Escape from Colditz!

o1s1n

Have any of you ever played this? It's probably my favourite boardgame ever. Spent countless hours playing it as a kid.

For anyone who has never heard of it, it's based in a German POW camp. All the players bar one are trying to make an escape. You do this by plotting an escape route and gathering the necessary tools. Rope, wirecutters, bribes etc.

One person then acts as the German camp guard, trying to stop you all escaping. My dad loved playing this role. Was always an evil bastard!

There's one particularly nasty card in the German's deck called 'Shoot to Kill'. Absoluely horrible to have pulled on you if you're just about fully escaped.

monkeyfudge

Oh yes. But there was the awesome 4 leafed clover card too!

I love how the artwork from all the old games gets completely ingrained in your brain.

Long, long time since I played it though. It was pretty damn tough to actually escape from Colditz, wasn't it?

Brilliant board though.

Earthhorse

A friend of mine owns a copy and we played once, maybe twice. I love the little historical details on the card and the game seems tense in its own way. Would like to play again but wonder how it would hold up under repeated plays.

o1s1n

It was indeed tough. Especially if you were up against a good German player. You had to work with all the other POWs to spring from the place at the same time. If not you were easy pickings.

I always tried for the staff car myself. Zoom out the front gates. Nothing beats a bit of grand theft auto. :pac:

You're spot on about the artwork. I'd forgotten about that four leaf clover card but the moment you mentioned it a part of my brain I haven't used in years sprung to life.

The picture you posted looks exactly the same as the one I have. My mam picked it up in a charity shop about 15 years ago. The cards have more swastikas on them than the whole Third Reich itself.

o1s1n

Earthhorse wrote: »

Would like to play again but wonder how it would hold up under repeated plays.

Well I haven't played it in years, but the amount we did play it as kids would suggest it holds up well. Playing as the German is a completely different experience to playing as a POW. So you can rotate who plays as what.

Although it can go on for hours and hours so you'd more than likely only get a single game in!

Going to see if I can dig it out when I go to the parents house over the weekend.

fungun

i have this but havent played it in years and years and years!

Mr. Presentable

monkeyfudge wrote: »

Oh yes. But there was the awesome 4 leafed clover card too!

I love how the artwork from all the old games gets completely ingrained in your brain.

Long, long time since I played it though. It was pretty damn tough to actually escape from Colditz, wasn't it?

Brilliant board though.

My copy is an early 1970s one, with red and black cards, swastikas and tons of atmosphere as a result.

The Security cards inspire outrageous German accents whenever we play.

It's mechanically not a great game, but the fun element is huge. I love it.

Earthhorse

o1s1n wrote: »

Well I haven't played it in years, but the amount we did play it as kids would suggest it holds up well.

Ah, but what you like as a kid and what you like as an adult are often complete opposites.

Although it can go on for hours and hours so you'd more than likely only get a single game in!

For instance, a game that lasts for hours is not so appealing unless there's a lot of depth involved. Still, I would like to give this another go, it's definitely got potential.

Mr. Presentable

o1s1n wrote: »

Well I haven't played it in years, but the amount we did play it as kids would suggest it holds up well. Playing as the German is a completely different experience to playing as a POW. So you can rotate who plays as what.

Although it can go on for hours and hours so you'd more than likely only get a single game in!

Going to see if I can dig it out when I go to the parents house over the weekend.

We set a time limit and a target for escapees: "We'll get five out in 90 minutes", for example, and if we fail the Germans win. I think that's how it's suggested in the rules anyhow.

doctorchick

I remember getting very confused one christmas when I asked for Escape from Colditz and what I got was very different to that of my friends. What I got was Escape from Colditz CASTLE by Invicta Games and the Castle part is very important (to differentiate it from the other games).

Just looked and found it on ebay:-
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Escape-Colditz-Castle-board-game-1972-Invicta-/260585417480?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Toys_Games_Games&hash=item3cac19eb08

Anyone remember that variant ?

Lab_Mouse

Christ that game brings back memories!Thought it was excellent.Played it to death too.

Paddy Samurai

Yea great game at the time ,played it as a kid and had a lot of fun times . Still have my original copy up in the attic. But with so many better boardgames now available , probably won't get around to playing it again.

RoryMurphyJnr

Used to play that all the time. (Monopoly and Risk also) One lad always wanted to be the Germans and when the cell were full decided that he could just kill the prisoners :eek:

R

Doyler92

Never played it myself but my uncle always swore that it's the best board games ever made. It's one of those games I'd say I'd secretely enjoy.

dfbemt

Just watching the program on Channel 4 about Colditz and got me thinking about the game.

Many happy memories playing this when we were kids. Can recall games going on for hours, even the next day. Those were the days, full of innocence.

Can recall the day well when the lads through me out of the shed because I hid the dice down my jocks !!

Just went on Ebay and bid for Escape from Colditz.

Anybody know the difference between Gibsons and Parkers versions of the game?

TwoShedsJackson

Loved this as a kid, looking back now though the rules are a mess, there's a huge amount of ambiguity in some sections, so if you get a copy, some house ruling is a must!

ShooterSF

dfbemt wrote: »

Just watching the program on Channel 4 about Colditz and got me thinking about the game.

Many happy memories playing this when we were kids. Can recall games going on for hours, even the next day. Those were the days, full of innocence.

Can recall the day well when the lads through me out of the shed because I hid the dice down my jocks !!

Just went on Ebay and bid for Escape from Colditz.

Anybody know the difference between Gibsons and Parkers versions of the game?

I think Gibsons used wooden pieces and is considered the slightly better quality one. Also it seems the older ones with the swastika on the box go for a higher price probably due to collecting the taboo. They also tend to be pictured with paper covering the swastika because ebay has some weird rules when it comes to selling items with it on them!