BANG!

[The Guardian]

Played my first ever games of BANG! tonight. Really, really enjoyed it, and in the 2nd game, which was only 4 players, I won as the Sheriff after having an epic hour-long duel with the Renegade. We killed off the Outlaws in about 20 minutes, and then spent the next hour+ going back and forth. She had a superior set-up (and kept getting the "Draw 3" cards), but eventually the game turned around when I got a few hits on her and she couldn't keep so many cards in her hand.

Would definitely enjoy playing this at any future tournaments I attend!

[The M]

I've never had an hour long duel...
I do remember playing about 6 Panico!'s in 2 turns and laughing my head off.

[The Schaef]

That's the one thing about that game, is that if you get into a standoff, or if people go for long periods of time without attacking, what should be a 30-40 minute game ends up taking an hour and a half.

Bryon taught us this game at Nationals... 2007 I think, and we've enjoyed it ever since.

[BubbleBoy]

I own the game and all expansions (except a Fistful of Cards, which doesn't really add much to the game, as it's basically just an expansion to an expansion). I usually bring it to game nights and tournaments, but I rarely find a good time to play.

[The Guardian]

That's the one thing about that game, is that if you get into a standoff, or if people go for long periods of time without attacking, what should be a 30-40 minute game ends up taking an hour and a half.

Bryon taught us this game at Nationals... 2007 I think, and we've enjoyed it ever since.

Yeah, what happened was that at first I had all the Beer so she never got me low on health at all. Then things went the other way and she was getting all the Beer while I got all the Ammo...but I didn't have a gun to be in range...at one point I had 5 BANGS! in my hand and couldn't use them, but she wasn't drawing anything to throw at me so I just kept stocking up and eventually ran her out of defense once I had a gun and she stopped drawing Panics...

[TimMierz]

The game is initially enjoyable, but after a couple plays I was left wanting more. There ends up being little reason to not just shoot everybody. There's almost no role deduction or teaming up, and you're completely at the mercy of the card draw; plus, its length is immensely variable and can leave people sitting around a long time not getting to do anything. For a hidden teams game, I prefer Shadow Hunters for a quick romp or Battlestar Galactica for a longer and rulesier (but far more rewarding) session.

[BubbleBoy]

The game is initially enjoyable, but after a couple plays I was left wanting more. There ends up being little reason to not just shoot everybody.

I'm not sure which role(s) your were dealt or how many players you were playing with, but I have never found that to be true.

There's almost no role deduction or teaming up, and you're completely at the mercy of the card draw

No teaming up? What rules were you using?

plus, its length is immensely variable and can leave people sitting around a long time not getting to do anything.

With some of the expansions, dead people are able to come back and/or continue to cause trouble even after death. All-in-all, I think the expansions just add a lot to the game in general.

[The Schaef]

Agreed.  The outlaws basically have to start shooting the sheriff all at once, because the first one to step out and expose himself by doing so is inviting every deputy and renegade at the table to open fire on him, Butch and Sundance style.

It's not a deep game, but it's not really meant to be.  I enjoy this immensely as a filler game before/after a grueling round of BSG.

[Bryon]

Justin, are you aware of the game rule that you can't play "Root Beer" cards when there are only 2 players left in the game?  That rule is designed to prevent hour-long games.  

Also, the game is a lot of fun if you go into it with the full knowledge that you may never play a single turn.  It is a wild and fun game - don't take it too seriously!    If you don't like the fact that you might be eliminated before you get a turn, be sure to buy the High Noon expansion so that you can get Ghost Town.  Or Fistful of Cards, so you can get Dead Man.  Or, highest of recommendations: Wild West Show, so you can get Bone Orchard.

I highly recommend getting the Dodge City and Wild West Show expansions.  The latter just released a few months ago.  There are a lot of CRAZY things that can happen in the game now.  When Bone Orchard brings you back to life (barely), you take a random role from all the eliminated players.  So, it is possible that a Deputy would come back as an Outlaw!  There is even a card that shuffles ALL active roles (except the Sheriff) and reassigns them.  Another lets you change seats with another player.  But the best part about Wild West Show is the characters.  There is a character with 9 lives that can't use Missed! cards.  There is another that flips the top card when he would die.  If it is not a spade, he lives and draws a card.  "'Cause you need a spade to bury him!"

[BubbleBoy]

Also, the game is a lot of fun if you go into it with the full knowledge that you may never play a single turn.

Unless you are Teren Kill, in which case you should expect never to die.

[TimMierz]

I've been dealt every role. Many times. I've played dozens of games, but mainly at others' request - it's not as great as I initially thought. We were using the correct rules, but just about every game has gone the same way - non-Sheriffs keep shooting each other until the Deputy dies, and then everyone fights the Sheriff. Then the Sheriff wins unless the Deputy died first. And I have played many games with the High Noon expansion and a little bit with the others. It's no longer a game that's worth my time.

I'm not sure which role(s) your were dealt or how many players you were playing with, but I have never found that to be true.

[Bryon]

Also, the game is a lot of fun if you go into it with the full knowledge that you may never play a single turn.

Unless you are Teren Kill, in which case you should expect never to die.

I've seen Teren Kill die in the first round.  Dynamite followed by a spade top card.  He was sad. 

Also, Teren Kill is easy to kill if Curse is active. 

[The Schaef]

non-Sheriffs keep shooting each other until the Deputy dies, and then everyone fights the Sheriff.

Why would a Renegade shoot at the Sheriff, if the Outlaws win and he loses if the Sheriff dies?

[Bryon]

I can tell you that the game isn't fun in two cases:

1) someone at the table takes it too seriously, or

2) a couple of the players are clueless and have zero concept of what their role means.

Also, it can get dull with 8 players - especially if there are new players.  I find it works best with 5-6.  The more experienced the group, the more fun it is with a greater number of players.  Even 7 can be fun if everyone is a pro.

[The M]

The first time I played it after I bought it:

1) 4 people at the table took it too seriously, and

2) a lot of the players are clueless and have zero concept of what their role means.

and I played with 8 ick.

[Rawrlolsauce!]

I played bang for the first time today. Raeg. In like 5 games, I've lost twice without getting a turn. Two more times on the second turn. Raeg. I also blew up all 3 dynamites played. That was actually awesome.

[Warrior_Monk]

Gag is basically the most fun card of all card games. Especially when I have the hiccups.

[BubbleBoy]

Gag is basically the most fun card of all card games. Especially when I have the hiccups.

[Hedgehogman]

Bang is one of my favorite casual card games. I introduced to to a group of friends, and they're all hooked. It helps that they're all the cutthroat, screw-your-neighbor types too.

 Tim, I would suggest that you're probably playing with the wrong crowd if you didn't get much enjoyment out of it.

[The Schaef]

Or maybe he IS the wrong crowd.  Some people just don't like a game.  I'm not sure I get their collective strategy for figuring out the roles but either way, different games are for different people.  I like Le Havre and Stone Age, but in a larger sense, I don't really like most worker placement games.  Caylus bores me and Agricola is okay but I don't buy the hype.  Doesn't mean they're not great games or that other people shouldn't like them.

[Bryon]

For all you people with smart phones, you can download BANG! on your phone.  One of my students has it.  He likes it.  I've never tried it.

[The Schaef]

For all you people with smart iphones, you can download BANG! on your phone.

Fixed.  I haven't yet seen anything in the Android market.

[SomeKittens]

Aw, you got my hopes up.

[Alex_Olijar]

Aw, you got my hopes up.

It's only for the good phones

[SomeKittens]

Let's not start that again....