Merv: The Heart of the Silk Road | Rahdo's Final Thoughts

A video outlining gameplay for the boardgame Merv: The Heart of the Silk Road.

Part I: Gameplay Runthrough

Part II: Final Thoughts

[WeAreIndividuals]

I'm designing my own game. It's worker placement with only positive player interaction. Most spaces you go on you can decide how much you can power up other spaces that will most likely help your opponents more than yourself, but the more you help other players the more victory points you will end up earning.

[benfoster]

I got a Wil Weaton board game explanation ad before this video and I thought for a second he became a part of Rahdo! Lol

[juanjosemarcos]

Just tried it today and was already amazed by second turn. The turn order mechanism is great. And the O'Toole's art just makes it excellent.

[jaypob]

Looks fantastic and am excited to pick it up. Has a sort of Lisboa vibe to it.

[pauldiamond]

You're always so excited 😆 I love it

[TorIverWilhelmsen]

I see Osprey are doing their regular "excellent production values" trope. :)

[boardgamefangirl]

Richard--I dig your shirt. Also, this looks like a good one. This goes on my Christmas wishlist except pre-orders are sold out. Sigh. I'll get it eventually.

[ConsoleCowboy]

Richard, you mention in the video that it is only your number 2 this year. What was number 1?

[victorybhg]

great looking game, dig the embarrassment of riches mechanism at player interaction and using unique worker blocking area majority mechanism, the designer is innovative in the mid weight euro games and hope grows in using similar ideas in the future, seems different than more confrontational approach, ie diff between chess and go

[hudeduge]

It was like walking a tight rope on whether this was for me or not but I landed on a pass. A top design but for my tastes the action selection just came across a little abstract in building up your chains ( the best place to go always seemed too obvious for me or to my tastes, an uninteresting decision). And then the unnamed or unthemed resources just seems to give it a passive feel. I stuck around to see how the Mongols attacked and I felt underwhelmed in how you can just pay them off. Of course you would pay one resource to not lose a building/turn, it felt like it usurped how the guards and walls work (/reduced those avenues to prime influence generators). Finally, the dummy player, whilst well implemented meant that they would always be a target for guarding/walling for the x2 influence, cheapening that decision for 2 players.

Top job to Osprey though, I hope they keep these types of games coming.

[axeludewagner]

What do you think about replayability, it seems to be the same Prozesses each game. So once you figured out a working strategy it's done...

[Slvers]

What games beat this out for Jen's? You said the name so fast I couldn't understand, sorry :D

[josyuen]

I was wondering if you could somehow use the corrupt magistrate used in the solo game in addition to the high courtier in a two player game. Might need some tweaks but that might alleviate the issue with the spice cards being stagnant. I was watching Paul Grogan’s solo play through and that corrupt magistrate gobbled up a lot of those spice cards.

[hanseathl]

Thumbs up for the shirt already but also great summary.

[gerasimos]

Just bought it. I ll have it on my hands around 15th of December. I m intrigued. Richard do you find any similarities to gugong? I mean wall building decrees exchange, county caravan taxes etc?

[sudline]

Wow! I've been watching you for many years and did not think you would like this one. It seems like in every move for all 3 players there was so much consideration for how to "block" my opponent. Much like you I'm a 2-player only carebear spouse gamer. I absolutely love the game design here but I had serious questions if this would work for my wife and I with the constant blocking at every turn. Whoa! And I just finished listening to your December roundup and it's your top game of the month! I guess I need to take a 2nd look at this game.

[deepdivemusicreactions]

already preorder it. can't wait to play it. I love Lopiano's games. Calimala is great, you should revisit it.

[jimpaek]

So many good euros this year, between this, Praga Caput Regni, Tawantinsuyu, Viscounts, Raiders of Scythia, Bonfire... my wallet hurts

[danieldavalos]

First things first: I love your T-shirt.

[deepdivemusicreactions]

@rahdo we played Merv a few times now in 3 players.
we find it too easy, no challenge what so ever. we have a feeling everything should have been more expensive to achieve/build.
anyhow, really dissapointed and confused where's the buzz. makes me wonder if most of the BGG ratings come from people who are not in the hobby for a long time.