[chas]

A friend just gifted me his copy of Merchants and Marauders! He played it once and didn't like it, so much so that he says he'll never play it again. He got it from a pal of his who also didn't care for it. Its a story telling game rather than a strategy game, and not every one is up for that. Still, on BGG, many swear its the best pirate game out there!

Apparently the game has just been reprinted, and is newly available from the Z-Man site! I'm looking now for the only expansion, Seas of Glory, which is still listed as Out of Stock. But according to a poster on BGG, its also due for a reprint, and I'll get it, since its supposed to be great.

YMMV, but personally I disliked Xia, which I played for the first time for a couple of turns, after arranging for a gamer buddy to get a copy of it from another comrade who was selling it. The recipient had lost his original copy, and was very happy to get it back.

On the other hand, I love Firefly, all of whose expansions I own. Go figure.

So we'll see what happens, as I expect to play my first M&M game next week, and to pick up the expansion as soon as I can! I've been very lucky lately, learning about several games just when they have first become available or reprinted!