Coimbra Review - The Broken Meeple
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- čas přidán 7. 09. 2024
- Coimbra introduces an innovative new dice mechanism in which the dice players draft each round are used in multiple different ways and have an impact on many aspects of their decision making. While there are many paths to victory, players should always seek to optimize their opportunities with every roll of the dice. Combined with ever-changing synergies of the citizens, expeditions, and monasteries, no two games of Coimbra will ever be the same!
Will the dice and card mechanics be enough to get over the fact that the theme is classic "lazy Euro style"?
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Credit to BGG & Scott King for imagery.
Credit to www.freesfx.co.uk for use of music/sound
Credit goes to DeeeJeyy on CZcams for the funky Star Wars theme remix.
Another in-depth, incisive, entertaining, thoughtful and thought-provoking review. So much work has clearly gone into this review and it is so helpful to aid in deciding on a purchase. Profound thanks for all the effort Luke!
Thank you so much! 😃👍
I’ve played Coimbra three times so far and the dual use of the dice color weighted against the pips and their cost has by far been the most interesting mechanic of the game. So many tough decisions! I thought your comparison to Rajas of the Ganges was pretty accurate in that regard. The iconography is a bit of a bear but I find that barrier has lessened with each play. I’ve really enjoyed Coimbra thus far and look forward to more plays. Thanks for the review Luke!
I have only seen the intro but that definitely merits a like. :D
Also, I'm playing Coimbra tomorrow at our board game night.
Thanks so much for the excellent and thorough review. This is the best one I've seen for this game.
Great review. Thank you for the honesty. I was on the fence. I backed the Artemis Project. A lot similar mechanics but deeper game. I would have got to play it only a few times until Artemis comes out. Saved my money on it only to spend it on another. Great Job.
I'm sooooo tired of games with tracks. Don't need another. Thanks Luke!
Euro games are fundamentally puzzles with interlocking mechanisms. Understanding the puzzle and identifying the most efficient solution is the name of the game. So, while the “theme” is somewhat arbitrary, it is surely better to have some engaging artwork where you move a priest to a monsastry rather than a black chit to a red square. Otherwise we can all go play abstract strategy games. So don’t get all het up over the issue of theme. It’s ultimately better than none at all. I think you will find most Euro fans are not losing sleep over the lack of realistic theme
Agreed!
One dice placement creates multiple actions though. And investing in an expedition is an action. I really liked it.
I love this game and it keeps better and better every time I play it. To me it using all the cards it perfect because you can plan a strategy around specific cards knowing that at some point they are going to show up. We played a 4 player game 3 days ago and it lasted 1:45.
Yes its only 12 decisions but those decisions combo very well into other actions and moves. The fact that anybody can get to a monastery or end game card kind of neutralises any ‘overpowered’ ones in my view.
Yeah but then the game basically is saying "you MUST get this tile or card or else you will not win" - that's not good for new players.
And they combo off but 12 decisions for 2 hours all means a lot of the game time is admin/setup.
The Broken Meeple fair point but I’ve never had it run over an hour and a half even with four. I guess each decision feels meatier due to the amount that can happen. Also really, decisions are multi faceted. Not just by colour of dice and pops but by card choice and the neat first player system. Often you are making secondary decisions based on what is left if you see what I mean.
I agree with most of your comments though, very solid game, maybe lacking that spark that propels games to greatness.
I am in a quandary. I have Lorenzo and a plan to add Troyes to my collection. Should I purchase Coimbra as well? The mechanics will be similar so I am unsure if I need that much dice games 🤔
No idea if Troyes is any good but can't stand Lorenzo. Coimbra is a decent game overall though and I feel is different enough from something like Lorenzo.
The “only 12 actions” critique seems reductive. It’s like saying you can only do three actions in Scythe, when in fact each action has a multitude of decisions within. Move which units? Produce which hexes? Trade for which two resources? It’s important to note that in this analogy you certainly choose more than 12 actions in a game of Scythe.
Not so, you only have 4different action spaces but you are making a bunch of actions within one game. At least 20-30 rounds and technically each space has two actions on it so that's like potentially 40 different actions you undertake allowing for turns where you can't do the bottom action. Here you literally only do 12 things. No more, no less. I choose 12 dice and take a card/collect income, that's only 12 things I do in a game that takes longer to play sometimes.30 minutes a round technically, that's like 10 minutes per action.
It could be a drunk going to the pub but they called it how it is but a theme is a theme even if it very very light.
Nice review, buddy. I’m playing it on Monday. Are you going to be at the DT retreat by any chance? Hoping we get to hang out again.
I wish! It's a massive trip across the waters. I will be at Essen next week though.
That's a cute intro
He he, thanks I was particularly pleased with this one!
The dark side...🤣
I really like and trust your reviews. But I generally watch a how to play video before watching it. Since you do an overview, maybe make it a bit more detailed and visual. Show the board and components while explaining.
You're watching a very old video though - have you watched anything of the detailed reviews I've done in the last 2 years?
But euros almost always have a pasted on theme .. I think reviewing a euro with pasted on theme should be a neutral criticism… it is to be expected.
If it has any type of plausible theme, that’s a positive. Thanks for the review
Games should make more effort to do right by its theme. Theme makes games easier to teach, more immersive and ultimately more entertaining. When games just paste something up and make no effort to link mechanics to it, it gets mentioned.
Are you suggesting that games like these should not have a theme? should just be released as abstracts with no design on the cards/ board etc and no purpose to actions? Seems even a pasted on theme is better than none at all, especially when the game has some complexity to it. I personally don't want a plain board and cards just explaining what actions I can do where and when, I want some context to what I'm trying to achieve.
Not necessarily. But don't go out of your way to make it sound like a thematic game. Intro blurbs, flavour text etc when it blatantly doesn't matter. And also if you are going to do it, pick an interesting themes and not generic history in some random country.
Which one better: Coimbra or The Voyages of Marco polo?
Coimbra but I'm starting to wane off it and I don't like Polo anyway.