COIN in Vietnam: Fire In The Lake

[Ubercat]

I'm pretty sure I only got one.

[BanzaiCat]

I just received a copy of this game to unbox/review for GH. I'd love to join you guys in a future game but I need to learn the rules, play the board version, and get the review done first.

[GJK]

You've got a lot on your plate B_C!   :o

[BanzaiCat]

Well a passion for all of this sure helps tremendously.  O0

Plus FitL looks REALLY freakin' cool. Love that it can be played solitaire but I'm lining up some locals to play through it with me.

[Nefaro]

I read the rules and set it up on the table a couple weeks ago, but other stuff was beckoning me more (plus lots of painting in the works). 

It's obviously an enjoyable game but I just wasn't in the mood at the time.  I think part of that is due to it's "Eurogame" feel.  I generally have an aversion to those.  While this is certainly different in flavor to most of them, my unfamiliarity will require a more motivated time to get acquainted.

[GJK]

The VASSAL module for Fire in the Lake was just uploaded by Joel Toppen earlier today, FYI.

[Ubercat]

I read the rules and set it up on the table a couple weeks ago, but other stuff was beckoning me more (plus lots of painting in the works). 

It's obviously an enjoyable game but I just wasn't in the mood at the time.  I think part of that is due to it's "Eurogame" feel.  I generally have an aversion to those.  While this is certainly different in flavor to most of them, my unfamiliarity will require a more motivated time to get acquainted.

Despite the abstraction of units as wooden blocks and cylinders, I'd say there's nothing Euro about the COIN games. I'd also hazard to say "serious wargamers only need apply." The rules are short but very dense and meant to be taken absolutely literally, almost like a  hardware manual. Eurogamers and even those accustomed to more complex games can have a steep learning curve with these.

[ArizonaTank]

I read the rules and set it up on the table a couple weeks ago, but other stuff was beckoning me more (plus lots of painting in the works). 

It's obviously an enjoyable game but I just wasn't in the mood at the time.  I think part of that is due to it's "Eurogame" feel.  I generally have an aversion to those.  While this is certainly different in flavor to most of them, my unfamiliarity will require a more motivated time to get acquainted.

Despite the abstraction of units as wooden blocks and cylinders, I'd say there's nothing Euro about the COIN games. I'd also hazard to say "serious wargamers only need apply." The rules are short but very dense and meant to be taken absolutely literally, almost like a  hardware manual. Eurogamers and even those accustomed to more complex games can have a steep learning curve with these.

doesn't feel like a euro to me.

[BanzaiCat]

I think Nefaro was just pointing out that it looks like a Euro at first glance, and I'd agree, but looking closely at its elements reveals it as nothing of the sort.

[Nefaro]

I think Nefaro was just pointing out that it looks like a Euro at first glance, and I'd agree, but looking closely at its elements reveals it as nothing of the sort.

Yes, it kinda looks like one. 

But there is also less die-rolling and, therefore, less risk taking when many actions result in well defined results.  Placing or taking away specific amounts of wooden blocks is the prime example.  It does give it a bit more of a puzzle game feel, if only because there is less random chance involved than most wargames.

I'm not saying this is bad or that it isn't something fresh to enjoy.  Just that I'm not accustomed to more puzzle-like game mechanics instead of strategic gambits coming down to calculated risks based on modified die rolls.  Will take some getting used to. 

The rules were pretty easy.  The game mechanics are primarily the few Actions available to each faction.  I just need to be in the right mood before I delve into it. 

[JasonPratt]

Per Aztank's recommendation for trolling for players!

I've been setting up a four-player forum game of Fire in the Lake, which I'll be hosting on Tabletop Simulator -- but just using that to track the players, and reporting back to the forum using snapshots of the 'table' and some text reports. In other words, you won't need TTS nor to schedule a 'meet' time with me to play your turns.

ArizonaTank, Banzai_Cat, and I, have already started a test-run of initial turns. I'm taking the opportunity for some Absolute Newbie tutorial posts starting here, although tracking AzTank's first move (as the United States) starts here with a continuation of my tutorial attempt.

Once we get past my tutorial efforts, things will move a lot faster, but I wanted to help novice players (like myself!) be able to try the game, or at least try to understand what anyone else is doing and how and why!

Anyway, we're still looking for one or possibly two more definite players to join in. I'll take a fourth player slot if absolutely necessary -- not grudgingly because I do want to play, but I'm trying to stay out in order to eliminate conflicts of interest since I have total control over the game functions and presentation.

Jomni and Panzerseast have both expressed interest, but neither has made a definite statement of joining, so anyone more certain that you want to play will get added.

(We may or may not continue the game we've started for test purposes, depending on whether players want other factions, and maybe on any issues that arise from tweaking the process -- I've already had to reboot a turn due to my forgetting that certain pieces should be flipped over before game start, for example, although I caught that early and so no damage was done to a player's efforts. Right now player order is being set first and then factions randomly assigned as they come up for play. Az got the United States, and Banzai has been assigned to the Viet Cong. The Army of the Republic of Vietnam, and the North Vietnamese Army, still remain, probably to be assigned in that order. The NVA player will have to deal with AzTank having seriously nuked your bases on his first turn!)


Here are the two current map halves for reference (after Az's move but before Banzai's):