The Belgian Beers Race Dice (2023) Board Game

The Belgian Beers Race Dice is a board game that was released in in 2023. Designed by Ammo, this game is perfect for 1 to 4 players and has a runtime of 30 to 60 minutes. With a focus on dice rolling, paper-and-pencil, and racing mechanics, players will immerse themselves in a unique transportation and travel experience.

Game Components of The Belgian Beers Race

Wooden components: beer bottles, cubes representing backpacked beers, trackers for visiting special breweries, scoring and time track markers, cheese, alcohol level, toast and tasted beer trackers, and a hiker meeple.

Custom D6 dice

Central board with a map of Belgium on one side

Player boards

Punch boards with coaster tokens, visited brewery tokens, and 50 point bottle caps

Deck of cards with various objective cards

Beer Guide book with information on breweries and a checklist/tasting sheet.

How To Setup The Belgian Beers Race

To set up the game, seed the board with coaster tiles drawn randomly and placed onto the appropriate breweries. Each brewery receives a wooden beer bottle, including those with coasters. The objective cards are sorted and shuffled, with the level one objective deck placed face up on the board and seven cards drawn and placed on it. Each player chooses a meeple and sets up their player board with the necessary trackers.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Objective: Visit as many breweries as possible, buy and enjoy their beers, and return to the Grand Place in Brussels on time.

Gameplay Mechanics:
– Area Movement: Travel by bike, public transport, or hitchhiking.
– Dice Rolling: Use custom D6 dice for movement and actions.
– Hand Management: Manage beer bottles, cubes, and other components in your backpack.
– Variable Player Powers: Objective cards provide different goals and challenges.

Game Levels:
– Level 1: Visit specific breweries, enjoy certain types of beers, perform specific actions.
– Level 2: Fulfill conditions like having beers of four types in the backpack or visiting a certain number of breweries.
– Level 3: Meet end-game conditions such as arriving sober or with a filled backpack.

Player Experience

The game offers an immersive experience where players feel like they are backpacking across Belgium, visiting famous breweries, and enjoying different types of beers. The integration of the theme with the mechanics makes the game easy to learn and remember. Players must balance visiting many breweries with specific objectives and managing their alcohol levels to avoid penalties.

Pros

Thematic Integration: The game mechanics closely match the theme, making it easy to understand and enjoy.

Variety of Objectives: Multiple levels of objectives keep the game engaging and challenging.

Components: High-quality wooden components and a detailed map of Belgium enhance the gameplay experience.

Colourblind Friendly: The game uses red-green colourblind friendly colours for all components.

Cons

Complexity: The game can be complex due to the numerous mechanics and objectives.

Luck Factor: Dice rolling introduces an element of luck that can affect gameplay significantly.

Penalties: Missing key objectives or arriving late at the Grand Place can result in significant penalties.

Personal Thoughts on The Belgian Beers Race

This game is ideal for fans of travel and beer enthusiasts who enjoy a mix of strategy and luck. It is best suited for players who appreciate thematic games with deep mechanics and are willing to invest time in understanding the various rules and objectives. The game’s design encourages social interaction and strategic planning, making it a great addition to any board game collection. However, it may not be the best fit for casual gamers looking for a quick, simple experience.

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