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Coming up swiftly behind Lionel Blair, I figured it's been a while since we've had a game of MC.
It seems there's a few people who've not heard the show before so we'll keep this one simple. We'll use the simplified Family version ruleset from the classic Stovington's 5th Edition. Victoria line is wild. And no diagonals, they're... well, honestly, I simply can't be bothered having to explain to beginners how diagonals work until they've grasped the basics so we'll just take them out for now.
For a nice gentle start, I'll open with King's Cross / St Pancras. The world's your mollusc from there, spoilt for choice.
Tooting Broadway
As we’re easing beginners into the game I’ll suggest Bank
I thought that was closed for maintenance.
From October, so allowed
The year cannot be divided by 3 or 7 so it is ok.
As we’re easing beginners in...
Ooof! Sandra!
Houns
From October, so allowed
Hmmm. Not sure. Let me just google the rules.
Camden Town, obviously.
I'm not a savage after all.
Pimlico.
Camden? That's opened it up straight away!
Arnos Grove
Balham
It’d be remiss of me if I didn’t go to Hounslow Central
I'm going out on a limb - Upminster
Kilburn
Mornington Crescent
Kilburn! Sneaky. You don't leave me much choice, so...
Totteridge and Whetstone
Mornington Crescent
Dude, I hate to break it to you, but it's not a weekend.
Totteridge and Whetstone
Elephant & Castle.
Which puts you in Spoon, I think.
So, the cloverleaf via Raynes Park leaves me at Raynes Park till the Easter bank holiday - Embankment by river ferry alright with you lot?
Fine by me.
a bold play early on, assuming that the 2017 rules still apply?
Cockfosters
Mornington Crescent
Dude, I hate to break it to you, but it’s not a weekend.
It is for me.
Unless London has suddenly transported to your location, that is irrelevent
I assume were using the Northern Powerhouse expansion pack?
Burnley Barracks.
Not British Summer Time and the Football Specials aren't running, so I think I'm safe.
Does it not being a weekend matter, we aren't using Knaresborough's second convention are we? Cougar never mentioned it if we are!
.
[Edit] Nothern Powerhouse! Doh.
Amateur. 🙄
Double rubiks cube completion means i am going earls court.
I don't think that puts me in nidd
I assume were using the Northern Powerhouse expansion pack?
Pff. Bit cheeky, we should have declared at the start. But go on then.
Does it not being a weekend matter, we aren’t using Knaresborough’s second convention are we? Cougar never mentioned it if we are!
Ordinarily no, you're right. But you'd need a Travelcard and we're playing the Family edition which removes them from the game.
Easy to overlook though, to be fair.
Earls court you say?
Victoria, obvious I know, but I'll make it easy for you as it is a newbies game
Double rubiks cube completion means i am going earls court.
I don’t think that puts me in nidd
I believe you are correct. So I guess the obvious next move is Victoria. (Too obvious?)
Emlyn Road.
Stockwell.
That is the Queen of Puddings move right there.
I think you're getting confused with Bakewell.
I think you’re getting confused with Bakewell.
If I was it would be "Tiramisu via St John's Wood".
But Bakewell was never used as an air-raid shelter or knocking shop, so the next three players by height miss a go.
I get really annoyed when people who should know better just don't take this seriouly. 🙁
Back to the game.
Surrey Quays to put all other players into the Dingwall's Spiral...
And I was going for Pudding Mill Lane but Surrey Quays has me beat for now.
Nothing else for it, i'm going to have to play the Buffoon's Gambit and go for Westminster
As it's not quite 5 o'clock I'll be cheeky and go for Piccadilly Circus
Nothing else for it, i’m going to have to play the Buffoon’s Gambit and go for Westminster
in which case i shall retort with Swiss Cottage. before you're all up in arms, i'm playing the Bachman dispensation. also means you can now only travel anti clockwise
assuming that the 2017 rules still apply?
No! They were declared unconstitutional in Dec 2015. You know the punishment. Report back when you've finished.
*EDIT* - Don't provide a photograph this time, there might be children reading.
Awfully sorry sofaboy, but you can't try Swiss Cottage, didn't you see Cockfosters has already been played?
Taking inspiration from Jerry Cornelius: Ladbroke Grove.
Cut-back across court with....
Green Park
As it is home time on a Friday
Embankment
Awfully sorry sofaboy, but you can’t try Swiss Cottage, didn’t you see Cockfosters has already been played?
of course, Bachman doesn't cover the Piccadilly line, many apologies!
carry on either way round. i shall go and quietly berate myself in the corner whilst studying the revised version of Giddens for up to date protocols, issue was i was using the second edition - amateur!
As it is home time on a Friday
Embankment
That means a detour to Hampstead Heath is in order
I feel Shepherd's Bush Market is appropriate
As a novice...where does the Heathrow Express fit in?
Bank.
This game is embarrassing for all involved. Sort yourselves out.
St James' Park
As a novice…where does the Heathrow Express fit in?
That's an excellent question. It's a perfectly valid route as long as a qualifying station has been in play at some point during the game (it doesn't have to be the turn directly prior, that's a common error made by newer players). Paddington is a solid choice if you want to play safe, assuming you can get to it of course! If you're going to the airport however you must specify a terminal, you cannot merely play Heathrow in its entirety as it'd totally imbalance the Western Quadrant.
I can only speculate on whether brexit will affect Heathrow games going forward, I haven't been able to track down this year's rulebook. Either it's sold out everywhere or it's not been released yet, I'm not entirely sure. So for the sake of argument we'll play as though it's business as usual until I can get a definitive answer to the contrary.
I'm going to play the Wooden Rolling Pin spin and take us to Tottenham Court Road.
This game is embarrassing for all involved. Sort yourselves out.
Play nice. It is a beginner's game, I expect people are deliberately pulling their punches a little.
Tottenham Court Road
Maida Vale.
Oh, shit, wait, I can't do that, there's no diagonals!
Erm, erm... oh, I know, Cockfosters.
Phew. That was nearly a crisis.
I haven’t been able to track down this year’s rulebook. Either it’s sold out everywhere or it’s not been released yet, I’m not entirely sure.
If it is being printed in the same places as the new bluenotblue passports it's probably stuck in a customs holding pen somewhere pining for the wide open spaces of the Piccadilly and District Lines.
Kensal Rise
If it is being printed in the same places as the new bluenotblue passports
I would be astonished if it were printed anywhere outside of London, that would be highly irregular. But I suppose we live in interesting times.
Chancery Lane
Kensal Rise
Ha! I was waiting for that!
Finsbury Park, Regents Park, Green Park, and I believe the treble play opens up the DLR too🥳
Duplicate post. I guess the computer thought i got another go for that🤣
Kensal Rise
Ooh, that's a sly move. Maybe not in the spirit of a beginners game due to the astrological tangential equivalence ratio exceeding 1.8, but still one to ponder...
Kilburn High Road
EDIT: thwarted by dannyh! As you were, gentlefolk.
I'm claiming Dinosaur at South Ken, I believe the Thagomizer is applicable at this time on a Friday?
Ha! I was waiting for that!
<MC^2>
Bzzt, void, dannyh got in first. Roll back the board, play resumes from Chancery Lane.
</MC^2>
Opening up the DLR would've been a stonking move though. You can still do it in two, that's a fun little challenge for new players to see if they can see it?
I believe the treble play opens up the DLR too
Mudchute.
Puts the tamuraboard into fixed mode - recovering requires a flexible approach to the bandowheels - care must be taken...
Clearly this is a game about places in the UK, but because I am a Yank operating from a US IP address, I cannot find the rules, I assume due to GDPR protocols and blocking. Nonetheless, I found a reference on a US site to the (neutral territory) "Maidstone 1888 Protocol" which suggests that, with it's rich anarchist history, yet expansive estates, St. George's Hill is the very next in the order.
Damnit. Someone beat me to post and screwed up the order.
I'd like to introduce the newcomers to West Ashfield
Ooh, that’s a sly move. Maybe not in the spirit of a beginners game due to the astrological tangential equivalence ratio exceeding 1.8, but still one to ponder…
Not in the spirit of the game would have been attempting a Tyneside Translocation off the back of St James Park. Beginners might not spot Pelaw can't applied as the station is St James. Hence Kensal Rise, although I was toying with Barons Court as an alternative.
fahzure > The game board is the London Underground map. You can get a copy here (and many other places) if you need a quick reference.
The rulebooks are only ever printed in limited numbers and tend to be difficult to find I'm afraid. I got mine from ebay (I can only assume that its previous owner passed away) and it's not as current as I'd like unfortunately. And as I said earlier, I have not as yet seen any 2021 copies in the wild.
Bank.
Again.
Yeah, that's right. What are you going to do about it, eh?
Monument. I recon it's possible to overthink this stuff, though that may be tempting fate. Whatever: Monument!
Goddamn. I've looked at my previous moves and I think I'm stuck with a shift to Upton Park. It's a frustratingly common place for neophyte players to end up: two stops short of Barking.
Monument
Think I can play a Translocation off that, Byker.
The Dutch Defence: Holland Park
Oh well - probably for the best. So close to be being able to pull off the subway subversion. Although on a beginer's game that might have left us orbiting the clockwork orange in Glasgow for a bit too long.
Late to the party but I think Paddington should work. Safe, and un-complicated.
And I hate to be predictable but, Heathrow T2.
I'm trying to recall, but not 100% sure. If we invoke Stovold's 1980 revision, and elevate the lateral wildcard sites a la Trellis in '64, can I get away with...
... Down Street?