Catan Germany and Rome

Klaus Teuber is the inventor of the award winning board game,
Settlers of Catan, first published in 1995 in Germany by Kosmos and later in the United States by Mayfair Games. While this game uses a map, it is a very simple hex grid on an imaginary island. The hex pieces are rearranged each game, but the shape is generally the same, and non-distinct...



However, in 2006, Tueber released the first in a planned series of Catan Histories: Struggle for Rome. This game uses the basic Catan mechanic (collect and trade resources, expand your holdings) on a map of Western Europe:



Last year he released Catan Geographies: Germany. Based on a map of Germany (designed by Michale Menzel), this game still uses trade, building, and settlement, and allows you to build famous German landmarks such as the 'Brandenburg Gate' or the 'Dresdner Dom'. Intended as a family game to learn an celebrate German geography and history.



It will be interesting to see if Tueber will continue these series with other historical scenarios or countries. Catan: Conquests of Napoleon? Catan: American Civil War? Catan: China? The possibilities are endless.

Map Plates

Feast on this:



Available from What on Earth: "You might serve pasta on Italy, pierogi on Poland, sauerkraut on Germany, or paella on Spain. Each plate is shaped like the nation it represents, with major cities highlighted. Pieced together, you can create a substantial serving platter."

Via Apartment Therapy The Kitchen and thanks, Hunter!

Power Grid

My latest boardgame aquisition is Power Grid. As eurogames go, this one is middle-range in complexity. Success requires analysis and planning. I have played this game for several years, and a few weeks ago, I actually won for the first time! So I decided it was time I owned a copy.

The object of this game is to supply the most cities with power. To accomplish this goal players purchase power plants and the raw materials needed to run the plants. These materials include coal, oil, garbage, and uranium, but also includes wind and solar-powered plants. The winner of the game will create the most efficient network of plants powering the most cities. The base game comes with a map of the United States on one side:



and a map of Germany on the other:



Official game expansions include Italy, France and the Benelux countries:



However, many enterprising Power Grid fans have created their own maps, allowing them to play in Scandinavia:








...and Connecticut



As it often happens, I found something cool while looking for something else. GameInk.net is offering Power Grid (and other boardgame) themed T-shirts:



Power plant #44 in the game deck is one of the most desirable in the set, as it powers up to five cities, but because it uses solar and wind power, you do not need to purchase resources to burn.

"Money isn't everything, but it is a tie-breaker in Power Grid"

Game board images from BoardGameGeek.com

#227

Lüneburg

Becca, a college student who also works in my library department, spent the last four months studying in Lüneburg, Germany. As always, I ask my traveling friends to pick up map postcards. Becca did not let me down.



Lüneburg is famous for its salt mines. While they are now closed, Becca said that she saw many buildings that were sagging or crumbling because of collapsed mines underneath. Unfortunately, Salt Museum was closed for the winter.



Other museums in Lüneburg include The Museum of the Principality of Lüneburg (bookprinting and bookbinding), the East Prussian History Museum, and a Brewing Museum.



Unlike many cities in in Germany, Lüneburg was spared during WWII and few of its historical buildings were damaged.



One of Becca's less productive activities while on the job is drawing "amusing" cartoons on the dry erase board...



"Nerdy collection"!.... harumpf!

Das Taxi

Classify under "interesting maps found while looking for something else"...



This appears to be a "transit map" of possible taxi routes in Hamburg, Germany. I cannot discern if this is a serious map, or a bit of humor... could this mass of squiggles actually be useful?... It is entertaining, nonetheless.

Image found on this Russian website: Das Taxi - Схема метрополитена, by way of The Where Blog