great hang

Arcs: Leaders & Lore, 2024-12-20

winners and losers

After a slow first two chapters for S and I, M seemed dominant. But M started a two-front war. (Or did I open the second front when he attacked S? "He started it." "No he started it!") In any case, chapter three aw S lock in two big wins with Keeper and Empathy, and M as Noble got none of the second-place spoils. In the fourth and final chapter, I roared back with great raids that netted me 15 points. S's counter-raid against me (and his Hidden Bases, which stopped my attempted counter-counter-raid in its tracks) secured a first in Keeper and the victory, his first in Arcs.

learning

I made one major mistake that I know of. (I surely made others! How I led with Initiative in the first chapter was maybe another. And my city-first build strategy maybe was another.) That one I know of--declaring Tyrant, then dangling a Courtier--gifted 5 points to M in chapter 1. Perhaps another was continuing to fight M and not pivoting to attack S in chapter 3.

high points

• an inaugural game on M's new copy of the game
• Five Guys lunch run
• catching up with S in the car
• a beautiful sunny day
• the start of winter break

low points

• a sick kid
• getting glum about bad luck

start

finish