Annotated Games: 3 players

This game was played during game testing of Turn of Time. The testing up to now had been undocumented to test the game mechanisms and ensure that the rules were solid and covered all aspects. The objective of this test was to answer the key question of all games: is it fun?

To test different strategies, the seasons were played as follow:

Spring (green): Strive for one strong group with Spring in both adjacent areas to replace competitors
Summer (yellow): Strive for two strong groups next to each other and turn back and forth to replace other seasons
Fall (red): Replace or remove as many competitors as possible and take advantage of "holes"

The annotated game continues 3 November.

Starting position

Spring 1, Summer 2, Fall 3

All seasons start by playing tokens to vacant hexagons.

Spring turns 1

Spring turns to build up presence in areas 1 and 2.

Summer turns 2

Summer does similarly for areas 2 and 3.

Fall turns 3

And Fall does similarly for areas 3 and 4.

Spring plays 1

Spring builds a strong presence in area 1.

Summer plays 3

Summer further strengthens areas 2 and 3.

Fall plays 5

Fall fills a gap in area 5.

Spring plays 4

Spring strengthens area 4 with the long-term idea of breaking into area 1.

Summer plays 5

Summer sees no immediate way to further strengthens areas 2 and 3 and increases presence elsewhere instead.

Fall turns 1

Fall takes the opportunity to remove one competitor from area 4.

Spring turns 1

By turning 1, Spring is only 2 turns from replacing the last opponent from that area.

Summer plays 5

Summer keeps putting her seasons on the board while waiting for attack opportunities.

Fall plays 2

Fall makes an intrusion into area 2. From here, she can attack Summer in area 3.

Spring turns 4

Spring doesn't gain anything but threatens to replace the last opponent tile with another turn.

Summer plays 5

Summer strengthens area 1 and build up for an attack against area 2.

Fall turns all

Fall thwarts Spring's plans by turning all.

The turn replaces 2 Spring with Fall in area 4. Note that Spring doesn't replace Summer in area 3 since there's no Spring there.

Spring turns 1

Spring takes back initiative in area 4 and may still establish dominance here with the help of the Spring in area 5.

Summer turns 1

Summer gets rid of both Spring in area 2.

Fall turns all

... and Fall gets rid of 2 Summer in areas 3 and 5. With that, she has 12 tokens on the board and challenges the other. Now she only needs 2 more tokens to win.