Am I doing something wrong? (Time)

[Doctor Lucky]

Okay so the box says it plays in thirty minutes. I have not had a game under 1.5 hours.

I took into effect 1st time players and such. After playing with the same person, several times, and doing minimal analysis paralysis, the games are lasting just as long.

Usually first turn (all 5 animation rounds) we both try to take a work bench and then start positioning for the second turn. Second turn I start taking down enemy puppets, while positioning to take more workbenches. Third turn and on is just positioning and taking down puppets when I can. Usually I don't get my Master moving too much until only a few puppets are left.

I am having a TON of fun, but I feel like I must be doing something wrong to make ALL of the games go long. I can understand 30 min if someone makes a silly mistake of leaving a their only workbench or exposing their master to a mob of knife-wielding puppets, but I just can't see a game going that short.

Really, my turns are always quick. I plan out my turn in advance. There is downtime only when it is absolutely down to the end of the game when everything is super crucial. Even then it isn't an excessive amount of downtime. Same with my friend I play with.

I'd like to use "what pretty buttons you have" more, but I am always afraid that if I do, it wont be enough of an advantage to make up for the opposing player NOT doing that and animating a full team.

We play with the smallest suggestion: 8 Puppets +1 Master

Any thoughts?

[nix]

Your having fun playing so it certainly does not look like your doing anything wrong!

I have had PW games with people who are familiar with the game run from 20 minutes to 1.5 hours before as well. My normal 2 player games are currently running between 20 and 60 minutes, depending on puppets involved and how the flips go. These are all shoebox size games.

I would not focus on the time so much if you are enjoying the game.

[fullborer]

I don't think you're doing anything wrong. personally, I think the 30 minute estimate is quite low and very skewed by some games actually taking LESS than that.

if someone (like me, for example) makes a serious tactical mistake you can be eliminated almost immediately. Heck, I've been playing since last year when the game came out and I underestimated LaFemmeGeekita (who has also been playing since the beginning) and she killed me in 7 activations!

On the other hand, we played a 4-player match just yesterday that went over three hours. One player was comparatively new, but the others have been in since the start last summer.

(PS: the newest player won!)

so it can be a little hard to accurately estimate the time a game of Puppet Wars is going to take, but if you're enjoying it - and our group still is, a year in - its all good.

:1_Happy_Puppet1:

[ThePandaDirector]

One of the big factors I have found is the layout of the map/board. If time is actually of issue, i.e. you want to squeeze games into a tight schedule, then have the starting WBs close to each other, say 3 space apart with an Impassible Terrain Token inbetween, and you'll ensure that stuffing gets shed early on =D You might also consider fielding below Shoebox size, say Master plus 5 Puppets. I've also found 4 player games on a tight map to be surprisingly quick and brutal at times.

But like nix says, if you're having fun that's all that matters, and the suggested time is not a goal to be met. The game is there for you to get what you want out of it, not the other way round =]

Hope that helps.

[Hugor]

I would agree. Fun is the point. I often have longer games, and like Panda mentions, the map plays a big role in the length of the game.

I also feel Master choice does as well. Some Masters (Pandora and Marcus) tend to be slower in winning / losing than Marcus, at least in my experience. I would say until recently (the people I play with and I have started becoming more brazen with our play styles) our games lasted from 1 - 2 hours. With the new "go-big-or-go-home" way of playing, where Masters are out and doing things and huge risks are taken, games like about 30 minutes, and in my mind are even more fun, especially since it leads to us taking new teams and playing again.

[ThePandaDirector]

Hugor raises a great point that I think is part of the nature of PW. Puppet Wars is brutal and the true transition between new player and veteran is not how clever you are, but how opportunistic and ballsy you can be =P The Masters are core to this; new players tend not to use them till it's "safe" while older players will have them in the fray with an all or nothing attitude. Embracing this aggressive style is a lot of fun and as long as you don't let it influence your etiquette (we're not playing Warmachine here), you'll find that your games are more memorable.

So yes - tighter maps and more balls, you won't go far wong there

[Doctor Lucky]

Thanks for all the replies! I am having fun, this game is quickly becoming one of my favorites! I'm strictly a board gamer, and am now interested in Malifaux too. There isn't much of a player base for that here though. Puppet Wars however, can be easily brought out.

I am looking forward to Gen Con, I signed up for one of the drafts and am pretty excited to see everyone else's strategy and playstyle! (AND the new PW stuff! If its ready by then!--even though I spent tons of time making this .... can't wait to make a new one for the new stuff!)

So it looks like there is a consensus that average games are one hour. Good! I was just worried that I had overlooked some game changing rule and that is why my games were lasting so much longer.