Chaos & Confetti

Every week Chaos and Confetti will alternate between clashing for board game dominance and coming together in table top harmony.  (At least that’s how it’s supposed to work.  Due to work, family health issues, and a few other obstacles, we had to take a short break from our regular posts.  We’re hoping to get back on track now and return to our regular schedule). This week it’s time for another round of…  

The Clash of Chaos and Confetti!!!

The Premise:

Every other week Chaos and Confetti will face off in a best of three series, playing a different board game from their collection.  The winner will claim the moniker of C&C Clash Champion.  The loser won’t be getting any treats this week.  The lesser player will also get to choose the game for the next Clash.

We will maintain a record of wins and losses throughout the year to see who finishes 2023 as the ultimate board game champ in our household.

Pre-Clash Current Standings:

Our current C&C Champions are Chaos and Confetti after the strange tie situation during the Wrong Party battle.

• Weekly Winner: 3 Chaos – 3 Confetti
• Individual game wins: 7 Chaos – 7 Confetti – 1 tie 

After their tie, Chaos and Confetti have agreed to clash next in Wingspan: Asia

The Game – Wingspan: Asia – Duet Mode

Wingspan: Asia is the third expansion to the bird-based, wildlife preserve building hit, Wingspan.  This new expansion introduces new birds, a few new mechanics, and new playmodes.  The flock mode allows for 6-7 player games, and the duet lets us play head-to-head in a two player game.  We will be using the duet mode for this clash.

The majority of the rules for the duet mode are the same as base Wingspan.  The biggest difference is the duet board and the duet markers.  This time the game end round goals are all focused around the duet board.  Each time a bird is played, the one who placed the bird gets to place a duet marker on the duet board.  The only catch is that where the marker is placed must match the bird’s region and one of its qualities.  Placement may come with an immediate reward, and it may also help count towards the end goal bonus.

If players can’t place a marker on the region spaces of the duet board, they may save their makers for bird feeder rerolls or bird tray restocks.  

The duet board allows for more direct competition and allows new ways to score, such as having connected duet markers.  This new playstyle of Wingspan allows for all the original fun, with just enough changes to allow for something unique.

Let’s find out which of Chaos and Confetti will take flight, and who is a bit lower on the pecking order.

Chaos’ Pre-Clash Thoughts:

Being a co-champion stinks.  I want to rule the roost alone, none of this birds-of-a-feather junk.  I soar solo and it’s time I prove that.  Confetti may have beaten me at Wingspan back in February of last year during our fifth ever Clash, but a lot has changed since then.  Now is my time to shine!

Confetti’s Pre-Clash Thoughts:

I won the last Wingspan clash, so hoping I can pull it off again to be sole-reigning C&C Clash Champion. 

Game 1 –

Chaos and Confetti are well seasoned players at Wingspan, but the addition of the duet board added an interesting new wrinkle.  Now they had to consider how much to prioritize the board and how to make it work best for them.  Obviously end of round points can add up quickly, but there was also the balance of placement on the board.  Is it better to aim for end of round goals, bonuses that could be beneficial in the moment, or adjoining spaces for the end of the game bonus.  Definitely a lot to consider while still playing a normal game of Wingspan on their own boards as well.

 The two players have a funny habit of always assuming the other is in the lead.  Confetti’s regular tucking of bird cards had Chaos panicking on the inside.  Meanwhile, Confetti saw Chaos’ edge on eggs and bird card points.  They even traded off end of round wins, causing each other to think they were falling dangerously behind.

In reality, victory stayed within reach of both combatants.  However, the final push would come due to a miscalculation.  With only a few moves left in the game, Confetti ended up having to pass a bird card to Chaos.  Normally it can make sense to pass along a high point, hard to play card because it might as well be a dead card to your opponent.  It might look alluring, but without the resources to play it, it’s a lame duck or at least a waste of time to try building towards, especially late game.

Confetti passing on the Great Hornbill usually would have been a fine move.  Unfortunately for her, Chaos actually had what he needed to play the bird (after giving up an extra resource to cover a cherry).  No matter how one slices it, nine points is a lot.  With only a five point difference in the final score, Confetti had to come to terms with the fact that she accidentally handed Chaos the win.

Game 1 Winner: Chaos

Game 1 Score:  89 Chaos –  84 Confetti

Game 2 –

Due to outside circumstances there was actually almost two months between the first and second game of this series.  This time, both players did their best on their personal boards but they also really emphasized success on the duet board.  They closely followed the end of round goals, which results in ties in the first three rounds.  It wasn’t until the final round that Chaos finally broke free.  

Chaos and Confetti really ended up again being neck and neck.  Both players tucked cards, layed a bunch of eggs, played good bird cards, and took aim at end of round goals.  It became clear that this game would come down to the wire.  One of Confetti’s big hope laid in a bird that gave bonus eggs for each contiguous bird with a shared nest type.  She carefully assembled a flock of nine birds.  

Chaos’ saving grace came in the form of the Great Indian Bustard.  He allowed Chaos to score one of his bonus cards early and then again at the end of the game.  This amounted to seven extra points on top of the bird’s already high point value of six.  When the game remained so close, those points meant the world.

As the dust finally settled, Chaos again pulled ahead by a margin of five points.  

Game 2 Winner: Chaos

Game 2 Score:  99 Chaos –  94 Confetti

Game 3 –

With the championship already secured, there was no need for a third game.

Your winners and… NEW/STILL C&C Clash Champion: Chaos!!

Chaos’ Post-Clash Thoughts:

Those were some close games and they could have gone either way.  We both had strong strategies but in the end I was unflappable (get it?).  Personally, I liked the duet board as it added some more depth and interactivity for the head to head challenge without altering the core game much.  I look forward to retaining my championship during our next clash, which hopefully will come at its regularly scheduled interval.

Confetti’s Post-Clash Thoughts:

Duel mode wasn’t my favorite, but it is nice to have as an option. Bummed to have lost, but I always like Wingspan. 

New Standings:

Post-Clash Standings:

• Weekly Winner: 4 Chaos – 3 Confetti
• Individual game wins: 9 Chaos – 7 Confetti – 1 tie 

Next Clash: 

Dice Throne: Marvel