Flamme Rouge

I needed something quick and easy to occupy my mind over the weekend, and as I was pondering what game it would be I saw a nice post about Flamme Rouge on Twitter, so decided that would be my distraction.

The post I saw involved a three-player game, and I thought that would be fun to try. Ever since I got Peloton I have been playing with six teams, and whilst it's fun it does make for a full board. I fancied the challenge of races with just three teams, where there's more danger of getting left behind but, with a more open field, more chance of picking up a slipstream.

Anyway, I played the Pink team, ran the Blues as a muscle bot and White as Peloton team. I played several games on different courses, but this was the first. 

The start.

And the course. It's one of the ones from the game and normally has two cobblestone sections, but I swapped one out and replaced it with a set of ascents and descents before the sprint finish.

The opening moves were fairly cautious, with no team risking a fast run into the lead.

Into the cobbles and I was at the back. In a game with more players this is often fatal, as you either have to slow down or risk losing movement from your cards through being blocked in the narrow sections. However with just three teams the cobbles were a challenge but not too horrible.

Rather than get caught at the back, unable to slipstream, I allowed my sprinteur a burst and he pushed to the front of the pack.

He then burned out, drawing an hand of 2's, and Blue and White took the lead. I did get my team back together though.

Blue's sprinteur had got left behind in the cobblestones and was now trailing badly. The rest of us pushed through a refreshing supply zone and towards the ascents.

Careful positioning makes these ascents less troublesome than you look, since there are descents as well, and if you bounce from one to the other you can roller-coaster your way through on fairly low cards. Blue's rouleur was maintaining a strong lead, but I'd pushed both or my riders ahead of White. Now all I had to do was hope that the cards I'd preserved in my deck would give me the epic sprint finish I needed.

Looking good - my sprinteur edged ahead of Blue as we approached the line.

And both of my riders flew over the line to take first and second place, with blue trailing in third.

It was an exciting race and with only two other teams you really have to manage your positioning carefully. I've played several other games and they've all been tense and exciting. And also quick! 

52 Games - Game 48