Yellow & Yangtze vs. Tigris & Euphrates Comparison - with Tom Vasel

Tom Vasel compares and contrasts Yellow & Yangtze with it's predecessor, Tigris & Euphrates!
BGG: boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2...
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[@jeffkunkel841]

Minor rules error in the comparison (2:15) - you don't need to discard green tiles to build pagodas. Discarding two green tiles is one option to construct pagodas when a set of three tiles is already on the board but with no pagoda present (probably because it was moved). If you place three adjacent tiles, just as with T&E, you can place the pagoda immediately at no additional cost after the third is laid down.

[@smoothcriminal28]

I do like the newer gameplay mechanisms. Like the face up tiles, that’s fantastic.

[@clumsydad7158]

Although he's known for reworking his games, I give Reiner credit on this one especially because he took a classic, but which is a bit unwelcoming, and made it more cheerful 20 years later. Kudos

[@ricken21]

Not sure if I'm at minority with it or not, but I think the Mayfair version looks gorgeous, one of the prettiest game of all time in fact for me.

[@drunkenKOALA1122]

I might get Yellow and Yangtze, but there is no way I am getting rid of my old Tigris and Euphrates.

[@smoothcriminal28]

Tony Chen if the 2p game for This is equally as good as Tigris, this is replacing it for me.

[@rachelandryan]

Dutrait or not, I think the artwork for the FFG version of T&E is superior to Y&Y. I would love for you to do a comparison of Y&Y to the advanced FFG rules of T&E including the civilization buildings and wonder variant. Talking about the FFG rules, there is a variant that only allows the defender to commit as many tiles to a war that will enable them to tie with the attacker, no more no less. This would perhaps rectify some of the qualms you have with war in T&E. As someone already pointed out, battles are also called Revolts and Wars in the FFG version of T&E.

[@clumsydad7158]

Fantastic overview Tom, I was just trying to figure out the differences based off of another brief review I saw. Holy hell, there are a lot more changes than I thought. They kind of made it slightly easier, more intuitive, more options, and maybe sped up. Great point about Y&Y evening out the balances of power between the different colors. I also think that since T&E was in a pretty unique design space, which no one really has entered, you can make the case that Reiner’s efforts to revamp it may have made a better game. Best comparison review, awesome job !!

[@thecomradered]

So what's next...Danube and Volga?

[@sopota6469]

For 2047 :D

[@dearmrdw]

I didn't know it would be possible to get a balanced and interesting opinion on Y&Y vs T&E, but Tom, this was some amazing comparison! I love Tigris & Euphrates, played it both on the table and on iPad a lot and was both excited and skeptical about Y&Y, but now I just want to get it and probably keep both?

[@rockxhero]

I hope to see this done for Starcadia Quest & Arcadia Quest as well! Could also be done for Near & Far & Above & Below, as well as Agricola & Caverna, etc.

[@smoothcriminal28]

Jake Kamps and for God sakes, Castles of Burgundy. That game needs a pimped out reprint. I love it with my all my heart but my god, it’s one ugly beast.

[@noeldillabough2153]

I have the 1997 version of T&E and its one of my first "big euro"s. I loved it and instantly ordered Y&Y. Looking forward to it!

[@republikadugave420]

Buuut its not an euro... :)

[@davidrichards8109]

"I don't know if both need to exist." Spoken by the man who has how many deck builders, worker placement, and Star Wars/Cthulu/zombie games:) I love T&E and am very much looking forward to getting Y&Y. There really aren't many games like this and I am very happy that they do both exist. But thank you Tom for reviewing these and giving them some much-deserved attention.

[@thedicetower]

That's not quite true. Having two deckbuilders is very different from having these two games, which are VERY VERY similar, as opposed to Dominion and Thunderstone Quest, for example.

[@clumsydad7158]

Considering it has always been a very unique game, with no imitators, and no expansions; I think you make a very good point. In a tabletop world of explicit and implicit repetition, having T&E and Y&Y would be a modest excess.

[@davidrichards8109]

Whether someone needs both is another matter. But the comment on the review was "I don't know if both need to exist." I think because of the very thing you state, which is that there are no imitators and expansions, I welcome the arrival from the original designer of a different take on T&E. Perhaps it will get more people to try the original, or they'll find they really prefer Y&Y.

[@monk3ymonk]

Time for a Huang vs Yellow & Yangtze

[@emanuelalmroth6683]

The Fantasy Flight versions rulebooks also use war and revolt instead of external och internal conflict.

[@jecabreradc]

Thanks Tom.

[@pedrovasconcelos8260]

I've played Y&Y only once and it appears to me that it suffers from the luck of the draw even more than T&E simply because we run through the tiles much faster because of tbe special rules for the different colors. So I still prefer T&E

[@ComodinZero]

I love your tirade while holding the manuals. Very entertaining to watch.

[@PeIon316]

They are called revolt and war since the updated FFG T&E version. Agree with Ozzy. Art is better on Y&Y, sure! production against FFG T&E? No way, that game is beautiful, cubes are horrible for this version. I will end up having both.

[@SGFlicksify]

Personally, I prefer the more subtle colours of T&E. I find LOUD PRIMARY colours of both pieces & the board in games, such as Y&Y & others, an actual distraction. That make sense?

[@rockxhero]

I have T&E, I think I will try playing it w/ some Y&Y rules used (like the market) rather than buying a replacement game.

[@clumsydad7158]

Interesting idea

[@rockxhero]

I'd like to know how many of each color tile/hex are used in each game. T&E also has a variant building that only takes 3 to build (like a pagoda).

[@clumsydad7158]

ahh.. so the pagoda idea has been there all along for 20 years, just waiting for it's time to shine. (-:

[@rockxhero]

In a way (it's in the FF version anyway), but I believe there's only 1 of those buildings each in T&E.

[@fredmcmack]

Uh-oh. Better trade off my Mayfair copy of T&T ASAP!

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

Yeah hard to compare when a lot of us have the newer FFG version of TE. I can't stand cubes though.

[@clumsydad7158]

cubes have SO jumped the shark !!! like seriously

[@FranzBazar]

Yah I’m surprised they still make board games heavy on the Cubes?? Makes the game look like a late 90’s/early 20’s era game

[@justinrrizzo]

Cubes are awesome!

[@republikadugave420]

T&E much better game IMHO

[@smoothcriminal28]

Production on this does not beat the newer FFG edition of Tigris, like at all. Artwork maybe, becausd Dutrait is pretty much God right now. But overall, I think the latest edition of Tigris is vastly superior to this production wise. Tigris has Awesome mini’s and individual chits with the actual resource instead of boring Euro cubes, etc.

[@markusschmidt9260]

Among Euro gamers, many actually prefer classic wooden cubes to fancy plastic junk.

[@supachigga]

@@markusschmidt9260 I do too, except for colorblind players

[@alicemoore2036]

T&E is slinking sadly away.

[@chrismusix5669]

I guess this is appropriate since most of our boardgames are manufactured in China.