Fallout is anything but normal- probably my favorite Cramchackle board. The game plays like hordes on cocaine, and I love the gigantic bonus swings that can happen- easy to get greedy, and have your bonuses torn down to nothing. Fallout supports many interesting starting scenarios and play styles, another plus. I think 4 or 5 players is the magic number for this board, with 3 players, one can usually get an early lead. With frugal purchases of roads/cities, the leader can avoid setting their own bonus traps and typically take a lead to a victory (cards don't catch up in time). The cities function as insurance against open roads- another well thought out point. I know, from previous games, that the board can seize up late, if three evenly matched empires remain. But most boards suffer from this problem, and I fault the risk rules more than I fault any board that has this issue.

Few boards make me think "Damn, I wish I had thought of that." Fallout is on this short list. Genius.

normal