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Annotated Games: Version 1.4, 4 players
For test purpose, the players follow pre-defined strategies. Fire promotes opponent units, hoping to overtake them after iconoclasms. Earth attempts to pair own matters and split opponent matters. Water aims at building strong early units with opponent support. Air finally tries to have opponent matters removed and own matters left on the board.
Fire starts preparing an Air-Fire unit in the lower left corner. Earth plays an Earth next to an existing Earth. Water tries to incorporate the placed Air into a future Air-Water unit in the lower right. Air plays a Spirit to delay any Air units and instead starts building a unit in the upper right.
Fire turns to the upper right corner and prepares an Earth-Fire unit there. Earth is less happy about that and tries to create a mixed weaker unit in the lower right corner. Water seizes the opportunity to get a strong Water unit there while also blocking the Earth unit with a Spirit. Air starts preparing a Fire unit in the upper left corner to counter the Water unit and have the opposing elements fight each other.
Fire returns to the lower left corner and the continues to prepare an Air-Fire unit. Earth adds a matter to bottom cluster while also building a "Spirit wall" to protect an Earth unit at the top. Water adds a Water to the lower left corner to get support in a clash with a unit there. Air could form a winning Air unit in the lower left but prefers to form an Earth unit in the upper right and let that take the first blow.
Fire connects the Earth and the Water units but first she plays a Fire. We'll soon see why. Earth defeats Water with 4:3 and the 3 Water are removed, of which 1 permanently.
However, the victory replaces 1 Earth with 1 Spirit and leaves the Earth unit with 2 matters each for Earth, Air and Fire. In addition, Fire is supported by Earth while both Air and Earth are supported by Fire so turn order must be used to break the tie. Since it's Fire's turn, the tie is broken in Fire's favor. In addition, the absence of the Water unit paves the way for another Fire unit in the lower center. Fire now has two units and will win if she manages to connect them.
Earth prepares a unit in the upper left corner to clash with a Fire unit before they connect. Water does the same but also try to unite her few remaining matters. Air is forced to complete the unit with 1 Air and 1 Earth, forming an Earth unit. This defeats the Fire unit with 5:4 and removes the immedidate threat of a Fire victory.
Again, we see a unit with 2 matters each of 3 elements (Earth, Air and Fire). Of those, Earth enjoys the support of both the other elements and keeps the unit with 6:4:4. However, it's now weaker than the Fire unit in the bottom center.
Although the Fire unit is stronger than the Earth unit, connecting them connecting them would allow an even stronger unit in the top center. Instead, Fire plays a blocking Spirit and adds an own matter to the strong top cluster. Earth adds an Earth matter to the cluster, threatening to form a second Earth unit there. Water seizes the opportunity to replace a central Spirit with Water and get a strong presence there. Air decides to connect the two units, partly to weaken opponents and partly to decide where to form the central unit.
The Fire unit defeats the Earth unit 5:4 but is reformed to an Earth unit, since Earth has support Air and Fire (6:4:4). However, Air forms a strong Air unit in the top cluster that defeats the Earth unit with 6:4.
With the Earth unit deformed and the bottom center cleared from competing matters, Air plays 1 Air there, threatening to form a second unit there.
The other elements need to play carefully to avoid a 2nd Air unit. Fire reluctantly, fearing that a clash will cost her dearly. Earth is unable to play a Fire so she strengthen her position in the center and set up the sources for Water to form a Fire unit in the bottom center. Note that the last Fire was picked from the supply but the coming clash will return some. The Air unit wins the clash 6:5 but is reformed to an Earth unit.
Air plays an Air and a Fire to form a new Air unit in the lower left corner and easily defeats the Earth unit with 6:3.
Air still has the only unit but Water has managed to gather matters and may soon challenge Air.
Fire completes the strong Water unit herself rather than letting Water form an even stronger one. The Air unit is finally deformed with 5:3 but can the Water unit be deformed before the game ends?
Earth adds more matters to her few central ones, hoping to form something there after the next clash. She also secures Water support by dropping a matter in the Water source but place the Water matter far away from the central events. Water decides to form a Fire unit while she's still strong enough to win a clash (5:4).
Water prevents Earth from taking over the unit only thanks to the turn order tie break (2:2 with mutual support). Air starts forming an Earth unit in the upper left. The game was halted here to start testing version 1.5 instead. |
Annotated games (video)
Annotated games
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This game was played during game testing of version 1.4 of Iconoclasm.
In this version, a Mancala style mechanism determining colors to play and support relations
was introduced.
The hexes have a color for the element
(red=fire, blue=water, white=air, green=earth, black=spirit) and if a hex has an icon,
it's marked with the first letter of the element (F, W, A, E).
