Just got this game. Played it a couple of times and really like it, but I have one nagging question that I haven't seen addressed on the forum yet: When the alarm sounds how are portcullises supposed to be closed--in turn order all at once before the action continues, or is each player supposed to drop one portcullis per turn until the conclusion of the game?

The scenario boards seem to suggest that this is supposed to happen in turn order all at once, and that's how we have played it so far. But even in a three player game, there are enough rounds after the alarm sounds and before the end of the game for each player to drop one on his turn each round before the game concludes. In retrospect, it seems like this might be more realistic, and it would also make escapes more difficult.

Any answers or thoughts?

Lou Garoux said:

This is how we play it as well.

I rationalize all the portcullis closing as a general alarm. The alarm going off is an abstraction the city guard are doing their best to help those on the ground to arrest any offenders.

Its a heavily thematic game that invites quite a bit of narrative if you allow it. The rules arent especially tight but suffice for the purposes it seems to be intended for. And that is just a very light "screw your buddy romp" type of game that would work great at a party. Enough to be engaging, but not so much to where you become bored due to taking too much time to resolve a game.