# What Board Games are you playing? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** board-card-word-game\ **Created:** [December 6, 2020, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383 "2020-12-06T14:38:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/282 "2025-05-27T16:39:44Z")
Personally I wouldn’t call Endeavor “worker placement”, yes you place action disks on your team members, but there isn’t a central action placement spot – you have your own private tableau of actions. I was a big fan of the original, and like the new theming (the original was colonization\*) – I did like the “variable set up but no randomness” of the original, but the randomness of this version isn’t too bad for my taste. I like how the deeper tiles are darker. Brian \* it even has explicit slavery – but it can be abolished ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/283 "2025-05-27T17:30:37Z")
Yeah Endeavor Deep Sea is really fun. There is a mini expansion available if you don’t have the deluxe version that adds a few more slightly more complex sea tiles. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/284 "2025-05-27T17:43:25Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > Personally I wouldn’t call Endeavor “worker placement”, yes you place action disks on your team members, but there isn’t a central action placement spot – you have your own private tableau of actions. In the 2024 version I played, you do put one disc on your team member, but for three of the possible action types you put a second disc on a public action to take it. For example, to take the sonar action, you place a disk on your sonar specialist or team leader, but then you have to place a second disc on a shared board (where your submarine is) that shows the sonar action.. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/285 "2025-05-27T17:57:18Z")
True and I guess that is sort of worker placement, but it isn’t one of the 12 mechanisms listed on the BGG entry. Brian ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/286 "2025-05-27T17:58:10Z")
Technically I guess you would call it Action Selection but at the end of the day Worker Placement is just a specific form of Action Selection anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/287 "2025-05-27T18:14:42Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > True and I guess that is sort of worker placement, but it isn’t one of the 12 mechanisms listed on the BGG entry. I mean, the original [gamefound](https://gamefound.com/en/projects/age-of-gaming/endeavor-deep-sea) funding page lists _worker placement_ as one of the mechanisms. In any case, for someone less interested in the definitions, I would put them aside and say that there are actions you can take out on a common board by placing a token on it (enabled by having the appropriate expert where you also spend one of those tokens, although you can get that expert token back). And, since we are crossing definitions, I would also note that the sequencing and decision making actually feel somewhat like hand management, where you have a very specific set of actions available, and are watching very closely what others are doing, and that can influence the path you follow/your order of operations. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/288 "2025-05-27T20:40:46Z")
I’m guessing the gamefound categorization is a lot less granular than BGG – But I agree the exact mechanism names aren’t all that important. A lot of it could be implemented with cards / hand management (with not always taking all played cards back into your hand) A nice thing in this version is your leader can do all actions – in the original the starting building could do only one and certain actions were not available until level 2. Promotion is another nice addition. There is (of course) an expansion coming out: > **[Endeavor: Deep Sea – Uncharted Waters](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/446892/endeavor-deep-sea-uncharted-waters)** > > Explore the ocean and save the environment in even more challenging missions at sea. Brian Who has played a few times but have yet to try the mini-expansions ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/289 "2025-05-28T02:38:56Z")
This week I played Inferno (first time), Las Vegas Dice Game, Stamp Swap (twice), Civolution (first time), Flowers (first time), and Cursed Court. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/290 "2025-05-28T11:21:35Z")
I really like Civolution but it’s a divisive game. What did you think? ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/291 "2025-05-28T17:22:31Z")
Your post reminded me, did you get around to playing Unconscious Mind again? We really were intrigued, but it’s a little expensive to buy on spec, and I really don’t wanna sit in a board game Café for three or four hours to figure it out. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/292 "2025-05-28T22:27:02Z")
I did. I played it several times back around the New Year and then brought it back out again for more games last month or so. When I played it back in December/January I was very high in it but I have to admit that in the more recent plays the shine has worn off a little. It’s a still a very good game and I am glad in backed it but of other more recent games I would say I liked SETI, Civolution and Galactic Cruise more. Galactic Cruise has probably become my favorite game in my collection. I do plan to play UM again and maybe try out the Nightmare expansion to see what that’s about. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2025, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/293 "2025-05-29T01:29:13Z")
Thanks for the update. The mention of Galactic Cruise was also interesting, not only does it look cool on the table, but it has some of the best packaging and rule/supplement books I’ve ever seen. We’ll be giving it a try in September at another convention. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2025, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/294 "2025-05-29T02:30:05Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > I really like Civolution but it’s a divisive game. What did you think? To be honest, it’s not my type of game. I played it because that’s what people had already set up when I arrived. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2025, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/295 "2025-05-29T20:16:00Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > We played a bunch of other games: Black Fleet, Captain Flip, FIXER, 12-Chip Trick, Wallenstein, Nestlings, PARKS, Wallenstein, Motor City… Hedley Lamar: You said “Wallenstein” twice. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2025, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/296 "2025-06-01T13:43:03Z")
There is a board game cafe near me which is just wonderful and run by the nicest couple. My kid and I will often go there and play Ticket To Ride. It’s quite possibly the most perfect board game ever devised. I tried learning Catan once with a date when I took her there. We gave up on it pretty quickly and played another round of Ticket To Ride. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2025, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/297 "2025-06-01T14:09:33Z")
I know people (like myself) that have hundreds of games and others that only play one or two games and that is it. That’s one of the great things about this hobby, the variety. That said, of you wanted to try a new game that is similar to Ticket to Ride but has a different theme you may want to try Trekking the National Parks. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2025, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/298 "2025-07-06T21:47:33Z")
We play this one a lot, my son loves it. We have one expansion (Wizard’s Tower) which adds some frightening monsters but also some cool means to dispatch them…while that tower stands! We just picked up two games while on a trip and looking for something to do on rainy evenings in the hotel. I don’t like a lot of board games and prefer co-op games, and we were well advised by the shop employee. We picked up Tranquility: The Ascent. I think I like it…but we don’t fully understand it. It seems straightforward, but we failed pretty badly during a couple of trial games where we played open handed and discussed strategy, so I don’t know how we’ll ever manage with the proper game play of closed hands and silence! The other game we got is an absolute hit in our family: Burgle Bros. Cooperative heist game with some random elements but almost always a way out, clever tools and mechanics and just a lot of fun. My kid is really impressive at spotting strategy and remembering all the rules, it’s really fun to play with him. It takes a long time to play one game, though it’s one that you can set up and walk away from midgame (such as to go to supper!) and you aren’t really lost as long as you remember whose turn it is (and really, if you forget, it’s probably pretty harmless to just keep playing anyway). I highly recommend it. We did have to do a few Google searches to understand some nuances as the rulebook does have some unclear items. I haven’t looked to see if there’s an updated copy online. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/299 "2025-07-07T01:07:11Z")
Just got back from the board gaming Dice Tower Con. I lost in all the games that I’ve played quite a bit: got close in Ark Nova once and quite far behind the second time, and sort of in between when I lost Terraforming Mars by like 10. But I won or almost won at all the games I hadn’t played often before. The newest one I played was Scara Brae, a neolithic survival/expansion game. It’s played in 4 rounds of 3 turns each, and it has worker placement elements. You get one more worker in each of the 4 rounds. Everyone always gets one more, so everyone will be doing 3\*2 = 6 actions a turn in the second round. That’s a mechanic I sort of dislike, since I sort of like the Agricola mechanic whereby you have prerequisites in order to expand your workers. An interesting mechanic though is the person draft. I forget what they are technically called but at the beginning of each round, the players select from the 5 people available in the round to add to their settlement, which immediately give them a bonus, and points at the end, but you have to feed them each round or lose them. Cooking is a very important part of the game. You need to cook your grain and animals to transform them into food and sometimes byproducts like hides or bones. Also, midden production. You produce mounds of trash which take up space in your storage and for which you lose points at the end. You need to take a special action to remove your middens. I think that’s what won me the game, because I had the least points for people, but a lot of other points elsewhere, and only 2 midden mounds at the end. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/300 "2025-07-07T03:01:42Z")
I like Garphill games a lot, I’m looking forward to playing this one. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/301 "2025-07-07T10:53:06Z")
I have been tempted but have yet to go to a Board Game Convention. We almost went to Essen last year because we happened to be in Germany when it was on but the only day we could do it was sold out when we tried. We will do it one of these days. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383.md?page=16)