Tribune: Better than Coliseum?

I've been scanning the rules for FFG's Tribune, and on the face of it the game looks to be better than Coliseum. Yeah, I know that it's a Euro, but it actually looks interesting. Has anyone taken a look at this offering yet?

--Mike L.

Is that really saying much, though?

Never played Coliseum so I can't say much about it. However I have played Tribune. I found it to be a quick fun game. I liked the presentation and the theme didn't feel like a totally pasted on afterthought. Each round you place your workers with the intent of collecting suits of cards to gain "influence" over the various military, religious and political factions of Rome's society. Once you have control of those factions they yield in-game privledges (perhaps an extra worker) and/or help satisfying objectives (control of a legion).

For me the good parts of Tribune were the many opportunities to cock-block your opponents plans and the fact that not everyone is persuing the same set of objectives. For example, in a 5 player game a player may need 4 out of the 8 possible objectives satisfied in order to win. (Its been a while so I may be off on the exact numbers) Its also worth noting that anyones' control of a faction isn't garanteed to be permanent nor is it necessary. You might control the priesthood for a few turns but once you've gotten what you need out of them you'll spend your efforts elswhere and someone else might take them over. The players' changing focus and varied victory conditions keep the game interesting. It's definitly not multiplayer solitaire.

Right now I would rate this game at a 6. I've only played it once but that one session was fun. I would like to try it again and see if my positive impressions last and to see if the game has replay value. As a last note I want to point out that is was the game that had all the floor level buzz at Essen '07. Not that "farming" game.

-Will

I've played Tribune 4 times. I have it on pre-order at the local store. I'm hoping FFG comes through with my copy soon. Tribune is currently my favorite non-Martin Wallace Euro (yes, I like it even better than Caylus). It has everything a Euro should have. It's a fairly quick but still it's deep and intense at the same time. The theme is pasted on but there is more interaction than most Euros.

I played Coliseum once. It has nicer bits but the game was total forgetable for me.

TRIBUNE is WAY WAY WAY better than COLLESSEUM. By far.

However, from my games I've determined that it's the kind of game that is very nicely designed but warrants no more than three plays and by then you've pretty much seen and done everything the game has to offer. There just isn't anything in it that is going to keep me interested in it. It's an influence game, it uses the worker placement deal as a card drafting mechanic , and is really a set collection game and all that means I should hate it by default- but there is some decent interaction and a good bit of strategic challenge to it all. Be aware that it is a card game, not a board game. You could almost throw the board away and have the same game. Some of it has that bizarro Euro abstraction (what, exactly, does bidding for a chariot to park in front of the Vestal Virgins mean anyway?) but it's also around 60-75 minutes so it _almost_ gets done before it turns old and repetitive.

It's inoffensive, solid, and at least moderately entertaining. But that doesn't make for a great game purchase as far as I'm concerned, nor does it make for a game that's going to make the cut the next time I weed the collection.

Michael Barnes wrote:

TRIBUNE is WAY WAY WAY better than COLLESSEUM. By far.

However, from my games I've determined that it's the kind of game that is very nicely designed but warrants no more than three plays and by then you've pretty much seen and done everything the game has to offer. There just isn't anything in it that is going to keep me interested in it. It's an influence game, it uses the worker placement deal as a card drafting mechanic , and is really a set collection game and all that means I should hate it by default- but there is some decent interaction and a good bit of strategic challenge to it all. Be aware that it is a card game, not a board game. You could almost throw the board away and have the same game. Some of it has that bizarro Euro abstraction (what, exactly, does bidding for a chariot to park in front of the Vestal Virgins mean anyway?) but it's also around 60-75 minutes so it _almost_ gets done before it turns old and repetitive.

It's inoffensive, solid, and at least moderately entertaining. But that doesn't make for a great game purchase as far as I'm concerned, nor does it make for a game that's going to make the cut the next time I weed the collection.

Mike: Parking a chariot in front of the Vestal Virgins = Miracle from History of the World Part I.

Aside from that, the big downer that I've seen in the rules is that it IS a card game, not something else. I'm starting to get the feeling that since the Medieval trading theme is pretty worn out, it's time to hop on the Roman Empire bandwagon. At least there's Conquest of the Empire and Pax Romana to beat the mediocre Euros away.

--Mike L.

Crap. Barnes got to play it and hates it which makes it far less likely I'll get to...

Karl Heinz is still one of my heroes...a designer who never makes the same game twice, and has done some vastly brain-burning and some freakishly odd games over the years. The same guy did Die Macher and A la Carte....

.....

Although, for that kind of political abuse game, I'm thinking Senji may be more AT-friendly. It looks like another Mare-Nostrum-ish reinterpretation of the Civ game.

Oh no, I didn't hate it at all. I actually liked it, I just don't think it has much replay value.

I was sort of disappointed that it wasn't freakish at all, I think it's KHS's most conventional design...maybe ever. It feels fairly safe and routine, not much daring or innovative design. It's good design though, at least.

I actually thought the theme worked though...you send your folks out to chat up/cajole/pay off different persons in town to try to wheedle control of factions to get their help. It makes sense, and it does have a good political feeling to it.

The Latrine presents an interesting thematic concept. You flip the card over and either that person joins you or you get money equivalent to their value. What are these people doing in that bathroom, anyway?

I'll play it with you sometime.

Michael Barnes wrote:
The Latrine presents an interesting thematic concept. You flip the card over and either that person joins you or you get money equivalent to their value. What are these people doing in that bathroom, anyway?

Ever see the HBO series Rome? There's a latrine scene during season 2 that might have some answers for you.

-Will