Clash of Chaos and Confetti #30: Guillotine

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 knows they’ll never get ahead.  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 Confetti after winning last week’s I’m Right You’re Wrong showdown.

Pre-Clash Current Standings:

• Weekly Winner: 13 Chaos – 15 Confetti
• Individual game wins:  41 Chaos – 38 Confetti

After losing last week, Chaos has chosen Guillotine.

The Game – Guillotine

Guillotine is a card game that will have people losing their heads!  It’s the French Revolution and everyone is looking to get ahead, or at least all the executioners are trying to build the best collection of heads.

The game takes place over three days (rounds) with twelve random nobles being lined up before the guillotine each day.  Each player will start with five action cards.  During their turn, each player may first play an action card, then they will collect the head of the next noble in line, and finally they will draw an action card whether an action was played this turn or not.  Turns will bounce back and forth until the day is over and a new set of nobles must be brought to the chopping block.  At the end of the third day, the points on each noble’s head will be counted, modifiers will be applied, and a winner will be declared.

The strategy for Guillotine comes in the form of the nobles and the action cards.  The nobles come with different classes (royalty, church, military, government, etc) and some have special abilities that take place before or after they are beheaded.  Players will want to work to collect the nobles that will most benefit them or to send the nobles they don’t want towards competitors.  This is where the action cards come in.  Action cards range from rearrange the line of nobles to adding/subtracting nobles, to directly harming or benefiting players, and more.  Players will plan, but action cards are sure to throw a wrench in everything.

Guillotine is a quick and silly game that will have everyone screaming, “off with their heads!”

Chaos’ Pre-Clash Thoughts:

Apparently I just can’t win at clashes any more.  Luck has not been on my side at all.  I’m starting to doubt this week will be any different. 

Confetti’s Pre-Clash Thoughts:

Guillotine is a really fun game and I’m glad Chaos picked something that is easy to take on our beach vacation. I’ve read enough Philippa Gregory novels to know I’ve got to step up my game or it will be off with my head. 

Game 1 –

The first game had a quick first day as Robespierre’s beheading meant an automatic ending of the first round.  During the start of the game though, it became clear that Chaos was building up a nice collection of church nobles, while Confetti gathered a few military nobles.

The second and third days were a rush of line rearrangements as both players vied for higher points while doing all they could to avoid any negative points.

In the end, Confetti eked out the first win.

Game 1 Winner: Confetti

Game 1 Score: 28 – 33

Game 2:

The second game saw a lot of heads roll.  Chaos added nobles to lines every chance he could get.  This led to a lot more battling for points and much higher scores.  

Chaos tried his hand at military nobles this time and kept his eyes on palace guards that grow in worth based on how many you have.  Confetti noticed his strategy by the third day but couldn’t do much to slow Chaos down other than purposefully prevent him from grabbing the last two guards.

Meanwhile, the game saw a lot more line rearrangement and hail marys to avoid picking up any gray nobles (worth negative points).  Chaos ended up with the final turn as he collected two heads, including the one that Confetti purposefully left in front, the clown.  Unfortunately, Confetti only saw the clown’s gray coloring and didn’t actually read him closely.  Once executed on Chaos’ turn, the clown could be placed in an opponents’ victory pile.  Chaos happily tossed the clown Confetti’s way as the game wrapped up.

That two points stolen by the clown were just enough to hand Chaos the win.

Game 2 Winner: Chaos

Game 2 Score: 49 – 47

Game 3 –

The final game had an interesting start.  The very first head in line was Robespierre and Chaos did nothing to move him.  This meant, Chaos grabbed his three points and the second day immediately came about.  Not one to let silliness like that stand, Confetti made Chaos lose a random (his one) card and basically made this a two day game, with everyone starting at zero.  

Once again, the two foes went to chopping and line swapping.  They lobbed heads this way and that, always looking for a slight edge.  During the game’s final turn, Confetti was forced to take the “hero of the public,” worth negative three.  However, she also played “public indifference” which made all of her gray heroes +1 instead of their normal worth.  This took Confetti from a slight deficit to a narrow margin of victory.  With that, the revolution ceased and the history book would record Confetti as the winner.

Game 3 Winner: Confetti

Game 3 Score: 23 – 27

Your Winner and Still C&C Clash Champion: Confetti!!!!!

Chaos’ Post-Clash Thoughts:

Despite this game’s revolutionary theming, the status quo remains stable.

Confetti’s Post-Clash Thoughts:

Still maintaining my winning streak – this is my longest one yet! I wonder how long I’ll be the reigning C&C Clash Champion. 

New Standings:

Post-Clash Standings:

• Weekly Winner: 13 Chaos – 16 Confetti
• Individual game wins: 42 Chaos – 40 Confetti

Next Week:

Chaos and Confetti re-enter the squared circle for next week’s clash, but only one may remain as they face-off in the ultimate battle royale, WWE: Royal Rumble Card Game.  Moves will be made and bodies will be sent over the top rope as Chaos and Confetti look to outlast a sea of wrestlers on their way to Clash victory.