Mayfair Games News

Mayfair Games in the News: Smart Diversions

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

A recent article in the Best Financial News features many insights on Montreal small businesses, particularly those focusing on toys and games.

Along the way, Mayfair Games and Settlers of Catan get mentions as "smart diversions" that are taking market share from the "Monopolys of the world".

The entire article is worth a read so go check it out!

Sheep Prepare for Season 3

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The Bob & Angus Show will launch the first episode of season 3 on February 2nd with a new start time. By launching at 2 PM eastern, the news rams hope to distract the public from their day jobs before going home to play games with the family. Some spectacular interviews have been lined up for the next few weeks with Chris Baylis and Michael Rieneck. It is also rumored that Klaus Teuber might even make an appearance on the show.

Notable holidays over the course of season three include Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day. Angus was asked about his plans for the holiday season.

“I have the perfect game piece picked out for our ‘Finer Things” segment that truly reflects the love of Valentine’s Day.”

He would not tell us what that piece was. Aside from a handful of surprises, the season will begin with a new segment answering viewer mail.

“This is likely to be my favorite part of the show,” said Bob MacWordell. “It is funny how quickly this segment came about after our producer got his first bit of mail. I’ve been trying to tell him. I have already been getting thousands of e-mails every day, though most are for wool restoration.”

It is suspected that Bob might have exaggerated, but his enthusiasm for this new segment is genuine.

New episodes of The Bob & Angus Show can be seen every Thursday from the Mayfair Games YouTube Channel, PulpGamer.com, or directly from MayfairGames.com.

ABC article on clever family games features Settlers of Catan

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

In a recent parenting article on abc's website, author David Murphy discusses fun winter time activities for snowbound kids.

Instead of letting them vegetate in front of TV shows and video games, he recommends instead giving them a fun board game to pass the time. He especially recommends everyone's favorite hexagonal settling simulation, better known as the Settlers of Catan™!

The entire article is a fun, entertaining and informative read and there's also a video, so I recommend everyone go check it out today!

Why Play 1830 Northeast US

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

“A man who has never gone to school can steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.” Theodore Roosevelt

When it comes to games, players have strong opinions on just how much luck they like in their play. Even from the earliest board games there have been games with a heavy luck component (Backgammon) and games that are pure strategy (chess).

Players who prefer pure strategy games want to win or lose based on their decisions, without any intervention from lady luck working for or against them. If a knight enters a space with a pawn, knight takes pawn, every time. The random element in the game comes not from the whimsy of dice rolls but from your human opponent, working against you with all her cunning and skill. This is the allure of pure strategy games.

1830 Northeast US^TM, designed by Francis Tresham and published by Mayfair Games, is just such a game. The game takes place in the Northeast United States and Southeastern Canada during the early days the railroad. Players assume the roles of railroad robber barons and backstabbing businessmen, each attempting to amass the most wealth by the end of the game by any means possible.

Players buy stock in train companies and, if they own the majority of the stock, they direct the actions of that train company. Through their actions, but managing companies they control but also by buying and selling stock, the value of the player’s companies rises and falls. Stock that is performing well delivers cash dividends and players also want to sell stock at its highest point to collect the most money from it.

So the next time you’re looking for a challenging game of pure strategy, give 1830 Northeast US^TMa try.

1830 Northeast US^TM is designed for 3-6 players, ages 12 and up. Games take between 3 and 4 hours on average.

Settlers of Catan on Big Bang Theory

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

“Big Bang Theory”, the hit television show about four geeks and their waitress neighbor is a fan favorite. The geeks on the show are brilliant physicists and engineers and the show features many of their cool, geek hobbies, such as comics and action figures. In the latest episode, it turns out, Settlers of Catan™ is on the list of hobbies seen in latest episode, “The Speckerman Recurrence”.

In addition to Settlers of Catan™ the geeks also are fans if having 7 marshmallows in their cocoa for good luck; sounds like someone has been burned by the robber one too many times.

Settlers of Catan™ is the bestselling board game published in the U.S. by Mayfair Games, a publisher of fine analog and social games suitable for families and hobbyists. Founded in 1981, Mayfair Games is an Illinois-based corporation making the games of our generation.

Tuesday Review Round-Up

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Hey folks!

We're here with your Tuesday round-up of Mayfair Games reviews from around the web and around the world.

First, we have a 2d6.org review of 1830: Railways and Robber Barons.

They said, "1830 is a classic game for many reasons. When played well, the game is brutally unforgiving; you live and die by your own decisions. With no luck and no hidden information, your losses will haunt you and your victories will grow grander with time."

Next up we have RPGnet's own Shannon Applecline reviewing Test of Fire: Bull Run 1861.

Shannon said, "Test of Fire: Bull Run 1861 is a simplified and polished game that will appeal most to players interesting in trying out the warfare side of gaming. It's simple enough to be accessible, but has enough tactical possibility to allow for enjoyable play."

Check back every Tuesday for more of the latest reviews on Mayfair Games' ever-growing line of fun family, social, analog games.

Settlers of Catan on Wizard World's holiday gift guide

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Wizard World recently released a list of 10 board games that would make great holiday gifts.

Included in this year's list was the Settlers of Catan!

See the complete list here.

What To Do With Your Family This Thanksgiving (Or, Someone Wake Up Uncle Joe)

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

As the holiday season officially draws near, it’s time to think about how we spend time with our family. Some traditions have been with us for years, if not decades: a traditional feast of turkey and holiday football.

Groups of family converge on one house to share a meal and camaraderie. Often families see each other only at such events and need fun and social activities when not feasting or snoozing. Games can support varying groups of players and prove suitable for young and old alike.

Some might wish to play a long game, while others might find themselves with a bit of time between dinner and desert or while enduring an airport layover. We offer a range of games with a wide variety of themes and textures that your gathering should find entertaining.

This holiday, add one of Mayfair’s great games to your festivities and start a new tradition for your gathering. We encourage you to play one of the “games of our generation” and offer some game suggestions for your festive get together:

Le Boomb™! Perfect for gatherings of 3 to 300, this party game can be played at the table while waiting for food or for deciding who has to do the dishes!
Entertaining a larger group? Everyone playing a teen or adult? Try Bacchus’ Banquet™(Eat, Drink and be Wary) and Nuns on the Run™, Family Business™ (because it’s all about the family), Station Master™ (stick it to your friends with trains), Alibi™ (an intriguing family mystery game), Barbarossa™(the game of sculpting and 20 questions combined) and the Catan Dice Game™ (like that dice game “Y_____e”).
Just the two of you for dinner? Try the Rivals for Catan™ and perhaps the newly released Age of Darkness Expansion™: Rivals for Catan is the perfect two-player game for when you just have a little time to kill, with games typically lasting less than an hour. Add our upcoming expansion, Age of Darkness™ for a slightly longer game.
Want to play a game that tells the story of Thanksgiving’s pilgrims? Try Settlers of Catan™ or Settlers of America™. It’s the story of us and what could be more appropriate on Thanksgiving than these wondrous games about the real settlers.

Any way you choose, play a game with someone this weekend and have a great holiday!

Why Play Struggle for Catan

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

“Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her: but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game.” Voltaire

Settlers of Catan^TM is one of the greatest games of all time, a true modern classic. Still, there are times in our lives where finding enough time, space and players to play the full game would be tough: during a lunch break at work or waiting at the airport when a flight is delayed. At times like these, The Struggle for Catan^TM is the perfect choice to get your Catan fix in less time and space than the traditional game we all know and love.

The Struggle for Catan^TM is designed by the creator of Catan, Klaus Teuber and published by Mayfair Games. The game is a fast-paced card game based on the original Settlers and requires much less time and space than the full game, with games lasting from 45 minutes to an hour.

The gameplay in The Struggle for Catan^TM is instantly recognizable to fans of the classic board game. Players collect resource cards, which they spend to build roads, knights, settlements, cities and city improvements. Each card successfully built adds to the player’s victory point total and the first player to reach 10 total victory points is the winner.

So the next time you find yourself with a bit of time to kill, spend that time in Catan faster and easier than ever with The Struggle for Catan^TM.

Struggle for Catan requires 2-4 players and is designed for players ages 10 and older.

Why Play Nuns on the Run

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

“Hearing nuns’ confessions is like being stoned to death with popcorn.” Fulton J. Sheen

Entertaining during the holidays can be tough. Families converge from across the country and nieces, nephews and cousins who barely know each other have to find something to do while their parents cook, socialize and watch football. During the day outside play is a good option if the weather is good but there’s that time between dinner and bed that is usually filled with TV or video games for the kids. But what if there was a fun, social game the kids could play instead?

Enter Nuns on the Run^TM, the cute game of nuns vs. novices published by Mayfair Games and designed by Fréderic Moyersoen. In the game each novice has a secret wish she must fulfill while the nuns have only one goal- keep those naughty novices in their rooms!

Each night the novices are lured out of their rooms in the spooky, mysterious abbey by a secret wish, such as a letter from her mother, some brandy or a cake for the abbess’ birthday. While the novices sneak toward their secret wish, the vigilant nuns patrol the abbey on pre-assigned routes.

The gameplay in Nuns on the Run^TM is simple: players either select a movement speed (sneaking, walking or running) or they stand still. Though faster movement gets them to their destination quicker, it also makes noise which can attract the interest of the patrolling nuns.

Because the game is so simple, it can be played by a wide age range (10 and up) and can support groups of varying size, from as few as two to as large as eight. The game is quick and takes about an hour to play.

So this holiday season when you’re preparing for your guests, don’t just get food and drinks, pick up a copy of Nuns on the Run^TM from a friendly, local game store near you and enjoy the sound of laughing kids while the adults get reacquainted!

Mayfair Games and Academy Games part ways

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Upon completion of the initial shipping of Fog of War – Strike of the Eagle^TM, Mayfair Games and Academy Games will part ways.

Going forward, Academy games shall bring publishing, distribution and warehousing in house.

All requests for sales, parts or product support related to Academy Games should be directed to Academy Games Office (419) 307-2115.

Mayfair Games wishes Academy Games and Uwe Eickert all the best in their future endeavors.

Why Play Settlers of America

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” William Butler Yeats

“I love the smell of railroads in the morning. Smells like victory.” Bob MacWordell

In an earlier post, we discussed exploring different times and places through board games. Almost since it was completed, the settlement of the American west has captured imaginations around the world, beginning with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show and continuing to the present day.

This fascination with the westward expansion of America, combined with the classic gameplay of Settlers of Catan^TM is what makes Settlers of America^TM such a compelling blend of history and strategy.

Like Test of Fire^TM (discussed previously), Settlers of America includes an Almanac at the end of its rulebook, giving players a glimpse at the history behind the gameplay. Settlers of America uses the same tile structure as Settlers of Catan but the placement of tiles and resources is fixed to model the growing United States. Players learn the nation’s geography as they play and watch cities grow to life, fed by settlers in their westward migration.

In Settlers of America, players begin in the settled east and form wagon trains, sending their settlers into the western frontier to found new cities. Over time they build railroads to connect these cities and earn gold. Striking out for new territory and founding settlements is important as the resources available from the east dwindle as the game goes on.

Everything about Settlers of America is themed to recall the days of the nation’s westward expansion, from its resources to the importance of the railroad. The resources in the game are longhorn cattle, grain, lumber, ore and coal. These resources are used in various ways: grain allows you to move settlers west; coal allows you to move your trains on tracks you’ve built and so forth.

The game is extremely cooperative, perhaps even more so than traditional Settlers of Catan because players win the game by trading their resources to other players’ cities. This encourages trade between players as you need your fellow players to build cities you can trade to. Also, if another player has built an extensive rail network you can spend gold to move your trains along their tracks.

In short, players can learn about the settlement of the American west by facing the same choices as those settlers and along the way balance competition and cooperation in their quest to dominate the frontier.

Why Play Automobile

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500

“I will build a car for the great multitude.” Henry Ford

Sometimes when we set down to play we want a challenging, thought-provoking game, one that will push us to plan and maximize every turn, agonizing over the slightest mistake. Automobile^TM, published by Mayfair Games and designed by Martin Wallace, is the perfect game for those times.

In Automobile^TM you assume the role of one of the great modern moguls that built the car from a humorous curiosity into a worldwide industry. The game provides a detailed economic simulation and requires the player to focus on research and development, production, sales, advertising and efficiency. To be successful a player must balance their efforts as even a single deficiency can cause the player to fall behind. For example, a player who floods the market with cars because she focused on maximum production at the expense of sales might find her profits dragged down by all those unsold cars at the end of her turn.

The game’s board is a colorful play space featuring pictures of the six great car moguls featured in the game as well as vivid depictions of classic car models players will be producing and selling. In addition to providing an attractive space to play the board features high functionality and helps players keep track of their factories, profits and losses as they move through the game’s eras, from the birth of the automobile industry in 1896 through the end of the game in 1930.

The game features six playable characters and each has advantages and disadvantages to help the player achieve their goals in the game. The characters available are: Henry Ford, Charles Kettering, Alfred P. Sloan, Charles Howard, Billy Durant and Walter Chrysler. Henry Ford is the king of production and can build more factories than any other character. Charles Kettering is an innovator and starts the game with a large advantage in research and development. Alfred P. Sloan is a master of efficiency and discards loss cubes rather than paying cash to get rid of them. Charles Howard is a master salesman and will always have an advantage selling cars over other characters. Billy Durant is a balanced character who gains some production advantages and some efficiency advantages. Walter Chrysler is another balanced character who balances strong R&D with efficiency.

As you can see there’s a lot going on in Automobile^TM but don’t let the game’s complexity put you off. Like most challenging games, the reward is greater so think about Martin Wallace’s modern economic masterpiece the next time you’re looking to really get your brain juices flowing.

Automobile^TM is designed for 3-5 players, ages 13 and up. Games take anywhere from 90 minutes to two hours.

White Water release date announced!

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500

White Water will have a street date of February 16, 2012.

Danger and excitement lurk around every bend of the river in White Water^TM.

Race down a deadly river carefully navigate your rafts through the

obstacles, trying to keep your paddles and your crew inside the raft.

In the game White Water^TM each player directs the actions of four courageous

rafters. Each raft in the race contains four crew,, with two crew from you

and two from another player. Players control the crew within a raft, but

also may use Energy cards to additionally help one raft or the other.

Dice represent the effects of hazards you encounter, and even your best-laid

plans can be spoiled by another raft pushing you a direction you don't want

to go.

Run^TM, Bacchus’ Banquet^TM, White Water^TM is the game where players ride the rapids and earn points

for getting their rafts and passengers home safely, navigating through

treacherous waters including rocks, driftwood and the dreaded whirlpool!

Product Contains:

Rules

14 Victory markers

12 Overboard markers

6 Paddle markers

9 River boards

. 1 start board

. 8 river boards

12 raft tiles

24 Action cards

18 Energy cards

6 Rafts

3 dice (blue, red, black

MFG4129 White Water^TM $35.00

Ages 10+

For 3-4 players

Playing time 30-60+ minutes

UPC 0-29877-04129-9-03500

ISBN 1-56905-263-8

Case Pack: 6

Designer: Frederic Moyersoen

Artists: Patricia Raubo

Made in the U.S.A.

Product Dimensions 2.625" x 10.875" x 7.5625

Catan: OilspringsTM illustrates difficulties in managing resources- Catan style

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Later this year settlers around the world will experience new challenges and opportunities as they explore Catan thanks to Catan: Oilsprings^TM. The scenario will debut October 19^th as a PDF and in the fourth quarter of this year as a published expansion. Mayfair Games and Catan GmbH developed this scenario in association with the World Watch Foundation. The scenario is at press now and will be published and distributed worldwide by Mayfair Games; Kosmos will distribute in Germany.

In Catan: Oilsprings^TM settlers arriving on Catan will cry Eureka! as they discover black gold on the island for the first time. This resource brings great opportunity but also danger to the intrepid settlers as they make their mark on the island, claiming it for their own.

First the good news: oil can increase resource yields and allow a settlement to grow much faster than normal. The bad news is that players need to monitor the damage their oil use does to the environment and will eventually have to contend with global climate devastation which can result in all players losing the game!

The scenario brings home the challenges and opportunities of the current global economy to players while adding more fun and complexity to the Catan experience they know and love. So please, join us later this year in searching for the Catan Oilsprings because there’s black gold in the Catanian hills!

Asmodee, Mayfair, Klaus Teuber and Kosmos team up for charity

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Mayfair Games is happy for the honor paid to Klaus Teuber with the creation of a 7 Wonders™ promo piece created to raise money for charity. Repos Production has produced a mini-expansion for 7 Wonders™ that pays homage to the Settlers of Catan™ and its designer. All funds collected from sale of the expansion being donated to Aktion Deutschland Hilft.

Repos Production and Kosmos, GmbH will be selling this expansion at the Essen Spiel and following

Kosmos has reached an agreement with BoardGameGeek, who will sell all copies that remain after Essen.

Mayfair Games Designer Signing Schedule for Essen Spiel!

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Mayfair Games is proud to announce that their booth at the Essen Spiel Fest will feature ten designers signing and discussing their games over the course of the four-day show! This will be a unique opportunity for fans of our games to meet with, and get signed copies of, their games!

THURSDAY

Noon: Chris Baylis - Station Master

2 pm: Stefan Risthaus - Ostia, Monuments (Stefan will be distributing a free mini-expansion for Monuments!)

4 pm: Michael Rieneck - Pillars of the Earth (co-designer), World Without End (co-designer), Witch of Salem, Lemming Mafia

FRIDAY

Noon: Frederic Moyersoen - Bacchus' Banquet, Nuns on the Run

2 pm: Jean Vanaise - Horus, Le Booomb

4 pm: Klaus Teuber - Catan, Barbarossa, Entdecker, Oceania, Domaine, Wacky Wacky West, Anno 1503

SATURDAY

Noon: Leo Colovini - The Dutch Golden Age, Atlantis (Leo will have a free mini-expansion for Atlantis!)

3 pm: Martin Wallace - London, Steam, Automobile, A Few Acres of Snow, La Strada, Toledo, Test of Fire, Discworld: Ankh-Morpork, Age of Industry

4 pm: Heinrich Glumpler - Ablaze

SUNDAY

Noon: Larry Roznai - Empire Builder Design Team (Nippon Rails and others)

Please make plans now to stop by our booth in Hall 9 - ### and meet some our our favorite designers!

Why Play Test of Fire- First Bull Run 1861

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500

“Education is all a matter of building bridges.” Ralph Ellison

“Building roads is all a matter of sheep and bricks.” Bob MacWordell

Why play? Perhaps, the primary reason is to have fun and enjoy ourselves, but games also offer us an opportunity to learn. Games expose us and our friends to new ideas, new people and fresh perspectives on the world.

Games help us explore history. Our minds love to explore and games can transport us anywhere, anytime through the stimulation of our imagination.

A marvelous example of this idea is Mayfair Games’ newest release: Test of Fire^TM. This game offers all the fun and excitement one could want but also offers more. The rules themselves provide a narrative giving a brief introduction to the course of the battle, which was the first major land battle of the American Civil War.

Our analog games are social and interactive, providing instruction beyond the written word. The game’s map contains some detailed information about the region, including storied locations such as Henry House Hill and the Stone Bridge. The map allows players to get a sense of the battle and imagine the grand historic events unfolding.

For those longing to experience the challenge of army command in battle, Test of Fire’s order system and many of its cards provide the experience and frustrations of command in an era before radio and telephone; a time when orders had to be delivered by hand through the chaos of the battle.

In Test of Fire, movement and attack are determined by the opportunities of the game system, leading to situations where a unit is within range but maddeningly cannot be attacked. Likewise a unit under fire might not be provided the opportunity to retreat for several turns, jeopardizing the unit’s survival.

In the future, we’ll be discussing other games that can spark an interest in history as well as games that can teach other skills, so look for more regular updates in the future!

Learn more about Test of Fire here.

Settlers of Catan plus Meetup.com equals International Catan Day!

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Catanians from around the world unite!

Players the world over know that Settlers of Catan is the most fun you can have with a hexagon. Well now is your chance to swap stories and meet Catanians from every corner of Earth on International Catan Day!

On November 15^th, 2011 meetup.com will host International Catan Day. Meet up with settlers from around the world to share photos, thoughts and memories. Prizes will be awarded to the top meetup groups!

Visit meetup.com/catan-day for more information.

Nippon Rails Coming Soon!

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Coming soon from Mayfair Games!

Nippon Rails^TM is the railroad building game infused with the can-do spirit of Japan! Your goal is to build the most efficient and profitable rail empire, and it won't just be rival players that stand in your way! You'll also have to contend with Japan's difficult terrain including its great mountains, restrictive coastline and wide rivers.

With its accurate geography, realistically depicting Japan's mountains, plains, rivers and natural resources, Nippon Rails will have you learning and having fun at the same time. Even better, the game's countless variations mean this game can be enjoyed again and again.

So accept the challenge of Nippon Rails and build a railroad empire in the Land of the Rising Sun!