[Board/Tactical Game]: Ave Caesar, reviewed by ShannonA (5/3)

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/12/12642.phtml

Shannon Appelcline's Summary:

A well-produced and very enjoyable if random game of chariot racing.

Go to the full review for more information.

[tylermo]

I only skimmed your review, but the game sounds okay. I can't help but go back to one of the primary Avalon Hill (the classic company) games I played years ago....Circus Maximus. The advanced rules may seem a bit bogged down, but overall the game is wonderful. Of course, it's only available on the "used" market. Would love to see a straight re-issue of that game(although plastic components would be better than the cardboard chits). Have you played Circus, and if so, how would you compare the two? Thanks much. Tylermo

[cfarrell]

Originally Posted by tylermo

Have you played Circus, and if so, how would you compare the two? Thanks much. Tylermo

Circus is a totally different game. CM is a classic AH game where you get to smash into and run down your opponents, and it makes some attempt to simulate chariot racing, at least chariot racing as it is in the movies (you can customize your horse team and driver, equip your chariot, directly manage your speed, etc). CM (minus the bloodshed) actually has more in common with Formula De. Ave Caesar is just a light, quick-playing euro racing game with a touch of theme. The main advantage of Ave Caesar being that it doesn't take forever.

Speaking of which, I don't mind Ave Caesar, but I can enjoy it for one race and then I'm ready to be done. Playing 4 races seems a little excessive. The game is rather repetitive with more or less the same tactical situations recurring most of the time, and for me anyway it gets old fairly quickly.

[BlackSheep]

As I heard it, Ave Caesar was designed as an F1 game but got rethemed. The tribute was a pit stop, and running out of cards meant running out of fuel. Apparently Ausgebremst and Q-Jet 21XX are pretty much the same game.