13/2007 - 9:00am

While I don't get to play it now, I'm thinking this would be a great game to play once the kids get older.

Now if only they came out with a pink princess edition, I'd be se-- ARGGH, nooooo ... what am I thinking?!?!

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bright said,

Mon, 03/12/2007 - 5:40pm

I have the same relationship with Pirates, but I have to add that peginc of Deadlands and Savage Worlds fame has a Pirates of the Spanish Main RPG on the way. Uses SW mechanic, but the book will contain everything you need to play.

-end shill-

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Kenneth Newquist said,

Tue, 03/13/2007 - 8:56am

A Pirates RPG would be great. Are they going to incorporate the weirdness angle of the later expansions? Seeing as how this is coming from the guys who did Deadlands, I can't see how they wouldn't.

Ok, I suppose that might lead to criticism that the game is just "Deadlands at Sea", but pirates with zombies and giant squids is SOOOO much better than just pirates.

Savage Worlds has been on my RPG wishlist for a while now, and I expect that I'll be buying it at GenCon if I don't pick it up before then. I've heard nothing but good things about it.

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bright said,

Tue, 03/13/2007 - 3:45pm

The implication has been in the past that there will be future books sharing titles with the other expansions. However, there was supposed to be a Rocketmen RPG and a Mage Knight RPG as well. Those have quietly dropped off the radar, so who knows.

Anybody got a Nemo they want to trade? I've no idea what I could offer... I've a coupld Bonhomme Richards for the history buff perhaps?

Anyhoo, between Solomon Kane, Deadlands, and Pirates PEGinc does sort of have a lock on the weird history angle. Forgot Weird Wars.

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Kenneth Newquist said,

Wed, 03/14/2007 - 11:35am

Alas, I only managed to buy two or three packs of Davy Jones, and that ship wasn't among them. I hadn't realized that PEG was doing a Solomon Kane RPG -- am I right in assuming it'll be a campaign book for Savage Worlds?

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bright said,

Sun, 06/10/2007 - 9:02am

Self contained like PotSM. License books will contain the rules.

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Kenneth Newquist said,

Sun, 06/10/2007 - 9:11am

Hmmm. I can see why they'd do that, but having spent $30 for the core rules I wish I could just pick up a campaign book with Kane stuff (or Pirates stuff) in it.

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bright said,

Sun, 06/10/2007 - 4:07pm

On the other hand, it is convenient having an extra set of the core rules at the table once in a while.

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