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My husband’s time has come! On 7th September, the world celebrated all those hirsute faced amongst us, and we are well up for that! I have always been a fan of beards (thanks Santa!), and my husband’s chin has not seen the sun since he was twenty-something. As such, showcasing games where beards feature feels extra special in our house. If you are a bearded-wonder, or you appreciate a good goatee, here are 6 top games to play on this marvellously-moustachioed occasion!
Furnace
Just look at that beautifully bearded baron of industry on the box top! Furnace is one of my favourite games, and the hairy-chinned capitalists inside (both the OG and the Interbellum expansion) are the cherry on the cake! It is an auction based engine builder that plays fast and furiously over two phases. Bidding for buildings kicks off the proceedings. Then comes production where the buildings you have acquired pump out various resources and allow you to convert them into money. The really clever thing about Furnace is that you don’t always want to win a building auction. Why? Well if you don’t gain the card, compensation is payable which is based on the value of your losing bid. Ooh! Dilemma! With a brilliant two player mode (rare as bearded ladies in auction based games!), I fell hard for Furnace from the first play. I’d happily don a beard and play furnace every day!
3 Ring Circus
Speaking of bearded ladies, this list couldn’t go ahead without at lease one big-top themed game. And 3 Ring Circus is a recent release from Devir that brings the art of opening and running a touring circus in the old US to life. For 1 – 4 players and taking about an hour, this is a wonderfully illustrated mid-weight option. As the director of your own event, you’ll be hiring acts and managing performances to earn fame and money! Planning when and where your performers will put on a show is key to being crowned the boss of the big tops. But you’ll be competing for the best cities and adulation from the local crowds. With area control, hand management, contracts, and movement, 3 Ring Circus reminds us of just how much gameplay Devir can fit into their boxes!
Jaipur
Will you or your opponent out-beard the merchant on the Jaipur box? No mean feat given his considerable chin coverage! What you can do, however, is try to out-trade your opponent. A brilliant set collection based game for 2 players, Jaipur is a mix of hand management, tactics, and luck. Timing is really important in this game which becomes a chain of decision dilemmas and trade-offs. Each turn, you can either take cards from the central market, or sell cards from your hands for money. If you take cards, you can either grab all the camels, or one card of your choice. You can also swap 2 or more cards from your hand with those on offer. If you sell, you can trade all cards of one type for money (and perhaps a special surprise bonus token if you have collected enough). Selling early is advisable as the value of your goods will decrease as the round goes on. But you’ll need to collect those rubies and gold before you have anything to sell. Alternatively, catching those camels is helpful. They can help you pad out your swaps, and maybe even give you a bonus 5 points for having the largest herd left at the end of the round.
Obsession
Jane Austen in board game form was bound to include some boldly bearded fellows, and the illustrator and designer of Obsession did not disappoint! Fast becoming a classic in the hobby, this game is for 1-4 players and can taken anything from around 30 mins to an hour and a half. Each playing important societal families, you are doing your very best to renovate your crumbling estate. Relying on gifts and favours from relatives and local gentry (including some heavily beaded Lords!), you also have a staff who will be sent to activate events happening in different categories of rooms in your grand house and grounds. Turning the money and reputation you earn into extensions to your pied-a-terre drafted from the public market, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Whether you can afford to put on the events you want to host, however, will depend on how well you are managing your house!
Red Rising
Stonemaier are renowned for their quality gameplay, production, and solo experience. Red Rising hits all three out of the park. Based on the dystopian book series by Pierce Brown, this is a passion project based on hand management, open drafting, and deck building. Your goal is to create the most symbiotic group of followers whose special powers will help propel you to political primacy. With an number of competing paths to victory, there is an underlying race to gain achievements throughout the game. Every occupancy under the sun is included, and a number of the characters have banging beards! Who will you deploy to activate benefits and who will you take into your hand? The choice is yours!
I hope this list has whetted your appetite for gaming on World Beard Day!
