BOARD & CARD GAMES
–

Demo & Playtest with the Designer

Planet Apocalypse

Designer & Host: Sandy Petersen

It is the End Times, and the hordes of Hell are invading our world. You and your friends take the role of heroes defending earth from the influx of grotesque horrors. You build up your hero’s abilities over time by adding useful weapons and gear. Destroy the Hellgate & save our world!


We do need another hero!
Artwork by Keith Thompson.


Run!
Artwork by Keith Thompson.


Yikes!
Artwork by Keith Thompson.

Celebrating 50 Years of Glorantha

Demo & Playtest with the Designer

Glorantha: The Gods War

Designer & Host: Sandy Petersen

Gods War is a competitive strategy game based on the vigorous mythic realm of Glorantha in which 3 to 5 players summon minions and gods, build temples and shrines, and cast spells. The players go on heroquests, gather mystic runes, try to destroy their enemies, and capture their territory. Each faction has its own unique set of spells, mortal units and immortal gods. For example, the Darkness faction features trolls, the Mistress, shades, and the Hellmother; while the Sky faction has archers, the Emperor, Phoenixes, and the Sun God. The game has a world-shattering 'mythic' feel to it, rather than a 'fantasy adventure' sensation. Glorantha has been the basis for multiple tabletop board, roleplaying, and even digital games, as well as numerous works of fiction. Its depth and scope has been recognized by numerous aficionados of fantasy and gaming, and now it is brought to you in all its astounding power.

The game starts in the Action phase where players spend power they have earned by constructing buildings from last turn. They then spend power to do heroquests, obtain runes, do battle with enemy factions, summon lesser gods' and their greater god, and use powerful empire specific gifts. Victory is determined by obtaining victory points via buildings controlled each round and runes.

The game is a Kickstarter project that runs until Thursday September 15, 2016 (15:07 CEST). The game is already fully funded! So join up for the amazing stretch goals.

Sandy will bring the most recent prototype including the resin miniatures to THE KRAKEN! Yes, you are allowed to play with them...


The graphics of the map look pretty niffty. Get your Print & Play copy of Glorantha: The Gods War now here. Wait until you see that map with the miniatures at THE KRAKEN...


Concept art of Orlanth by the gifted Dan 'Dogboy' Barker. The miniature looks pretty much as this illustration.


The Kickstarter exclusive miniature of Arachne Solara serves as First Player marker for Gods War.


The hero miniature of the Strom pantheon. Sure looks like an Uroxi to me …

Demo & Playtest with a Designer

CREDO

Designers: Chris Gidlow, Michael 'MOB’ O'Brien & Jeff Richard
Host: Michael 'MOB’ O'Brien

The long-awaited new edition of Chaosium classic card game CREDO draws closer and closer!

It is the Year of the Lord 325, and the bishops and patriarchs of the Christian Churches have gathered under the watchful eye of the new Roman Emperor to decide the most important questions of the day — who is the Supreme God of the Universe and what is his relationship to first century preacher Jesus of Nazareth?

Players take the parts of factions in the early church, using secular power, barbarian tribes, rioting racing fans, recently discovered ancient manuscripts or relics, charges from the Imperial secret service, intersessions from the Emperor's concubine, support from wealthy lay people, beautiful new liturgies or silk vestments or - if all else fails - theological argument, to make sure their views prevail and their flock becomes the largest.

All the doctrines represented in the game (from whether there were one, two, three or lots of Gods, whether Jesus was a man or a god or the God or something in between, whether communion should be celebrated with leavened or unleavened bread to who was actually in charge of the Church) are genuine matters of heated debate of the period. All the actions, from having one of your bishops exposed as a pagan con man or secret worshipper of the Unconquered Sun to devising theological sea shanties or composing a Gothic version of the bible to gain converts, actually effected the development of the Christian Church.

The game is fast, furious and immensely funny. It's been played by atheists and vicars, ancient sages and ten year old girls, seminarians, and people with a vague recollection from their school days about Jesus. You can play it with beer and pretzels or with a copy of the Daily Missal or the King James Bible to hand.


CREDO artwork by Kalin Kadiev


MOB is guiding the players through a game of CREDO in the chapel of The Schloss. Picture by Mark Jarvis.


Yep, the chapel is a pretty awesome spot for a game of CREDO. Picture by Mark Jarvis.


At the beginning the players formulate (or rather) sort their own credo they want to see established by the council. Picture by Mark Jarvis.

FROM THE SCHLOSS GAME LIBRARY

Axis & Allies: 1942 Second Edition

Designer: Larry Harris, Jr.
Hosts: Peter & Fabian

1942, the world is at war! Come and battle out WWII with Oberst Peter Küsell and Feldmarschall Fabian von Küchler. Playing Axis & Allies is another great KRAKEN tradition. Will the precise Schloss management prevail against the unruly forces of THE KRAKEN team? The game will be set-up and then be run all KRAKEN. Turns will played in the gaming breaks. Yep, that is how we roll. This time we battle with the 1942 Second Edition, yeah. And transports will not have attack values again ...


The game is underway on day 4 in the secret organizer space of The Schloss. Rémy (England) ponders his move while Peter (Japan) watches in the background.


Fabian (Germany) has conquered Russia and takes the players badge as prize.


Peter (Japan) holds his winner trophy (a Japanese Zero toy plane) while the disgruntled USA player Link is pouting.

FROM THE SCHLOSS GAME LIBRARY

Cthulhu Wars

Designer: Sandy Petersen
Host: You

Cthulhu Wars is a fun, competitive strategy game in which 3 to 5 players produce cultists and monsters, build mystic gates and awaken Great Old Ones. The players earn spellbooks, try to destroy their enemies, and capture their bases. Each faction has its own unique set of monsters, spells, and its own Great Old One(s). The game features over 60 highly detailed monster miniatures and countless expansions. We will have some of the most fun expansions on hand.


Cthulhu Wars with some Expansion Awesome at THE KRAKEN 2015. Picture by Gianni Vacca.

Demo & Playtest with the Designer

Gloranthan Realms

Designer & Host: Gianni Vacca

With Gloranthan Realms, I am aiming at designing a short and fast-paced mix of board and card game à la 7 Wonders. 3 to 4 factions (inspired by the ones in Glorantha: The Gods War) vie for supremacy over the Lozenge. But beware: If you use too much dark magic against your enemies, Chaos may triumph — and then everybody loses!


Intriguing playing card.


Hm, interesting.


Gianni testing Gloranthan Realms at THE KRAKEN 2015, then still called Secret Project.


Very productive playtesting session of Gloranthan Realms. It will have a pretty stable ruleset at THE KRAKEN. Picture by Gianni Vacca.

Celebrating 50 Years of Glorantha

Demo

Kahn of Kahns

Designer: Reiner Knizia
Artwork: Ian O' Toole
Host: Michael 'MOB' O'Brien

Each year, the Khans of the Tribes of Prax lead raiders against the clansfolk of the green and fertile uplands of neighboring Dragon Pass, seeking wealth, fame and cattle.

This year, the high priestess of Ernalda has decreed that whichever Khan brings back the most wealth from Dragon Pass in the form of cows will be declared Khan of Khans, the paramount Khan of Prax!

You each play one of the Khans in this competition. The high priestess has made special corrals made to keep your captured cows safe. Any cows still running with your herd at the end of the raiding season are still counted, but watch out for stampedes, squabbling among your tribal champions, and other players trying to steal them!

Celebrating 50 Years of Glorantha

Demo & Playtest

The New Dragon Pass

Designer: Chris Klug
Host: Hervé

This is the remodeled version of the classic Dragon Pass board game. The prototype is currently for a 2-player game. It is a redesign and not just a reprint, that is scheduled to become a Kickstarter project late 2016.


The mysterious man in the background is leading the players through the game. Pictures by Eric Vanel.


The super secret prototype with all materials in play at the famous EricCon. Pictures by Eric Vanel.

FROM THE SCHLOSS GAME LIBRARY

Camel Up

Designer: Steffen Bogen
Host: You

Camel Up is the winner of the prestigious Spiel des Jahres Award for the best board game 2014. In Camel Up, up to eight players bet on five racing camels, trying to suss out which will place first and second in a quick race around a pyramid. The earlier you place your bet, the more you can win — should you guess correctly, of course. Camels don't run neatly, however, sometimes landing on top of another one and being carried toward the finish line. Who's going to run when? That all depends on how the dice come out of the pyramid dice shaker, which releases one die at a time when players pause from their bets long enough to see who's actually moving!

Demo & Playtest

Copper Town

Designer: Turkka Loimisto
Host: Topi Pitkänen

Copper Town is a Glorantha board game in the style of Dragon Pass. Each player controls a local clan that delivers copper to Copper Town. Or raids other players. Or explores the mythic landscape for magic. Or performs Heroquests …


The only copy of this game in existence.

Demo & Playtest

ORLANTH IS DEAD: THE WEST FRONT

Designer: Rainer Knizia (Redesigned by Topi Pitkänen)
Host: Topi Pitkänen

This is the Glorantha version of Rainer Knizia's praised Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation. The Extra Full Moon forces of the Lunar Empire battle the Dragon Mountain Rebels over control of the 5 passes of the Dragonspine Mountains during the Wind Stop.


Homemade game materials for a game full of zest.

Exclusive Demo

Operation Market Garden

Designer: Louis Kolkman
Host: Gianni Vacca

Will Arnhem be captured by the Allies or can the Wehrmacht defend it?

Play Operation Market Garden in 20 minutes! September 1944, and you, and your brothers in arms, are fighting in the Netherlands. Montgomery has this plan to get to Arnhem, via all those bridges, and you are either the Allied Ground and Airborne troops, and have to try it, or one of two German Wehrmacht commands that have to prevent it from happening. Based on true history, as they say in Hollywood. You will move and fight with your units (Infantry, Tanks and Paratroopers) to try and get a tank unit into Arnhem, or prevent this from happening. In only four turns, you will have a chance to end the war before Christmas, or prevent an invasion of the sacred Vaterland. This is a team game — 2 to 16 people can play. Operation Market Garden was conceived as a fast game to teach teams of schoolchildren (age 10 – 14) from schools in the Nijmegen area about what was happening during that long week in September 1944.


The game was a HUGE success at THE KRAKEN 2015.


It is a very cool, fast paced game with BIG counters that could be played over one beer. Picture by Gianni Vacca