Last week we played Container and Fresh Fish. Container is one of those games that divide opinions, but we’ve got some fans of the game. I like it, the free-wheeling process of manufacturing, buying, selling and shipping just works. I like the way the economy depends on the players: if players waste money, the economy will crash and burn, but if the players make sure the money goes around, the money will also come around.
We used the The Second Shipment expansion, which I found interesting enough to buy it for myself as well. I particularly enjoyed the warehouse and factory restrictions that emulate the economies of scale by constricting the pricing options on the cheap end, unless players invest more heavily in the infrastructure. Players who focus on one thing get better in it. That works.
Fresh Fish was a bit of a flop. Petri hated it enough that there’s little chance of it getting on the table anymore. Boring, because I think it’s a pretty groovy little game. Quite unlike anything else, really. I stumbled with the expropriation rules, as usual, since it’s a very long time from my last play (when I last sorted the rules out for myself). I’d like to play again, but looks like I’m going to sell the game, as the opportunities are scarce. Shame.
I also taught Dominion to someone who had never played it before. That was strange, but entertaining.
I decided on the Brass vs Age of Industry case: I bought Brass. I think it’s more interesting and Hannu already has Age of Industry + expansions. I don’t really want to think about whether to buy expansions or not.
4 responses to “Container full of Fresh Fish”
Good choice you made. Brass has such great replayability, no need for any expansions. AoI has severely less good choices to be made for the players. AoI is far less interesting, but it serve a target group too, I can see.
I really wish that Age of Industry hadn’t been such a massive change, Brass has so many nice aspects compared to AOI (the income track, the way scoring is handled, the canal phase) but the way that coal and iron moves differently irritates me and I do think it gets a little tired playing on the same map.
I bought AOI before I ever played Brass and I don’t think I need both, especially since Order of the Hammer has such an excellent implementation for the times I need to scratch that itch.
Thanks for the game 🙂
Brass is a mess of tricky little rules, that much is clear. Then again, Age of Industry is not much better.
Oh, and thanks for the game, it was exactly the push I needed to start playing at Order of the Hammer, I now have several games going on there.