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Annotated Games: Version 0.3, 4 playersThis game was played during game testing of version 0.3 of Iconoclasm. In this version, the spirit tiles survived the external clashes and were only removed from the board in the event of imbalances. The hexes have a color for the element (red=fire, blue=water, white=air, green=earth, black=spirit, gray=imbalance) and a number for the strength (or X for imbalances). If a hex has a temple, the number is underlined and preceded by the first letter of the element (F, W, A, E).
For test purpose, the players follow pre-defined strategies. Fire promotes earth temples, hoping to overtake them after iconoclasms. Water aims at building strong early temples with earth support. Air tries to lose earth tiles early while saving air tiles to last. Earth finally attempts to pair earth tiles and split other element tiles.
Fire starts playing for an earth temple with fire presence in the center while water connects her water tiles with earth. Air also adds earth, hoping that an early iconoclasm will damage her main opponent. Earth ignores the center and builds on a weak multi-colored temple in the lower left.
Fire connects fire and earth tiles with a supporting air tile while water goes all in to create a strong water temple. Air dumps an earth tile in desolated area and earth keeps building on her weak temple with a fire.
Fire is concerned about the strong water temple and connects it with the other prospective temple on the lower board so that they may weaken each other. Water plays her last water and gets help by air, who wants to see the others in early iconoclasms, to complete a water temple. Earth plays an air tile, hoping to see an air temple built and destroyed.
Fire plays earth and builds an air temple to weaken the water temple. The game's first iconoclasm takes place and water wins easily with 10 water + 4 earth vs 4 air without support. The temple is removed together with the air tiles at C2 and D2.
Water plays a spirit tile to start blocking connections to the water temple but air happily plays a connecting water tile. Earth also looks forward to another iconoclasm with other elements and plays fire for a fire temple.
Fire plays spirit and builds an earth temple to destroy the water temple. The 4 water are no match for the 8 earth and 2 fire and both temple and tiles are removed.
Water and air plays passively, waiting for future opportunities. However, this gives earth an opportunity to build a 2nd temple. Fire also has 4 strength in the cult but is opposed by 2 water so the temple goes to earth.
Fire wants to see a water temple at the bottom to compete with the earth temples but water keeps playing passively. Air plays water as support for a future air temple at the top but earth plays another earth to claim the temple.
Fire is compelled to destroy an earth tile to prevent a 3rd earth temple. Water takes little interest in the event and dumps her last fire while air, knowing that water has no water tiles left, plays a 2nd water around her future air temple. Earth tries to build a 3rd temple in the bottom instead with a spirit.
The tactical game is intensified in the upper right corner. Fire plays air for future support to a fire temple. Water complicates matters with an earth with the intention to draw as many other elements as possible into future clashes. Air also expects clashes and prepare a temple closer to the center afterwards. Finally earth enters the competition by once more threatening to build a 3rd temple.
Fire throws down the gauntlet and builds a fire temple. Her first target is the earth temple at D2 (if attacking the other temple first, the connection tile at F5 would have been removed) and wins comfortably with 10 fire + 2 air vs 8 earth. The fire tiles are reduced but still strong enough to beat the 2nd earth temple as well with 5 fire + 2 air vs 6 earth.
When the smoke has cleared, water jumps back into the game with an attempt to build a temple in the upper part but air is faster and builds an air temple. With 8 air and 4 water, the 3 reduced fire tiles stand no chance.
Earth ends the turn with a fire to support a future earth
temple at the lower right.
Fire plays a fire to build an earth temple, knowing that she will take over it after the iconoclasm. Earth wins with 6 earth + 6 fire against 3 air + 6 water but is reduced and loses the temple to the now twice as strong fire.
Water and air tries to use spirits to group their scarce elements while earth decides to build a strong earth temple with fire support. Both earth and fire has 8 strength but the 4 water opposes fire and gives the victory to earth.
Fire builds a temple, hoping that the iconoclasm will isolate it to the end. In spite of 4 water and support from 3 earth, the water temple is destroyed by the 8 fire and 2 air.
Without water left, water can only rely on spirit for a final temple. Air on the other hand has saved her elements and now use them for an air temple. Without support from air, the 4 fire are no match for the 8 air and 2 water.
Earth ends the turn with a vain hope of having a water temple built for a last
turn iconoclasm and take-over.
Fire prepares yet another temple but water, knowing that a fire temple will place her last, sabotages it with an imbalance. Air also places an imbalance to isolate her temple. Earth makes yet another attempt to have a water temple built.
Water's sabotage doesn't prevent fire from building a temple. It's an earth temple but after the iconoclasm against the air temple (a comfortable victory with 4 earth + 4 fire against 3 air), the earth is reduced and the temple taken over by fire.
Water has an interesting trick up her sleeve. By building an air temple, she destroys the fire temple (4 air + 2 water against 2 fire + 3 air) and gives room for a new temple at F5. Since earth supports water against fire, this new temple becomes a water temple.
The new water temple at F5 destroys the air temple with 4 water + 3 earth against 2 air + 2 fire. A most unexpected turn of events. Neither earth, nor air, are able to build any more temples so the victory goes to water! |
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