KUPFERKESSEL
CO. (Goldsieber, about $20)
With
the proliferation of games and game designers these days, the effort required to
develop a truly new (and marketable) game mechanic is daunting. Most designers
will blend some tried and true mechanics, perhaps modified in 
some unique way,
to develop a new game. While some of these games will feel exactly like a
mixed-bag of poorly integrated mechanics with a pasted-on theme, occasionally
the recipe will result in an enticing game. In this instance, take a large
portion of set collection from Fossil
(Summer 1998 GA REPORT), mix in an ounce of memory management from
Mamma Mia (Spring 1999 GA REPORT), add a pinch of Knizia-esque scoring, throw in a large pot and stir
with a clever movement system. What you’ll come up with is Kupferkessel
Co. (Copper Kettle Company), one of two new games introduced at Essen 2001 by Gunter
Burkhardt. The contestants in this 2-player game by Goldsieber Spiele are magic
wielders attempting to purchase the best ingredients to give their potions the
highest strength.
The game
comes with the following components:
56 ingredient cards (14 different ingredients in 7 colors
with values 1 to 4),
4 corner
cards for the tableau,
2
scoring summary cards,
13
prescription cards (used in the variant game),
2 player
figures and a rule
book.
To start
the basic game, the 56 ingredient cards are shuffled and 32 are laid out to form
a tableau of cards 6 x 6 in size, with the four corners left free for the corner
cards. The remaining cards form a draw pile. The corner cards must be placed so
the two starting positions are diagonally opposite one another. The two player
figures are placed beside the corner cards showing their color figure.
The goal
of the game is to collect as many complete or nearly complete sets of
ingredients in your Magic Kettle as possible. Since only the topmost card of
your Kettle is visible you must (try to!) remember what you’ve collected so
far. As can be seen by the scoring rules below, some ingredients can really ruin
your potion and reduce your score if you’re not careful.
Each
player draws one card from the draw pile and places it face up in front of him
to start his Magic Kettle. If this card shows a black or white background, it is
placed on the bottom of the draw pile and another card is taken. Repeat until a
card with a color other then black or white is drawn. The player with the white
pawn moves first.
On his
turn, the player moves his pawn around the outside of the tableau. The number of
spaces (from 1 to 4) the pawn moves is determined by the current card on the top
of the player’s Kettle. Only one pawn may land or stop next to each card so,
if a space is occupied by the opposing player’s pawn, it is skipped over
without being counted. Once movement is completed, the player must take a card of
the row on which he landed. If the player’s pawn ends on a corner card, his
turn ends without any other action. The removed ingredient card is placed on the
top of the player’s Kettle, completely covering all others so it is the only
card visible.
Two
ingredient cards have special abilities – the Magic Hat & Wand and the
Exploding Kettle. If the player takes a card with the Magic Hat & Wand the
player immediately gets another turn. Only one extra turn per turn is allowed,
so a second Magic Hat & Wand would have no effect this turn. The Exploding
Kettle forces your opponent to remove the top card from his Magic Kettle and
place it at the bottom of the draw pile (except for the starting card). If the
draw pile has been exhausted the card is removed from the game, which can be
particularly nasty late in the game if the card completes a set!
Once a
player has completed his turn, the empty space in the tableau is filled with the
next card from the draw pile, if there is one. Once the draw pile is exhausted,
gaps will begin to appear in the tableau. The game ends when a player takes the
last card in a row, which he has the option of placing on his Kettle or simply
discarding.
Now each
player checks the ingredients in their Kettle to determine who concocted the
more potent potion. The cards are sorted into ingredients of the same type and
are scored as follows :
Single ingredients score minus the value of the card (-1 to –4)
Two of
an ingredient scores nothing
Three of
an ingredient scores the sum of the values of the cards
Four of
an ingredient scores the sum of the values plus a 5 point bonus
The
point values of the ingredients in the players’ color (white or black)
score
double (but not any bonus)
The
player with the most 1 value ingredient cards scores a 5 point bonus
The player
with the highest score wins!
The recipe
cards are used in the variant game to give the players extra bonuses for
completing additional goals. The 13 recipe cards are shuffled and each player is
dealt two, which are kept hidden from the other player. If either recipe is
fulfilled the player receives additional points; there are no deductions if the
recipes are not filled.
With few
rules and quick play time (20 to 30 minutes) the game is a delight to play.
There always seems to be a choice between choosing an ingredient to improve your
potion, or taking one to prevent your opponent from getting it. Even though it
may result in a negative score for you, it may outweigh the benefit to your
opponent, especially if it would be the fourth card in the set. Having your next
move based on the top card of Kettle also gives you the ability to mess with
your opponents plans by taking an Exploding Kettle card. A nicely planned move
suddenly becomes a move onto a corner card, resulting in nothing. A
particularly nasty setup is to position your pawn just ahead of your opponent,
when he’s on a corner and has a 4 value card on top of his Kettle. Since he
has to skip your pawn, he ends up on another corner! As long as you can get onto
the side ahead of him, you’ll get ingredients while he gets nothing (except
very mad at you!). - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- Ward Ahders
