Clash of Chaos and Confetti #8 – Radlands

 The Premise and Standings

Each week we’ll face off in a best of three series playing a different board game from our collection.  The winner claims the moniker of C&C Clash Champ for the week.  The loser stares into the void known only as defeat.  The lesser player also gets to choose the game for the next week.

We will maintain a record of wins and losses throughout the year to see who finishes 2022 as the ultimate board game champ in our household.

Our current C&C Champion is Chaos after winning last week’s Stone Age smackdown.

Pre-Clash Current Standings:

• Weekly Winner: 4 Chaos – 3 Confetti
• Individual game wins:  11 Chaos – 9 Confetti

After losing last week, Confetti has chosen Radlands

The Game – Radlands

In Radlands, players take on the roles of leaders of warring post-apocalyptic groups.  Each side has three camps they must protect in order to survive and they must do everything they can to wipe out their enemy.  Each side will have three unique camps that provide their own advantages and disadvantages.

This dueling card game asks players to carefully strategize as they balance the need for a strong defense while making sure to put out enough offense to bring down their opponents.  Water is the resource of choice in Radlands.  It can be used to play the people and events from the common deck all players will share, or to activate abilities on cards already in play.  Of course, if players don’t like what they’ve drawn, they can junk cards for quick one-off benefits.

The first player to destroy their opponent’s three camps will claim victory and will live to enjoy the post-apocalyptic hellscape they call home.

Chaos’ Pre-clash thoughts:

This is the first time we’ve entered a clash with a game that neither of us have played before.  Going into a championship defense blind doesn’t fill me with confidence, but I’m pretty sure I have more dueling card game experience than Confetti, so hopefully I’ll still have some advantage. I look forward to trying out my newest game, however, there’s a lot of pressure to make sure I get it right the first time out.  From what I’ve read from the rules, the best strategy for winning seems to match what I’ve learned from reading The Hunger Games: find water and survive.

Confetti’s Pre-clash thoughts:

I bought Radlands for Chaos based solely off of reddit reviews. It seemed like it had interesting mechanics and it was competitive, so I knew we could play it for a Clash. Neither of us have played before, so we’re on pretty even footing. I’m excited to play!

Game 1:

Confetti started off the match and we both went in unsure what the best way to build our defenses would be.  Protecting our camps with people seemed wise, so we both gave that a whirl, mostly ignoring event cards initially.  As the game progressed, we both kept clearing out the other side’s defenses and then taking small shots at one another.

Still not having the best idea of how to progress, our slower, less aggressive play styles allowed a lot of healing on both sides and many larger hits that would most likely be thwarted otherwise.  In fact, Confetti was able to use bombardment twice, both times doing massive damage to Chaos’ camps.  This put him at a disadvantage and then he couldn’t find any real opportunities to heal as the deck refused to give him what he needed.  Confetti finished shutting him down for the first win.

Game 2:

We entered the second game only slightly wiser and more willing to try new techniques out.  This time, Chaos relied heavily on the raid mechanics which rewarded him with hits on Confetti’s bases.  Confetti chose the Juggernaut as one of her camp, which asked for high risk (an exposed camp) in exchange for the possibility of high reward (destroying an opponent’s camp).  Sadly, her bid did not pay off and Chaos took out the Juggernaut quickly.  It was that or watch himself get completely crushed.  

After the early takedown, Chaos found himself with a lead he couldn’t ignore and he pushed aggressively to finish Confetti off.  Her defenses stayed strong while Chaos left himself open to unnecessary damage.  Had he played more defensively, he might have been able to slowly break down Confetti, but instead he let her close the gap and they soon stood at one base each.  

Both players had their final bases well defended, but thanks to some healing on Confetti’s side, she was able to out last Chaos again.  She claimed two victories locking in her win for the week.

Game 3:

Never one to throw in the towel easily, Chaos wanted his third match and last chance to get a win in the record books.  Having a better handle of the cards and game play elements, he was able to better balance his play style.  Using the Mercenary Camp to keep Confetti’s defenses thin, repeatedly making her choose which cards to sacrifice, Chaos kept her on the back foot consistently while he chipped away with his raiders.  

Confetti wasn’t able to mount almost any offense due to her need to constantly heal just to stay alive.  The damage and card destructure eventually out paced her and Chaos achieved a win.  Confetti would claim Chaos was being mean with that much pressure, but Chaos would say he was finally getting the game to work for him.

Your winner and NEW C&C Clash Champion: Confetti!

Chaos’ Post-Clash Thoughts:

I did not have my balance right the first two games and I paid for it dearly.  One game I played too conservatively and the next too aggressively.  The third, as Goldilocks would say, was just right.  I have a feeling that a best 3 out of 5 would have gone in my favor.  I’m glad we got in a few rounds of a new game.  I’m sure this will be one we only bust out occasionally since the direct competitiveness and destruction of one another’s pieces isn’t always theway to stay on each others’ best side.  I look forward to the next time I get to play Radlands though.  Even more, I look forward to next week and what I’m sure will be the start of an epic winning streak for me in C&C Clashes.

Confetti’s Post-Clash Thoughts: It’s exciting to pick up a win! The nature of the game requires you to be pretty ruthless, which isn’t a game mechanic I excel in. I also don’t like getting a system set up and then having Chaos come in and mess it all up on his turn. Regardless though, I won and that’s what matters most 🙂 I think Radlands will get more fun as I get more used to the mechanics and develop different strategies. 

Next week:
If you read our “Cooking with Chaos and Confetti” post this week, you know that Chaos is a true master chef.  Next week he hopes to parlay those kitchen skills to the board game table with Rival Restaurants.  Tune in next Thursday to find out which player will rise like yeast and who will fall flat as a pancake in our culinary clash!