Hair Brained Games Review Charioteer (GMT Games)

We take a look at this chariot racing game for 2 to 6 players.

* NOTE: You only inflict damage if you use 3 CARDS not 3 symbols. If you use 4 cards (because you used the Fan Card, too) then that is considered Major damage. Thanks to Todd for pointing that out.

** NOTE: On the first turn only, passing rival chariots cost no movement points. That's why the pink horse didn't need to spend an extra movement to pass blue on turn one. Any other turn, it would have.

*** NOTE: Todd also wrote a much better explanation of chariot passing than I explained in my video: "anytime you want to pass another chariot you need to spend movement points to get to the "inside" of that chariot before moving on. If, for example, you were pla game with lots of chariots and 3 of them were ahead of your chariot and those 3 were also 8 in the same space, then you would need to spend one move to move into that space then spend 3 more getting to the "inside" of that space before being able to move forward to the next forward space."

[LordBollocks]

Great stuff, thank you. Sekigahara is the other game the designer Matt Calkins is known for, which is also amazing.

[NoEnemiesHere]

Timy, that was great! I needed this as I am going to be interviewing Matt Calkins very soon. Cheers

[keithshapley]

Excellent explanation of the game. Looking forward to get my UK delivery in Jan.

[markpatoka]

Great review. I just rec'd my copy and we're hoping to play it with casual gamers over Thanksgiving. Also glad to hear you liked it with 2 players.

[borigodofo]

Thanks for the review and honest insights.

[bgm-]

Given how 'Heat: Pedal to the Metal" also uses cards and hand management as the basis for its strategy, I wonder how the two games compare?

[rockhopper]

I didn’t P500 this. However, your point about viability at 2 players might just hook me. The racing games we have (Thunder Alley, Grand Prix, Apocalypse Road, Flamme Rouge) are fun with enough people, but not for just 2 of us.

[Eurodance_Groove]

I didn't understand the way colours and numbers or icons add up to form the number of spaces you will move the very turn you are playing ... May you explain me better that point?

[rbaynosa]

have you played heat? do you prefer this or heat?

[xWilcoXx]

I found this game to be too random with quirky rules that don't thematically make sense to me. People were often not taking their turns correctly often missing bonus moves or penalties.

There is better in the genre. Take it or leave it for me. I certainly wouldn't pay asking price for this one.

[Tombonzo]

Thanks Tim! Ok, we’ll now I know how this compares to Chariots of Rome by VPG. Harder to come by it is, but it’s a hoot. Have you played it?

[martinhoffmann]

Liked your how-to-play demonstration, but the camera movement made me want to toss my cookies. I felt like I was playing a first-person shooter, and first-person shooters make me nauseous.

[shatnershairpiece]

This game costs $80? That is absolute gouging for what you’re getting. This is ridiculously simple. They could have at least put some effort into the art design. What’s with that board? You can get a game like long shot for a third of the price, and have a better time with better artwork. I don’t understand GMT sometimes. On one hand they make these over complex games that no normal person can play or wants to play, and then they put out something overly simple like this which is the polar opposite. The price doesn’t change. You seem to like this game but based on what I saw here it looks incredibly boring, gameplay and artwork, as well as way overpriced. Sorry, dude, if your goal is to sell this game, you need to put some work into your presentation. You are not doing GMT any favours. I was on the fence until I saw this video and now I definitely won’t buy it.