[Food Chain Magnate] Kiddy Meal

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Traditional Games > The Game Room > [Food Chain Magnate] Kiddy Meal

Stelas: Sep 6, 2010

(ba da da da dah)

What?

Food Chain Magnate is a fiendishly good Splotter game all about setting up a fast food chain in a local neighborhood. Along the way you'll need to hire staff from a collection of misfits, build your stock levels, watch out for the local area's demands and trends, undercut everyone else with the right ad campaign at the right moment, and then sell your unsuspecting customers the most expensive poo poo you can manage. It's very tight in terms of mechanics - diceless and deterministic, it's your strategy and guile that will really carry you through, to the point where many players much better than I am have come up with a huge array of potential build orders and tier lists. Currently one of the BG thread favorites, I figured it was time to give something new a try.

But why play it in a thread?

If you don't already know, Food Chain Magnate has an excellent online player over at http://play.boardgamecore.net/ - so why am I running this? There's a few reasons. For one, I think it deserves to stand as its own thread, to give people who don't know the game a chance to see it. For two, a thread format allows players and spectators to discuss strategy and look back over an entire game as it happens. For three, there's always people who don't necessarily have the time for a full game in a single go, for whom a thread might be suitable.

For four, I couldn't think of which Mage Knight scenario to run.

Recruiting / Rules

I'd like four or five players. We'll see how demand goes.
Please indicate if you're new or experienced. Skill difference can matter a lot in this game, so I will likely run a new players thread and an experienced players thread simultaneously.
As ever, I'd like players who can check in once per day where possible.
Signups will close in 24 hoursish, whereupon players will be selected by random draw.
COs are encouraged as this might take kind of a while to play through. Similarly, if you're able to give me an idea of what you want to do next step, that will be useful.
I will be doing org charts sideways, rather than top-down because this will be much easier in text, i.e.
code:
```
CEO ---> Trainee Manager ---> Recruiting Girl
     |                    \-> Recruiting Girl
     \-> Cart Operator
```
I don't mind how you do it - if you wanna build an image of it, feel free - just please make sure it's something that other players can understand easily.

Rules

Rules

Summary

Phase 1: Restructure

Choose which employees are at work this turn, arranging them in an org chart with the CEO at the top.
Managers cannot manage managers.

Phase 2: Order of Business

Players choose turn order, in descending order of most empty slots in their org chart.

Phase 3: Nine-to-Five

Players perform one action per card in their org chart. Actions are done in order:
- Recruit entry level employees.
- Train staff members not currently at work.
- Start marketing campaigns.
- Take food and drinks.
- Place new houses and gardens.
- Place or move restaurants.

Phase 4: Dinnertime

In order of house number, families check their demand against all restaurants they can reach by road.
They will visit the nearest restaurant that can meet their entire demand, but will travel 1 tile further if it will save them $1.

Phase 5: Payday

For each staff with a stack of bills a player has, $5 wages must be paid.
Recruiting Managers and HR Directors discount $5 per hire they didn't use.

Phase 6: Marketing Campaigns

Marketing campaigns generate demand tokens as per their rules.

Phase 7: Clean Up

Players who do not have a freezer discard all food and drink left over.
New restaurants open.
If a milestone was earned this turn by any number of players, the rest are removed from the game.

# ? Jul 7, 2016 03:43

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# ? Apr 27, 2024 02:05

Stelas: Sep 6, 2010

Signups are closed! Your players:

Corbeau as Xango Blues Bar
Rather Watch Them as Duck Diner
RandallODim as Santa Maria Pizza
Tricky as Gluttony Burger

# ? Jul 7, 2016 03:43

Stelas: Sep 6, 2010

SETUP

In reverse turn order (see below - i.e. Tricky, then Randall, then etc.), please choose where you'd like your starting restaurant to go. You cannot have your entrance be on the same tile as another player's restaurant - remember that a 'tile' is a 5x5 block, so A1-E5 is one tile, then F6-J10, etc.

After that, please PM me with which reserve card you'd like to ready. You can choose either 100$, 200$ or 300$ - these will determine how long the game goes on for, not to mention how upgraded (or downgraded) your CEO gets once the initial bank has been burnt through.

I strongly recommend everyone takes a look at the rules, especially the final page, and also that you look over the staff and milestones links below to figure out what sort of stuff you might want to go for. I've also dunked a summary of play into the OP. Bear in mind this game is really about being efficient, not to mention puzzling out the absolute best locations for all your poo poo.

Bank: $200 - Reserve: $???
Milestones Available | Staff Available

Xango Blues Bar (Corbeau) - $0 - No Stock
Duck Diner (Rather Watch Them) - $0 - No Stock
Santa Maria Pizza (RandallODim) - $0 - No Stock
Gluttony Burger (Tricky) - $0 - No Stock

# ? Jul 7, 2016 04:03

Tricky: Jun 12, 2007; after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage

I'll put my entrance on G9.

# ? Jul 7, 2016 04:25

Stelas: Sep 6, 2010

SETUP

Just to state it officially, by the way, please feel free to have several people declare their actions/placements/whatevers between any given update post. It'll make the game go a bit faster. (Also, I don't make it clear in the image, but you get three stores total should you build that many.)

RandallODim is up.

# ? Jul 7, 2016 05:57

RandallODim: Dec 30, 2010; Another 1? Aww man...

Our Lady Of The Stuffed Crust will have its entrance at K12

# ? Jul 7, 2016 14:49

Stelas: Sep 6, 2010

SETUP

By CO, Rather Watch Them places a restaurant at N17. Corbeau is up to place (and nominate reserve).

Stelas fucked around with this message at 22:33 on Jul 7, 2016

# ? Jul 7, 2016 15:02

Corbeau: Sep 13, 2010; Jack of All Trades

## Pass.

## Then place F14-G15 with entrance in F14.

# ? Jul 7, 2016 23:10

Stelas: Sep 6, 2010

TURN 1.1

This is where you would decide who you use this turn, but you all only have CEOs. So:

TURN 1.2

Please choose, in turn order, where you'd like to move to in the turn order. This is important in case you want to be the first to grab something, or if you want to see what other people take on a given turn.

# ? Jul 8, 2016 00:15

Corbeau: Sep 13, 2010; Jack of All Trades

## Goin' last. It's what the people in the know-what-they're-doing thread seem to think is good.

# ? Jul 8, 2016 00:20

Double May Care: Mar 28, 2012; We need Dragon-type Pokemon to help us prepare our food before we cook it. We're not sure why!

Second, so I can get to scheming.

# ? Jul 8, 2016 00:22

Stelas: Sep 6, 2010

Corbeau posted:

## Goin' last. It's what the people in the know-what-they're-doing thread seem to think is good.

In the first turn, at least, it makes total sense - none of you can do anything except recruit and there's no scarcity around who you recruit, so all you really care about is whether someone is obviously going for a specific milestone or not, in which case you'd potentially want to be able to respond to that. (Remember, everyone who meets a milestone on that turn gets it - but only on that turn.)

# ? Jul 8, 2016 00:22

RandallODim: Dec 30, 2010; Another 1? Aww man...

gently caress it, first.

# ? Jul 8, 2016 03:51

Stelas: Sep 6, 2010

TURN 1.3

Turn order has been moved around appropriately. (See below.)

As you all only have a CEO out, the only actions you get this turn are a single recruit, so in order please all decide who you'd like to recruit. You can recruit anyone with an arrow > against them - this signifies an entry level position. The full staff list - with number of cards - is linked below.

Bank: $200 - Reserve: $???
Milestones Available | Staff Available

Santa Maria Pizza (RandallODim) - $0 - No Stock
Duck Diner (Rather Watch Them) - $0 - No Stock
Gluttony Burger (Tricky) - $0 - No Stock
Xango Blues Bar (Corbeau) - $0 - No Stock

# ? Jul 8, 2016 04:19

RandallODim: Dec 30, 2010; Another 1? Aww man...

Gimme an Errand Boy.

# ? Jul 8, 2016 16:01

Double May Care: Mar 28, 2012; We need Dragon-type Pokemon to help us prepare our food before we cook it. We're not sure why!

Errand Boy

Tell me, what's the range on these guys again?

# ? Jul 8, 2016 16:48

Tricky: Jun 12, 2007; after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage

Recruiting Girl.

# ? Jul 8, 2016 16:49

Double May Care: Mar 28, 2012; We need Dragon-type Pokemon to help us prepare our food before we cook it. We're not sure why!

...Oh poo poo, Errand Boys just make drinks don't they. :negative:

# ? Jul 8, 2016 16:50

RandallODim: Dec 30, 2010; Another 1? Aww man...

Rather Watch Them posted:

...Oh poo poo, Errand Boys just make drinks don't they.

Yep. Errand Boys have a 1 tile range and they pick up drinks from drink spots on the board along a road-based path.

# ? Jul 8, 2016 16:56

Tricky: Jun 12, 2007; after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage

Pretty sure Errand Boys just grab one drink of your choice. Once you hit cart operators you start running into road-based paths.

# ? Jul 8, 2016 16:58

RandallODim: Dec 30, 2010; Another 1? Aww man...

I think you're actually right about that. Well.

# ? Jul 8, 2016 17:03

Stelas: Sep 6, 2010

Rather Watch Them posted:

...Oh poo poo, Errand Boys just make drinks don't they.

I'm going to be pretty lenient on 'oh poo poo I hosed up' moments, especially early on in the thread, so if you want to reselect, feel free - Tricky will also be allowed to reselect based on new information if you do.

Stelas fucked around with this message at 17:58 on Jul 8, 2016

# ? Jul 8, 2016 17:48

Double May Care: Mar 28, 2012; We need Dragon-type Pokemon to help us prepare our food before we cook it. We're not sure why!

Nah, if Randall wants a drink race, I'll give it to him.

# ? Jul 8, 2016 18:48

Corbeau: Sep 13, 2010; Jack of All Trades

## Hire a Trainer.

# ? Jul 8, 2016 21:11

RandallODim: Dec 30, 2010; Another 1? Aww man...

Rather Watch Them posted:

Nah, if Randall wants a drink race, I'll give it to him.

There's only room for one place to drown this miserable town's sorrows in beer/soda/orange juice, and by god it's gonna be Santa Maria Pizza!

# ? Jul 8, 2016 22:06

Stelas: Sep 6, 2010

TURN 1.4 - No-one feels like going out.
TURN 1.5 - No-one's got any employees on more than minimum wage.
TURN 1.6 - There are no marketing campaigns up.
TURN 1.7 - There's nothing to clean up!

TURN 2.1 - Everyone, please choose your new org charts. (As mentioned in the other thread, right now this feels like busy-work because everyone's pretty much going to play everyone they've got - but this becomes very important later on to try to get ahead of the pack, hence the rejig each turn.)

# ? Jul 8, 2016 22:48

Corbeau: Sep 13, 2010; Jack of All Trades

Is that something we're supposed to PM? Doesn't matter much for this turn though, there's no reason for me to hold back my Trainer. All in.

# ? Jul 8, 2016 22:59

Tricky: Jun 12, 2007; after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage

CEO and Recruiting Girl going to work.

# ? Jul 8, 2016 23:01

Double May Care: Mar 28, 2012; We need Dragon-type Pokemon to help us prepare our food before we cook it. We're not sure why!

Everybody's working for the weekend.

# ? Jul 8, 2016 23:05

Stelas: Sep 6, 2010

Corbeau posted:

Is that something we're supposed to PM? Doesn't matter much for this turn though, there's no reason for me to hold back my Trainer. All in.

Theoretically, yes - in practice, I don't mind too much which way you want to do it. (At a table you're going to be able to see that someone's not left any cards aside, for instance...)

# ? Jul 8, 2016 23:24

RandallODim: Dec 30, 2010; Another 1? Aww man...

Errand Boy, pick me up a beer! Oh and get some drinks for the store.

# ? Jul 9, 2016 01:31

Stelas: Sep 6, 2010

Everyone please pick your new spot in the turn order, starting with Randall.

# ? Jul 9, 2016 02:04

Corbeau: Sep 13, 2010; Jack of All Trades

Open CO: late as I can go.

# ? Jul 9, 2016 02:21

RandallODim: Dec 30, 2010; Another 1? Aww man...

Last, yo.

# ? Jul 9, 2016 02:22

Double May Care: Mar 28, 2012; We need Dragon-type Pokemon to help us prepare our food before we cook it. We're not sure why!

Second to last, I guess.

# ? Jul 9, 2016 03:16

Tricky: Jun 12, 2007; after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage

I'm fine going first.

# ? Jul 9, 2016 03:48

Stelas: Sep 6, 2010

TURN 2.3

Duck Diner and Santa Maria Pizza achieve First to Play Errand Boy! Their drinks gofers will gain +1 drink per source.

Everyone, please resolve your actions!

Action Queue
- Tricky: 2 recruits.
- Corbeau: 1 recruit, 1 train.
- Rather: 1 recruit, 1 drink selection.
- Randall: 1 recruit, 1 drink selection.

Bank: $200 - Reserve: $???
Milestones Available | Staff Available

Gluttony Burger (Tricky) - $0 - No Stock
Xango Blues Bar (Corbeau) - $0 - No Stock
Duck Diner (Rather Watch Them) - $0 - No Stock
Santa Maria Pizza (RandallODim) - $0 - No Stock

# ? Jul 9, 2016 04:07

Tricky: Jun 12, 2007; after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage

Hire Recruiting Girl and Marketing Trainee.

Tricky fucked around with this message at 04:13 on Jul 9, 2016

# ? Jul 9, 2016 04:11

Corbeau: Sep 13, 2010; Jack of All Trades

## Hire Management Trainee, train to Junior VP.

# ? Jul 9, 2016 06:26

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# ? Apr 27, 2024 02:05

Double May Care: Mar 28, 2012; We need Dragon-type Pokemon to help us prepare our food before we cook it. We're not sure why!

Hey kid, go out there and find me a Waitress, will ya? Oh, and don't forget my OJ!

EDITED: Wrong name! It's not lemonade!

Double May Care fucked around with this message at 06:47 on Jul 9, 2016

# ? Jul 9, 2016 06:42

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Traditional Games > The Game Room > [Food Chain Magnate] Kiddy Meal

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code:

Corbeau posted:

Rather Watch Them posted:

Rather Watch Them posted:

Rather Watch Them posted:

Corbeau posted: