23rd January - Canal Mania

On the table tonight was Canal Mania, we had played once before with 5 players, tonight we were only four. I really like this game, all be it another track/road/underground laying game. I like the way you have to choose contracts so you are restricted to build from a specific location to another. Richard and Steve quickly started excavating their canals in the centre of the map, I built Manchester to Stoke and then opted for long route from Manchester to Goole, in the end this slowed down the expansion of my network somewhat. I think that using the engineers more can make the game easier, a thing I keep forgetting to do. The efficient expansion of your network does depend to a certain extent on which contracts are turned up, sometimes you just can't make them link up, also taking cards with the right colour goods cubes that benefit you the best is important.



Garry had completed 6 contracts by the end of the game earning the 10 point bonus for most prolific builder, but 4 of these were small and 2 I think were isolated from the rest of his network, I had a good run from Stoke through Manchester to Goole, but couldn't expand it anymore as the right contracts didn't come up until right at the last. I managed to build a reasonable link from London to Nottingham on which I managed to ship a few cubes. In the end Richard's and Steve's network in the centre of the board was able to ship a goodly number of goods to get them to 1st and 2nd places.


Final Board Position

Final Scores
Richard 77, Steve 72, Colin 67, Garry 65