Based on the Youtube-hosted “Tabletop,” gameplay, we acquired “Sheriff of Nottingham” this weekend, and good timing it was, since the ice storm kept us at home Sunday and Monday.
It’s basically a social bluffing game: as merchants, you declare goods you’re bringing in past the Sheriff, who can decide to inspect your parcels or let you pass. If the Sheriff inspects a load containing only legitimate goods, he must pay a fine to the honest merchant. If the load contains contraband, he gets to fine the merchant and the goods are disposed of. The game is won by accumulating the most valuable goods and most money, with the contraband goods being worth significantly more than the legit stuff.
The role of the Sheriff moves from player to player, so each player acts as both merchants and Sheriff as the game progresses.
The great social aspect of the game is the bribery: you are permitted to offer a bribe to the Sheriff if he’ll forgo inspection of your bag. That’s more money for the Sheriff, but since it also allows the merchant to get wealthier, it’s a tough call to make, especially since the decision to inspect can COST the Sheriff money if the merchant has only legitimate goods. Bribes can also be (unenforceable) promises of future favors, or (enforceable) promises of a cut of the legal goods in the bag.
It’s a really fun time, with a chance for every player to ham it up after sneaking a load of crossbows past the Sheriff (“Why, what in the world are THESE doing here?”) Role-playing the Sheriff/merchant interactions is great fun as well. Mrs. Bricker, Bricker Jr. (age 13), and I played and had a blast.