MERCHANTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES Board Game Review & How to Play Overview (Die Händler, Wolfgang Kramer)
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- čas přidán 23. 07. 2024
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Donation payments are processed securely by PayPal, and all proceeds go toward producing better quality content in the future. Every bit helps, even if it buys me a cup of coffee to stay up late and make more videos! I have a passion for finding these undiscovered board games and sharing them with you. We play a ton of games on a daily basis, many of which never make it to my CZcams or Instagram because they're just not worth covering. I try to bring you our best discoveries! Thank you for your support!
EPISODE 40: Budget, Barter, Backstab features an old-school German board game by the great Wolfgang Kramer and Richard Ulrich, designers of El Grande, one of my top ten games of all time. Merchants of the Middle Ages (also known as Die Händler) is one of the meanest and most interactive games I've played. It's an economic pickup & deliver game with cutthroat auctions and negotiation, and it's not for the faint of heart! This game will create enemies at the table, and since the game is entirely player-driven, it will play out vastly differently each game. The rules are simple but the decision space is surprisingly deep, which does lead to some AP and a slow pace overall. This game has been somewhat hit and miss. Although I rate it somewhere around a B minus after 7 plays, I have had some plays that were really fun, others that were a little "meh," and one play in particular that was torturous. Only two gamers in my game group like it at all. The other two hate it, which is understandable. The design is definitely unique, and I think it will appeal to a certain audience for sure! I hope Episode 40 helps you decide if it's right for you! It's definitely worth featuring on this CZcams channel!
RULES CLARIFICATIONS: I forgot to mention that your movement tiles reset after you use each one. Otherwise, no rules clarifications at this time. Comment below with questions!
Please note this is not a full tutorial video. It contains a detailed look at the rules of gameplay, but I encourage you to read the rulebook, especially because it is fairly short and easy to understand.
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Disclaimer: This video is not sponsored. All the games I feature on CZcams are games I freely choose to feature. The opinions shared are always my own and are presented for entertainment purposes only.
Timecodes:
0:00 - Intro
4:00 - Setup & Board Overview
10:03 - Step 1 Buy Goods
12:58 - Step 2 Loading Master
17:11 - Step 3 Moving Wagons
20:34 - Step 4 Price Wheel
22:28 - Step 5 Unload Wagons
24:59 - Step 6 Red Card Auction
26:16 - Step 7 Social Status
28:04 - Round End & Game End
28:55 - Courier & Green Cards
30:00 - Red Investment Cards
32:38 - Discussion & Review
42:38 - Outro & Outlook - Hry
This channel is absolute hell on my wallet. Every game you cover strikes a chord with me. Just picked this one up on eBay. If my wife files for divorce you may get a call from my lawyer.
LOL! Well look at the bright side... if you think this channel is bad for a wallet, try being the one discovering them. I figure I purchase approx 10-20 games for every 1 discovery that's worth featuring 🫣😭 I hear ya though... this hobby is such a rabbit hole!! My goal is to hopefully weed out the bad games and focus on the good ones here, and hopefully that helps people make informed purchases. I really hope you enjoy the game! They don't make 'em like this anymore!! Let me know how you like it!
Oh man!!!!! What an EPIC episode!!!! I can't believe I missed out on this game! 😹 Sounds like PEAK & MAX Fun with the right people! This is not going on my wishlist, straight into cart! 🤣 Really looking forward to your 50th episode! Keep up the fantastic work like always! 😻
I can't believe I missed this one for so long! This is _exactly_ the type of game I love digging for. And you nailed it: it could be an _amazing_ game with the right group. Even our group had a lot of fun with it, but now 2 of them never want to play again 🤣 All things considered, I really like this game design. It is amusing and always makes me smile, even when I'm being thrown to the wolves by my opponents 🤣 Thanks for watching and commenting as always. I hope you enjoy this one! Just know it can be hit and miss, so if you don't like the first play, give it another go and it could be _completely_ different! Let me know what you think of it!
Actually it just arrived yesterday, that was some quick shipping 🤣 Now just need to get it played! Definitely have to play it with the right group and that might take some time 😹
@@boardgameswithb7 best of luck to you! I really hope you can get it to the table soon, and I hope it’s a smash hit!!! 😎
I love auctions and player interaction so this vid will help me finally get this game to the table. Stefen Dorras Intrigue was recently suggested to me and that game rocks! It's also a backstabby negotiation game but much simpler and shorter. Super excited for your top 50 list! I would bet 10 or more of them would overlap my top 50.
Thanks for watching as always! This game is awesome if you like auctions. I really do like it overall, but each play can be hit or miss. Just give it another chance if you happen to get a miss on your first play. It's just a slog sometimes with all the negotiations, and if players have bad AP. Most importantly, do *not* get behind early! I really want to play Intrigue. It's been on my list for a lonnnng time!!
Fantastic presentation of an awesome game!!🔥🔥You capture the essence of the game perfectly. I find the charm of these old games is in the imperfections (i.e. just because every play is not awesome doesn't mean it's a bad game). A lot of old Wallace games are like that and I love them. Keep up the great work!!!
I appreciate the kind words! You nailed it with the imperfections of old games. I've noticed that with a lot of these, and yes, lots of those old Wallace games do feel that way. And I love them! Thanks again for watching!
Thank you so much for this timeous video and teach. This game has been sitting on my shelf, unpunched for at least five years. Thanks to your video, tonight it's getting played at our game night!
That's awesome! So happy I could provide some motivation to get it played. I've been there so many times. A game will sit on my shelf, and then a video will come out and suddenly I am motivated to get it to the table. Very cool!! I hope you all enjoy it (and hopefully no one punches each other 😂😂).
Thank you for the excellent analysis and critique of this old gem. I recently bought a pristine copy of this game on the BGG market for $15 based solely on its design pedigree, and because I love interactive economic games, and now I feel fully redeemed in that decision. I’ll make sure to share this with my gaming group when I introduce it to them, and this just makes me want to play it even more!
That's so awesome!!! I'm happy my video helped! If you like interactive econ games, I think you will _definitely_ enjoy this. Like I said in the video, though, don't take it too seriously. I feel like the game is almost designed to make people mad... but in a funny way. You'll see what I mean! Let me know how you like it!
I realllllly enjoyed watching this episode! The way you talked through all your feelings really helped put me right there at the table with you. I totally got all the ups and downs you were talking about. All things considered I think my game group might actually like this one. We like Container quite a bit and we play other econ games. We also like some cube rails and I personally love a mean interactive game! Fascinating episode! Can’t believe I missed this game!
That is awesome! I am thrilled so many people felt the emotional ride this game took me on just from watching this episode. I would say if your group plays Container and cube rails games, they would like this game just fine!! Thanks for the comment!!
OMG another brilliant game that I have loved for years. Man I would love to sit down and play games with you! Our tastes in games are so damn similar. LOL
That's awesome! Ever since starting this channel, I have found there are _so many_ people out there who love and appreciate these older and lesser-known games like I do. Before putting these videos out, I thought my taste in games was sort of an anomaly. But it's quite the opposite. There are still _plenty_ of gamers out there like us!! It's refreshing.
Awesome channel! Keep these undiscovered gems coming!
So glad you're enjoying the channel! More episodes are in the works! :) :)
Immediately after i watched your Firenze video i went online and found a copy from someone who lived nearby. These are the types of games i want in my collection.
I know exactly what you mean. It took me like 10 years to get to this point, where I now have a _much_ clearer picture of the games I want to own. It's still a rabbit hole, but it's a much more defined and organized rabbit hole!
Smash that like button guys! I got the game in my collection, but not played it yet 🙂
Blood Royale (1987) is an old game which creates _amazing_ interaction (but we play with very simplied rules regarding some parts of the game, and uses agreements with check boxes to save time).
Thanks for the rec on Blood Royale! I haven't played, but I just checked it out and it looks like a great topic for a future episode if I can get a copy! I'll put it on my list for sure! Thanks for watching, and I hope you get to try Merchants soon; it's really a unique game even if you end up hating it haha.
This def does not seem like a game for my family, but I cannot get over how good those wagons are! Def up there in all time awesome game components!
Oh yeah, not for family game night 😂😂 I think those wagons are the single chunkiest game component in my collection. The cathedral pieces from Krieg Und Frieden are a close match, but these take the cake!
Epic chonky wagons!
Epic for sure! They hold the title for chonkiest pieces of any game in my collection.
@undiscovered_games I love it. But...as cool as this game looks, I'm not so sure how it would go over amongst my gamers! Happy you showed it off though!!!
@@eVanDiesel it’s definitely a _very_ group-dependent game that’s for sure!!
You got me dusting off some of my oldies, got this game and Kreta both played today!
Rock on!! That's what I like to hear! I played Kreta today also and got the rare W 😎 It makes me feel good to know these games are getting some well-deserved table time.
Another awesome video! I was thinking of some games I have that no one has heard of. In 2004, I went into a thrift and found UWOs. Unidentified Walking Objects. It's actually pretty terrible, but I can't get rid of it because it's so bizarre. 😅its an Undiscovered Turd.
Undiscovered turd, that's funny! 🤣
UG needs to do a top 5 Undiscovered Turds list just for laughs!
Whoa, I love this idea.... I have tried _so_ many games that don't make it to my CZcams. I sometimes feature them over on my Instagram, but then there are others that aren't even worth covering. I'm going to think about this for awhile. I'll definitely give you guys a shoutout if I make that episode!!
@@undiscovered_games That would rule.
Lol this is an amazing idea. Please make this! 😂
Wow, this was an incredible review of a game I knew nothing about. I feel like I had gone on that ride of highs and lows with you just from your video. Not being a big fan of pick up and deliver, I was finding myself growing more and more interested in it as you explained the game play, then dropped down as you explained why it has a love/hate relationship for you. This seems ripe for a more modernized new edition. It definitely has some of that borrowed mechanic from previous games vibe, like the wheels from El Grande, but also the auction system from the Princes of Florence for the red cards...except one player gets nothing in this game. I had seen it listed on Amazon not too long ago from a 3rd party seller, but quite pricey.
One thing I have to say is, I've been recently liking games that have a strict procedural round system like this one. After playing Hadara, Constantinopolis and Pillars of the Earth, I find these systems great for getting into the games quickly and making them easier to to teach.
Can't wait to see the next game you have in store for us!
Thanks for the thoughtful comment! I'm glad that my roller coaster of emotions came through in the video, because that's exactly how I feel playing this game. I, too, have never been _too_ into pickup & deliver games (with the exception of Age of Steam), but I do find this one fascinating in it's own way. I completely agree with you about the procedural round structure. It does make the game way easier to teach, and to remember all the rules! I didn't even think about it, but yeah, Constantinopolis was my last video, and then this one (very similar idea with those turn structure charts & going through the step-by-step). Good call on Hadara! That is a great game I used to own but ended up trading it for some reason. You're making me want to play that one again now haha.
Αnother great video!!!Make a top 10 or top 5 of mean games!!!
Thank you! I actually have that _exact_ video in the works!!! Hopefully in the next few episodes :)
I really doubt my game group would like this game and it seems like it could be a bit too clunky for me, but I sure would like to give it a play.
Yes, it is _highly_ group dependent and it's great to know your game group!! I think it would be perfect to play this with a group of players who thoroughly understood the game _but_ could also play without overthinking it or taking it too seriously. That's a hard balance to strike, but it would help speed up the pace a little. With our group, 3 out of 4 of us are prone to AP, so the game really dragged for us most of the time. Still, I can recognize that it would be a _ton_ of fun with the right group. I hope you get to try it sometime! It's worth at least one play even if you hate it 🤣🤣