Board game terminology and mechanics

The State Language Center has adapted countless words from various languages ​​to the Latvian language. Some of them have brilliantly conquered the minds of the population, while others have become the subject of popular ridicule and various jokes. In this blog post, we will look at board game terminology that is universally understood around the world.

Let's start with the most familiar game mechanics terms, their explanation and some examples that are available both in our store and probably in your board game collection.

Worker placement — think several moves ahead

This term refers to the main operating mechanism of a particular board game - the placement of various game pieces (usually workers) on the game board. This mechanism forces players to carefully choose individual actions in their player color. Players usually choose actions sequentially and one at a time. The number of possible actions can increase during the game, which will make the player's turn longer.

Usually, in worker placement games, luck has a minimal effect on the course of the game, because players evaluate their own moves and also take into account the possible moves of other players. Such games often have several rounds, and after each round, various resources are usually regenerated on the game board, as well as the actions offered by the game.

Pronounced examples of worker placement type board games are "Stone Age" and"Agricola" . Some of the elements of worker placement are also present in the world popular "Catan" , but not everyone agrees on this.

Deck builder — create your own unbeatable combination

These are not collectible card games like Magic the Gathering or Pokémon. Everything you need is in the board game box, and all players have an equal chance of winning. Usually, these games have a heavy emphasis on different cards that give players an advantage in one area or another.

The goal of the game is to get more cards that will boost the player's power positions in the game and bring the players closer to victory. In a card game, countless combinations are possible, which will give better or worse results depending on the game table and the situation. Luck is an accompanying element of the game, but it is also not the determining factor of the winner.

The games are usually relatively simple and quick to learn. Some of the deck builder games we recommend you try are Port Royal and Clank !

Eurogame — less luck more strategy

Not all eurogame board games are made in Europe, but most of them are, and they have all developed common characteristics. If earlier we looked at the game mechanism, then eurogame describes the overall style of the game - dice and other game elements, theme, success factor, design and mechanism.

In Eurogame type games, usually all players stay in the game until it ends and are not excluded from the game under certain conditions. Also, in these games, there is relatively little fighting on the field among the players.

Generally, these games have a very low luck factor and the outcome of the game depends more on the skill of the players, the strategy they choose and the moves they make. A lot of emphasis is placed directly on the mechanics of the game, and not on the overall atmosphere (theme). Game components: dice, resources, cards, etc. are usually of better quality, and a lot of attention is paid to game design.

Under the eurogame banner, you can find a whole range of excellent games with different game mechanics, such as "Terraforming Mars" and the popular "Carcassonne" and "Ticket to Ride" .

Area control — be the ruler of your territory

This term refers to a type of game in which controlling certain areas of the game gives the player special advantages. A classic example of area control is the well-known game "Risk" , in which controlling several countries and continents provides greater advantages. No less well-known example is "Twilight Imperium" , which also includes several other game mechanics and elements.

Co-operative or simply co-op — teamwork in achieving a common goal

These are board games in which all players work as a team and together try to defeat the opponent's mechanism built into the board game. Players win or lose as a team - there is no single winner in the game.

These are great bonding games and encourage strong communication between players. It is often necessary to remember that you should not impose your strategy and tactics on others too much. One of the better known examples is Pandemic , "Gloomhaven" and the legendary "Dungeons & Dragons" or "D&D".

Tabletop game — indulge yourself in a flight of fantasy and immerse yourself in another world

This is a style of game that would require a separate article, but briefly, two types of games can be distinguished around the world - board games and tabletop games . It is difficult to find a suitable translation in Latvian, but it could be defined as board games and tabletop games.

A wide range of games opens under tabletop games and includes board games, card games, role playing games or RPG games and all other games that can be played on a table. Therefore, all board games are also tabletop games , but not all tabletop games are tabletop games.

Tabletop games are all games that require a large, flat surface to be played, and these games place great emphasis on atmosphere, player imagination, and creative approach to gameplay. For example, the aforementioned Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop game that would be impossible to play without imagination and role-playing.

The main difference between board games and tabletop games is that for board games, everything you need is included in the game box - dice, resources, playing field and rules. A board game can usually be played in one go - some faster, some slower - but it doesn't take days, weeks, months or even years.

Since tabletop games include a wide category of games, a wide variety of games such as Magic the Gathering and Warhammer 40K can be included here . Both role-playing games and simple card games have various add-ons that will make the game more exciting. For card games, these are new decks of cards, while for role-playing games, they can be different scenarios.

Miniature

Miniatures are an integral part of role-playing games. Miniatures are the players' dice in a sense, but they usually have a much higher value in the eyes of the players. The miniatures can be regular opponents in one of the caves or the player's main character who is participating in a long campaign.

Miniatures can be made of metal or durable plastic, and are often individually painted with special colors and a lot of patience. The miniatures can be purchased ready-to-use (just paint them) or disassembled, which makes them easier to paint but takes extra time to put together.

If you don't have the necessary tools, colors and necessary skills to paint them yourself, you can entrust it to "Fiverr" artists , who will do it for you. Prices vary from a few to several tens of euros.

Meeple - one of the most popular board game components

Meeple is a board game dice that somewhat resembles a person and it comes from "my people". The original meeples appeared in the well-known game "Carcassonne". and have since been seen in other games as well.

Gateway game - an introduction to the world of board games

They are simple games aimed at players of all ages and often serve as an introduction to the world of board games. They have very simple rules, exciting gameplay and can be played again and again.

Various card games, such as "Saboteur" or "6. take!" , but also slightly more complicated, but also easy to learn "ICECOOL" and "7 Wonders" .

Abstract games - when two players is enough

Abstract board games have two distinct characteristics. Firstly, there is practically no luck factor and the outcome of the game depends on the skill of the player. Secondly, their name, as well as the theme, have practically nothing to do with the game mechanics.

Very often these games are designed for two players and a single game rarely exceeds 30-45 minutes. Usually these games do not take up much space and are easy to carry, which is useful if you are going on a long trip. Chess is one such game, but it is not always exciting and for everyone. Other good examples are Yinsh and Santorini .

Dexterity games - prove your dexterity of hands and mind

These could be translated as games of skill and are usually pulled out spontaneously at parties where no one planned to play games at all. Also ideal for children, who will be able to play equally with adults.

Two good examples of these games can be mentioned, one of which we are sure you have played or heard of - "Jenga" and the lesser known "Rhino Hero" .

Wargames - choose your army and go to battle against others

Wargames are usually quite massive, with a game set containing a ton of miniatures, dice, game bases, scenarios, resources, etc. Combat in these games is an integral part of the game, and the outcome of the battle is usually determined by rolling dice or special cards.

Given that these games usually come with a fair number of miniatures, they are especially popular among miniature painters. They can be both professional artists and board game enthusiasts who have discovered an additional hobby in themselves, giving their armies a much more impressive look.

This is not a party game that you can suddenly pull off the shelf and start playing. Preparing the game table, reading the rules and the campaign itself can take hours or even days.

In the depths of the Internet you can find a whole bunch of different terms, but these, in our opinion, are the most well-known and form the basis for the rest. If you have come across another term that you would like to know more about, write about it in the comments section!

The article was written by Pēteris Tārs