Beacon Patrol
Designed by: Torben Ratzlaff
Beacon Patrol is a 1-4 player game of exploration and puzzlement, where you uncover coastlines, islands and more, but may never go on land…
You and your fellow players are the patrol(s) in question, and the game proceeds through revealing and placing tiles to build and ever-growing nautical landscape. On your turn you place three tiles, but there are two catches: one is that tile borders must match (sea against sea, land against land) and the other is each player has their own patrol boat, and you can only add a tile adjacent to your boat’s current position – effectively, your boat is doing the exploration here (-whilst the game describes you as patrolling, it feels like exploring).
Helping you in each turn are three propellor tokens: these can be used to move your boat across already-placed tiles – assuming of course land it not blocking your path.
Appearing on the tiles are a number of features : buoys, lighthouses, and – once you graduate from the introductory game – piers and wind turbines. The goal for every tile with one of these features on is to surround it: as long as it has tiles against all four sides, it will score at the end of the game. Buoys 2 points, lighthouses 3 points, turbines 1 point plus a point for every non-land tile adjacent, and piers for every building that appears on the land it’s attached to. (Any surrounded tile with no feature is also worth a point).
So the goal is to make a coherent landscape with as few holes as possible, whilst strategically placing tiles to maximise their points. Players can discuss placement on each turn (and optionally swap one tile with one other player), but ultimately the active player makes the final decisions – which may include dumping a tile or tiles entirely. When the tiles run out, the game is over, and the rulebook will rate your score.
Sam says
I’ve found this to be a very moreish puzzle, even if the concept of being unable to ever step on land may do something mildly traumatic to the psyche. It’s a far easier game with more players, because having multiple boats (and the ability to swap tiles) gives a huge advantage over one or two. I’m not convinced it will sustain repeat plays over the years in the way some of the classics do (including Carcassonne, which feels like an inspiration here) because a high score seems to depend on fortunate card draws, but it’s a solid and accessible title, and a lovely one to play with the kids.
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Take That!
None
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Fidget Factor!
Everyone can contribute ideas on all turns, so – as long as nobody is dominating the discussion – there’s a sense of ongoing involvement.
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Brain Burn!
In terms of spatial puzzling, logic, and even risk/reward, this is a nice family-weight game that doesn’t answer it’s own questions, but doesn’t overly tax either.
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Again Again!
While it’s not a game that generates remember-when style stories, it does have that one-more-time appeal thanks to the accessibility and brevity of play.
